Fort Worth Real Producers - July 2023

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JULY 2023 FORT WORTH CONNECTING. ELEVATING. INSPIRING.
Wallace
Amanda Ryan THE ACCIDENTAL AGENT ALEX LIPARI: Working with a Net JULIAN WILLIAMS: Living the All-American Dream KATHRYN MACDONALD: Seeing Them Through All Seasons RACHAEL AND BRANDON BURGAN & TITAN LENDING: A Desire to Do Things Better
Photo by: Katie
Wallace
, Katie
Photography

A Partnership Built With Trust

2 • July 2023 @realproducers S c an To P a rtn e r Wi t h Yo ur Trus ted , I ndu s t ry L e ading, F u ll-S e rvice Mor t g a g e B a nk i n g Tea m ! 342 9 2 81 7 6 02 034 8
To Find The Loan To Fit Your Client's Life! CO N V E NTIONAL  F HA  JUMB O LO W D O W N PA YM EN T  V A Thi s m a terial is inform a tional only a nd not a n ad vertise m ent to exte n d c redit a s d efi n ed b y TILA/ Reg u latio n Z n or a n appli c atio n for credit as defi n ed by RES PA/ Reg u latio n X. All progra m s term s and c on d ition s a re s u b ject to cha n ge w ithout n otic e R a te s a nd term s a re v a lid a s of the date of pri n ti n g/ d i s trib u tio n , Ju n e 24, 2022. Our compa n y is not e n dorsed b y n or a cti n g o n behalf of or at the d ire c tio n of the U S. D ep a rtme n t of Hou s i n g an d Urb a n D evelop m e n t, Federal Ho us i n g Ad m ini s tr a tion, U S . Department of Agric u ltur e Veteran s A d mi n i s tration or the Federal Gover n ment. Cherry C reek Mortgag e , L LC Company NMLS # 3274 Eq ua l hou s i n g opportu n it y
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6 • July 2023 42 Julian Williams: Living the AllAmerican Dream 24 Titan Lending: A Desire to Do Things Better 15 Publisher’s Note: I Am a First-Time Homeowner! CONTENTS TABLE OF 10 Index of Trusted Partners 30 Event Recap: Magazine Celebration Event 18 Alex Lipari: Working with a Net 34 Amanda Ryan: The Accidental Agent 16 Your Fort Worth Real Producers Badges

FT. WORTH

REAL PRODUCERS TEAM

If you are interested in contributing or nominating REALTORS® for certain stories, please email us at lance.dunahoe@realproducersmag.com.

DISCLAIMER: Any articles included in this publication and/or opinions expressed therein do not necessarily reflect the views of The N2 Company d/b/a Real Producers but remain solely those of the author(s). The paid advertisements contained within the Real Producers magazine are not endorsed or recommended by The N2 Company or the publisher. Therefore, neither The N2 Company nor the publisher may be held liable or responsible for business practices of these companies. NOTE: When community events take place, photographers may be present to take photos for that event and they may be used in this publication.

realproducersmag.com MEET THE
Jordan Espeseth Founder/Co-owner Landon Robinson Director of Client Relations Julie Altemus Executive Director Lance Dunahoe Co-owner Kareen Delos Reyes Administrative Assistant Desiree Roberts Photographer Rick Davis Videographer Jessica Nelson Social Media Director Landon Day Photographer Mark Fadden Writer Dave Danielson Writer Lanie Schaber Ad Strategist Katherine Fondren Content Coordinator

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Fort Worth Real Producers • 13 realproducersmag.com
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publisher’s note

First-Time Homeowner! I Am a

On June 1st, my wife Jess and I closed on our Windsong Ranch home in Prosper, Texas!

I must say that we are beyond grateful and excited to be homeowners. Ever since I moved out of my parents’ home at 19 years old, I have been bouncing around from place to place. In fact, in the five years I have been living in Texas, I have lived in five different apartments. I promise it is not because I love moving! Although, shout out to All My Sons Moving for making our move as enjoyable and stress-free as a move can be.

