For many, being an influential leader is a very desirable goal, however, it is easier said than done. Powerful and successful leaders often use every available resource they have at their disposal to reach that leadership level. These powerful leaders are known for being more intuitive, more nurturing, patient, and flexible to change. These qualities, along with several others, render them to be extremely powerful and influential people.
With this month’s edition, Exeleon tries to find some of the most influential women leaders who have changed the very facet of their relevant industries and have imparted others with unmatched knowledge and guidance.
And our quest of finding such extraordinary women took us back to the fall of 2008 during the unforeseen collapse of the housing market in the States. That collapse had a major impact on the economy, one which went on to drive a global financial crisis.
The fall of 2008 was a time where wealthy investors, homeowners, and homebuyers took heavy financial hits, one which reverberated across the globe. No one was immune, thereby leaving everyone scrambling to survive and stand again. Moreover, the price of the residential real estate market plummeted with no sign of recovery in sight. Houses were being foreclosed left, right, and center; banks seemed to be on the brink of collapse, and everyone collectively wondered what could possibly happen next.
At the very same time, Kendra Novak had just founded her company Novak Realty, LLC. With prior experience of around a decade in the real estate industry, Kendra became one of the few leaders who navigated her business in conditions of uncertainty, complexity, and volatility.
Exeleon proudly looks into the story of this influential leader in its latest Cover Feature.
An Erudite Personality
It is said that successful leaders never stop learning. And Kendra is no exception to this fact. As things stand now, she has taken the statement a level above. By profession, Kendra wears many hats. She comes from real estate sales and consulting and human resources management. She is a successful businesswoman, educator, writer, lecturer, entrepreneur, and mentor.
Moreover, she is also an expert in sales, marketing, working with home buyers and sellers, builders and developers, consulting, hiring, recruiting, coaching, and training. Not to mention, it has been nearly three decades for Kendra as a successful leader in the real estate industry.
Kendra wears these many hats due to her Bachelor’s degree in Management with an HR Management concentration and an Entrepreneurship minor from Louisiana State University (Cum Laude). She also has a Master’s degree in Human Resources and Employment Relations with a concentration in Staffing, Training & Development from Penn State University.
As far as her real estate credentials go, Kendra Novak is a Licensed Louisiana Real Estate Broker, a Certified Professional in Human Resources (PHR), a Certified Real Estate Brokerage Manager (CRB), a Certified Pre-Licensing Real Estate Instructor, an Adjunct Instructor for Upper Iowa University and the owner of Novak Realty, LLC.
All in all, Kendra is a multi-faceted, versatile, and erudite personality, demonstrating her diverse skill set in the real estate industry.
Loyalty and Long-term Relationships
Kendra as a real estate broker founded Novak Realty, a residential real estate brokerage firm located in Baton Rouge, Louisiana, in 2007. Her primary mission and vision for the firm was to render personal and professional real estate services that fosters client loyalty and long-term relationships.
In order to attain this vision, Kendra made sure to leverage her expertise gained over a career as a human resources consultant for a Fortune 500 company, a real estate and university instructor, and a real estate sales professional.
Her company prospered despite the fact that it was founded during a period of global economic downturn. That time validated a kind of tribute to her drive, leadership, and natural ability to connect with people of all backgrounds and personalities.
Years down the line, she has continued to develop her skills throughout the years as a result of recommendations from satisfied home buyers and sellers and repeat customers. Kendra has also maintained an outstanding multimillion-dollar sales production record.
During the time, she also created her name across numerous locations, including Baton Rouge, Gonzales, and Prairieville. Additionally, she has mastered the technique to help out Empty Nesters, First-Time Home Buyers, Home Sellers, Move-up home buyers, Relocation buyers, and sellers and also helping in New Construction, Residential Properties, and Vacant Land.
With Novak Realty, she now oversees a staff of full-time committed real estate professionals who share the same level of enthusiasm as her for the business and its customers. The business focuses on the sale and purchase of residential properties and land, with the majority of its customers being in East Baton Rouge Parish and the surrounding regions, although it also serves clients across the state.
Fostering Relationships with People
While Kendra has mastered the skills, attained various credentials in real estate, and all the nitty-gritty areas of being a real estate broker, she is also of the opinion that helping families to get to their homes always requires a personal touch. This is something that resonates well with her idea of establishing Novak Realty.
For Kendra Novak, helping families buy and sell a home is the ultimate satisfaction and she cannot think of a more enjoyable and exciting career. Being able to assist people in achieving their ambitions and objectives is one of her greatest joys in life. Whenever she is working, her goal is to bring buyers and sellers together in order to reach a pearl of conventional wisdom. This is the reason why she gets repeated clients and referrals. Her methodology of rendering perfect service comprises caring and understanding the client, talking about their life, family, and real estate investment goals.
Once Kendra establishes a neutral ground, she navigates the client through a journey of making one of the biggest investments of their lives i.e. selling their homes or buying a new one. In the end, all it remains is her ultimate goal; to assist clients in achieving their real estate goals, whether they are buying, selling, or constructing their ideal home.
Making Strides in the Community
Aside from her dedication towards fostering relationships with both her team members and her customers, as well as her efforts to maintain a good workplace culture and business image, Kendra is also a leader in community welfare.
Her strong commitment to her community and the people therein has led her to serve as a leader and member of a number of civic and social groups throughout her life. She has previously served as the HOA director for three years, and she has also served as the chair of the Neighborhood Welcoming Committee and as a small group church leader. Kendra Novak and her team have been hosting community home buying seminars for five consecutive years with a reach that far surpassed expectation.
As a leader, she’s a member of the National Association of Realtors (NAR), the Louisiana Realtors Association, and the Greater Baton Rouge Association of Realtors (GBRAR) where she serves as the First Vice President. Kendra is a member of the GBRAR Board of Directors and she was the 2018 Risk Management Committee Chair. She also serves on the Louisiana Realtors Board of Directors.
Kendra also doesn’t shy away from lending a hand helping aspiring students and real estate agents become the best version of themselves. She is a current faculty member at Upper Iowa University, as well as a qualified pre-licensing real estate instructor who has previously taught for two local real estate schools.
She is a natural teacher who takes great joy in watching other agents succeed. She conducts weekly seminars, and training for her staff, as well as one-on-one sessions for new agents in order to assist them in their professional development. Moreover, as a committed educator, she is an active member of many honor societies at her Alma mater, and is committed to the advancement of academics in general.
