In the winter of 2020, Kate Fanselow found herself at a crossroads. Her husband was changing careers, her youngest child was heading off to kindergarten, and after eight years as a stay-at-home mom, Kate knew it was time to re-enter the workforce. Unsure of where to begin, she cast a wide net, saying yes to any opportunity that came her way. That’s when she landed an assistant job with a top REALTOR® in North Barrington.

Thrown into the deep end during the height of the pandemic, Kate didn’t just dip her toes into the real estate world, she dove in headfirst. With a determination fueled by necessity, she managed to get her real estate license in just three months, driving all the way to St. Louis for the exam due to testing delays in Illinois. The day after passing, she was out showing houses, figuring out the basics like how to open a lockbox on the fly. “It was sink or swim,” Kate recalls, but as with every challenge she’s ever faced, she swam straight to the top.

Kate quickly discovered that her success was not just about learning the mechanics of the industry, but also about overcoming the unique challenges life had thrown her way. One of those challenges was her late diagnosis of ADHD at eighteen years old, which she had initially viewed as a hurdle that would keep her from achieving her full potential.

“I used to feel that I wasn’t smart,” Kate admits. “I thought I could never be successful at school or a career, and I used it [ADHD] as a crutch for my failures.” But in her new career, Kate transformed this perceived weakness into one of her greatest strengths. She realized that her ADHD was actually a powerful tool in the fast-paced, multifaceted world of real estate. “My brain is beautiful,” she says proudly. “I can juggle so many things and be impulsive in an industry that demands it.”

Kate’s upbringing also played a significant role in shaping who she is today. Born in Northern California, she grew up in the tight-knit community of Los Gatos, surrounded by her big Italian family. Her great-grandparents had immigrated from Italy through Ellis Island and settled in Los Gatos because it reminded them of home. The values instilled in her during those formative years—community, hard work, and resilience—have been the bedrock of her success.

Kate’s move to Chicago in her early 20s was another major leap of faith. Meeting her now husband at her brother’s wedding led her to pack up and leave sunny California for the harsh winters of the Midwest. “I thought, ‘I’ll just buy a cute coat and it’ll be totally fine,’” she recalls, laughing. “Well, this California girl learned that cute coats don’t cut it in a Chicago winter.”

Despite the challenges of adjusting to a new city and a new climate, Kate continued to persevere and the experiences only made her stronger. It’s this resilience, and her good humor, that she carried into her real estate career, where she quickly began doubling her business year-over-year. As her success grew, so did her need for support, which led her to form the Kate Fanselow Group.

Kate’s team members, both REALTORS®, are like family to her. She speaks with admiration and deep affection for Mo Marienthal, who is currently battling cancer. “Mo is not only the mother to two beautiful children, but also an incredible business partner and friend. No one works harder or cares more than Mo,” Kate affirms. Together with Anne Mannelly, who is building her business one deal at a time, they form a close-knit team dedicated to going above and beyond for their clients.

Outside of real estate, Kate is just as passionate and driven. Whether she’s playing tennis or paddle tennis, spending time with her family, or even lying in bed—her favorite way to relax, Kate approaches everything with the same all-in attitude

“Oh, how I love my family,” she says of her husband, Ed, and their two kids, Penny (13) and Teddy (10). “We have so much fun together. We are busy. [There’s] Something every weekend and almost every day. But I also love my bed. When I leave my bed in the morning, I say, ‘I’ll miss you, my friend,’” she says with a smile.

As Kate looks to the future, she remains focused on her goals and the importance of staying adaptable and grateful. “Right now, my goal is to get some systems in place to make things easier and more fluid for the future,” she explains. 

But more than anything, Kate knows that success in real estate, like in life, comes from hard work, kindness, and truly listening to clients, as well as the ability to overcome challenges, fix your mistakes, and keep moving forward.