South Florida's Best and Brightest
Originally published: Tuesday, February 1, 2011 (12:01:00 a.m. ET)
CEO of The Campins Co and
Managing Partner of Be Entertainment, Katrina Campins.
(Photo courtesy of ABM).
|
Katrina Campins
It was nearly a decade
ago when Mark Burnett and Donald Trump collaborated to bring an American version of the
UK hit "The Apprentice" to homes
in the United States. Miami-based real estate agent
Katrina Campins appeared on that
inaugural season, helping revitalize NBC's primetime ratings at a time when the jewels of its
programming lineup, "Friends" and "Frasier," were
taking their final curtain-calls. To be sure, consider that an average of 20.7 million
viewers tuned in each week, seeing Campins place
sixth out of 16 contestants. Since then, all the Campins Company
has done is generate roughly a half-billion dollars in
property sales. That has placed her in the top half-percent of all realtors in the nation.
Campins, who has represented a long list of professional athletes and entertainers in both their house-hunting and
charitable endeavors, is in throes of penning her first book, as well as working on various
television, film, and social media endeavors.
Q: What advice would you give youngsters who want to embark on a career in your industry?
A: Just go out and be free and be who you are. Life in general is about coming alive. I think so many people now are complacent. They don't have any life in them. They don't have a passion and they are so afraid. Dig deep inside to figure that out because once you do, and if you make no excuses for it, you can really achieve anything you set your mind to. Regardless of your industry, it all starts within.
Q: Of what professional accomplishment are you most proud?
A: That I've maintained my compassion for the world and for people. Without that, I'd be nothing. My compassion is one of my biggest strengths. And the fact that I want to really help people. Whether it's helping an athlete find a house or helping him with any of his endeavors.
Q: What's the most challenging part about your work?
A: Trying to be everything to everybody. I'm a people-pleaser. I want to help people so much that sometimes I give so much of myself that I forget to take care of me. That's another lesson I'm learning. I'm always striving for perfection so I think that can create obstacles, as well.
Q: What did you envision doing for a living when you were growing up?
A: I wanted to be a journalist who went out to different parts of the world to help people. I wanted to use television as a vehicle to do that, to help humanity.
Q: In ten years' time, I will be _________________.
A: I hope to be alive and happy. It's really that simple. And to continue to be true to myself and do what I love. Always staying true to myself is the most important thing.
Q: Who are/were your professional role models and why?
A: I've never had a role model other than my mother. I was never really in tune with who was in the public eye. I always strived to be the best version of myself. I never did understand people competing with each other or striving to be somebody else. I just don't believe that. My mother instilled a sense of self in me and taught me to be who I am today.
Q: If you could do anything else in the world for a living, what would it be?
A: Travel around the world and help people. My goal, and I will do it one day, is to be free of any material attachments and travel the world and inspire people, and learn about the way other people live and their cultures.
Q: What's the best part about your job?
A: Being in contact and learning from people in various different aspects of life. I get to take a little bit of everyone I've met with me. I work with celebrities, entertainers, and businessmen. Of course, at the end of the day, we're all made from the same fabric, yet our cultures are so different and I take so much from that. And that's what helps me evolve as a person.
Q: What's the worst part about your job?
A: Not sleeping. The fact that I'm constantly going. My mind is always going. I'm always working. I'm always thinking about psychology and the world and why we're here and what our purpose is. I'm a very positive person. I don't think there are negatives to what I do.
Q: What is your biggest professional regret?
A: I don't believe in regrets or in looking back. I think everything is a learning lesson. And now more than ever, I am so happy with everything that went wrong, or what I thought went wrong in the past.
Q: What's your favorite South Florida charity?
A: When I started my sports and entertainment division, I implemented a program whereby I give back a portion of my own commission to the charity of that athlete or entertainer's choice. Everything I do, in one way or another, is tied to charity. Ultimately, I think our responsibility is to give back and to help the world. As far as the ones in South Florida, there are so many that I wouldn't be able to choose just one. I am of the opinion that my life belongs to the whole community, and as long as I live, it's my privilege to do for it whatever I can.