Attributing much of her success, as both an educator and a realtor, to treating others the way she wants to be treated, Sondra “Michelle” Wilson was inspired to a career in education by Doyle Ball, her fifth grade mathematics teacher, as well as by a mathematics professor she had in college. Following the completion of her Bachelor of Education from the University of Southern Mississippi, she began a 12-year career as a middle school mathematics teacher in her home state of Louisiana. Focusing on teaching the way she wanted her sons to be taught, she furthered her skills with a Master of Education from Southeastern Louisiana University in 2010. Above everything, Ms. Wilson notes that the most gratifying part of teaching was getting to watch students light up when they figured something out or when what they were studying clicked and made sense.
Exposed to the field of real estate by a friend who worked in the industry, Ms. Wilson decided that it was time for a change of careers, even though she greatly enjoyed teaching. She earned her real estate license in the states of Louisiana and Mississippi while she was still teaching before eventually retiring from education to spend more time with her grandchildren. From 2016 to 2019, she worked as a realtor with Latter & Blum Classic Homes & Properties Inc., where she was presented with a Silver Award for her excellence in the field in 2017. Joining Keller Williams Realty Services in 2019, she has continued to flourish, receiving two Silver Awards from Keller Williams in 2019 and 2020 and a Gold Award in 2021. Ms. Wilson was also recognized for her achievements as a featured realtor in Top Agent Magazine in 2020.
As she did during her teaching career, Ms. Wilson approaches her interactions with her real estate clients in the mindset of treating others with the care she would want her sons to receive as home buyers. She has been incredibly happy to have had to opportunity to help some of her former students find and buy homes. In order to remain up to date with new developments in her field, she has maintained affiliation with a number of professional organizations, including the New Orleans Metropolitan Association of Realtors, the Gulf Coast Association of Realtors, the Pearl River County Board of Realtors and the National Association of Realtors. Looking toward the future, Ms. Wilson’s goals are to reach $10 million in sales with Keller Williams and to continue cultivating a legacy as someone who is honest, trustworthy and always does what is best for her clients.
Throughout her career, Ms. Wilson considers the most important lesson that she has learned to be understanding that every situation and every person you work with is unique. This applies both to teaching, where each student will have their own needs for learning, and to real estate, where every client will bring a new and different set of circumstances and needs to the sale. To young and aspiring educators, Ms. Wilson emphasizes that being a teacher requires going beyond the standard 9-5 job and a real desire to support your students, and to those looking for a career in real estate, she notes the importance of being willing to work around your clients’ schedules.
Outside of her primary responsibilities, Ms. Wilson has involved herself as a volunteer with KW Cares, a nonprofit initiative sponsored by Keller Williams that was developed to help support Keller Williams associates impacted by sudden emergencies, such as natural disasters, accidents, funeral expenses and more. Furthermore, she regularly donates her time to city clean-up efforts following hurricanes. Born in Bogalusa, Louisiana, Ms. Wilson has been married to her husband, Vernon, for many happy years, and is the proud mother of two sons, Colby and Caleb. Her family also includes her daughters-in-law, Marissa and Haley, and four grandchildren, Bentley, Sadie Ann, Parker and Alice.