If you’re local, you know her. If you’re on Lake Nona social media pages, you know her. If you’re a large community influence like she is, you know her! An immense name in Lake Nona is The Kendrick Team, and this month, our Nona Hero is one-half of that team. She is a woman of kindness, faith and endless grace; our hero is Yvette Kendrick.

After she spent the majority of her life in Chicago, Kendrick came to Lake Nona eight years ago, following her husband, Kevin, and blending their families together in Northlake Park. They are a family with two sons – and a 6-year-old Shih Tzu named Truffles. Kendrick both lives and works in our community; her passion for the region is shown through her work and volunteerism. “I loved it here even before it was home,” she told me.

Previous experiences have crafted this woman into an intelligent and skilled professional. After 15 years in corporate travel and working in the legal field for over 10 years, she has a mindset that makes her ready to tackle anything – and tackle anything, she has!

Kendrick’s fire lies in connecting people and building a sense of community, empowering women, and perpetuating her faith. She and her husband host events solely intended on intertwining people’s lives. Her work in realty aligns with these passions and allows her to serve the area. “It is not uncommon for me to reach out to a woman that I don’t know very well to invite her for coffee and get to know her through meaningful conversation,” she said.

Kendrick is tied to the local school system through her two boys and makes an effort to show her appreciation and love for our local educators. She is also the co-creator of the R.A.W. Network, which is a faith-based network that encourages women to live authentically. She challenges women to be unforgivingly yourself, unyieldingly strong, and ever-faithful. 

Kendrick’s faith is not only religious, it also lies within herself. She took a huge risk in 2016 by leaving her secure job at a downtown law firm to jump into real estate with her husband. Leaving behind benefits and a strict schedule, she leaped into building a business in something completely new to her. “I’m so glad I did!” she said.

Her warm demeanor and approachable attitude make for a kind woman who cares about each and every person in the community. She wants to see them succeed, build relationships and be unrelentingly themselves. Sharing her own personal life journey allows her to connect through shared strength and hard times. And the secret to her success may just be in her routine: 

“This may sound crazy and counter-cultural, but setting goals doesn’t work for me,” she told me. Kendrick consistently reflects on who she is as a person in order to become better than she was. She is eager to continue growing and fulfilling her purpose as a loving person, wife, mother, daughter, friend and neighbor. Rather than setting concrete goals, she is constantly examining herself as a person in pursuit of betterment. “For me, focusing on growth rather than goals will lead me to living with purpose, not just living the ‘hustle’ – personally and professionally,” said Kendrick.

Such drive and desire for improvement do not come easily, but it has been a fruitful venture for her. People describe her love for all people – not just in words but in actions as well. As put by Kendrick, “I believe they would describe me as authentic, purposeful and passionate in all I do. They may also say that I won’t sugarcoat things – always speaking truth in love and will always be transparent about my personal journey with the hope to encourage and inspire others.”

Kendrick’s work with schools, Lake Nona businesspeople and residents alike, friends, strangers, and all women displays her effort for connections and relationships because as she says, “There is power and purpose when connections are made.”