Today we’d like to introduce you to Emma Killingsworth.
Hi Emma, so excited to have you with us today. What can you tell us about your story?
My path into real estate was pretty unexpected.
After high school, I did what I thought I was supposed to do — I went straight to college. The problem was, I had absolutely no idea what I wanted to do with my life. I changed my major three times, never really found my direction, and eventually flunked out. At the time, I felt like such a failure. I was 21 years old, watching everyone around me seemingly figure out their lives while I was thinking, “Okay… now what?”
I moved back home and got a receptionist job at a car dealership. It didn’t take long for me to realize sitting behind a desk was definitely not for me. I was bored, I wanted a challenge, and I wanted to actually interact with people. So, somewhat on a whim, I decided to try car sales.
I loved meeting people, hearing their stories, figuring out what they needed, and the challenge of sales. But even though I was good at it and loved the people I worked with, I still had this feeling that it wasn’t where I was supposed to end up. I stayed there for five years because, at that point, it was all I knew — and leaving was terrifying.
Eventually, I finally decided to take another chance on myself. I remember thinking, “If I love the people and sales side of car sales, maybe I just need to find the right thing to sell.” And I thought, why not houses?
That’s how I ended up in real estate — and almost immediately, it clicked. For the first time, I had this feeling of, this is it. This is what I’m supposed to be doing. (What a blessing this feeling is, I wish everyone in the world could feel the relief and fulfillment that comes with genuinely enjoying your job)
It hasn’t been easy. Real estate has challenged me in ways I never expected, and I’ve faced plenty of rejection. But I’ve never had that feeling of, “Maybe this isn’t for me.” If anything, every difficult season has made me more certain that this is exactly where I’m supposed to be.
Looking back now, I’m actually grateful for the parts of my story that used to embarrass me. Flunking out of college, changing directions, leaving a career I knew — none of it was wasted. Every experience taught me something that I use today.
I think that’s part of why I care so much about my clients. I know what it feels like to not have everything figured out. And now I get to help people through one of the biggest transitions of their lives and, in a way, help them find their own version of home.
If I could go back and talk to that 18-year-old version of myself, I’d tell her, “You’re going to be okay. You just don’t know it yet.”
We all face challenges, but looking back would you describe it as a relatively smooth road?
Definitely not! I think if someone tells you real estate is a smooth road, they’re probably trying to sell you something -haha.
One of the biggest struggles for me has been learning how to handle rejection and the emotional side of a 100% commission-based career. There have been plenty of times when I’ve put in weeks or months of work and then watched an opportunity fall apart, or heard “no” over and over again. And there have absolutely been months where I made $0. Which is not a really fun number to see in your bank account.
There’s also a lot of pressure that comes with knowing your income isn’t guaranteed. You can work incredibly hard and still have nothing to show for it financially that month. Learning not to tie my self-worth to a paycheck — or to one deal working out — has probably been one of my biggest personal challenges.
There have been times when I genuinely wondered if I was built for this. I’ve had to lean heavily on my friends and family to remind me why I started and to pick me back up when I was questioning whether I could really make this work.
I’ve also had to learn that not every opportunity is the right opportunity. There have been situations where I could have chased a deal or taken an opportunity because I needed the money, but something about it didn’t feel right. Walking away from those opportunities was incredibly difficult, especially when you’re commission-based, but I’ve learned that protecting my values and the kind of business I want to build is more important than one paycheck.
So no, it hasn’t been a smooth road. There have been a lot of “no’s,” some very humbling months, and plenty of moments where I’ve thought, “What am I doing?!” But I think those experiences have made me more resilient, more confident, and honestly, a much better Realtor. I’ve learned that success in this business isn’t about never struggling — it’s about being willing to keep going when things get really hard.
We’ve been impressed with Emma Killingsworth, REALTOR, but for folks who might not be as familiar, what can you share with them about what you do and what sets you apart from others?
I consider myself in the people business. Real Estate just happens to be the industry I get to do it in.
I help buyers and sellers throughout the DFW area, but what I really care about is the person behind the transaction. I genuinely love people, and I love getting to know my clients, hearing their stories, understanding what they want, and helping them get there. I want my clients to know they have a friend in their corner, not someone who is just trying to get them to the closing table and collect a commission check.
One of my absolute favorite things is working with first-time homebuyers. Buying a house for the first time can feel like learning an entirely new language, and I love being the person who can say, “Okay, don’t panic. Here’s what this actually means.” I get to educate them, answer approximately 8,000 questions, calm their nerves, and then celebrate with them when they finally get the keys. That feeling neverrr gets old.
I think one of the biggest things that sets me apart is that I genuinely care about whether my clients succeed — even when that means having a difficult conversation or telling them something they don’t necessarily want to hear. I’m not here to just make a sale. If a house isn’t right, I’ll tell you. If the price doesn’t make sense, I’ll tell you. And if I think walking away from a deal is the best thing for you, I’m going to tell you that too.
I’m also really proud of the brand I’m building because it actually feels like me. I don’t want to be the Realtor who is constantly trying to look perfect or overly polished. I want people to feel like they know me before they ever work with me. I try to be educational without being boring, honest without being intimidating, and professional without taking myself too seriously (life is too short to not have fun at every possible opportunity).
Ultimately, I want people to know that when they work with me, I’m going to care. A lot. I’m going to celebrate the wins with you, probably overthink the details with you, answer your texts, talk you off the ledge when necessary, and do everything I can to make the process feel a little less overwhelming.
Of course I sell houses, but more than anything, I want to build relationships with people I genuinely care about and help them succeed — whatever that looks like for them.
Alright, so to wrap up, is there anything else you’d like to share with us?
I think the biggest thing I’d want people to know is that you really don’t have to have your whole life figured out — which is probably a good thing, because I definitely didn’t.
If you had told me at 18 that I would flunk out of college, spend five years selling cars, and eventually become a Realtor, I probably would have thought you were completely insane.
But looking back, I’m really grateful that my path didn’t go exactly as planned. A lot the things that feel like failures or wrong turns at the time end up leading you exactly where you’re supposed to be.
And if nothing else, I hope my story reminds people that it’s okay to change your mind, start over, take a chance, and have absolutely no idea what you’re doing for a little while. I’m still figuring it out myself.
So if you’re buying a house, selling a house, or just trying to figure out what the heck you’re doing with your life — I’m your girl. I may not have all the answers, but I’ll figure it out with you.
Contact Info:
- Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/emma_sellshomes?igsi=MTI0YjZnMGwyMm5oNA%3D%3D&utm_source=qr
- Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/share/19Thmrtt2B/?mibextid=wwXIfr
