A native Miamian and a successful real estate agent, UM graduate Katrina Campins was a contestant in The Apprentice, NBC’s new reality show featuring Donald Trump and 16 young business moguls looking to be chosen to work as Trump’s protege. Campins graduated from UM’s School of Business in 2001 with a BBA in International Business and Marketing and a 4.0 GPA. Due to contractual obligations with NBC, she couldn’t answer specific questions about the show. She obliged The Hurricane with an interview to try to understand the secret of her success.
Hurricane: I understand you’ve had your real estate license since you were 18. How did you become involved in the field at such a young age?
Campins: I have been involved in real estate since 1997, when I accidentally stumbled upon my calling. At the age of 17, I closed a deal [that] involved paying $90,000 for a home offered at $299,000 with solely $100 as earnest money. I then flipped it and made a $35,000 profit in days. Needless to say, I fell in love with real estate.
H: How was your experience participating in The Apprentice?
C: The experience was surreal; it was more than I could have ever expected. It was an investment in my mind. It proved to be an educational experience [that] helped cultivate me intro a stronger businesswoman.
The Apprentice airs on Thursdays at 9 p.m. on NBC
H: How did you hear about The Apprentice? Did you know right away that you wanted to try out for it? What was the application process like? How did it feel to get chosen?
C: My clientele is composed of people from all walks of life. One of my specialties is assisting players in the NFL with their real estate and financial needs. An NFL player’s fianc