McKinney-based Willow Bend Title Company isn’t just led by Realtors, it’s led by females.
CEO Lisa Bloskas and president Emily Hohenstein are zeroed in on a “sky’s the limit” approach of empowering employees and helping the real estate agents they serve. After all, they’re “Realtor-owned and Realtor-focused.”
“Lisa Bloskas and Emily Hohenstein are fierce, fabulous women who have utilized their many years of real estate industry experience to run multiple companies and educate others along the way,” said marketing coordinator Nicole Garcia. “On top of it, [Willow Bend Title] feels like you’re in a supportive family versus just another place of work. Lisa and Emily have made WBT a great place to work with great, inspiring women leading our way.”
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The American Dream
Bloskas grew up in the East Texas town of Mount Pleasant, where her family owned a manufacturing plant that created wood products for the home decor industry. She holds a master’s of business administration and accounting from Texas Christian University.
“My triplets and my youngest son all went to Texas A&M, so I consider myself — and my wallet — an Aggie,” she said.
Hohenstein is a native Dallasite who homeschooled and earned her degrees from Texas Tech University.
“Real estate is an incredibly diverse industry that always brings new and fun challenges,” she said. “In particular, title companies act as a bridge between each segment of the real estate industry. Acting as that bridge allows me a unique opportunity to glean knowledge and experience from a variety of real estate professionals.”
In fact, real estate embodies the American dream, Bloskas explained.
“It was clear to me that the sky’s the limit in the real estate industry, as long as you’re willing to roll up your sleeves and work hard,” she said. “We get to help our clients achieve their own piece of that American dream each and every day, which I love.”
Realtor-Focused
Bloskas was a Realtor for Ebby Halliday before founding Willow Bend Title in 2019.
“I learned the industry from the best mentors I could have asked for,” Bloskas said. “We used the lessons learned from our decades on the ground as Realtors to create Willow Bend Title, a truly Realtor-focused model. We view every decision through the lens of our Realtor-partners and strive to help Realtors reach the pinnacle of their careers. Our Realtors love being on autopilot with us.”
They aim to make the tedious tasks of home buying a little easier with their friendly attitudes and cutting-edge technology. Willow Bend uses a smartphone application for closings, which acts as an encrypted communication portal and document storage server for mobile and remote closings, Hohenstein explained.
“Every system and process we implement always have the Realtor and their client’s convenience in mind,” she said. “We do a fantastic job of alleviating the pressures our Realtors face when it comes to the closing process.”
And Bloskas’s style of leadership is what many potential employees want from an employer.
“I am a firm believer in Ronald Reagan’s style of leadership: ‘Surround yourself with great people, delegate authority, and get out of the way.’ I spend my time deepening business relationships with brokerages, Realtors, and builders and creating ways to help our partners reach their highest potential,” she said.
Hohenstein oversees the daily operations at Willow Bend and strategizes on long-term vision.
“This basically means I spend a decent amount of time communicating with team leads, reviewing compliance reports, budgeting, and implementing policies and procedures,” she said. “Each transaction brings new faces, new situations, and new challenges; all of which bring new opportunities to learn and grow.”
Bright Future
Being a female in a leadership role is familiar to Bloskas, whose parents’ manufacturing company was a 50/50 partnership during the 1970s, when most women didn’t have their own bank accounts.
“From an early age I had hands-on experience with running a company,” she said. “I’ve found from experience that if you run a business like a family it truly shows in the product or service that you offer.”
Hohenstein said Bloskas’s leadership has helped guide her in the woman’s world at Willow Bend.
“I’ve been fortunate to join an organization that is female-led, which has shielded me from many of the challenges women in leadership typically face,” she said. “Having Lisa as a mentor has provided me invaluable insight on how to navigate being a woman in leadership.”
So what’s next for these ladies and their 12 team members?
Hohenstein said her future career goals are entwined with the future of Willow Bend Title.
“I envision our agency continuing to grow on a national level, serving Realtors all over the country,” she said.
Willow Bend is growing exponentially in every market in Texas, with closings far beyond Dallas-Fort Worth, in El Paso, Texarkana, Amarillo, and Corpus Christi.
“We service not only residential transactions but also farm and ranch as well as commercial,” Bloskas said. “I truly get joy out of seeing an idea go from a thought to reality, and I can’t wait to see what the future holds.”
