LEADING ON A NEW PATH

Written by: Dave Danielson *

by: Ethan Xie

Tanika Donnell is one of those leaders with vision and action.

Lifting Others

As Broker/Owner of TDRealty, Tanika is dedicated to lifting others around her. And she does it by leading her own path.

“I love the aspect that when I receive a client call from a buyer or seller, they need my guidance and expertise. I like diving in and understanding their story,” Tanika says.

“You get to be a project manager and resource … steering them in the right direction and illuminating their minds to things they never thought they could achieve.”

As Tanika began her own real estate career, she worked as an agent in the general brokerage system. While she learned and grew, she also looked at the fact that in the first five and a half years in real estate, she had paid out over $150,000 in brokerage fees. During this process, she remembers wondering how other agents were making ends meet.

“That’s why I wanted to do something different in the brokerage realm. At TDRealty, our agents keep 100% of their commission, paying $45 for their errors and omissions insurance when they close a deal, and a $100 monthly technology fee. Beyond that, I want them to invest in their business, family, and future,” Tanika says.

“Now, I have the opportunity to impact my family’s lives and agents’ lives in a way that is unique. I have a full team and a family that supports the vision. I’m on a mission to do something new.”

Faith and Purpose

Tanika is guided in her approach by her faith, particularly the bible verse, Matthew 19:26. “With God, all things are possible,’” she says. “I’m doing this as a Christian-based brokerage.”

Tanika was born in Dallas. In time, her mom, and her extended family moved to Anchorage, Alaska. Despite spending much of her youth in Alaska, she ultimately graduated high school here in Texas. After that, she attended Texas A&M University.

Tanika’s interest in real estate takes her back to when she was 14 years old. “That was the point that my single mom purchased our first house,” she smiles with the memory. “And I instantly knew then that I also wanted to purchase my own home as soon as I was able to do it.”

Building Through Time

After college, Tanika had a promising career in consumer-packaged goods, working for heavy hitters such as Kraft, PepsiCo, Frito Lay, and Kellogg’s as a top sales producer throughout her 15-year corporate career.

“I think that time really honed my skillsets, including team management, and people skills. I also earned my MBA in Strategic Leadership,” she says. “I think all of those elements have come together to help me be successful in my real estate career.”

In time, Tanika and her husband, Kenny, began flipping properties. So, she decided to get her real estate license.

“From there, I fell in love with real estate rather than flipping, so I went full throttle into positively impacting the lives of others through real estate by helping them to establish generational wealth,” she says.

Diving In

Tanika remembers that her transition into the business was what she calls “shocking.”

“You’re used to being in corporate America, then you become an entrepreneur and you have to handle everything. You are an entrepreneur and a business owner,” Tanika remembers. “I figured out very quickly that it was going to be totally on me to determine how successful I was going to be because I didn’t have a boss and a marketing department anymore. Your hustle has to be real, along with diligence and follow-up. I had to use that from day one. I’m grateful for my experience.”

Her results have been remarkable. Since starting in the business in 2014, she has personally amassed around 120 closings, representing nearly $50 million in sales volume year-after-year. Along the way, her brokerage has continued to grow and thrive, with a team of 370+ agents today in less than three years of opening her own brokerage, TDRealty in 2020 at the height of the pandemic. In 2022, the Brokerage did a combined total of $300 million in sales volume. In the process, the brokerage ranks number 17 in Agent Count in DFW, as well as 42nd in Units Closed and 50th in Volume Closed. Keep in mind this is out of roughly 4,000 brokerages, Texas wide.

And yet still, there’s one number that she is perhaps most proud of…

“Through our approach, we have saved agents nearly $2 million in brokerage fees,” she says with a smile.

“People ask how I am profitable. I’m doing this because I know this is sowing seeds in people’s lives and as we scale up, our costs remain the same for our resources. I take the Sam Walton approach. When he started WalMart, people laughed and wondered why he would go with discounted pricing. But he knew that volume would allow him to be profitable. I believe there is more than one way to be profitable. I thank God for the opportunity to be in this position.”

Tanika is quick to shine the spotlight on her staff.

“I have many staff members who have been with me for four or five years,” Tanika says. “I couldn’t have done this without their support. It takes a village to do something like this. It takes the support, love, and prayers of others.”

Family Highlights

Family enriches life for Tanika. She treasures time with her husband, Kenny, and their three daughters —Kennedy (23), Taylor (13), and Kyndall (11).

“Kenny is a rock. He saw my vision and supported me throughout,” she says. “My kids have also been a big help to me. They oftentimes have come with me and help put out signs and conduct showings.”

She also remembers and honors the example of her mother, Dr. Linda Morable.

“Without my mother’s prayers, support, and guidance, I don’t believe I would be at this point,” she emphasizes. “I have so much to thank her for.”

In her free time, Tanika has a passion for travel, trying new foods, shopping and just enjoying some peace and quiet. Other favorites include games of putt-putt golf and enjoying her family.

Leading Forward

When it comes to giving back, Tanika is very engaged, as well. In fact, she founded TDRCares, her non-profit that has supported other positive causes in the area, including the Dallas Children’s Advocacy Center and the Ronald McDonald House. She also has a special place in her heart for helping single-parent households with their needs, in addition to providing grants for firsttime homeowners, as well as scholarships for high school seniors transitioning into college.

With diligence, compassion, and perseverance, Tanika invests herself completely in the needs of those around her … in turn, finding the way forward by taking a new path, directed by God’s vision for her life.

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