It’s funny, 15 months ago after church, I decided to take Jess out to Windsong Ranch to show her the famous 5-acre Lagoon. Jess moved from the Crystal Coast of North Carolina, and now she’s a beach girl living in Texas, and I knew how much she missed the beach. So, I thought I would just give her a little taste of the beach by showing her the lagoon and brightening up her day.

Once she laid eyes on it, she turns to me and says, “You have ruined me.

We must move here!” Eight days later, we were contracted on a new build. That sure escalated quickly! However, I knew within two years we would have wanted to move into a home and the new build timeline was around 14 months, so…close enough, right?

was beyond amazing, and the whole team was top-notch. Jess and I really enjoyed every step of the process.

I have to give a big shout out to my great friend and remarkable REALTOR®, Travis Hitt. Travis was someone I connected with in the first year I moved to Texas back in 2018 and has helped me with multiple apartments and home searches over the years. Jess and I couldn’t have imagined doing this without him. To anyone who says REALTORS® are overpaid… well they are just simply wrong.

We were so blessed to be able to build with Shaddock Homes, who at the time, was our only Real Producers Builder Partner. We fell in love with their Conroe floor plan! Shaddock was incredible to work with. Michelle Tornes, our sales rep,

Jess and I are so thrilled to plant our roots here in Prosper and build our family in this incredible neighborhood and home. I say this all the time, but not nearly enough, God is so good! As said in Joshua 24:15, “As for me and my house, we will serve the Lord.”

Cheers to homeownership!

Fort Worth Real Producers • 15 realproducersmag.com
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WORKING WITH A NET

REALTOR® on the rise

Alex Lipari first got interested in housing when he began working with people experiencing homelessness. Now, he’s using his real estate passion to help those with a lower income to get into quality, affordable homes.

When Alex Lipari moved from his hometown of Kansas City to attend TCU in Fort Worth, he met someone who would truly change his life.

“I didn’t know anyone, so I made a friend who asked me to go with him and hang out on Lancaster Avenue,” Lipari said. “I asked him ‘What’s that?’ thinking it would be some cool spot to meet other new students. He told me, ‘You’ll see it when you get there.”

Once on Lancaster, Lipari quickly realized it wasn’t Fort Worth’s answer to a college hotspot. Instead, he met people staying at shelters and sleeping outside.

“After spending time with those folks and talking to them about their lives, I recognized that I needed to change my mindset about money and how it connects to people’s true value,” Lipari said.

He had grown up thinking that because he came from a household that had a nice house and parents that made a good living in real estate (they owned and operated rental properties and apartment buildings) that somehow it made him better. But after his initial visit to Lancaster Avenue, his perspective changed.

“I started spending more and more time with the folks experiencing homelessness that hung out around Lancaster and got to know them,” said Lipari. “People often think they know what is best for others, what works for them. They tell them ‘You should do this. You should do that.’ But what I found out is that everyone has a story and reasons for

making the choices they do. It’s a learning opportunity for folks that want to help… to listen to their individual stories.”

Soon, Lipari was volunteering at The Net, a small non-profit in Fort Worth dedicated to helping build relationships with people experiencing homelessness. He graduated from TCU in 2015 and began working full-time at The Net. He supplemented his income by working part-time at a local coffee shop. When the coffee shop let him go to find full-time help, he turned to something he knew from his childhood…real estate.

“When I first got my license, the goal was to find a flexible job where I could make a little bit of supplemental income so I could continue working at The Net, which is what I was really passionate about,” said Lipari. “When COVID hit, The Net refocused and restructured and I started doing real estate full time.”

Fort Worth Real Producers • 19 realproducersmag.com

While Lipari may have stopped working at The Net, his experience at the non-profit left its mark on how he conducts himself as an agent and the goals he has for his real estate career.

