By any measure, Seattle’s Vija Williams has had a career most in the real estate world only dream of. She’s the former president of one of the nation’s fastest-growing brokerage networks, Ben Kinney Real Estate Team. She’s the Head of Industry for PLACE, one of the most elite real estate platforms in the country. She’s a high-performance coach who has taken the stage at Inman Connect, Zillow, and Mega Camp. She’s a woman whose voice, vision, and leadership have shaped the paths of countless agents, teams, and broker-owners nationwide.
And now, Vija (pronounced “Vee-uh”) is making what she calls her most purposeful move yet – joining eXp Realty. (Read the press release here.)
“This is more than a move – it’s a mission,” she says. “I’m joining eXp to build the UPGRADE community with Spring Bengtzen. It stands for: Unlock Potential, Grow Real Estate, And Design Everything. This isn’t just about business – it’s about building a life.”
UPGRADE: A Movement, Not a Model
True to Vija’s DNA, the UPGRADE community is aimed at the highest level of leadership and personal development. It’s for the ambitious. The growth-minded. The ones hungry for transformation, not just in business, but in every corner of their lives.
Built in partnership with Spring Bengtzen, the powerhouse CEO of The Utah Life Real Estate Group, and connected to Dan Beer’s Fast Forward Movement, UPGRADE is both a mindset and a mission.
“We’re creating a space for agents, team leaders, and broker-owners to elevate – health, wealth, leadership, investing, lifestyle,” Vija says. “This is for those who are ready to live and lead at their highest level.”
An Industry Legacy – and a Platform for More
If you know real estate, you know Vija Williams. Her fingerprints are on some of the industry’s most influential organizations. As President of the Ben Kinney Team, she led eight offices to triple-digit growth, increasing agent count by 140% and sales volume by more than 250% in just three years.
She currently runs Vija Real Estate, a top-producing team in the move-up and luxury space in Seattle, WA.
Today, as Head of Industry at PLACE, Vija is the behind-the-scenes force consulting, coaching, and growing hundreds of elite teams across the U.S. She’ll continue in that leadership role while building UPGRADE within eXp.
“This isn’t about leaving something behind. It’s about stepping into something more,” she says. “With eXp, PLACE, and Cheplak Live, I’m aligning with what I consider the three most impactful platforms in our industry today.”
The Coach, The Visionary, The Voice
Throughout her career, Vija has served as a compass for others – especially women – who are building businesses and bold lives. She’s the co-founder of She Inc., a platform focused on female growth and wealth building. She formerly co-hosted the award-winning Empire Building podcast, racking up 600,000 downloads and winning Inman News’ Podcast of the Year. She was also a founding leader of Her Best Life, a national women’s real estate network that made waves across the industry.
She’s been the go-to speaker for countless top-stage events. She’s trained and mentored more than 250,000 agents via webinars and coaching. Her reputation as a straight-talking, soul-centered leader precedes her – and now, she’s using that influence to help others transform from the inside out.
“I’ve always believed in designing your life, not reacting to it,” she says. “eXp gives me the platform, structure, and freedom to help people do that on a massive scale. It’s collaborative. It’s agent-owned. It’s agile. And it’s aligned with everything I’m building.
“I’ve transformed my own life – physically, financially, emotionally,” she says. “Now, I want to help others do the same. That’s what UPGRADE is about. And this is just the beginning.”
