Katrina Campins says she was a nerd in school, which is probably why she was able to flip her first property at age 17. She was guided by both her spirituality and a need to understand human behavior during her time at the University of Miami, which is probably why she was able to graduate with a 4.0 and make her first six-figure commission.
"People want to ask, 'How did you devote four and a half years of your life to reading about quantum physics rather than going out?" she says. "But I was more interested in finding that balance in myself than going to any party."
The Coral Gables native first entered the public eye in 2004, when she appeared on the inaugural season of the Donald Trump-hosted TV show The Apprentice. She tried out as a joke, she remembers, and considered not taking the slot when she was offered one. But today she's glad that producer Mark Burnett convinced her it would be good for her career, because today she's one of the more recognizable television personas in the Magic City.
The business skills she learned on-air were applied in founding Campins, a luxury real estate company that's recently expanded from Miami to Boca Raton. There's no better feeling than helping people find their dream homes, Campins says, and being able to help the spouses and children of celebrities and professional athletes is a blessing. Her high-end clients often have special needs that can be intuited by a smart and caring broker.
"I've always had a knack for it," she says. "I've always been intrigued with finance, numbers, and being a people person."
Her success landed her a starring role on Hot Listings Miami, which became Style Network's highest-ranked show only three weeks after its debut. She's worked as a correspondent for Fox News and has been featured on NBC, BBC, MTV, and a litany of other channels.
According to Campins, being a woman is a boon in the real estate business. "Our femininity is a great gift," she says. "And as a woman, you are more in tune with the home in general."