“My time at The Net taught me that every human has value and worth,” Liapri said. “This is true in real estate. Every client, colleague, vendor, partner, and stakeholder in any deal is a valuable person and deserves to be treated as such. If I view a potential relationship just as ‘Hey, what can you offer me?’ then I won’t engage with them with the appropriate respect and value.”

Lipari shows his clients how much he values them by trying to understand their long-term goals and then helping them realize that when one door closes on their dreams, others open.

“Recently, some friends moved to Fort Worth and wanted to purchase a home with a guest house that they could live in for a few years and then, when they purchase their next home, would serve as a good rental,” Lipari said. “We were having a challenging time finding an option in a location and a price point that worked for them. I suggested we open their search to duplexes. It required some creative financing solutions, but we were able to find them a duplex in a great spot and beat out 17 other offers to make it theirs. Now, my

friends have a wealth building property that will set their family up for success for decades.”

But it’s not all serious business. Real estate transactions often occur during the most exciting times of our lives. They should be celebrated, and Lipari makes sure to show his clients a good time.

“This past year I helped a friend from college purchase her first home,” Lipari said.

“One of the things she talked about during the home search was how, with family living far away, she wanted a home to host hangouts and parties. When she closed on her dream home, I surprised her with a bounce house obstacle course in the backyard for a housewarming party. We filled the house with balloons, had champagne, and invited her friends over. It was a truly memorable experience.”

Speaking of helping people get into the home of their dreams, one of Lipari’s goals is to provide better housing for lower-income families so that they too have the experience of living in safe and quality homes. He and his wife recently started Better Living Properties and were able to purchase and then rehab their first rental for a family desperate for better living conditions.

“This family had five kids and they were living in a small apartment with one working bathroom because the owner had failed to repair the other one for months,” Lipari said.

“With seven people, our house still doesn’t leave a ton of space for everyone, but the home is bright and clean and everything works.”

For Lipari, his quest to connect his two worlds – real estate and helping the homeless – has been a success. He credits the concept of Misogi, a philosophy popularized by Marcus Elliot and Kyle Korver, to go after something you are not sure you can accomplish to combat fear-based decision-making.

“Perhaps my biggest fear is to be too scared to do something worthwhile,” Lipari said. “This pushes me towards taking on the challenging and unknown.”

While his pursuits using Misogi began around athletic challenges – like riding a tandem bike from Fort Worth to Austin – they now focus more on his professional life.

“Buying a house dedicated to offering a better living situation to lower-income folks is definitely not a comfort zone-based decision,” said Lipari. “But I’m a big believer we can have both financial success and social impact through real estate.”

20 • July 2023 @realproducers
Every client, colleague, vendor, partner, and stakeholder in any deal is a valuable person and deserves to be treated as such.
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Fort Worth Real Producers • 23 realproducersmag.com Inspiring conversations with the nation’s top real estate agents. Same Brand, New Reach –Tune in for free today podcast.realproducersmag.com

rp vetted business spotlight

by: Mark Fadden Photos by: Desiree Roberts Photography

Burgan Rachael & Brandon & Titan Lending

A Desire to Do Things Better

After several horrible experiences with buying houses, Rachael and Brandon Burgan knew they could improve the mortgage process. They did just that by not only making it better but by making mortgages available to more people.

They say necessity is the mother of invention. While financing for home buying had been around for almost as long as there have been homes to buy, Rachael and Brandon Burgan knew it was necessary to bring about a change to the process.

“I was working in the oil and gas industry, so we moved around a lot,” Brandon said. “We bought and sold a half a dozen houses and never had a good experience. On house number seven, the experience was even worse. No one took the time to educate us on the financing process. Both of us walked away from that closing saying, ‘What did we just sign?’ That’s when I knew there had to be a better way.”

