We caught up with the brilliant and insightful Catherine Backus a few weeks ago and have shared our conversation below.
Catherine, thanks for joining us, excited to have you contributing your stories and insights. Before we get into specifics, let’s talk about success more generally. What do you think it takes to be successful?
First I think you need to love what you do, surround yourself with people who are smarter than you, Combined with dedication, continuous learning, and resilience. I feel I have been successful by building strong relationships and networking within my community over time. It takes hard work, but having good mentors and collaborating with others who are more successful than you in key. You must have ‘think skin” and be ok with rejection is also important, as setbacks are often part of the growth process; learning from them rather than taking them personally helps you move forward. Ultimately, persistence, consistency, and a positive attitude is what will make you successful in your career and in life. I think It is also important to take time for yourself and small vacations to unwind and regroup.
Catherine, love having you share your insights with us. Before we ask you more questions, maybe you can take a moment to introduce yourself to our readers who might have missed our earlier conversations?
Catherine earned a Bachelor’s degree in real estate from the University of Florida’s Warrington School of Business with a focus on finance, economics, and new construction. She is a Real Estate Broker Sales Associate and has experience selling for both custom and production builders throughout Southwest Florida. She has sold over 1000 homes throughout SW Florida. With a career built on resilience, empathy, and a drive to uplift others, Catherine leads with both strategy and heart—empowering her clients and team through every transition, from first homes to forever homes.
She is honored to serve as the Women of Compass Naples Ambassador, where she advocates for greater connection, mentorship, and representation among women in real estate. As a board member of Compass Plus, a specialized division of Compass, Catherine helps older adults and their families navigate major life changes with dignity, grace, and personalized care.
Whether she’s mentoring new agents, guiding families through emotional sales, or helping seniors downsize with compassion, Catherine’s work is rooted in one mission: to serve with purpose, elevate others, and leave every person better than she found them.
Let’s talk about resilience next – do you have a story you can share with us?
In 2022, Hurricane Ian swept through Southwest Florida, and our home was one of many that were destroyed. Our house flooded, and just like that, years of work, comfort, and stability were washed away.
After, I was oddly calm about it, I was probably in shock, but I felt as long as we were safe that was all that mattered. We love Naples and our life here, so we rebuilt our home. Our Community, Friends, Church, co-workers all rose to help us clean out the house, it was a very humbling experience. I also had several clients who’s homes were flooded, so we all had to come together to help each other. I found our community, the people, gave me the courage to start over. Resilience.
Any stories or insights that might help us understand how you’ve built such a strong reputation?
“I believe my reputation in the market has been built on being authentic to who I am and not trying to compare of be like others. Clients know I’ll always put their best interests first, communicate honestly, and follow through. Beyond that, living through challenges—like rebuilding after Hurricane Ian—has given me a deep understanding of what homeowners face here in Naples. I’ve also built strong relationships in the community through service, helping neighbors, and mentoring other agents. Over time, that combination of integrity, results, and genuine care for people has shaped my reputation in the market.”
Contact Info:
- Website: https://www.theomnigroupre.com
- Instagram: @catsells239
- Facebook: Catherine Backus Realtor
