When Relationships Become Opportunity: How Two Top Teams Found Their Next Home at REMAX

In an industry often defined by rapid change, the decisions of top-performing real estate agents still tend to center on something far less fleeting: relationships.

With four offices throughout central Illinois, REMAX Traders Unlimited has built a company that has quietly taken shape over decades, and recently, it has attracted two established teams to its brokerage: Jennifer Bradshaw, team leader of The Jennifer Bradshaw team joined the REMAX Traders Unlimited office in Pekin this spring and Rickey Mathis Jr. and the Mathis Home Strategies team joined the Washington office this summer.

Behind both moves is a shared story of consistency, connection and brand power anchored by REMAX Traders Unlimited Broker/Owner Jeff Kolbus.

A Company Built with Intention

Kolbus says the environment at REMAX Traders Unlimited was created to help real estate agents and is driven by a core REMAX axiom: agents can be in business for themselves but not by themselves. From marketing and transaction coordination to education and leadership guidance, agents are supported without being limited.

The result is a balance that continues to resonate with experienced professionals. Mark Helmuth, a Co-Owner of the REMAX Traders Unlimited Washington office, sees it as both meaningful and practical.

“We have a tremendous staff offering great support,” he says. “It’s not hard to see the value once someone starts to look at what you’re presenting.”

Together, that combination of freedom paired with support has helped position the brokerage as a destination for growth-minded agents.

Relationships First, Always

For both Bradshaw and Mathis, the move to REMAX was less about timing and more about trust built over time.

Kolbus has long approached building relationships with patience and believes in building the groundwork first. This has translated into years of steady touchpoints, annual in-person conversations and honest relationship-building.

Bradshaw experienced that firsthand.

“I met with him almost every year – he always took me out for lunch,” Bradshaw says.

Those meetings weren’t heavy on recruiting. Instead, they were grounded in a genuine connection that ultimately shaped her decision when the time felt right.

“It got to the point where I knew I was just not happy,” she says. “After all these years, talking with Jeff is what finally helped me make the move.”

Mathis’ experience followed a similar path. Over time, Kolbus’ consistency kept REMAX Traders Unlimited top of mind, even as Mathis built his business elsewhere.

“Years of him reaching out paid off,” Mathis says. “He did a great job nurturing the relationship and waiting until the time was right for me and my team.”

Brand Power for the Win

For both teams, the decision came down to finding the right combination of support and brand recognition for the next phase of their business.

Mathis, who founded Mathis Home Strategies in 2018 after beginning his real estate career in 2015, leads a seven-agent team that produced approximately $22 million in sales volume last year. Known for building his business through relationships and a hands-on approach, Mathis says brand recognition became an increasingly important consideration as his team continued to grow.

“In this market, being with a big name is important,” he says.

That impact was immediate.

“No one really knew [our previous brokerage], but now everybody knows the name REMAX,” he adds.

For Bradshaw, a 30-year industry veteran and consistent top producer whose business routinely generates between $25 million and $30 million in annual sales, the move was about greater brand visibility and finding her way back to an environment that felt collaborative.

“I wanted a team atmosphere and to work alongside other top producers again,” she says.

She found that in both the culture and the resources available.

“[Jeff and the greater team] truly care and are constantly asking what they can do to help you,” she adds.

For both teams, the strength of the REMAX brand provided an added layer of confidence. They both said they were drawn to a name recognized by consumers far beyond their local market. Combined with the hands-on support available through REMAX Traders Unlimited, that visibility offered an opportunity to grow without sacrificing the local relationships that remain at the heart of their businesses.

Growth with Purpose

The addition of Bradshaw and Mathis reflects more than brokerage growth. It reflects a shared belief in the value of relationships, reputation and support.

Bradshaw’s business is built on three decades of consistency, while Mathis has developed a growing team culture focused on service and production. Different paths led them to REMAX Traders Unlimited, but both cite many of the same reasons for making the move.

For Kolbus, that’s no coincidence.

“Quality people attract quality people,” he says.

In an industry where change is constant, REMAX Traders Unlimited offers a reminder that the strongest growth often starts long before a contract is signed. It begins with relationships, earns trust over time and, ultimately, creates an environment people want to be part of.