Embracing an entrepreneurial spirit from an early age, Annie Sullivan was already working in real estate by the time she was in high school. Serving as an assistant to one of the top brokers in Illinois, Sullivan gained the hands-on experience and insight needed to launch her future. “It formed a foundation that you just can’t buy,” she says. “It also helped me recognize that there was a gap in the industry, and I believed I knew exactly what it took to not only make it in real estate, but to succeed as a market leader, and I have done so for the past four years in a row.”

The owner of Sweet Water Homes at Keller Williams North Shore West, Sullivan trusted her instincts and transformed her business’s organizational structure last year. “I reformatted my team and stepped out on my own as the team lead, which resulted in one of the most successful years I’ve had since getting my license,” she says. “When something feels right, I believe everyone should follow their gut. You never know what is on the other side of fear unless you give it a shot.”

From the prelisting appointment to the close of the sale, Sullivan is committed to setting realistic, timebound and tangible expectations for her clients. “This is crucial to a successful relationship,” she says. “Real estate changes year by year, so a client’s experience from previous years will likely not be the same as buying or selling in today’s market.”

With an eye for design and an innate artistic flair, Sullivan specializes in staging and historic home sales in Chicago’s north suburbs for everyone from first-time homebuyers to those seeking their forever homes. “Staging homes is a passion,” Sullivan says. “Our marketing style is fresh and fun, and we always lead with eye-catching videos.”

An animal advocate, Sullivan donates a portion of her commission to a variety of rescue organizations and shelters.