Bonnie Mays
With over three decades of experience and honors such as Broker of the Year and Top 25 Most Influential Women in Real Estate in the US, Bonnie Mays is the award-winning CEO of United Real Estate in Louisville and Lexington, Kentucky, leading an awarding-winning—and growing—team of nearly 400 real estate agents and a thriving company, specializing in pairing buyers and sellers for all types of property, including residential, farms, commercial, investments, and multifamily. While Bonnie has driven United Real Estate in Kentucky through another year of astounding growth—despite a global pandemic—it is her widespread reputation for helping her agents succeed that means the most to her.
“I’m inspired by watching my agents excel and grow, and I think a strong leader has to have that focus. My success, the success of the company begins with each individual agent,” Bonnie says. “I know what it’s like to be in the trenches day to day, and I can appreciate the work that my agents do.”
In 2013, after a 15-year career as the senior vice president of a major international real estate organization, and as a real estate educator, Bonnie opened United Real Estate in both Louisville and Lexington, with a mission to put not only her clients, but her agents, at the center—and she means it. United offers a flat-fee, 100% commission model in which agents pay only $495 per closing, regardless of the price of a home, increasing their income by as much as 30% over most traditional models. “My goal is to change the trajectory of their careers and ultimately their life by giving them more income to realize their dreams.” Bonnie shares.
“We’re not just focused on the home ownership goals of our clients, but equally on the success of our agents,” Bonnie explains. “One of the biggest differences between my company and other real estate agencies in my market is that I’m a hands-on leader. I do not list or sell real estate, so I don’t compete with my agents for business.” I spend 100% of my time supporting them and resolving issues that lead to their success.
With an emphasis on education, professional development, coaching, and technology, Bonnie provides resources to fuel agents’ growth through training and coaching platforms, including small focus groups, live training and consultation, digital marketing portals, and a substantial video library for agents at all levels of development. The company leadership team includes four other associate brokers who assist with agent development along with a technology director, two agent-services directors, three transaction coordinators and several virtual assistants.
When it comes to elevating her team, Bonnie walks the walk, and her burgeoning team—and the 100 new agents that joined United Real Estate in Kentucky in 2020—are reaping the benefits of her personal commitment to their success. She believes that the more education she can provide her agents, more money and fun will follow for the entire team. She also believes that success for her agents is not measured merely in sales, but in their ability to live the fulfilling life they envision.
“To me, my greatest accomplishment is having the people that I love and trust the most respect and love me and what I do. Family comes first; I feel you must have a work-life balance to be truly successful. This job is not who you are, this job is what you do. “
Bonnie shares.
Bonnie Mays
Broker & CEO — United Real Estate Louisville and Lexington KY
Website: https://www.unitedkentuckymls.com/
LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/bonniemays/
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/bonnie.mays/
Twitter: https://twitter.com/bonniemaysTop25
Download the magazine and see Bonnie's feature on page 101.