Daily Inspiration: Meet Kenyatta Jones-Arietta

Today we’d like to introduce you to Kenyatta Jones-Arietta

Kenyatta, we appreciate you taking the time to share your story with us today. Where does your story begin?
Im originally from Detroit. I moved to New York when I was 19 in search of a better life for myself and my 2 year old daughter. I worked in a nightclub in NYC at night, pounding the pavement going to modeling go-sees during the day. The Sunday night DJ, Rob was also the principal broker of RJ Douglas Realty. He assisted me in getting my first apartment and my first real estate license.

I was too young at that time—not ready for the grind so back to the club I went. Fast-forward 5 years, I ended up going back to school and got my degree in interior design. I met my husband in 1999 and moved from the city to Rockland County, NY. I took a job in the city at Roche Bobois/Maurice Villency as a furniture salesperson. I enjoyed it until we expanded our family. Commuting and being away from the kids started to wear on me.

Then the tragic death of a coworker was a sign for me that life is too short to do things that don’t bring you joy. With encouragement from my husband, I decided to get licensed again. Once I successfully completed the real estate course and secured a local broker, I quit my job.

I worked under the direction of that broker for 3 years and got licensed an associate broker before leaving there and trying Keller Williams on for size. What I learned from KW with paying for my own signs and advertising was that I didn’t need a broker. I made one more stop before deciding to start my own brokerage, R2M Realty, Inc.™.

With real estate sales as my profession, my husband and I tried investing and purchased a few condos that we rented out full time. Post COVID we wanted to give short term renting a try and decided to plant some roots in my home state, which, ironically enough, is also where my husband’s grandmother was originally from. I ofter tease that I came all the way to New York to meet and marry a man who’s roots are from my backyard.

I started the process of getting licensed in Michigan years before we purchased RiverHouse Cabin, our popular vacation rental in Northern Michigan. R2M Realty, Inc.™ now almost 11 years old— is licensed in New York, New Jersey, Connecticut and my home state of Michigan.

We all face challenges, but looking back would you describe it as a relatively smooth road?
There are always challenges… my life has been one challenge after the next. But with each obstacle comes more knowledge and confidence to tackle the next one. As far as running a 5 Star vacation rental from hundreds of miles away, the challenge can be having reliable cleaners and maintenance people but between my neighbor and my team, it has been a remarkable four years. Not without incidents—but as I shared with each trail comes the confidence to tackle the next one that arises. The most stressful was after landing in London and ordering our first drink after settling in, I received a call that guests had arrived in the dead of winter with no heat. Talk about stress!

But we were able to get the problem resolved and our guests, even after having to spend one night without heat, still gave us a 5 star review. As a business owner, you have to know that challenges will arise but you have to take them head on and find the best solution possible given the situation.

Can you tell our readers more about what you do and what you think sets you apart from others?
Aside from assisting clients with selling in purchasing real estate, as the principal broker of the company I created, I also manage and train real estate professional and the daily operations of the offices. The newer business is my short term rental business—RiverHouse Cabin in Northern Michigan (4 years) and Cattail Creek Chalet in the Catskills of New York (6 months old), together they make up River and Creek.

Coming from a broken home, I had always wanted a home and family life like what I’d seen on television. The dream turned into visions with interior design—putting together design boards to convey a design idea. And from visions, with real estate, I was able to turn the ideas and visions into reality—for my clients and for myself.

What I love about the short term rental business is that it combines all the things that I love— travel, real estate, interior design and family time (creating memories). The fact that we are able to share our spaces with other families to create memories in really warms my heart. I believe this is part of my calling.

What am I most proud of? I am most proud of my ability to create and manifest the things that I dream of.

I had my daughter when I was just 17 and her father was incarcerated for the first 5 years of her life. My grandmother, who had practically raised me passed away when I was pregnant with my daughter. My relationship with my mother was touch and go. (It improved overtime.) Without the tools that a lot of people have, I managed to create a wonderful life that I enjoy living and sharing with others. I’m proud of me.

Any big plans?
Future plans? Right now I am working on the final edits of my first book, “Iron Love: A Guide to Manifesting, Accepting and Nurturing True Love”. I have also simultaneously started working on my second book, “Follow the Signs: You Can’t Make That Shit Up”, which is a compilation of my life stories and how I got from A to Z. Aside from the books, I have created a real estate 7 week intensive training course geared to getting newer agents up and running. I am running a pilot on now.

As far as River and Creek, my husband and I have purchased some land in Northern Michigan (about a half hour from RiverHouse) that we plan to develop and put a newly constructed A-Frame or yurt. And with real estate, R2M Realty, Inc. ™ will have a brick and motar in Michigan within the next few years. Stay tuned!

Contact Info:

• Website: KenyattaR2m.com ( book/public speaking site under construction)
• Instagram: @riverandcreek @r2mrealty @kenyattar2m
• Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/kenyatta.jonesarietta/ and https://www.facebook.com/R2MRealtyInc