You might have never watched them, not one single episode, but I bet you know all about them. You can probably name at least three members of the Kardashian family, and even some of the major plot points of the series and its spinoffs. You know which ones you like more than others, and you probably know who's divorced or just about to get divorced.

I know. It's painful. How did we get here as a culture, and what does this have to do with running a business? One thing the Kardashians do extremely well is to build and maintain their family and individual brands. They get an amazing amount of publicity for doing very little, and they've already figured out that each time one of them has a personal failure, they can spin it so it all feeds back into the Kardashian brand. 

I'd love to say this is a new cultural phenomenon, but it's not. And the cult of personality and its ability to influence court cases, politics and the thought patterns of millions of people isn't new either. To anyone sensitive to the narcissism that plagues the modern world, and America in particular, be somewhat comforted that we've been attracted to charmers for quite some time. And that's exactly why people who want to win friends and influence people cultivate these abilities. 

Still, the business community isn't always leaning in, even though increasingly CEOs are interviewed like Kardashians. What Does Bill Gates' Office Look Like? Where Does He Live? What Burgers Does Warren Buffett Enjoy? These are not the sort of headlines that either of these accomplished men cultivate. But they do know that the more people like them, the more power they have. And knowing what type of burger a billionaire eats humanizes them quite a bit. 

Real estate, an industry that at least ten years ago seemed to have all of the personality of a lost sock, has picked up on this recently. Tons of TV shows now feature real estate agents, their luxury listings, their fraught relationships with their staff, and even one agent's obsessive compulsive disorder that surprisingly seems to be a helpful quirk in this particular industry. 

Recently, even Midwestern real estate has taken the bait. Minneapolis-based CEO Kris Lindahl, who founded Kris Lindahl Real Estate in 2018, has expanded his business exponentially in large part due to his frequent Kardashian-like video posts on social media. He's always a little casual, you get the sense that you're just catching him in the car, at the gym, and that you get to see behind the curtain a little bit. He talks about the market, and he gives impassioned walk and talks about what he sees other business leaders getting wrong in this new marketing era. People tune in, and Lindahl has fashioned himself into a Midwestern real estate celebrity...as if that should even be a thing. 

But it is. He's pretty famous throughout the Twin Cities, and as a result, even the local news frequently reaches out to hear what Lindahl thinks about the market. His mug is plastered over hundreds of billboards throughout the greater metro area, and he's a sought-after keynote speaker. 

Lindahl readily admits that where he started from is a little embarrassing, and his on-camera skills are definitely improving. He takes it so seriously, as a matter of fact, that he hired an acting coach to give him a few pointers. Lindahl states, "Looking back at those first videos, sure, I wince. But you have to start somewhere. And you have to get better as you go. Since I've done this, my business has expanded into multiple states, and just this past year, we did over $1 billion in sales. Yes, I have a marketing department, but most of the publicity I have gotten has been absolutely free, just by making these videos on social media, and having the courage to post them."

His fans on social media root for him, as well as his entire brokerage team benefits from it. "People like my message, and believe what I stand for...as the realtor that incorporates a little more heart into each transaction. So when I hear from my brokers that people just knew me, and that's why they had one of my agents sell their house, I'm not surprised." 

People like the scrappy underdog that humanizes a somewhat scary industry. It's a story that every American can relate to on a primal level. And it's amazing that more banks, investment brokerages and insurance companies haven't tried something similar with all they pour into attempts at trying to humanize their brand. Yet. 

But take it from me, if your CEO or your manager hasn't developed their inner Kardashian, it's a missed opportunity.  And some day soon, a competitor just might.