We’re excited to introduce you to the always interesting and insightful Brittney Ezell. We hope you’ll enjoy our conversation with Brittney below.

Hi Brittney, thanks for joining us today. What was the most important lesson/experience you had in a job that has helped you in your professional career?

Rejection is a redirection and often a protection. Career change after 23 years as a college basketball coach. Learning to see things thru a lens of abundance and opportunity rather than a lens of scarcity.

As always, we appreciate you sharing your insights and we’ve got a few more questions for you, but before we get to all of that can you take a minute to introduce yourself and give our readers some of your back background and context?

With over 20 years in athletics leadership as a Division I women’s basketball coach, I’ve transitioned my experience to helping companies and teams maximize their success. Today as EVP of Elite Entertainment Experiences (E3), I combine my love for all sports, creating once-in-a-lifetime experiences, and building strong relationships and partnerships. Add that to my role at KW (plus my other endeavors) and you’ll see why I am excited to work every day. Lots of opportunities to serve.

I am currently the CEO/Team Leader at Keller Williams Realty – Johnson City, TN, where I lead a team of 200 and work to grow our culture, sense of community, agent productivity, and market reach. I also have the opportunity to assist through my memberships with KW Sports+Entertainment as well as NextMove. I am the official relocation specialist for TopConnect and really enjoy taking the stress out of moving and all things real estate. I work with the best of the best at KW and KWSE. The network, coverage and community is second-to-none! I love the connections between E3 and all I do with real estate in Keller Williams.

This role is wonderful for me because I’m happiest when everyone else around me is doing great. I love to assist and the opportunity to be a servant leader is directly connected to one of the company’s core values – success and results through people. In that same lane of service, I am licensed with World Financial Group to consult and assist individuals/families with budgeting, planning, creating legacies and building wealth for their futures.

Because I still have a deep love of basketball and developing others around me, I also offer private lessons for individuals and small groups of aspiring players, girls and boys. I continue to provide consulting/mentorship for coaches, administrators, and entrepreneurs in the world of college and pro sports. I am also a national and regional public speaker on topics including leadership, networking, connecting, fundraising, coaching, team building, and motivation.

In terms of education, I earned a Doctoral degree in Leadership from East Tennessee State University, a Master’s degree in Higher Education Administration from The University of Nebraska and a Bachelor’s degree in Business Management from the University of Alabama, where I was a two-sport collegiate athlete. Additionally, I hold a real estate license in TN, an Agent of Distinction certification in DEI, and an insurance license in TN and FL.

Have you ever had to pivot?

Sure! I was fired as a college basketball coach and pivoted my career to real estate and event ticketing services. Like I said earlier, rejection is just a redirection.

Any advice for managing a team?

Be authentic. Set and hold high standards without a lot of rules. Be vulnerable and show appreciation every day in some way. Be direct. Be comfortable saying “I don’t know” and “I apologize”. Loyalty is earned. If you want people to be it then they need to see it…from you as the leader.

Contact Info:

• Website: brittneyezell.com
• Instagram: @Brittneyezell (personal) & @be.connected.jc (business)
• Facebook: NA
• Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/in/brittney-ezell-edd-1134784
• Twitter: NA
• Youtube: NA
• Yelp: NA