“It’s easy for me to relate to my attorney clients,” says real estate savant Robyn Kelley. “If you peel back the layers, my work is not that different from theirs. We both work one-on-one with our clients, representing them and acting in their best interests. My particular niche is providing elite, concierge services to my clients so they can focus on the big picture.”
Having an entrepreneurial spirit helps too, she says. “My mother sold real estate while maintaining a demanding corporate career,” Kelley says. “She worked for AmeriTech, (which became AT&T) for 23 years, but on the side, she was the ultimate entrepreneur opening multiple businesses.”
Kelley believes her mother was greatly influenced by the work ethic of her family who owned a convenience store. Kelley herself, was first exposed to the concept of how hard work and industry could impact not just one life, but several generations. She was also struck by how much of an impact her mother’s work in real estate could have.
“My mother helped the family of a friend buy a home,” she says. “Some 20 years later, that friend’s mom is still raving about how much my mom changed their lives. It’s amazing to see how much joy one person can help create just by doing her job with compassion and care. I feel fortunate to work in a profession that elicits that kind of appreciation and loyalty.”
Given the entrepreneurial inclination she seems to have inherited, together with the example set by her immediate and extended family, it’s not surprising that Kelley would become so savvy in real estate. She cut her teeth working for major companies such as Verizon and Time Warner, even leaving her home in Chicago to fill an executive position in Texas in 2010. Yet, while her entire professional career has included sales of one type or another, Kelley became disillusioned with corporate America, and longed to find something that she could make uniquely hers.
“My daughter was the one who nudged me toward real estate,” she says. “In theory I agreed, but I just hadn’t figured out how that would come into play. However, it just all seemed to come together. I remembered watching my mom build her real estate career and how much pleasure she got from that, so I decided it might be a good fit.”
In truth, the fit has been ideal. Kelley’s concept of customer service together with dedication to detail has made her one of the most requested Realtors in the city. Furthermore, by aligning herself with Ebby Halliday, a company created and built by a self-starting woman, Kelley has been able to cater to every echelon while focusing on luxury and high-end properties.
“I did my own research before deciding on where I wanted to hang my license,” says Kelley. “Ebby Halliday is the leader in the marketplace and I knew this is the environment that I had to be a part of.”
Kelley also subscribes to a very structured philosophy of how to best service her clients, but it all begins with what she says is the most important factor – listening to the needs of her clients.
“It begins by being able to relate to each client on a person-to-person basis, which requires seriously listening to their story,” she says. “Everything else follows that. I provide my clients with excellent and unmatched marketing and market placement. But, whether buying or selling, my clients always have my full, undivided attention. I understand how it feels to be a busy professional with a big move looming, so I step in to make that as easy as possible.”
