In Spring of 2022, The Menkiti Group and Keller Williams Capital Properties (KWCP) welcomed Simon Frewer to the team as President of Home Services. Simon is an established leader with an impressive track record of leading tech-enabled service businesses and has a steadfast commitment to delivering results and leading his teams to new heights, making an incredible impact on our organization since day one. We had the privilege of sitting down with Simon to learn more about what drives him and his vision for transforming the real estate industry.
A Dynamic Duo
Simon’s story begins with a chance encounter that shaped his career. He and Bo Menkiti, founder of The Menkiti Group and KWCP, crossed paths right out of undergrad while working at Prism Consulting, a McKinsey spin-off based in Bethesda, MD. Little did they know, this meeting would be the start of a lifelong journey together. Fast forward to today, and Simon and Bo are not only business partners but close friends who’ve witnessed The Menkiti Group’s remarkable growth first-hand. Simon fondly remembers their early days as roommates in Adams Morgan when Bo bought his first house, filled it with tenants who would more than cover his mortgage, and immediately became very active in his new community—a sign of things to come. A few years later, Bo started the Menkiti Group, raised some investment funds from friends and family (including Simon) and was well on his way to transforming lives, careers, and communities via his passion for real estate. At this time Simon’s wife Jen joined the MGR sales team, further solidifying the Frewer connection to thecompany. Simon’s journey and span of control with The Menkiti Group has been nothing short of remarkable. He joined the Menkiti Group/KWCP after a brief stint working as President for a Real Estate investment company in Florida, a position and job offer that he had asked Bo to review. Very quickly, when Bo realized Simon’s interest in a career in real estate, he convinced him to make the leap and the two became coworkers once again. What excites Simon the most about his role within the enterprise is Bo’s visionary approach to the industry and the impact that we can have at successfully delivering the power of home ownership via our incredible KW agent entrepreneurs. He recognizes the need for transformation in residential real estate, the need for transforming the homeowner experience, and he believes that the organization has the right building blocks to address the challenges (and opportunity) head-on. For Simon, it’s not just about the numbers; it’s about making a meaningful impact and doing it with his best friend is a major perk!
Leading Through Growth and Transition
Simon’s got an extensive background running companies that have transformed some of the world’s leading sales and marketing organizations. Much of the focus of his career has centered on enabling B2B sales and service professionals to evolve from transactional relationships to focusing on delivering value to the customer during and after the sales/buying process. This is where his passion and expertise align so tightly with the opportunity in residential real estate today. He is a seasoned leader, well-equipped to tackle complex challenges, with a passion for enabling customer impact and elevating the careers of those he works with. His impressive track record includes a pivotal role in reshaping the entire business model of a DC-based sales technology and services firm during the COVID-19 pandemic. Simon regards this undertaking as one of his most challenging yet profoundly rewarding experiences. Another one of Simon’s proudest accomplishments in the last year and a half with the organization has been continuing his work with teams in times of doubt and turning challenges into opportunities. Some changes he’s spearheaded include adding exceptional talent to the team and coaching high-potential individuals on their journey to becoming the highest-performing leaders in our industry. He’s also focused on capturing best practices and creating greater consistency in processes. Another significant recent achievement that Simon highlights was the successful acquisition and integration of a market center in Fredericksburg, VA. Simon and his team’s skillful execution involved energizing the realtors with our Power of Home model (more on this soon). One final achievement Simon is passionate about is a strategic pivot with the full acquisition of Mission Mortgage, and a renewed focus on surrounding agent entrepreneurs with the industry’s leading products and service.
Seamless Integration for the Power of Home
As President of Home Services, Simon oversees the Core Services, Technology, and Brokerage components of the enterprise. His mission is to ensure that these business units work seamlessly together to deliver the Power of Home, a strategy designed for agents to embrace and understand their evolving role in their relationships with clients. Simon emphasizes that real estate transactions are just one part of the homeownership journey. The Menkiti Group and KWCP aim to elevate real estate agents to act as financial advisors for life, serving clients before, during, and after the transaction. Simon underscores that The Menkiti Group possesses all the essential components required to realize this vision, including a mortgage company, title company, advanced technology, industry partnerships, and a world-class brokerage. The task at hand is to empower agents with the necessary resources and tools to ensure seamless client support throughout their entire homeownership journey. Simon eagerly anticipates this continued endeavor, with a profound emphasis on celebrating and supporting each step of the homeownership journey.
Leadership and Goal Setting
When it comes to setting and achieving goals, Simon relies on the SMART goals framework and the OKR (Objectives and Key Results) framework. Writing down goals, making attainable and challenging tasks to achieve those goals, and regularly revisiting them to check progress and adjust when needed, are key steps to achieving them. This approach fosters accountability,clarity of responsibility, and ownership. Simon notes, these are critical as one aggressively grows and scales a company. One piece of leadership advice that resonates with Simon is the importance of spending time in a sales role during one’s career. The skills acquired in sales are highly transferable and can be valuable across various aspects of business. Additionally, always making the right choice, even if it’s not the easiest one, is crucial. Taking a pause to ensure that a decision aligns with one’s values and goals will lead to more fulfilling and productive outcomes.
Simon’s Unique Work-Life Balance
Simon’s work-life balance involves living in St. Augustine, Florida, and commuting to The Menkiti Group’s headquarters in Washington, DC. He emphasizes the importance of being present with his family at home on weekends and appreciates the best of both worlds, loving DC and his team while also enjoying his family, the weather, and the Florida lifestyle! Simon shares his passion for travel, sports of all kinds (especially golf), and his love for food. A fun fact about Simon is that he paid his way through college by planting trees in northern Canada, planting over a million trees—a commendable feat. In closing, Simon Frewer’s journey from fresh-out of college roommates with Bo Menkiti to President of Home Services at The Menkiti Group is a testament to his dedication and vision for transforming the residential real estate industry. In his words, “life is too short to not seek to do big things with great people!” His leadership advice and personal accomplishments inspire us to make meaningful choices and embrace challenges as opportunities for growth and we know the future is bright with Simon to guide us!
