Embracing change and investing in helping others are both fundamental for Baird & Warner broker Ashley Thompson. As a key broker in the northwestern suburbs, she was awarded the Mainstreet Organization of Realtors’ Diamond Award in 2022 after her sales placed her in the top 2% for transactions and volume. Additionally, for the fourth year in a row, she was recently recognized as a member of Baird & Warner’s Founders Club — its top club level.

Thompson has been working in residential real estate for the past nine years. As a proponent of continuing education, she recently took a commercial real estate boot camp course that qualified her for the Accredited Commercial Practitioner (ACP) certification. She believes that being able to adapt to changes, continuing to learn new skills and being open to the ever-evolving real estate industry is a key to success. The real estate changes she saw during the COVID-19 pandemic really highlighted for her the power of adaptability and the need to embrace change.

Compassion is also a driving factor for Thompson. As a broker, she maintains a Seniors Real Estate Specialist designation, which allows her to provide additional support and resources for elderly clients. Speaking of her expertise, she says, “Oftentimes these clients need someone who cannot only walk them through the homeselling process, but who can also refer services such as decluttering (especially if they have lived in their home for decades). Additionally, I can refer them to independent or assisted living facilities. Senior clients need an agent who is a good listener, someone who is patient and someone who is also empathetic to the fact that selling their home is often a big change for them.” A natural when it comes to helping people, Thompson wants to imbue meaningfulness to her relationships with clients throughout her future as a broker.