Becoming a business owner inspired Kimberly Trujillo from a young age. After developing years of expertise in the real estate industry, she now oversees multiple successful businesses in the Albuquerque area, ranging from short-term rentals to farmer's insurance. But it took strategic decisions along the way to propel her to where she is. 

After graduating from West Mesa High School, Kimberly was 18 when she and her then-husband married. One year later, they founded a construction company, [NAME]. During that time, they had two children, Zavem Lee and Braunwyn Taylor. “Being a mom raising two kids under two and running a business was hard, but I pushed forward,” she says. Kimberly earned her general contractors license while her youngest was one year old and eventually became a homebuilder. She and her then-husband divorced in [YEAR] but remain successful co-parents to their two children. 

Wanting to continue building her resume, Kimberly pursued a career in real estate in 2004 and eventually opened her first group, Lee Taylor Real Estate Group, with Keller Williams. “I had great mentors that I leaned on and sought advice from,” she says. “I wanted to learn as much as possible, so I built a community of people around me who knew the market well.” 

In 2007, she opened a property management business, [NAME]. “I wanted to continue helping people in new ways while also streamlining my income,” she says. “I have had an amazing assistant since 2006, Tonia Salas, who I couldn't have done any of this without.” 

She met her husband, Rich, shortly after opening [PROPERTY MANAGEMENT NAME], and they were married in 2013. “We found each other a couple of times in life,” says Kimberly. “He has been phenomenal and supportive of everything I do, and now we have our daughter, Brielle.” 

Kimberly established Lee Taylor Real Estate Inc in the same year and has continued to build an esteemed career as a qualified broker. She recently partnered with another broker, [NAME], working on short-term rentals and with Airbnb. Together, they manage 40 properties and want to bring more talent to their team. 

In January of this year, she and [PARTNER’S NAME] also opened a farmer’s insurance agency with an entire staff helping to operate the business. “Our team provides homeowners and landlord-policies renters insurance so we can help them get whatever kind of insurance they need,” Kimberly says. 

Along with the many prosperous companies she oversees, Kimberly is dedicated to spending quality time with her family and finding her best work-life balance. “I lost my dad last year, and my mom has been sick for a while,” she says. “My siblings and I care for my mom, and we all do what we can together.”

She, Rich, and their children also like to spend time on their five-acre property on Lake Navaho. “It’s our home away from home,” Kimberly says. “We are out there pretty much every weekend all summer long.” 

When Kimberly reflects on her career, having accomplished her lifelong goal of becoming a business owner, the best way she advises people who want to do the same is to surround themselves with like-minded people. “I know my fellow realtors understand—we all learn from each other constantly,” she says.