Broker Associate at Baird & Warner, La Grange

When she dove into the industry earlier this year, Jennifer Cashman was thinking of real estate as a part-time side hustle. But now she’s invested for the long haul. In her first eight months, she has had a fair amount of success, and is ready for the challenges and opportunities ahead.

Before becoming an agent, Cashman spent more than 25 years as a special needs educator and a coach to aspiring female athletes. Her unique and rich life experiences give her valuable and novel insights when it comes to identifying the needs of her clients. She’s adept at listening, and her deep empathy and energetic approach help her ameliorate the stresses of buying, selling and moving.

Cashman said she appreciates the support of family, friends, clients and coworkers in her first year, and in bringing her to the attention of Chicago Agent magazine readers.

“I feel truly blessed to have found a great team within the Baird & Warner community, and I am very fortunate to work with such accomplished, kind people in the real estate industry. I cannot wait to see what the future holds for my colleagues, clients and me,” she said.

Finalists: Vince Ramos, Jameson Sotheby’s International Realty; Lindsay Weinstein, Berkshire Hathaway HomeServices KoenigRubloff