Kadee French

COVER STORY

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

Kadee French is an Edmond native, and her entire family is rooted in Oklahoma. Her parents and both sets of grandparents were entrepreneurs, and Kadee knew from an early age that she didn’t want to work a typical 9-to-5.

“When I was younger, I always looked up to them, seeing how hard they worked and the long hours they would put into their business. I know this has helped me have the drive that I do for my life and business,” she reflects.

Real estate is in Kadee French’s blood. Growing up, she watched her father, Tom French, build homes in Edmond, so real estate has long been a part of her world. By the time she was a teenager, she was sitting in open houses regularly.

Kadee graduated from the University of Oklahoma with a degree in business marketing. During her time at school, she worked at a tech company based out of Chicago. In this role, she discovered her love for service and relationship-building.

“This internship challenged me to go around campus to meet every IT tech person at the University of Oklahoma in every department and try to sell our CDW products to them. If they currently worked with our technology products, I was led to maintain a relationship with them and make sure we were still providing them great service.”

Coming Home

Kadee was offered a full-time job with CDW, but she declined in favor of a career in real estate. She wanted to set the foundation for a life of abundance and felt real estate would be the ticket to achieving her dreams. So far, she’s been proven right.

Kadee began selling real estate in 2017; in 2021, just her fourth year in the business, she closed an impressive 61 transactions for $22.8 million.

Kadee may be young, but she sees that as an advantage. She’s able to leverage her marketing savvy for the benefit of her clients, giving them the best opportunity to showcase their homes. She also calls upon the wealth of knowledge in homebuilding she gained growing up in the construction business.

Kadee stays involved with local real estate organizations, which helps her stay educated and connected to other agents across the state. She is the president-elect for the Edmond Board of REALTORS® and is a chairperson on multiple committees. She is the co-chair of the Oklahoma Young Professionals Network Advisory Board, a member of the Conference Committee, and on the National Association of REALTORS® Young Professionals Network Advisory Board.

Carving Her Own Path

In real estate, Kadee has carved her own path. While the knowledge she gained from her father has proved helpful, Kadee’s hard work and passion for service have made a real difference.

“I built my business from the ground up. Ninety-five percent of my business comes from referrals, open houses, or marketing that I do personally,” she says. “When it comes to my business, I am a big relationship person. I want all of my clients to feel that they are the only client I have. It is important to me that they feel special during the process and that I always respond in a timely manner and guide them during the entire process.”

Outside work, Kadee lives a family-oriented lifestyle. She’ll be married to her fiancé, Ryan, later this year, and most of her family still resides in the area. Kadee enjoys playing tennis, working out, and traveling.

As Kadee looks ahead, she sees a bright future waiting.

“I am getting married this year and cannot wait to start married life with my fiancé. I plan to grow my business and hopefully hire someone soon. I also plan to continue to get involved with different leadership roles within the local, state, and National Association of REALTORS®. Next year, I am going to be the president of the Edmond Board of REALTORS®, and I cannot wait to see what I am able to do during my presidency.”

Fun Fact

Kadee’s dog, Kiah, is her business mascot. She appears on Kadee’s business card, joins her while showing homes or sitting at an open house, and is often featured on her social media posts. Clients often ask Kadee, “What is Kiah going to do next?”