Will Flanagan

RISING STAR

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

“I have had a whirlwind life so far. I have made many mistakes, but I feel like I have learned from most of them. One of the better character traits in this industry is resiliency, and the best way to learn that is through life repeatedly throwing curveballs at you.”

Will Flanagan’s professional path has been a winding road that’s taken him from his hometown of Oklahoma City to Minneapolis and back to Oklahoma City once again. In his late teens, he spent time traveling, pursuing a career as a musician, and working in restaurants. He went on to work as a recruiter, a sommelier, a consultant, a manager of a boutique hotel’s food and beverage sector, a director of sales for a tech start-up, and even started a pickle company. Through it all, Will has had the golden opportunity to see the world from different perspectives and to better understand what works for him. In the end, he’s chosen real estate as his career path — and he’s super happy that he did.

“I always knew that I would do best as my own boss, so pursuing a career with real estate just seemed to fit.”

The Winding Road

Will’s mother, Mary Ellen Gumerson, was the co-owner of Kamp’s, so Will began working in the restaurant business as a kid. As a teenager, he worked the back of the house, washing dishes and helping in the kitchen. Eventually, he moved to Deep Fork Grill, where he began a long career of waiting tables and bartending.

At 21, Will moved to Minneapolis to build a life in a new city. There, he picked up where he left off in the restaurant business, and over the years, he tried his hand at a wide array of professional positions. Through it all, he learned an important lesson about himself: He had a strong desire to be an entrepreneur. Earlier in life, he thought he’d channel that into a career as a restaurant owner, but later, he turned towards real estate.

“I was completely burned out working in restaurants. I never wanted to stay in that industry, but when you are young and making ‘good’ money for what seems like it wasn’t work — it was hard to give it up. I liked the energy, loved the nightlife, but knew eventually I would need to segway into something that was a better opportunity for growth.”

Will’s stepfather, Bill Gumerson, owned an architectural design/build firm, and Will was captivated by the grandiose projects he’d work on. He had several family members in the real estate business and was intrigued by their stories of success, too. So, in 2016, Will was licensed in real estate.

Coming Home

Will began his real estate career in Minneapolis, but admittedly, it never really took off. When he and his wife, Kate, discovered they had a daughter on the way in 2019, they returned to Oklahoma City. Although it had been 13 years since Will lived in OKC, he quickly found his groove back at home.

“Now, almost two years into it in Oklahoma City, I feel like I have hit my stride,” he beams.

In 2021, Will closed 50 transactions for around $10 million. His unique perspective on business and life has given him a leg up as a REALTOR®.

“I feel like I bring a different perspective to the game. I have lived in other cities, experienced and worked in other markets, and I am always honest and truthful while being objective. I know that a lot of people are looking for the quick hit and just want a transaction, but I would rather lose a deal if that means I can create a relationship with a client. I have had many mentors in this field of work and feel like I have cherry-picked the best stuff from all of them.”

Today, Will’s daughter, Ivie, is 4. Becoming a father has been a life-changing event for him, helping him tap into a quality of love he didn’t know was available. He’s happy to be back in Oklahoma City, where he can now explore many of the same places he visited as a kid with his wife and daughter.

“We moved back here in the summer of 2019, and as a native Oklahoma Citian, I have been able to relearn the city. I missed the renaissance that the city underwent. It is certainly not the same city that I left in 2006. It’s been a blast taking our daughter to all of the parks throughout the city, some of them the same places that I went to when I was her age.”