KW’s new CEO on growth, culture and working with Gary Keller 

Christopher Czarnecki said that attending this year's Family Reunion "helped seal the deal" as he considered whether or not to become the new president and CEO of Keller Williams.

In his first major interview since taking the KW job, Czarnecki told Real Estate News via email that he "was blown away by the enthusiasm and culture" he experienced at the flagship event, and he considers the company's culture its greatest strength — "hands down" — with its focus on "training, education, support and a growth mindset."

But it wasn't only the culture that sold Czarnecki — it was the leadership. 

Czarnecki was introduced to KW Co-founder Gary Keller by mutual acquaintances at Stone Point Capital — the company that recently bought a major ownership stake in Keller Williams — and had "many visits" with the industry icon and other execs who deepened his "understanding of their shared values."

We asked Czarnecki about Keller, the state of residential real estate and what the future holds. Here's what he had to say.

Gary Keller is a uniquely influential figure in real estate. How does his role as executive chairman influence yours? What kind of working relationship are you looking to develop with him?

Gary's passion for residential real estate has driven more than 40 years of immense success for Keller Williams. And I wouldn't have come to KW if he had planned to reduce his role; that's just not happening, and I am energized by the commitment he is making to the KW community.

Gary is spending as much time as he can getting back to his passions — teaching, coaching, and writing — which immensely benefits our affiliated agents and franchisees. We are excited about what this will mean for the KW community in the coming months and years. 

He's mentoring and coaching me, and we're meeting each week to talk about our growth-oriented initiatives, strategic partner opportunities, and the day-to-day leadership of KW. 

What's your take on the current state of residential real estate?

Gary summed it up well at our Family Reunion event in February. The residential real estate market is facing economic headwinds, from higher interest rates to supply issues and affordability challenges. Sales volumes are likely slightly improved compared to 2024 but still well below the high-water marks of several years ago. But at Keller Williams, we see this as an opportunity, not an obstacle.

We believe that the right agent makes all the difference in any market. KW-affiliated agents are uniquely positioned to thrive with the strength of our models, technology, and culture of sharing and innovation. While others may see this as a challenging time, we understand that the best agents can do well in challenging times, and we are investing more to ensure agents have every opportunity to do so.

What did you learn about residential real estate in your previous roles?

I've learned that success in real estate always comes down to recruiting, developing, and ultimately empowering the right people. That is the number one role of any CEO. My background has taught me how to build dynamic organizations and teams that can not only get the job done today but also be prepared for bigger opportunities tomorrow. I have been fortunate to work across most segments of the real estate space, including both commercial and residential.

No matter the size of a real estate transaction, there are almost always the same variables at play, and having a team at KWRI that understands these helps us support our franchisees and their agents. All of that experience will help guide the executive team at KW.

You have a lot of folks to meet! What's your plan for connecting with agents?

For sure! This part of the role is one that I really enjoy, and in my view, does not have an expiration date; it is a continuum of meetings and receiving feedback from those on the ground to help them succeed further. I've had many meetings with leaders and teams at our headquarters to learn more from them about their roles in our business, and I've also met with regional and market center owners in the past weeks. Meeting these folks is one of the best parts of the job.

Meeting with the Operating Principal Leadership Council was also a great way to establish a strong working relationship with that group of franchisee leaders. From here, I plan to attend KW and industry events, visit market centers and regional offices, and connect with folks when they are in Austin for training events.

What does success look like after 1 month, 1 year, 3 years?

In the short term, success is all about connecting with as many of our team members as I can and setting up a strong executive team to help guide the company going forward. We have made great progress on that front in the first 30 days and there is more good news to come on this front.

On a longer-term basis, Gary always says it best, "growth is our top focus." Growth in agent count, growth in appointments, and a corresponding growth in closings are the metrics we will use to judge the success of the business. However, peeling back the layers further, it is more nuanced. Growth in our educational platform for agents, growth in our coaching opportunities, and honing our technology platform all support that top-level growth mindset, and these are areas that will be my focus as well.