While the Burgan’s desire to make the mortgage process better stayed in their brains, they took a bit of a detour and started their own utility construction company. They grew that business into a $12 million company before selling it to their partner. That’s when Brandon decided to get into the mortgage lending business. While he liked the work and was focused on learning as much as he could about the business, he became frustrated that he lacked the products to help all his clients. He was convinced that by opening his own shop, he could offer financing products that the big-name lenders couldn’t. “I got extremely tired of saying ‘No’

to my clients,” said Brandon. “So, when Rachael and I seriously started discussing opening our own brokerage, our main focus was immediately on what we could do to make the entire process better for our customers and real estate agents. Open and honest communication, being accessible, and staying true to our word has been essential to our success so far.”

Besides being open and honest and sincerely trying to educate each and every client about the

mortgage process and the available products to help them finance the home of their dreams, the Burgans also credit their work ethic with the secret to their success. They also bring to the table a broad spectrum of life experiences that help them understand their clients’ needs.

Brandon was born in Bossier City, Louisiana and spent his early childhood in Marshall, Texas. “My grandmother worked at the Ramada Inn restaurant in Marshall as a waitress and a cashier. I can remember coming to work with her when I was five years old,” Brandon said. “I would help seat customers, clear tables, and wash dishes in exchange for eating at the buffet.”

His family moved to Houston when he was six years old. He attended Klein Forest High School and then Sam Houston State University. “I quickly realized that college was not for me,” Brandon said. “So, I decided to start my first business at 19 and grew it into a successful landscaping company until the housing market crashed in 2008.” He decided to switch gears and started working in the oil fields. He managed drilling rigs

all over the world, including places like Angola, Africa, and Pakistan before a medical issue forced him to switch gears once again. “After years of traveling and being away from my wife and kids, I decided being away for weeks and months at a time was not in our family’s best interest. I took my knowledge of drilling in the oil and gas industry and applied it to utility construction,” said Brandon.

As for Rachael, her family was also in the oil and gas business. She was born in Wyoming and grew up mostly in Texas, but her family moved around a lot. “My dad was a ballistics engineer. He designed and built explosives for Baker Hughes,” Rachael said. She was a NCAA division one soccer player at Arkansas State University on a soccer scholarship and later graduated from UT Arlington with a bachelor’s in nursing.

Besides being partners in business and in marriage, Brandon and Rachael are also raising two daughters together. “Mackenzie is 13 and Maddison is 11. The girls and I are horse lovers, so we spend a lot of time at our barn in

Flower Mound and at horse shows watching our daughters compete,” Rachael said. “Mackenzie has a handsome Hanoverian Warmblood named Levi, and Maddison has a spunky pony named Monte.”

When I asked the Burgans if they could sum up what made Titan Lending different in one sentence, they actually did it with one word. “Yes,” Brandon said. “When other lenders say no, we say yes.” Sixty percent of Titan Lending’s products are considered alternative lending products that are geared for people that are self-employed or aren’t otherwise W-2 employees that have a more traditional income record. “Our clients are typically turned down two or three times by other lenders before we see them,” said Brandon. “We understand tax returns and self-employment, and we get that there’s a whole niche there. Plus, we can close faster than the big lenders. Where other lenders are closing in 28 to 45 days, we can close in 10. We have the processes in place to do solid pre-approvals and appraisals in four days,” Brandon said. “It’s all in how we work it. We help realtors close deals.”

26 • July 2023 @realproducers
It’s all in how we work it. We help realtors close deals.
Fort Worth Real Producers • 27 realproducersmag.com On-Time & E cient Closings • Consistent Communication • Customer-First Approach CTOT.com 5825 Edwards Ranch Rd. #101 Fort Worth, TX 76107 817.924.7711 601 S Main St., Ste. 601 Fort Worth, TX 76104 817.756.1471
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APRIL/MAY/JUNE 2023

Magazine Celebration Event

event recap

Starting in 2021, Real Producers started doing mini-magazine release parties! In attendance for these events, we will have those real estate agents and businesses that were featured in that issue, along with a few nonfeatured advertising partners.

Last party, like all of our parties, was an absolute blast! At this event, we showcased the April through June 2023 issues. These events are such a fun way to debut the magazine and connect with a smaller group of incredible people.

