Jill Butler
Founder & CEO
RedKey Realty Leaders, a member of Leading Real Estate Companies of the World®
Richmond Heights, Missouri
Region served: Greater St. Louis, including St. Louis City, St. Louis County, St. Charles County and surrounding communities.
Years in real estate: 25
Number of offices: 4
Number of agents: 200
Most important thing you learned this past year: You can’t let the urgency of growth overshadow the importance of fit. The right people strengthen your business and your culture while the wrong hires could damage it. I’ve learned to stay ambitious while being patient about finding people who share our values.
One thing people don’t know about you: I love live music—and Cimafunk is a favorite. A great concert is one of my favorite ways to get out of my head and enjoy the moment.
Having founded RedKey Realty Leaders in 2012 after 10 years in corporate brokerages, what has driven the firm’s exponential growth?
I founded RedKey with a simple belief: We could build a successful brokerage around love, service and fun—and those qualities could be a business advantage. I wanted agents to feel supported, heard and proud of where they worked.
Our growth has come from pairing that personal connection with serious business support. We invest in our agents’ development, marketing, technology and relationships because their success drives ours. As an independent brokerage, we can respond quickly and make decisions around what our agents and clients actually need. We’re building a company that is big enough to be powerful and small enough to be personable.
How do you balance growth with preserving the culture that helped make RedKey successful?
We treat culture as something we practice every day. We work hard to create “cultural infrastructure.” It shows up in whom we invite into the company, how our leaders respond when someone needs help and what behaviors we recognize and reward.
Our goal is high support and high achievement. We want people to feel cared for and challenged to do their best work. As we grow, we create intentional opportunities for connection through meetings, masterminds, retreats and community events. We also listen. A healthy culture depends on people knowing their voices matter—and seeing us act on what we hear.
What does combining high-tech with high-touch service look like at RedKey Realty?
Technology should give our agents more time and better information to serve people. We use it to support marketing, communication and the transaction process, while helping agents stay connected with their clients.
The high-touch part is understanding the person behind the transaction. Buying or selling a home can involve excitement, uncertainty, grief or a major life transition. A thoughtful conversation, a timely phone call and an agent who anticipates a client’s needs make an enormous difference. Our approach is to use technology to strengthen those relationships.
Tell us what it means to be part of Leading Real Estate Companies of the World® (LeadingRE).
It allows us to remain deeply local while being connected globally. We value our independence and our St. Louis roots, and LeadingRE connects us with other independent firms that care about service, relationships and excellence.
That connection creates opportunities for referrals, learning and sharing ideas with outstanding brokerage leaders. Our acceptance into Luxury Portfolio International® this year was another exciting step. It supports our vision of approachable luxury: exceptional marketing and service delivered with warmth and personal attention. I am proud to be a part of such high-level leaders and agents.
As we head into 2027, what are you most looking forward to?
I’m excited about helping more of our agents build thriving businesses and bringing more right-fit people into RedKey. We have opportunities to strengthen our luxury presence, grow our relocation business and deepen our connections in the communities we serve.
I’m also looking forward to getting our team aligned around a clear, shared vision. There is tremendous talent here, and I want everyone to see how their contribution helps us achieve something bigger together. Success in 2027 will mean growing a strong, sustainable company while making a meaningful difference for our agents, clients and St. Louis.
For more information, visit https://www.leadingre.com.
