Meet Denise Williams Founder of Williams & Co International Realty

Today we’d like to introduce you to Denise Williams.

Thanks for sharing your story with us Denise. So, let’s start at the beginning and we can move on from there.
When I fell in love with real estate, it was honest. Money was not the focus. In fact, back then, if I had a dollar, I was certifiably rich, even if only for a day. I am the third youngest of six siblings and was raised in quaint a house in one of those highway towns you stop in for gas on your way to somewhere else. As you can imagine, sharing a room with two younger siblings was not always a walk in the park. As a young girl, I would dream of having my own room. As I grew a bit older, I did not just want my own room; I wanted my own house. My desire grew from wanting my own house to wishing for the biggest house in the neighborhood, so large that no one would know I was home unless I wanted them to; I needed space!

After graduating high school, I attended Valdosta State University. I finally got my own room in college, and it served me well. Little did I know that my sense of freedom would be short-lived. During my sophomore year, I gave birth to a baby boy. The timing was not ideal, and as young mother, I struggled at first to maintain the grades needed to protect my scholarship; raising an infant often felt like working an unpredictable double shift seven days a week. Nevertheless, I persevered. I never lost my scholarship, and perhaps, more importantly, I never lost hope. In fact, in my senior year, I realized my dream of becoming a woman of Delta Sigma Theta Sorority, Inc.; anyone familiar understands that it was no easy feat. I called upon grit that mimicked the fortitude needed for motherhood, and I saw it through.

I graduated with a degree in Finance and chose to find a job in Atlanta, GA in 2011. The following year, while I attending Clayton State University for graduate school, I got licensed as a real estate agent. While in graduate school, I gained experience as an Agent Services Coordinator for a large brokerage and only worked as a REALTOR on a part-time basis. It was in the agent services role that I was able to learn the ins and outs of how a successful brokerage should operate. I must admit that the experience left me torn. There I was in a dual degree graduate program (for both International Business & Supply Chain Management) processing paperwork for REALTORS who were making twice as much or more than I was expected to rake in after graduating with two MBA degrees!

After graduating, I still decided to try my luck in corporate America. I was not yet ready to take entrepreneurship by the horns, and in hindsight considering the student loans, I felt as if I had just bought a really expensive pair of heels and needed put them to use even if they were not the perfect fit. I accepted a position at a wood forestry company as a Port Operations Manager. As the role’s tentacles spread across my schedule, it became extremely demanding, as it required quite a bit of bi-coastal travel. My real estate business began to suffer.

Though it was a phenomenal opportunity, the job was restrictive and it rekindled the yearning for space that I had felt as a young girl. I wanted to pursue my dream of real estate full-time. In 2016, I decided to take a leap of faith and quit my corporate job after relocating to Florida. I hit Florida in stride and returned to real estate school to obtain my broker’s license. Although I was now on the right track, it did not come without its own hurdles. After becoming a Broker, I worked on a team for a while before moving back to Georgia. Upon my return, I accepted a full-time position as the Associate Broker for an Atlanta-based real estate startup. In that role, I learned sales, recruiting, management, training, and got a chance to pull from the organizational toolkit I developed in graduate school. As a result of my efforts, the firm quickly developed to be one of the fastest growing real estate brokerages in Atlanta.

After a year and a half of work and lessons, it was time to start my own firm. I took on a business partner, but only a few months passed before I learned why seasoned CEOs are so keen on due diligence when it comes to human capital and partnerships. Yet again, I had to start over, but I refused to interpret a delay on my entrepreneurial journey as denial of my purpose. What happened next? Williams & Co. International Realty was born! In less than a year, I hired and trained over 25 agents, started a joint venture in the new construction space and began the process of opening a second Williams & Co. location, slated to launch mid-year 2019. I am extremely proud of my brand and what it represents.

If I had to give advice, I would say this: there is water in the valleys. In them, you can re-evaluate, refresh, and regroup. Do not skip the lows just because they are not pretty. Do not bypass the tight places just because they may be uncomfortable. The journey is a part of the gift, and it all adds color to your big picture. I now have a chance to custom-build the life I always wanted. It is a chance to create and fill the space I yearned for as a child. I am a resilient spirit, blessed to own a growing business, and that is something I would not change for the world!

So, as you know, we’re impressed with Williams & Co International Realty – tell our readers more, for example, what you’re most proud of as a company and what sets you apart from others.
Williams & Co International Realty is a full-service boutique real estate brokerage firm. We offer brokerage services for transactions involving residential, commercial, and investment transactions. Our main focus is dedicated to bringing honesty, integrity and specializing in providing detailed service to meet the unique needs of each client; and also bring a personal touch and competitive edge to the Metro Atlanta real estate market.

Our daily goal is both the professional and profitable advancement of our clients and the company. We count among our numerous clients many of the world’s leading financial institutions, condominium associations, investor owners, federal, state and local agencies and authorities, as well as institutional asset managers.

As a member of many respected organizations in the real estate industry, we place a strong emphasis on both experience and education in real estate through our corporate culture and by frequently attending seminars, training programs, and continuing education courses.

Let’s touch on your thoughts about our city – what do you like the most and least?
Best: No shortage of opportunity to become successful. Least: Traffic.

Pricing:

FREE services to have a W & Co agent represent a home buyer
6%+ commission fee for a W & Co agent to represent a seller

Contact Info:

Website: www.williamsandcorealty.com
Phone: 404-372-3440
Email: denise@williamsandcorealty.com
Instagram: Company: williamsandcorealty
Facebook: Company: williamsandcointlrealty
Twitter: williams_co_re