Congratulations again to Maribel Saldivar, Cassandra Spann, Dillon Dewald, Jonathan Bell, Capital Title, Noahmi & Carlos Parra, Matthew Crites, Terre Coble, Michelle Johnson, Glenda White & The Mortgage Coach, Tanika Donnell, Amira Allan, Tom Jung, Hillary Roberts, Alex Lipari, and Greenworks.

Our team feels very grateful to have had the chance to share your stories and celebrate with you.

We look forward to continuing these smaller celebrations in the months and years ahead!

30 • July 2023 @realproducers
Photos by: Cruz Acevedo, StudioUSA
realproducersmag.com
32 • July 2023 @realproducers

YOUR TRUSTED PARTNER FROM BEGINNING TO CLOSE!

Fort Worth Real Producers • 33 realproducersmag.com

Amanda Ryan Ryan

THE ACCIDENTAL AGENT

As a former high school and college athlete, Amanda Ryan was using her background in sports to begin a career as an athletic director. One cup of coffee changed all that.

Growing up in Medina, Ohio, a small town on the outskirts of Cleveland, Amanda Ryan played “just about every sport.” But it was women’s lacrosse that would take her away from her small-town roots to the Carolina coast near Myrtle Beach.

“I went to college to earn my bachelor’s degree in sports administration,” Ryan said. “I chose to go to Coastal Carolina University, so that I could continue to play lacrosse at college and escape the cold winters. Studying at the beach made college a little more enjoyable.”

Shortly after graduating college, Ryan moved back to Ohio and landed what she called her “dream job” as an athletic director for youth athletics. She loved working with athletes, coaches, and officials. As the sports seasons changed, so did the workcreating game schedules, scheduling officials, creating playoff brackets, and awarding trophies to kids who were passionate about being the best they could be. “Kids are so passionate

about being the best, and I loved watching them develop their skills throughout the seasons,” she said.

She worked at that job for two years and imagined working there for a lot longer. It wasn’t until she took a summer vacation to Texas for the first time and met Nick through a mutual friend that her plans began to change. That summer she spent many weekends in Texas before making the move to Dallas-Fort Worth permanently—a move that would alter her career path, as well.

“In Texas, athletic directors needed teaching degrees and teaching just wasn’t for me,” Ryan said. She was determined to still work in the sports world and ended up accepting a job at an athletic-wear fundraising company. This allowed her to utilize her sports background and continue building relationships with coaches and athletic directors. But then, grabbing a coffee with a friend changed all that.

“A girlfriend of mine asked me to go for coffee, and she shared her new career path in real estate,” Ryan said. “I knew I had more to provide to the world than sitting behind a desk working a nine-to-five job. I wanted to help people and be the reason for big changes in their life. I was immediately sold on real estate and started my classes shortly thereafter.”

For Ryan, real estate isn’t just opening doors and showing pretty homes. It’s about building relationships and helping families make their dreams a reality.

“There was this one time when I reached out to the sellers of a home that was listed and never sold,” she recalled. “They expressed their desire to sell their home, and because it didn’t sell, they lost out on a home they had an offer in on. I empathized with them and knew I could get the job done. After they decided to hire me, I helped stage the house, hired a great photographer who even took shots of the property with a drone. I listed their home at a higher price than before, and we received multiple offers on their home over one weekend.”

The icing on the cake of helping those clients was that Ryan was also able to land them an even better home than the previous one they had under contract.

“I actually just helped them sell that home and upgrade to another one,” Ryan said. “Our clients trust us, and they continue to hire us time and time again—that’s what I live for!”

Another thing that Ryan lives for is finding new ways to put her real estate skills to work. She is the leader of On the Move DFW, which she says is “a team of seven powerful women all on the same mission; to help clients, achieve big goals, and have fun while doing it.”

