Roberts is managing Karen Waldrup, a contestant on The Voice, airing on NBC
Robin Roberts is a top eXp Realty agent along the beautiful Gulf Coast of Alabama where he averages about $10 million in sales a year, concentrating on investment condos. But his “side hustle” is equally interesting. He is managing Karen Waldrup, a country music singer who is competing on The Voice. Season 25 kicked off on Monday, Feb. 26.
Karen made it through the “The Blind Auditions” on Dan + Shay’s Team and is moving on to “The Battle Rounds.” Robin said judges Reba McEntire and John Legend were both impressed, saying Reba “wanted her bad, but she was blocked by Dan + Shay.”
Karen said being on Dan + Shay’s team “is a great fit for me and I want to be the first artist to win on Dan + Shay’s first-ever double chair on The Voice.”
Karen Is the One of Top Female Country Artists Competing
Robin’s love of music and a good ear for talent has led him to this perfect collaboration where he has been working with and managing artists out of Nashville since 2009. Robin finds himself in Nashville a lot, but discovering Karen at Alabama’s Frank Brown International Songwriters Festival and adding her to his roster is his ticket to potentially bigger doors opening – both with adding music talent and advancing his real estate network.
Robin thinks Karen has a good chance to advance far into the competition because of her unique voice and being the top female country artist competing.
“I think we’re in a good position. It’s been a cool thing to watch her since she was 26 and now at 36, she has it all working – confidence, work ethic, a great stage presence, and of course, a voice.”
From the Army, to a Flooring Career, to Real Estate
Robin grew up in South Alabama and joined the U.S. Army out of high school, giving him a “great perspective on life.” Back in civilian life, he worked in flooring and decorating for 20 years until he “saw all the Realtors making the money.” He quickly switched careers, joining Coldwell Banker for a few years and RE/MAX for 15 years before joining eXp Realty in January 2023.
“I thought I’d be a RE/MAX guy forever. Ultimately, I looked at the numbers where I was paying $2,000 a month for a little office and $600 for kvCORE (free with eXp). Plus, there was all this drama in the office. I got tired of it. I stopped going to the office and I wondered why I was paying for space I wasn’t using.
“I love the cloud, uploading documents, training … I love all of it. I can buy stock for a discount and hope it builds to retirement.”
He can’t wait until his son, Grant, who graduates from the University of Alabama in May with a major in business finance and marketing degree plus a minor in real estate, joins Robin at eXp to expand their real estate business.
“eXp will be perfect for my son. It’s very forward-thinking. I instilled into him that entrepreneurship is the way to go and not work for the corporate man.”
Robin Feels His Music Connections Will Boost His Real Estate Business, Too
“I am proficient in my sphere of influence. I don’t have to buy leads anymore. I’ll never stop selling real estate. I will be with eXp until the day I die. With my son coming into the business, I can do more touring with artists and build my management group and start signing more artists.
“It’s all because of Karen. I’ve given her counsel and advice over the years. I started Artist Development and Management Group, LLC, acquired a great international booking agent, and helped her to get on Season 25 of The Voice. This has been going on for a year. But I think there is a natural connection to be made between our real estate business and country music.”
Robin had one last thought about Karen’s potential to be the next Voice champion.
“If she wins the show, it’s ‘Katie bar the door!’ ”
Key highlights:
- Main territory: Baldwin County, Alabama which consists of Gulf Shores, Orange Beach, Foley, Fairhope, Daphne, Spanish Fort, and all areas in between.
- Specializes in condos and investment condos
- Real estate agent since 2006
- Joined eXp in 2023
- Averages over $10 million a year in sales on about 20 transactions.
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