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Vija Williams is making her next big move.
The respected real estate leader and coach has officially joined eXp Realty and launched UPGRADE, a new community designed to transform the lives of real estate professionals — professionally and holistically, the firm announced Thursday.
At its core, UPGRADE (Unlock Potential, Grow Real Estate, And Design Everything) is a growth initiative aimed at helping agents, team leaders and brokerage owners reach the next level in business, wealth and mindset.
Vija Williams | Head of Industry Place
“Business growth is autobiographical,” Williams told Inman in an interview. “As we grow, our businesses grow. So, I think the success of a company is really based on how much work the leader is doing, and it’s deep work.”
Williams knows firsthand the power of combining professional and personal transformation. Over the past few years, she’s undergone a massive personal shift — losing 110 pounds, running marathons, climbing mountains and leveling up in business.
“I’ve transformed my own life physically, financially, emotionally,” Williams said in a statement. “I’m building UPGRADE at eXp to help others do the same. We’re curating a space where high performers are surrounded by people who challenge and elevate them.”
Williams is launching UPGRADE alongside several industry powerhouses, including eXp leaders Spring Bengtzen, William Lam and Dan Beer and the Fast Forward Movement, one of eXp’s fastest-growing agent companies.
Together, they’re building a community that includes events, weekly coaching calls, resources and community-driven experiences that support more than just real estate success.
“I think agents and teams are craving right now a community that’s focused on the holistic person, not just real estate teams, selling real estate, tactics and strategy, but health, wealth and spiritual [balance],” Williams said.
While the move to eXp and UPGRADE mark a new chapter, Williams isn’t slowing down elsewhere. She remains head of industry at Place, a real estate tech company co-founded by Ben Kinney, and is co-owner of Seattle-based luxury real estate team Vija Real Estate.
“They all blend together really well,” she explained. “I travel a lot. I meet a lot of people, and it all kind of works together.”
With more than two decades of experience, Williams has led across all sides of the business, from BKO Mortgage and Ben Kinney Companies to her latest role as a coach with Cheplak Live, a high-level coaching platform for team leaders.
Under her leadership, Ben Kinney Brokerages grew from 1,250 to over 1,750 agents and saw a 251 percent increase in sales volume from 2018 to 2022. She has also reached over 250,000 viewers through webinars and training since 2020.
Leo Pareja | eXp Realty CEO
According to eXp Realty CEO Leo Pareja, Williams’ arrival perfectly aligns with the company’s values.
“Vija Williams is one of the most visionary leaders in our industry, and we are thrilled to welcome her to eXp,” Pareja said in a statement. “Her UPGRADE community is exactly the kind of transformational initiative that aligns with our values of innovation, growth and agent empowerment. We’re honored to support her mission and excited to see the impact she will make within our global network.
Williams has big goals for UPGRADE. While growth in agent count is one marker of success, impact is the true measure.
“We’ll have our first 1,000 agents by the end of this year,” Williams said. “That’s a big [goal], and I think it’s happening.” She added, “If people are attracted to us, their lives will be better.”