34 • July 2023 @realproducers
cover story
Written by: Mark Fadden Photos by: Katie Wallace Photography

Being in real estate also means that Ryan isn’t afraid to get her hands dirty. During COVID when the world was locked down, she and Nick bought a house and worked for five weeks renovating it. While they hired out much of the work, they did actually build a few things together.

“We built the staircase together,” Ryan said. “We watched a lot of YouTube videos, bought the tools, then started the project together. We had a lot of fun even when we ran into obstacles.” One of the most challenging projects of that renovation was painting all 107 cabinets.

“Nick owns a hot rod shop where he and his team build and restore classic cars,” Ryan said. “He’s the painter. So needless to say, we couldn’t just paint the cabinets with brushes. We had to sand every inch of each one and use a sprayer to paint them to avoid brush marks.”

The Ryans recently bought a commercial building in Burleson and renovated it for the new home of Nick’s business, Killer Hot Rods. Ryan also has her mind set on owning an RV storage facility.

While learning something new and using the knowledge to grow her real estate portfolio is what motivates her, Ryan is still very much an athlete who is driven by competition.

“All throughout high school I was a cheerleader and ran track. I played lacrosse in both high school and college. I had always been a part of a team where there was competition,” she said. “After graduating college, it was a bit of a shock to not have a team anymore. I missed the sense of community with a team.”

A few years ago, she ran into a girl that she went to college with and who told Ryan that she was into bodybuilding. Ryan decided to give it a go.

“While bodybuilding is an individual sport, you meet up with others who were also competing,” she said. “There are all these goal driven people working on decreasing weight or increasing muscle mass. Working on those goals when you have a community helps make it that much more fun.”

36 • July 2023 @realproducers
Jackie Jennings, Andrea Cowand, Maranda Holley, Amanda Ryan, Kaylee Holdge, Lisa Cheatham, and Sarah Hutchison Photographer: Sarah Strackhouse
Our clients trust us, and they continue to hire us time and time again — that’s what I live for!
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KATHRYN MACDONALD

Seeing Them Through All Seasons

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The commitment you make to your clients and their needs is ongoing … before, during, and after the closing.

Kathryn Macdonald approaches her growing business in the same way.

Dedicated Drive

As a REALTOR® and National Relocation Specialist with Better Homes and Gardens, Winans, Kathryn has the kind of dedication to her clients that she builds upon — seeing them through all the seasons of life.

“One of the parts that I really enjoy the most about real estate is the fact that it is fluid and always changing,” Kathryn says.

“Plus, I love speaking to everyone through time. I grow with my clients in all seasons of life.”

Kathryn earned her real estate license and began her journey in the industry in January 2015.

Finding a New Calling

Before that, she had found ongoing success on another path in Dallas — as a hair stylist, and color and extension specialist.

It was during her time working with one of her clients when she discovered a new path in life.

“I had a client who brought up the idea of me getting into real estate,” Kathryn remembers.

“She had a wholesale investment company and kept talking

with me about getting into the business for about a year.”

Kathryn’s client even offered to pay for her to get her license and then come work with her.

“So I spoke to my husband, Ryan, and made the decision to give it a try. I had a lot of support as I started, because I had married into a real estate family,” Kathryn says.

“Ryan’s aunt and uncle (Dana and David Winans) are in the business, as is my fatherin-law, Rod Macdonald.”

Stepping Into Her Future

Kathryn started her adventure in the business with her client. While she enjoyed learning about the wholesale business, she wanted to be busier.

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In time, she joined the team with Ryan’s aunt and uncle — the leaders of Better Homes and Gardens, Winans.

Through time she has continued learning, growing, and building her success. Along the way, she is thankful for those who have supported her career.

“Rod is more than my father-in-law. He has been in the brokerage for a long time, and he has been a great mentor to me. He is always very supportive of me when I call him with questions, no matter what time of day, he answers,” she smiles.

As Kathryn says, it takes a village of support from your loved ones to be a REALTOR®.

