Jennifer Gilchrest

COVER STORY

PHOTOS BY SHAWNA MCDUFFIE, PEAK RES | STORY BY ZACH COHEN

THE GIVER

"If you aren't bringing others up with you, you simply aren't living or experiencing the joy of what is meant to be." 

    -Jennifer Gilchrest 

Jennifer Gilchrest began her real estate career in 2017 with one simple goal — to help others. 

“I was planning to work real estate part-time, but I found that we truly need good people that care about clients more than paychecks. I wanted to best protect them and ensure we put client needs ahead of our own,” Jennifer explains. “I decided I had to be full-time. It was my duty to take care of the people within our communities.”

The spirit of giving is central to Jennifer's business as well as who she is as a person. By focusing on serving her community rather than being sales-focused, she experienced rapid growth in her business. She launched her career in 2017, went full-time in 2018, and started a team in 2019. In November 2020, she founded her own brokerage and real estate school at Platinum RE-CO. 

“I’m genuine and realistic. I don’t overpromise. I educate the clients. My knowledge, plan, strategy, and trustworthiness have made me successful,” Jennifer says. “But most importantly, I’m a giver.”

The Road to Platinum RE-CO

Starting a team wasn’t Jennifer’s original intention, but she naturally found herself in a leadership role when she had more clients than she could effectively service.

“I didn't intend to manage people. I just wanted to take care of clients myself and to enjoy the experience. I saw I had to provide the best care, so in November 2019, I formed a team,” Jennifer explains. 

Currently, Jennifer’s team includes two other active agents, her daughters Lauren Brooke Brown and Autumn Davis. Jennifer is proud of her daughters’ work ethic. She says they study harder and outwork many others. Rounding out the team is Amber Tucker, Chief of Operations, who truly was instrumental in building the success of the brokerage and building their other businesses. 

In November 2020, Jennifer founded the brokerage Platinum RE-CO, giving her the flexibility to serve her clients best. The brokerage has a culture of family, education, and growth. Their philosophy is simple — clients and community come first.

Jennifer’s strategy has been a winner; her team closed 103 transactions for just shy of $33 million in 2022.

“REALTORS® just look at the numbers” Jennifer says. “The numbers help define a tremendous difference in what we do, but these are simply figures and not the actual results of care for… our clients and their goals that we are focused on accomplishing. By accomplishing our clients' goals, we can invest more into our communities and support those who may not otherwise receive the support they deserve.”

On Community and Family

Jennifer’s commitment to her family and community runs deep. She and her husband, Lee, have been married since 1995. Their daughters, Lauren and Autumn, each have children with another on the way. Jennifer prioritizes time with her grandkids, spending at least half a day each week with them.

“I love to play with them. That’s my favorite thing,” she beams. “The future for me is more time with the grandbabies and with family outside of work.” 

In addition to her role as a REALTOR®, mother, wife, and grandma (or as her grandkids call her, GiGi), Jennifer wears several other hats. She continues to run a credit and payroll processing business, is a business consultant in the restaurant space, runs a development company, and is a life and business coach. 

Jennifer also enjoys giving back to the community through countless local organizations and events. She has designed a financial literacy program for schools and at-risk youth which seeks to break the cycle of hardship and replace it with a cycle of generational prosperity. She regularly runs community events that support children, local schools, parents, and others. In real estate, she offers free monthly Continuing Education classes and personalized coaching.

Jennifer’s real estate career began with the intent to serve, and that remains her primary motivation. She’s a giver by nature, so it’s no surprise that her only goal is to continue giving back to the community as much as possible.

“I want others to be hopeful… I give, support, and pay it forward. We support schools, chambers, communities, and children. I am an encourager. I am passionate about learning to become my best self and bringing out the same in others. My goal is to improve even just 1% daily. If you aren't bringing others up with you, you simply aren't living or experiencing the joy of what is meant to be.”