2023 Individual Sales Volume: $11 million
2023 Individual Transaction Sides: 30
Culinary Connections
Brandon Blankenship, a self-proclaimed foodie, made it his goal to secure one of the first reservations at star chef Gordon Ramsay’s new restaurant in Naperville, Ill. To his surprise, Blankenship got in on opening night. “I actually can’t cook. I don’t cook at all,” he says.
But Blankenship, 28, shares a love of food with his parents and many of his clients. While the city of Chicago is an urban playground for foodies, he says there’s an expanding food scene in the suburbs where Blankenship works. Blankenship found that giving restaurant recommendations was a great way to connect with his clients. A few years ago, he started an Instagram page called Living Chicago Suburbs where he creates and posts content to support local businesses, including restaurants. “I believe that small businesses are the backbone of our community, and I do my best to show them love.”
To strengthen his real estate chops, Blankenship attends many classes and workshops held by the Mainstreet Organization of REALTORS®’ YPN. One of the more recent workshops on artificial intelligence changed how he does business. “AI has helped my workflow in day-to-day tasks, like brainstorming content ideas, helping dial in my systems and processes, and helping me actually create the content,” he says.
Blankenship says one of his strongest traits is truly listening to people when they speak, and he remembers what they say for their next encounter. “While I still am not the most outgoing person, I truly value one-on-one relationships and hearing people’s stories.”