Mikayla Drinkwine’s passion for real estate began in her early twenties after taking a job as a nanny and personal assistant for an agent. Mikayla fell in love with the lifestyle. The agent she worked for “was the kind of person I wanted to be: kind, caring, and hardworking. She eventually made me her real estate assistant, which is how I came into the industry.” From that experience, Mikayla was driven to become a licensed agent.

When Mikayla and her husband Travis moved to Colorado, they knew no one. Being in the army, Travis was gone much of that first year and Mikayla would often find herself alone and immersed in study. Not having much to lose, she adopted a “failing is not an option” mentality. She was focused on her goal and determined to be successful. The hard work, lack of sleep, and lack of nutrition in the beginning were sacrifices Mikayla was willing to make to reach her goals. That determination is something that she and Travis share as a driving force. “We are forward thinkers and we don’t chill in comfort.” 

When Mikayla first got into the game, there wasn’t a lot of collaboration in real estate. “Having a stronger personality can get you far in life, but sometimes people don’t like it or see you as too much of something. I’ve always been very driven and very collaborative. I believe that one person’s success doesn’t diminish another person’s success. I want to build that collaborative mindset in the industry.” It took a few moves before she found people who had a similar mentality. 

Mikayla believes in putting people over transactions. “Your business is personal – real estate is one of the most personal transactions you’re ever going to make.” Mikayla has always been an assertive person and uses constructive, straightforward conversations to get business done. “I will push as much as I need to on behalf of my client. I challenge policies that don’t make sense and look into the details of rules. I know that if I can’t get it done, it’s because it’s just not possible.” This is one thing that builds trust with her clients because they see the skill, expertise, and effort she’s putting in on their behalf.

In the early years of her career, Mikayla struggled to do real estate and be a present parent at the same time. “I used to be proud of having my young daughter at a closing. I don’t know who made me believe that I had to work 24x7 in order to deem myself as a successful or hardworking business person, but shifting that mentality was a big transition for me. The ‘hustle culture’ is what makes us so badass in business, but it weakens us in human nature.”

The home-buying process is an emotional one and it’s the top priority when people are in the midst of making a purchase. She validates her clients’ stress and reassures them that everything that needs to be done is being done. “It’s important to be the person they can lean on and to help alleviate the stress as much as we can. At the same time, I’ll never not show up for my kids.” 

Mikayla quickly learned the importance of setting expectations and boundaries early with new clients. She is not one to answer the phone while in meetings, nor will she answer calls or respond to texts from clients at all hours of the day. She also made the decision to set aside Sundays for her family. “I know that I have lost business for these things and will probably lose future business too, but my kids come first. I now choose to align myself with people who feel the same way.”

Mikayla knows a lot of agents who miss family dinners or are distracted at kids’ sporting events because they are on the phone or showing houses. But for Mikayla, “These are the kinds of things that I drew the line with. My family comes first and I wanted to build a successful business that didn’t require me to sacrifice that.”

One thing that makes Mikayla’s partnership with Travis work is that they share similar morals and values. They put their kids, ages one and three, first and align themselves with good people. This supports them in finding a workable balance between their hectic schedules and raising a family.  

Mikayla is proud of the fact that she and Travis have created this life together. “We’ve been best friends since middle school and are partners in every sense of the word.” Not only do they raise a family together, but they collaborate in their professional and philanthropic endeavors as well. 

In addition to the passion they have for their families and their business goals, Mikayla and Travis have a shared passion for raising awareness about human trafficking and supporting the rehabilitation of survivors. The Drinkwines have been involved in fundraising events the last two years and recently collaborated with others in the launch of The Lending Hand Foundation to create awareness and raise funds for Sarah’s Home and smaller, local organizations. 

Mikayla’s big dream extends beyond a thriving real estate business. “I want to open homes for kids. I want them to know: ‘this is your space and you are safe here.’ That would be the best job ever.” In the meantime, Mikayla wants to create awareness about what trafficking is and how prevalent it is – even in Colorado Springs. She hopes to provide resources and guidance about how to talk to kids who have gone through it. 

Mikayla’s upbringing and early experiences have shaped the way she shows up in business, the way she chooses to raise her kids, and in her desire to help others. Mikayla was sexually assaulted when she was eleven. After that experience, she carried a lot of anger and resentment that she didn’t know what to do with at the time. As such, she often found herself picking fights and getting into trouble. She was sent away to alternative schools and got expelled for fighting in high school. While her anger and aggression drove much of her rebellious behavior in her younger years, she now channels her energy into being “super badass” at her job.

Having worked through the resentment from her younger years, Mikayla now genuinely loves people and believes in the inherent goodness of human nature. Her husband Travis has been instrumental in helping her make this shift: “He has always been very positive and optimistic and has always been my balance.”

Although Mikayla has often felt like she was “too much” of something (too loud, too vibrant, or too happy), she has come to terms with the fact that not everyone is going to like her.  But that creates another driving force for her: “There are not enough women in this world who feel like they can just be themselves – even if it is ‘too much.’ My kids are going to be equipped to speak up for other people who can’t speak up for themselves. They will be able to stand up for what’s right, even when they are the only ones doing it. That’s the goal.”