Today we’d like to introduce you to Olivia Huffaker-Smith.
Hi Olivia, we’d love for you to start by introducing yourself.
Growing up in a small town in Missouri, I was always the kid flipping through home plan magazines and rearranging the furniture in our house. I just had this deep love for design and making spaces my own from a really early age. My mom would even let me color all over my walls in my bedroom to express my creativity, and my parents always encouraged me to pursue that. I think that freedom shaped so much of who I am today.
I ended up moving to California after high school, where I studied jewelry design at GIA, and then went on to get a bachelor’s degree in fashion marketing and management in Columbia, MO. So design, textiles, and aesthetics have always been something I was fully into.
After moving to Kansas City and managing Baldwin and Standard Style, I connected with another agent, Ashley Kendrick, who took me under her wing and showed me the ropes. I was ready for a change, didn’t have my own family yet, so I just took the leap, left retail, and dove fully into the real estate world.
I’ll be honest. I had a very specific image in my head of what a realtor looked like, and that was not me at all. I wasn’t sure it was going to give me the creative outlet I needed. But what really drew me in was the people side of it. I genuinely love helping people, and when I thought about what it means to guide someone through one of the biggest, most vulnerable decisions of their life, it just felt like a perfect fit!
Over the years, I’ve realized real estate is so much more complex and creative than I ever expected. That realization is actually a big part of why I recently launched Olivia Home & Co., because my business is very much a reflection of who I am as a whole. My love for the home, for design, for people, it’s all wrapped into one. One of my favorite parts of this job is helping clients see the vision in a space, connecting them with the right people to bring that vision to life, and really being there for them through the whole process and beyond, no matter what their price point.
I’m sure it wasn’t obstacle-free, but would you say the journey has been fairly smooth so far?
Never. I also truly believe that if you don’t have struggles, you don’t have growth! Real estate is such a unique business. You are NEVER done learning. I have been through so many transactions over the past 10 years, and each one was a learning experience that I get to carry with me into the next, helping me strategize and set my clients up for even better success. Some of the biggest stressors in my early career have all served me well!
My second biggest struggle was definitely becoming a mom and a business owner at the same time. I am, by nature, a yes person who strives for perfection, so giving grace to myself as a new mom was hard. While a lot of people think real estate allows you to be flexible with your schedule, that is not true. If you truly want to serve your clients, you need to be ready at almost any moment when they need you. I am lucky that my husband is able to tag team my schedule, which can be all over the map, as well as some wonderful co-workers who help me out with showings when I need it!
As you know, we’re big fans of Olivia Home & Co. . For our readers who might not be as familiar what can you tell them about the brand?
I am a local realtor here in KC who recently moved from Chartwell to Real Broker. I am not going to be the type of agent who flatters people with stats and accomplishments. I prefer to show my strengths firsthand through my work ethic and knowledge. The majority of my clients come to me through referrals, and I am known for my vision and my ability to help clients see the potential in a home. It’s important to me to maintain relationships long into the future with my clients, making sure they never feel like just a transaction but truly supported. I love that people feel comfortable asking me anything, knowing that I have their back.
I am so proud of my recent rebranding. It feels so me. I am obsessed with good marketing and believe that, as an agent, it is 100% part of your job. I think it’s so important to not just throw a generic sign in a yard and list it on the MLS, but to create an experience for buyers and sellers that makes their home shine.
Is there anyone you’d like to thank or give credit to?
I am lucky to have so many people pop into my head! Obviously, my family is always going to be number one. They always push me to follow my heart and instincts and never doubt my decisions. Ashley Kendrick has been such a great mentor to me. I have learned, and continue to learn, so much from her. We have formed a wonderful unofficial team that allows us both to flourish while maintaining a trusting, supportive dynamic that benefits our clients. I am so thankful for her. Lastly, I’ve got a rock solid friend group that always hypes me up! They supported me when I was a newbie in the business and never shied away from referring me to others. I am a lucky lady!
Contact Info:
- Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/oliviahomeco/
- Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/oliviahomeco
