We recently connected with Kimberley Menkhorst and have shared our conversation below.

Kimberley, thanks for taking the time to share your stories with us today One of the things we most admire about small businesses is their ability to diverge from the corporate/industry standard. Is there something that you or your brand do that differs from the industry standard? We’d love to hear about it as well as any stories you might have that illustrate how or why this difference matters.

Since the majority of my customers are relocating or buying / selling their second (third, fourth) homes in Naples Florida, they are usually not in town during the process. For this reason I created my propriatary 5 Step “Lavish Living Signature Method” to know WHEN to buy / sell, to walk them through the process of how it works in Florida and how I do business. At the end if they like what they’re reading, there’s an option to set up a call with me, so we can get the process started and craft a personalized strategy for them depending on their goals.

I have created so many resources for these customers to feel comfortable with the process knowing they are States away and I’ll be handling everything down here for them.

First I have a YouTube Channel, @LivinginNaplesFL (https://www.youtube.com/@LivinginNaplesFl), which is a resource for those getting to know the area. I also go into depth with my content and tips on Instagram (@lavishlivingnaplesfl). Most agents give advice that’s VERY generic. I focus on all the things that those relocating or being a seasonal home owner needs to know. I share ALL of my knowledge on social media. Really at the end of the day, even if other agents are watching and “copying”, I feel that what I’m sharing can elevate our profession in general, so I’m happy to share everything I’ve learned.

I have custom guides, checklists and resources to help walk them through the entire process specifically for SW Florida.

One of the BIGGEST thing that sets me apart is, that in our FIRST meeting we discuss what I call our “Wealth Building Goals”. This is where we discuss your current LIFESTYLE & PERSONAL / FAMILY GOALS for the next 3,5, 10 + years BEFORE we look at homes. Why is this important? Once I know my customers goals, then I can create and discuss my strategy for which areas I feel will appreciate the most. Or the right timing to buy or sell based on the info they give me. For example, if they’re buying this home to raise kids but plan to sell it when they go to college so they can buy a house up north and keep a condo here then we know how to plan. We’re going to look at areas that historically appreciate the most, the new up and coming areas to put them in that situation where they will have substantial equity in this home. Maybe their plan is to retire in the winters here but leave it to the kids as a family home in Florida, then it might be more about location and amenities. Even if this is their forever home, having the conversation and building a plan helps them to create the opportunity to build so much equity the option is there to borrow money out of the home to renovate it at some point.

This is something 99% of agents do NOT discuss but to me, real estate is the best thing you can buy to build generational wealth and it’s IMPERATIVE to have these discussions in order to get the most equity out of a home purchase.

Great, appreciate you sharing that with us. Before we ask you to share more of your insights, can you take a moment to introduce yourself and how you got to where you are today to our readers.

I moved to Naples Florida after coming to a conference here one time and not leaving the hotel. I had a job opportunity which you’ll read more about and although I didn’t know anyone once I got here and settled I fell in love with Naples, Florida ( like most visitors do).

Even before I was in real estate I was convincing friends to buy homes on this coast, I would put together lists and websites of things to do and places to go when visiting. I was constantly exploring and finding fun things to do and I wanted to share that.

If I look back it was a very natural progression. I still give all that information just now as the host of my YouTube Series, Living Lavish in Naples Florida.

I also am a Marketer, first and foremost. Marketing is my background, my real first passion in life and when I transitioned from corporate America to entrepreneur the ONLY thing I was confident at was Marketing. I always say real estate is NOT sales, it’s marketing. And the marketing company I founded marketing luxury homes ( plus navigating contracts, problem solving and emotions 😀)

I feel called to help seasonal residents buy / sell homes in Naples Florida with my 5 step Lavish Living Signature Method.

My passion is to educate and empower my clients to achieve their financial goals through home ownership and start building generational wealth through real estate.

I also enjoy home design projects & renovating at my own house and also helping friends, neighbors & customers to get my creativity out.

The last few years I have prioritized boundaries and spending quality time with my family first and foremost. I’m a wife to the most supportive husband ( which is the biggest factor in my success as an entrepreneur). We have two beautiful daughters who have grown up in Florida and just want to travel somewhere cold to build a snowman. As a family we love spending time doing all the fun things in Naples ( beaches, pool, events downtown) but also traveling every chance we get.

Can you tell us about a time you’ve had to pivot?

I had moved to Naples in 2007, young and independent, not knowing anyone within hundreds of miles and certainly never intending to be a Realtor. I was determined to explore the area and experience all the fun things it had to offer.

