Today we’d like to introduce you to Michelle Keaton-Barrow.
Hi Michelle, can you start by introducing yourself? We’d love to learn more about how you got to where you are today?
I was born in Taylorsville NC in a hospital that no longer exists in the Western Part of North Carolina. I grew up in a small town called Stony Point or as I said growing up about an hour from Charlotte! Blessed to be the youngest of 6 children and academically gifted. My father passed away when I was 5 years old. I participated in sports and was a girl scout. I was a very quiet person until I sang my firs solo in 9th grade. I attended North Carolina State University where I received a degree in Chemical Engineering. I worked for corporate america and then for the State of North Carolina. I soon found out that I did not working for others so I started a real estate company. That worked well while raising 2 children with my husband. I have served on several Boards both for profit and not for profit. My goal in life is to encourage and enlighten people so that they can empower themselves.
My passions lie in helping others to see the greatness in themselves and helping those in need. I am currently on the advisory board for North State Bank. I am the vice-president of SAGE (Save Adolescent Girls Everywhere) I am a member of Delta Sigma Theta Sorority Inc. I am married with 2 children and I have 1 grandchild. I spend a lot of time reading and playing golf! I enjoy walking, going to the gym and doing hot yoga. I also own Three Comma Mom and Green Dynamics. Both 1 person LLC’s.
Alright, so let’s dig a little deeper into the story – has it been an easy path overall and if not, what were the challenges you’ve had to overcome?
It was different growing up as the little girl with no father but my family was always there. We did not have a lot of money but were blessed to own real estate. My mother did not get a car until I was in the 6th grade. Being one of a few female and african american students in chemical engineering was definitely a struggle. Money was tight as well. I worked 2 jobs the last semester in college. Starting and staying in business was a little tough but I have stayed in business for almost 37 years! It always a challenge to compete with larger real estate companies.
Thanks for sharing that. So, maybe next you can tell us a bit more about your business?
I own Keaton Barrow Realty. We are a small firm that specializes in residential and commercial real estate. We have a presence in both Raleigh and Charlotte NC. Over the years we have provided workshops and seminars for first time buyers as well as real estate investors. We take pride in caring about each of our clients. We keep lines of communication open and always provide professional service and expert advice. We have partnered with The City of Raleigh and several non-profit organizations on affordable housing projects. We are seasoned enough to work with multi million dollar projects and land development. We are known as a company that gives back. One event that brings us joy is our annual Christmas party. We ask that each attendee bring a toy that we donate to the non profit, Passage Home.
What quality or characteristic do you feel is most important to your success?
I never give up on anything. I am confident and everything that I do has an end result that helps others. I always operate with a positive attitude.
Contact Info:
- Website: https://keatonbarowrealty.com
- Instagram: keatonbarrowrealty
- Facebook: Keaton Barrow Realty and Michelle Keaton-Barrow
- LinkedIn: Michelle Keaton-Barrow
