“I always said I should write a book about the interesting things I’ve seen as a REALTORⓇ—from skunks in window wells of basements to cats attacking my pant leg to snoring teenagers still in bed, I’ve seen it all at house showings,” says Jennifer Drohan of Keller Williams Infinity in Naperville.” This career is anything but mundane.”

It certainly hasn’t been a boring path to real estate for Jennifer. Growing up in Naperville, Jennifer excelled as an athlete in gymnastics, cheerleading, and springboard diving. She also waited tables—an experience she encourages all to try—at Colonial Café and Ice Cream starting at age fifteen.

“I think everybody should have to wait tables in their lifetime,” she says. “It truly teaches you to focus and work hard. If you don't do it well, you won't make any money.”

“You figure out early on in the game that the better you take care of your clients, the bigger the reward,” Jennifer adds. “You begin to see regular customers and build a rapport with people.  Little did I know it, but I was building my own personal sphere of clients back then.”

Jennifer’s father was a gifted salesman who decided to start his own company at an age when many are thinking about retirement. During its early days, the family struggled financially. Jennifer’s mom sometimes worked three jobs in order to help support Jennifer and her two brothers.

“[The example of] Their fierce work ethic and the desire to succeed has helped me become a top-producing REALTORⓇ,” she says.

After high school, Jennifer earned an associate’s degree and then transferred to North Central College in Naperville to complete her bachelor’s in sociology and criminology. She had envisioned joining the FBI, but quickly realized it was not for her. Instead, she secured a position at Nalco Chemical Company and worked her way up to logistics manager over the course of five years.

“I learned a lot about time management and process efficiency,” Jennifer says. “It was [projects were] often a pressure-cooker situation, but it was a great feeling to get all the moving parts running smoothly. It was such a great place to work, but real estate was always in the back of my mind.”

When Jennifer had her first son, Max, she saw the perfect opportunity to make a career shift. 

“My husband had a great career and was incredibly supportive while I slowly dipped my toe into this business,” says Jennifer. “It took a long time for me to get up and running since being a mom was so new and I had so much to learn.”

At first, she sold houses “here and there” until business began to ramp up. The next few years were a roller coaster ride. Jennifer’s husband, Kurt, switched careers and entered the mortgage industry, then the couple had their second son. Then, just as Jennifer felt like she was getting the hang of real estate, the bubble burst. While the couple successfully navigated some lean, difficult years, they had to rely on each other and elbow grease to make it through. Jennifer often reflected on her childhood and the resiliency of her parents for inspiration.

“We’d cashed in my 401(k) from my previous career and refinanced our house to take out equity but were still really having a tough time,” Jennifer says. “It was a time to get purposeful and intentional about our careers.”

Jennifer doubled down on client care, crafting handwritten thank you notes and giving gifts to clients when she made a sale. Her reputation as a genuine, hardworking advocate grew, and her business began to snowball: referrals increased, her network expanded, and clients became repeat customers. 

Now, over twenty years later, Jennifer leads her own thriving team of four real estate pros. She says that mentoring others and sharing her expertise has made this one of the most rewarding seasons of her career. Her team includes Heather Petrille, lead buyer’s agent; Tanya Mossbarger, marketing manager; and Linda Miller, transaction coordinator.

“I love the fact that we are a small, tight-knit team,” says Jennifer. “We are able to provide a very high level of client care from the very first phone call to after the closing. If our clients need any service provider recommendations, even after closing, we want to be who they think of. Our vision is to never change our level of personal service no matter how much we grow.”

When not spending time with her team or serving clients, Jennifer stays busy supporting her active sons. Max is now a junior at Eastern Kentucky University where he plays on the football team. Jennifer and Kurt spend every fall weekend traveling to wherever the next game is being held. Their younger son, Charlie, a senior in high school, plays football and water polo. Between the two boys, the family has a grueling travel schedule. It doesn’t leave much room for hobbies.

“Relaxing is not really an option for me at this stage in my life, and that's okay,” Jennifer says. “Any activity with my family is the best activity.” She continues, “I absolutely love my job and when clients welcome me into their lives. What other career allows you to become like family with your clients?”

“My husband laughs at me because I am constantly telling my kids ‘You get what you give,’” she adds. “If you want the best, you have to give it and earn it.”