Making Connections is The Name of The Game For Realtor Darwin Stephens

Realtor Darwin Stephens is a go-getter. And when I say that, I don’t just mean he’s ambitious or that he’s motivated — he’s both — I mean he goes, he gets it, then he goes on to the next thing and gets that, and along the way, he stops and makes each thing he touches better.

Currently a junior at the University of Texas at Dallas getting a Bachelor of Science in Business Administration, Stephens has returned to school for his degree after a long career in business, sales, and marketing to fulfill a dream.

Originally from Oklahoma City, Stephens came to Dallas at 19 after starting college. He had been planning to move to New York, but “got distracted in Dallas” and ended up staying.

“That was 1999, I’m 43 now,” Stephens said laughing.

He spent many years in corporate America, first landing a job in the hotel industry, followed by six years at the number one Nissan dealership in America at the time, becoming the top sales performer there, and later as a sales manager and marketing director at AT&T, making great contacts within the city, and establishing himself as a leader and a force to be reckoned with.

Realtor Darwin Stephens

A natural salesman, selling real estate seemed like a natural path for Stephens.

“Sales has always been in my blood and it comes naturally,” he said. “It’s a gift — a gift of conversation. I’m not selling, I’m positioning a solution.”

Just prior to the global COVID-19 pandemic, Stephens had left AT&T after 13 years to start his own company, and just like many others had to pivot. Having gotten his real estate license a year prior to his scheduled departure from his job, he embarked on a real estate career with his characteristic gusto.

Throughout his career, Stephens has been active in community organizations, advisory committees, and various boards. At the time he was branching out into real estate, he was on the media commitee for the Complete Count Committee for the City of Dallas 2020 Census. At an event for that committee, he had a chance encounter with Janet Kane, former CEO of MetroTex Association of Realtors.

“She sits down at my table and we’re chatting it up. She says to me, ‘You’re going to be speaking in front of my association one day.’ I was like, ‘What? Is that …’ And then I put together who she was! That’s Janet Kane! So that really inspired me.” Kane told Stephens about the various committees he could be a part of with MetroTex, and he jumped in with both feet.

After serving as Vice Chair under Johnny Mowad for a year on MetroTex’s Young Professional Network committee (YPN), Stephens stepped into the lead role this year as Chair. His leadership has proven to be active and innovative, upping the networking game with a series of events at the Tower Club, known as Skyline Connections. He has also reached beyond the limited definition of the “Young” in YPN to include any Realtors who are new to the profession, regardless of their age, knowing these folks need a place to make connections as well.

CandysDirt.com attended the most recent Skyline Connections event, where real estate professionals mixed and mingled over cocktails and elegant hors d’oeuvres. Attendees wore color-coded name tags to indicate their affiliation within the industry: pink for Realtor, gold for builder, blue for loan officer, red for investor, etc. It was a fun and social atmosphere, a gorgeous venue, and exciting to see so many representatives from different parts of the real estate industry. Stephens’ work is clearly paying off.

MetroTex 40 Under 40 Awards

Stephens was also the driving force behind the inaugural 40 Under 40 Awards, a new honor open to Realtors across the state. The award committee reviewed blind applications on the basis of volunteerism, community participation, and sales. The upcoming awards ceremony will be held at 6 p.m. October 12, 2023, at MetroTex headquarters in the Wildflower Room.

Originally working with Rogers Healy and Associates, Stephens has now been with the Century 21 Mike Bowman office for about two years. His tagline is “Selling Dallas” and his primary focus is Dallas proper — although he works all over the area. 

Some proud moments through his career include being featured in Face of Park Cities, receiving the Rising Star of Texas Award for 2020 by Broker Agent Advisor, and when, upon achieving No. 1 seller in America for AT&T, he got to attend a Dallas Cowboys playoff game, traveling with the team to New Orleans on the private jet. As of this writing, Stephens has just been informed that he has been nominated for MetroTex Realtor of the Year for the second year running.

What’s Next For Realtor Darwin Stephens?

Following the MetroTex 40 Under 40 Awards, Stephens has another Skyline Connections event planned for November 16, which will have a winter theme with toy donations, and he plans to continue that event series next year. In the new year, he’ll be finishing his degree, and working toward the goal of opening his own brokerage. He says it will be a year full of events, real estate panels, listing properties, education, and making connections. Sounds like a full plate to me.