I started a job as the Marketing Director of the largest privately held commercial construction company in Florida. It was a good move not only professionally but because my boss introduced me to his cousin on a blind date. That cousin is now my husband!

As this new experience was 7 months after I moved to Naples and got settled out of nowhere, I was diagnosed with cancer – Non-hodgkins lymphoma at only 24 years old.

This is when I started the mind shift, that just like taking control in my health journey, I could take control of my future too. I realized that I craved flexibility, and wanted to own my own business.

I had never considered real estate, although people told me I would be good at it, I didn’t have the personality of a tradiational real estate agent. I’m more of a creative type, an introvert and the idea of talking to random people or cold calling sounded like torture. I worked as a marketing director for 2 other agents before I had my second daughter and decided to go full force. I decided to approach this business differently. I am a Marketer first and foremost, I just had to switch to marketing luxury homes. I made a decision to model my business after the tech industry NOT the real estate industry.

I quickly realized there was a huge gap in my area in this industry. The marketing was antiquated and I realized I actually could potentially gain some market share with my skill set that I didn’t see any other agent had.

In 2016, I became a solo agent and founded Lavish Listings Naples, under my brokerage Premiere Plus Realty. I have since helped over 100 families and have sold over $100 million in home sales since then.

I honestly stopped keeping track of my numbers in the last few years, because my passion is to educate and empower my clients to achieve their financial goals through home ownership and start building generational wealth through owning real estate. To me its not about the accolades. I truly care about my customers and protecting their money like it was my own during a transaction.

I’ve truly been able to get the flexibility, income and opportunities to grow and am now pivoting to a new side of the business which is the full blown strategies for the best times to buy / sell, and reaching the right buyers. I see another missed opportunity in the market place and I’m currently working on a solution for that as well to help other agents.

What do you think helped you build your reputation within your market?

It’s so simple. Setting expectations and then blowing them out of the water with the execution. You might think, that’s it? Yet 85% of business owners DON’T do it. It’s so frustrating in my industry when other agents don’t answer their phones, don’t show up when they say they’re going to, don’t respond to an offer. Real Estate agents already have a horrible reputation. When I first got into this industry, I was embarassed to say I was one. That’s because most do not take it seriously like a full time job. Which is crazy, considering you’re helping people buy or sell the most expensive thing they own. Don’t you want someone who has every detail and aspect AND who communicates to you about what’s coming next?

I also tell my customers. I am always 10 steps ahead. I think of every worst case scenario that can go wrong and then work backwards to avoid any issues. I have done this long enough I can see an issue so far ahead and proactively work to solve it way ahead of the deadlines. I am also really good at communicating. Setting expectations upfront like I mentioned, but also through the process. We discuss what to expect PRIOR to ever signing or doing ANYTHING. Then we walk hand and hand through the process. Even those customers who have bought and sold 20+ properties in their lifetime. Every time it’s different and Florida’s process is completely different than most States. We have so many extra steps that most do not.

I often times feel that I should change my title to “problem solver”, because that’s TRULY where I earn my paycheck and why people keep coming back and referring all their friends. I take the guesswork out with my policies and procedures. Not missing ONE detail and being proactively ahead of any issues. HOWEVER, in addition to that, when the issues arise – and trust me they ALWAYS arise – I’m there to figure out and solve that problem immediately. Why this matters to the buyer or seller? It’s the fact that these extremely stressful situations do not get passed onto them clients, instead I solve it with what seems like little effort on their end. Even if it doesn’t feel like that on my end :) I’ll do everything in my power to solve it ahead of any deadlines and get to a smooth closing.

Couple that with the aesthetic side of the business & creating a luxury brand. Through my YouTube channel, @LivinginNaplesFlorida which showcases videos about the area, best beaches, pros and cons of living here, tour of the area. This helps me build trust and reliability since I put a lot of effort into sharing everything about this area and gatekeeping nothing.

My reviews speak for themselves with how my customers feel about my communication, process and just overall fact that I truly do care about what’s best for them. I dont care about all the awards as a top producer that I receive, to me hearing in my customers own words how I helped them and how grateful they are is exactly what motivates me to continue growing this business.

Contact Info:

• Website: https://www.lavishluxuryhomesnaples.com/
• Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/lavishlivingnaplesfl/
• Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/lavishlistingsnaples
• Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/in/kimmenkhorst/
• Youtube: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCyF8aTQN-fpQzpX8mFyrhgg
• Other: You can download my guides here:
  https://app.gohighlevel.com/v2/preview/FIzSfavI5FcVK8Vt6y23

Image Credits

Ashley Bassett Photography
New Frame Photography