I had the honor of speaking with the March Affiliate of the Month for Greater Tampa REALTORS® (GTR) Kenneth, or has his friends and associates know him, Kenny, McLaurin. In a time when all events were canceled and networking turned exclusively to Zoom events, Kenny immersed himself and began immediately to build relationships, which led to being awarded Affiliate of the Month in
March of 2021. Being an owner of his own company, our meeting was first thing in the morning. He is a Michigan native from the Ann Arbor area. Kenny ran and operated a successful home inspection company in Michigan for eight years before deciding it was time to exchange the white snow for white sand. He and his wife found themselves
in the Tampa area and loved it! His company, McLaurin Inspections, does both Residential and Commercial Inspections. Here’s how the interview went:
Me: How long have you been a member of GTR?
Kenny: For one year and three months. We moved from Michigan in March of 2020. One of the first things I did immediately was join the Greater Tampa REALTORS®.
Me: A lot of affiliates vie for the recognition of Affiliate of the Month. Tell me about being Affiliate of the Month in March.
Kenny: It is all about relationships. Building trust and partnerships. The relationships and partnerships I build with area REALTORS®, lenders and others in the industry help to propel my business. We are all trying to reach the same goal in the transaction. It is also about getting involved. You have to do more than just put your name in a directory. People have to know you. Talk to you. See you. Even though it was a bit challenging doing 2020 with the online events, I made sure I showed up. And, not only showed up, but participated. Every month I made the time to participate in at least one event.
Me: What advice do you have for a new affiliate member?
Kenny: You have to get involved. And by involved, I mean talk to people, get to know them and let them get to know you. People will send you business when they know and trust you. It is all about relationships and partnerships. Build your core team. You will find that everyone will support each other.
Me: In your opinion, what is the most important thing to focus on as an affiliate member? Why?
Kenny: Find your balance. Get involved. This is a community where everyone is working toward a common goal. And, along the way you will find your business growing.
