While he comes from a family of business-owning entrepreneurs, Trevor Williams says when he was growing up he imagined himself going to work one day in a big city. “Maybe some place like Wall Street,” he says. “I wanted to be super successful.”

Of course, as we grow older and mature, our aspirations change. Trevor grew up in Petal and went to college at Ole Miss. “I majored in accounting – my dad made me do it. Now I’m so thankful that’s what I did. I have a good understanding of the real backbone of business.” But it took Trevor a while to come to that understanding.

“College was a real turning point for me. I began to learn that there is a bigger purpose for my life. I was fortunate to be surrounded by strong role models.” It was also during college that Trevor met his wife, Kristen. “We got married in 2017, right out of college,” he says.

After college, Trevor thought about what he wanted to do with his life. “I considered ministry, and possibly pursuing a business of my own.” For a year or two, Trevor did accounting work while also working part-time at a church. “I ended up at Belhaven University where I worked in the athletic and student life department mentoring students in leadership. I was able to pour into young people the way I had been poured into when I was in college. What I didn’t realize at the time was that everything I had done set me up for a career in real estate.”

Knowing he was seeking his path in life, Trevor’s mother-in-law, Melissa Rhodes, encouraged him to go into real estate. “She had been in real estate for several years, and she owned Dream Home Properties. She wanted me to get my license and come help her out in her business.” Trevor took some time to watch Melissa and how she did business and in 2019 he studied and got his real estate license. “I did a couple of transactions with her, and I was hooked!”

Real estate has proven to be the perfect profession for Trevor. “It allows me to use both sides of my brain. I know the financial side really well, and I enjoy walking alongside my clients as they go through the process of buying or selling a home and mentoring them, often emotionally.”

 As a matter of fact, it’s the emotional aspect of the business that was the biggest surprise to Trevor. “I’m typically a pretty black-and-white person. I realized very quickly that when dealing with buying and selling homes, it can bring out strong emotions in people. I’ve had people who have gotten emotional about selling a home they’ve lived in a long time, as well as people get emotional and want to back out of a deal during closing. I learned I had to become a counselor as well as a Realtor®.”

Trevor got his license right before Covid hit, and then, of course, the real estate market went through a very interesting time. “I felt like ready or not, I had to get in there and figure it out. And I found that real estate comes naturally to me. I actually took a real estate class while in college, with the thought of possibly investing in property for myself one day.” More and more, Trevor has realized that all he has done in his life has led him to this point. “Everything I have done has set me up to be in real estate. I love the relationships I am building; I love it when people have confidence in me, and I love to pour into people. It was not a hard transition for me. I absolutely love getting up in the morning and going to work.”

The confidence aspect is important for Trevor. “I want my clients to know that when they hire me, I understand all sides of the game.” Not that he feels he knows it all. “I am still in the learning phase. I actually got my broker’s license last year. In the stage I am at now, I feel that if I am going to do this, I want to be the best I can be. I am working on certifications and additional education so I can know as much about this business as possible.”

Trevor and Kristen have one daughter, Waverly, who turned one last February. She will be joined by a baby brother in October. Kristen has been a teacher in Brandon and at Germantown but will tutor part-time this fall for Madison County Schools. “That will give her more time to spend at home with the kids.”

“As a family, we are very church-oriented. We attend Redemption Church in Madison and are involved in every way we can be. Redemption is a church plant of First Baptist Madison, and many of our friends also attend with us.”

Trevor says he and Kristen enjoy hanging out with his friends and family. “We have a supper club that meets every Monday night. We love to gather together and basically go through life with each other.” The other soul in their home is the family’s Goldendoodle, Oakley. “He was our first child,” laughs Trevor. “I enjoy taking him on runs with me daily.”

Both Kristen and Trevor’s parents live in Madison, and they enjoy spending time with them, especially going for boat rides on Lake Caroline and Reunion. “We also enjoy going to the beach as a family.”

One of Trevor’s passions is snow skiing, something he has done since he was seven or eight years old. He looks forward to his yearly ski trip with his dad. “Our goal is to hit every ski resort out west.”