Drew Denham

THE POWER OF INTENTION

By Chris Menezes

Photos by Jacob Harr with harr Creative LLC

In just three years, Drew Denham has become the top agent in all of Michigan for Key Realty, making it into the Top 10 for the company nationwide. While Drew’s success in real estate could be attributed to many of his past experiences — such as being an investor as well as buying, selling and flipping properties — his ability to dig in and commit to bettering his life twice in the past three years is the main contributor to his success.

The first instance occurred when Drew made the decision to enter real estate in 2018. He had been working in corporate America for 10 years — five years with Dow Chemical in supply chain and finance and five years with Amway in IT finance, business systems and supply chain — and was feeling quite dissociated from his work. “I found myself not very excited to go to work every day and thought about what the future would look like if I stayed on the same path,” Drew admitted. “What would my life look like 30, 40 or 50 years from now? Would I regret not taking any risks or jumping into real estate?”

Drew had been investing in real estate since he bought his first house in 2011. During his 10-year “corporate-America journey,” his side hustle was purchasing and rehabbing homes in various cities throughout Michigan. In fact, after flipping his third property, he was able to pay off all the student loans he had accumulated when he earned his two bachelor’s degrees in finance and accounting from Michigan State University in 2009 as well as his master’s degree from Saginaw Valley State University in 2012.

As Drew began building his rental portfolio — which ended up including 14 total units while also flipping more than 20 properties — he met various real estate agents in West Michigan and became intrigued by the lifestyles, flexibility and individual impact that they were having in their communities, families and friends. Soon, Drew wanted it for himself.

“I knew my knowledge of investing — combined with everything I learned in corporate America — and my love of meeting new people would be a natural transition for me,” Drew said. “I still vividly remember the conversation I had with my sister and her asking me, ‘what’s the worst that could happen?’ So, with the full love and support of my family, I knew I could do it.”

“It didn’t matter to me that we had low inventory in 2018 and that more and more agents were being added to the industry,” Drew continued. “With hard work, a great attitude, self-confidence in myself and a professional mindset, I knew I would be a great agent and become a leader in the industry.”

Drew relied on his professional experience, knowledge and support when he dove into real estate in 2018. Although he did well, real estate requires an ongoing commitment to self-improvement and a passion for learning. While Drew did have those qualities, he used 2020 and the time allotted to him during the shutdown to supercharge his efforts and overhaul his entire life.

“I committed to reading every motivational/self-help book I could, listening to podcasts, attending church regularly, doing masterminds, attending growth events, changing my diet, practicing affirmations, gratitude and mediation, being more intentional with my time and working out more,” Drew shared. “By focusing on things that I can control, I have been able to live a different, fulfilling and enriching life.”

By initiating those changes and momentum, Drew became inspired and very motivated to help others with similar challenges and aspirations — whether that’s helping a client find joy and excitement in the buying and selling process, a colleague seeking improvement in their business, or a friend or family member wanting to improve their life. “You can live a totally different life by changing your thoughts, what you think about yourself and what you say about others,” he said. “If you want something you’ve never had, you need to do something you’ve never done.”

As Drew ventures forth, he is assisted by a huge tailwind — a wind he has helped cultivate in his life through intentionality. He is determined to help others catch and ride that same wind and use it to find their own successes in life.

“Let’s be positive and be leaders in the industry,” Drew exclaimed. “Let’s discuss with our clients all the options they have available to them. Let’s promote hope and encouragement, not things out of our control such as low inventory. Let’s get out of our own way and live the life we want to live. You receive what you believe. You get one shot at life — be able to say that you gave it everything you had!”

AGENT ON THE RISE Drew Denham from Key Realty