From being a teenage mom on welfare to becoming a millionaire, Kendall Lea Butler’s story is as inspiring as it can get. She is a top producing real estate broker in the country who also happens to own a company, F.L.I Properties Alabama and West Georgia in East. Kendal also believes in giving back to society and helping the needy and vulnerable. She actively supports the local schools, non-profits organizations, and also the teenage moms in her community. She is also a board member at the La Grange’s crisis pregnancy center and supports several organizations like Boys and Girls Club of America, Troup Transformation, etc.
Kendall comes from a typical lower middle class family with divorced parents. She always got into trouble during her childhood and teenage years. She flipped a truck when she was 12, but her life changed when she got pregnant at the age of 17. Getting pregnant at such a young age often means a life full of hardships and mediocrity. But Kendall begged to differ. She never considered being a teenage mom as a weakness or a hurdle in the path of her future. It rather became her greatest source of strength.
Kendall wanted a good life for her daughter, unlike what she went through as a child. She studied and worked to get a scholarship at JR College. In 4 years, she graduated college with a degree in Chemical Engineering and has been working tirelessly ever since. In 2015, Kendall enrolled herself back in college to attain a master’s in Real Estate Development.
Prior to starting her own real estate development company, Kendall worked as a Process Engineer and Supply Chain Manager for 8 years. She launched F.L.I Properties in 2006. She works with buyers and sellers and helps her clients achieve their family and lifestyle goals. She currently heads a team of 8 professionals and 13 professionals in the marketplace. They cater to the needs of over 150 individual clients including homeowners, national banks, investors and national default service providers. With her expertise and 14 years of experience, she and her team get the best deals for their clients. “I help people with their lifestyle strategy. Where do they want to be in 6 months, 1 year, 5 years. Real estate is a great Avenue to wealth, family stability, and community”, she says. She is now in the top 100 agents out of the 2.5 million in the US. She has also received the top three most innovative brokers in the US award.
When asked about one idea that worked for her, Kendall says, “Believing I am capable of anything has provided experiences and opportunities for me and my children I never had”. During the initial years of her career, Kendall had to face the cattiness of the females and jealousy from the people who were not willing to work as hard. This is something that every woman trying to build a career for herself experiences. After working hard for the last 20 years, Kendall is proud to see her oldest daughter getting a master’s in counselling, oldest son studying chemical engineering and the younger ones excelling both in school and life.
Leaving a message for the women who wish to start their own business, she says, “Never stop believing in yourself. I am currently opening a third business as a first generation female builder. Every setback is an opportunity for something new. Be a problem solver. Be a health enthusiast – you only get one body and one life. Health allows you to reach for wealth”.