Celebrity Realtor Angel Knight is the founder and CEO of Diamond Realty Brokers, a full-service agency that aims to influence the landscape of minority luxury, lifestyle and commercial real estate professionals who serve in executing the mission of their client’s lifestyle goals.
As an experienced realtor, Knight has more than 15 years of professional experience in the real estate industry. She established her agency about 15 years ago.
Diamond Realty Brokers is one of the few minority and women-owned real estate brokerages licensed in multiple states that offers residential, commercial and management service. Over the years, the agency has consulted and managed more than 4,100 property assets totaling over $300 million.
Her role includes managing agents of the agency, overseeing partnership alliances and executing other tasks that have contributed to the firms success.
Knight was one of the remarkable women who made rolling out’s Top 25 Women of Atlanta 2015 list. Read her moving interview below.
As a Black woman, what do you consider your superpower to be?
As a Black woman, I believe Black women have many superpowers. One of which is being Black. The true awareness of that is one superpower that I sincerely value. However, another superpower is knowing and understanding that any other superpower begins through me. That has helped me become dependent on my own strength, resources in life and business.
What key skills or qualities make you unique as an African American female leader?
Always wanting to see others win and succeed.
What thoughtful or encouraging piece of advice would you give to your younger self?
Stand firm on Romans 8:28: because all things including good and bad will ultimately work for your good.
Why is it important for women of color to lead or work in leadership roles and decision-making capacities?
It is important for women of color to lead in leadership and decision making capacities because if we have to see people who look like us succeeding at the highest and best capacity to really believe it’s possible. Before I started my own brokerage, I had the pleasure of working under another brokerage owner who is a woman of color. I’d just left a corporate job at IBM as a large enterprise consultant in the late ’90s. I learned very early from corporate that you have to give to get. I asked the Broker if I could volunteer without pay to serve her team in a capacity they could utilize as a new licensee. She agreed and the rest is history. I knew that establishing my own brokerage was possible.
If you could thank any Black woman history maker for her contributions to society, who would it be and why?
Hands down, Madame CJ Walker and Harriet Tubman. The pure resilience of these two is the very essence of sisters with a superpower. When Harriet Tubman mentioned she could have freed many more slaves if they just knew they were free [that] spoke volumes to me. I still get chills when I see that quote because it’s 2018 and there are still people [who] don’t know. They’re still some people climbing the steps of freedom slowly instead of running up the steps and screaming from the mountaintops that we’re free.
Why is it important for seasoned and experienced Black women to reach back and help younger women of color?
It’s important because younger women of color still have to see women that look like them doing what they’re aspiring to do. It will still take generations for black women to infiltrate major industries in ways that we’d be recognized for our contributions.
How do you feel about the hashtag #CollaborationOverCompetition?
I adore that. Women supporting women is not just a trend. It’s a mission among like-minded businesswomen. We have to get over ourselves. What’s for you is for you and that’s it. As long as your adding value, the universe will make room for you.
What are your thoughts on taking risks? Making mistakes?
Mistakes are par for the course. There’s absolutely no way to be successful without mistakes. Risks are a part of the journey, not the destination.
What are three success habits you implement into your daily routine to maintain your success, sanity and peace of mind?
I like morning meditation. I absolutely love guided meditation with Dr. Joe Dispenza. There are three things that I like to have weekly for sanity and peace. They are fresh flowers, rose tea and rose or gardenia candles. Infused with meditation, I treat that combination like a daily ritual.
As a successful woman in business, what is your greatest or proudest achievement?
My proudest achievement is being able to leave a legacy for my children’s children. As a single mom, that’s been very important to me.
Who is your biggest inspiration?
My mom and other single women business owners [who] have sacrificed themselves for their family’s well-being are my biggest inspiration. I’m very proud of the sacrifices I’ve made thus far.
If you could have any person in the world become your mentor, who would you choose and why?
Oprah hands down especially since her father, Vernon Winfrey, was my childhood mentor. Now that would be a full circle moment.
