Tonjah Wilkins: From Military To Transaction Management Magic

Discipline. Dedication. And hard work. These are the foundations on which transaction manager and entrepreneur Tonjah Wilkins has built her business.

Interestingly, she learned these core values during her 13 years in the military.

So, how does one woman go from being an office secretary in the military in the 1990s to a successful real estate business owner today? Let’s find out.

Who Is Tonjah Wilkins?

Tonjah has been a licensed real estate agent since 2013. She is a transaction manager for her own business called On Poynt Transaction Services, which she started in 2019. She describes herself as having been very busy ever since. 

From commercial to residential and everything in between, Tonjah helps the agents she works with navigate even the most complex transactions.

However, this isn’t where Tonjah’s journey to running her transaction coordination business started. Instead, it began after she graduated from high school and joined the military.

From Military to Managing Transactions

Tonjah says she joined the military to travel, and she did. She spent time in Florida, Hawaii, and California, and even traveled to many overseas locations.

She spent most of her military career working as an executive secretary in an office environment. However, she fondly recalls one of her favorite jobs was working on the tarmac at a helicopter squadron. 

“I was in charge of working with the pilots in the operations office. Managing the flight logs for about 100 officers,” she explains.

At times, she was the only female in the office, which she says was challenging. But she loved her role regardless.

“I really enjoyed my time in the military, it gave me an experience and a leg up in getting certifications,” she says. 

Tonjah attributes much of her success today to her time in the military.

“It taught me discipline, teamwork, structure, and to follow the rules with whatever you’re doing."

“I would recommend [joining the military] to anyone coming out of high school,” she says. “It’s a great start for getting experience and getting your education paid for. It’s a great overall learning experience in dealing with structure, dedication, and teamwork as a young adult.”

After having left the military, Tonjah owned a few companies—all of which were founded on her experiences in the military—-and then she got started in real estate as an escrow officer in 1998. 

She’s had real estate jobs ever since and says she loves the industry, no matter the role she’s in.

Aside from her background in real estate, Tonjah has experience in the technology industry and holds a master's degree in business management. When she first started On Poynt Transaction Services, she also worked a 40-hour week tech job.

Her Motivation to Start On Poynt Transaction Services

Tonjah has worked with hundreds of agents throughout her career in real estate. “I saw that some of the agents could definitely use some help,” she says. This was her motivation to start her own transaction coordination business.

“I love my job,” she says. “I love being able to help my agents and their clients,” she explains. 

“Growing my business to the level that it’s at has been my biggest achievement,” she says. “I’m blessed and grateful to have that focus, strength, and dedication.” 

Tonjah’s Advice for Women in Real Estate

As a highly successful female real estate professional, we asked Tonjah for advice for other women in the industry, especially those wanting to start their own businesses. Here’s what she had to say:

Start by figuring out what you want

Tonjah explains that many people who start their own real estate businesses go into it trying to tailor their services based on the competition. However, she says this isn’t the right way to do it.

“Build your business on the needs of your clients and your expertise—not based on someone else’s business."

Forming an essential foundation or starting point is the most important part of getting started. 

“If someone is starting their business, the first thing they should decide is the type of business they want to have and type of services to offer,” she advises. 

She says what you need to do is roadmap planning for your business before you build it. 

She explains that there are a lot of transaction coordinators who have started their own businesses and are up against other professionals in the industry. As a result, they want to do hundreds of transactions a month. However, as a solo transaction coordinator, this isn’t sustainable. “That was never my goal,” she says. 

Your goal, she explains, should be to build and grow your business to what you desire it to be.

“My goal was to start my business and grow it to the point where I knew what I could handle. I didn’t want to be so overwhelmed that my services and value would be diminished,” she explains. 

More importantly, making your business about you is how you get to a stage where you love your work.

“I love what I do, it doesn’t feel like work to me. It’s my baby.” 

Be prepared to work hard

Tonjah says that you must be prepared to work hard to build your own real estate business. 

“Owning your own business, no matter what you do, is a lot of work,” she explains.

Having been in the military and having a prolific real estate career before starting her venture, Tonjah is no stranger to hard work.

However, to Tonjah, all the hard work she puts into her business is extremely valuable. She says she’d much rather put 20 hours into her business than do it for someone else.

Don’t worry about the competition

If building and running your own business is your priority, you need to focus on your own company, not what others are doing. Continue to grow and never stop learning. This is another piece of advice that Tonjah has for aspiring female real estate entrepreneurs.

“Don’t get wrapped up in how everyone else is running their business. You have to run your business based on what suits you and your clients.”

Her advice is to stay focused on your goals and priorities rather than concern yourself with what other entrepreneurs are achieving. 

You will get the clientele you deserve if you do this. “Realize that there’s enough business out there for everyone,” Tonjah concludes.

Prioritize work-life balance and boundaries

Here at Paperless Pipeline, providing a product to women in the real estate industry has taught us a lot. One thing we see time and time again is that female real estate entrepreneurs don’t make time for themselves. 

Tonjah’s advice is that carving out time for yourself and practicing self-care are key to your success as a female entrepreneur. 

“I’m really good at self-care,” she explains. Whether it’s a massage, manicure, or pedicure, Tonjah ensures she prioritizes herself in various ways.

She also loves to hike and run. She says, “Just getting out and doing something, even if I just go to the park and walk the track,” helps her take care of herself.

“Those are things I do not put off,” she adds. Why does she ensure she has time for these activities? Because it helps her refresh. “It definitely helps me mentally to stay focused and manage the day better.”

For Tonjah, balancing the ever-changing demands of the real estate industry with her personal life also comes down to setting boundaries.

“I always make sure I make time for myself, no matter what. I always create a work-life balance because I think it’s important that you don’t get burnt out and hate what you’re doing.”

Trying to achieve a work-life balance can seem like a massive task, but Tonjah says that even if it’s just ten minutes you dedicate to yourself, that’s a start.

It’s not always going to be the right fit

Tonjah explains that, sometimes, not every relationship you have with a client is going to work out. “Sometimes it’s not a fit,” she says. “There’s nothing wrong with severing that relationship if it’s not working.” 

Tonjah often has to navigate conflict between agents and their clients, which she says isn’t easy. 

But she prides herself on ensuring that agents know what’s going on at all times, even if she’s working directly with their clients to reach closing.

What We’ve Learned from Tonjah

Start with a solid foundation. You can have all the transaction coordination skills in the world and still not run a successful company. 

Tonjah has learned a lot from her previous experiences, but you don’t need an extensive career in the military to be successful with your own real estate business. You can learn the basic principles—like hard work, discipline, and teamwork—wherever you are right now.

Use any opportunities you have now to learn and grow. These lessons are what will make your own venture into entrepreneurship a success.

Knowing what you want from the start, not comparing yourself to your competition, and prioritizing work-life balance are all practical ways to achieve success as a female real estate entrepreneur, just like Tonjah.