“You call on that village when needed, which, in turn, allows you to be present for your buyers and sellers,” Kathryn explains. “I’m so thankful for my parents, Ryan’s parents, Rod and Renee Macdonald, and also dear friends Robert (Bob) and Kimerly (Kim) Harvey to allow me to do just that... be present.”

Terrific Trajectory

Her success continues to mount. In fact, in 2022, Kathryn recorded over $9 million in sales volume with more than 45 transactions — placing her among the top six percent of REALTORS® nationally.

Family Foundation

Kathryn’s world is made much richer by her family. She treasures time with Ryan, and their children — Olivia and Ezra.

In her free time, Kathryn enjoys exploring new restaurants with Ryan. Another one of her big favorites away from work is supporting her children in their school and sports activities, including softball and t-ball.

When it comes to giving back, Kathryn is a big supporter of JDRF.

Always Forward

Kathryn is never content to rest on her laurels and past achievements. In fact, she actively seeks out feedback to enhance her efforts.

“I always ask for reviews to see how I can improve in what I do to serve my clients,” she says.

She is tireless in her efforts to make dreams come true for those around her. In fact, she remembers working on a transaction while she was in the hospital awaiting delivery of her youngest child.

Most recently, she was diagnosed with Guillian-Barre Syndrome. During that hospital stay she coordinated a mobile notary closing for a buyers purchase.

“You can’t just turn off life. That goes on no matter what is happening in my life. I love my job and serving people,” she says. “This is a service business, and I enjoy doing that through all seasons.”

Congratulations to Kathryn Macdonald for giving her all to make positive things happen in the lives of her clients … in turn, seeing them through all the seasons of life.

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inspirational agent

@realproducers
Photos by: Landon Day, DayDream Photography
LIVING
JULIAN WILLIAMS
THE ALL-AMERICAN DREAM

“I can do all things through Christ who strengthens me.” -Philippians 4:13

There you are … watching the Eastern Hills High School baseball team hosting one of their rivals in Fort Worth in 2000.

The crowd noise swells as Julian “Juice” Williams strides to the plate. He swings, and the crowd roars as the ball rockets over the fence for a home run.

Winning Tradition

Julian was a high school All-American Outfielder/Pitcher and then went on to achieve the same lofty All-American status in college.

Today, Julian lives his All-American dream as a Broker-Associate and Principal of the JW Group at Compass — still delivering a crowd-stirring impact.

Growing Forward

Beyond being a standout athlete, Julian also saw the powerful example his parents set in real estate.

“My mother was a Broker. My parents got involved in real estate early on. With the encouragement of my Father, my mother, Barbara Williams, started the first Spanish-speaking, Latina-owned real estate brokerage in Tarrant County over 25 years ago,” Julian smiles with pride. “Helping people was engrained in me.”

Julian’s athletic prowess continued. He was an AllAmerican and conference MVP at Dallas County Community College’s Eastfield College, then continued at Kansas State University before rounding out his collegiate days at the University of Texas-Tyler playing for James Vilade, one of the winningest coaches in NCAA baseball history.

“Coach Vilade was a pivotal force in my life. He taught me two important lessons that I still follow,” Julian remembers. “The first is how much you care about what you do, and second … how hard you’re willing to work at it. That has stuck with me throughout both my personal and professional life.”

Rising Above

Julian earned his nickname, “Juice,” as a 7-year-old kid and it still sticks with him. Julian hit the first home run out of the new University of Texas-Tyler stadium. He also had a great shot at playing professional baseball. The Cubs had expressed interest. In fact, he went to the MLB Combine — the pre-draft assembly of the greatest players.

During the Combine, he suffered a serious, torn hamstring. In turn, he wasn’t drafted. But Julian picked himself up. He enrolled in The University of North Texas in Denton that fall semester as a fifth-year senior to complete his Bachelor’s Degree while rehabbing his leg. That December, he signed his first professional contract with the Golden Baseball League as one of only 20 players from 300-plus tryout hopefuls, once again against all odds.

Julian earned his real estate license while he pursued his baseball career, eventually growing in both directions at once. During the off-season, he went home to learn the real estate business, working with his family while training to compete and pursue his dreams in the summer. During his brief stint at the University of North Texas, he met Amanda during a night out with friends. Amanda was visiting her family while she pursued a law degree from Texas Tech University.

“Amanda traveled to see me play. I played baseball in the summer and sold real estate in off-season. I did that for three years, then hung up my cleats due to my nagging leg injury. I was close,” Julian grins. “I was invited to Spring Training with the Detroit Tigers as a left handed pitcher. Not many know that in 2007, I had put my bat down and took to the pitcher’s mound finishing Top 10 in the United Baseball League in ERA, throwing over 100 innings my first full year on the mound and helping my team to the Championship Series. In 2008, Amanda graduated Law School and took a job in Dallas as a first-year Attorney, and soon after, we got married. After an exhausting 2008 season, I ended up retiring after bouncing around to four different teams in three different leagues all in that one summer.”

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Hitting His Stride with Perseverance

After sports, Julian worked as a Loan Officer and Mortgage Underwriter. In time, he moved into management, leading a team of 30. He and Amanda built their first house, and he was making a solid six-figure salary with bonuses. Life was good. Then Julian remembers getting a pivotal call from his sister.

“She said my mother had a very rare form of blood cancer called Multiple Myeloma. She had to start treatment immediately. I closed my laptop, walked into my superior’s office, handed it to him, and walked out to be with my family,” he recalls. “I came

“My parents had a mortgage obligation at the Fort Worth family office, and now here I was opening up this new office in Las-Colinas Class A office building. Several months later, I was stretched by carrying both a mortgage and a lease payment on the new space. After thoughts and prayer, I subleased the space and went back to the office building in Ft. Worth my family had operated out of the past 20+ years — eventually renovating and building it out again,” he says.

“My wife pushed me to decide. She believed in me and knew I was destined for greatness if I could focus on being the best real estate broker I could be. ‘Sometimes in life we don’t ask questions. We just do.’”

Life’ s Fulfillment

Julian treasures time with Amanda (a highly ambitious and super successful Board-Certified Labor and Employment Attorney with leading national firm Greenberg Traurig), and their children — Nia Nicole Williams (4), and Jalen Skye Williams (1). He’s also very thankful for his proud father, Johnnie Williams; his brother, Jaime Williams; and his sister, Jonna Jackson, hence The JW Group … Johnnie Williams, Jaime Williams, and Jonna Williams (maiden name).

Today, Julian keeps God first in everything. He’s thankful that he and his team have become part of the Compass organization. He excels in the Compass Sports Entertainment Division … as one of five who work in the division in Dallas-Ft. Worth and one of just 150 out of over 25,000 Compass agents nationally. In the process, he serves a variety of professional athletes and celebrities, as well as the general public.

home and mom said, ‘What are you doing? Aren’t you supposed to be at work? You know I’m going to be okay.’ I told her I was here for her and my family and to help with the family office. She said, ‘You need to go back to work, son.’ I said, ‘I am at work. Right here with you. Now… what can I do to help?’”

Julian later opened his own boutique brokerage, JW Realty Partners with his parents’ blessing, leading a multimillion-dollar brokerage of 20 agents. A couple weeks before the grand opening of his team’s sleek new office, his mother passed away while he was by her side. Devastation set in, but he knew he had two options: Shut down and run from reality or rise up and go harder. He knew he had to do something.

Julian has a drive to impart and expand the American Dream within others.

“I want to be an inspiration … not an influencer,” Julian says with a thoughtful smile. “An influence is when you have control over someone. Instead, I want to be an inspiration and leader for my kids, my family, and the next person that may have doubts in their ability to be great. Greatness is within us all.”

Truly, Julian Williams is an inspiration … lifting others up and closer to their dreams.

“My favorite quote is from Our Deepest Fear by Marianne Williamson. ‘He who has put the determination within your heart will give you the ability to succeed.’”

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