Serving as the Operations Director and co-founder of Horizon Properties, Barbara Kiwempindi is a distinguished figure in the real estate industry. This five-star rated and multiple award-winning real estate company excels in real estate agency, land development, and construction. Barbara’s leadership has been instrumental in the success of Horizon Properties, known for its excellence in real estate services and innovative development projects.
Horizon Properties, engages in real estate agency and land and property development. The company boasts an impressive portfolio with development projects spread across the country, including the notable 3000-unit Horizon Green village—a sustainable housing development project.
Barbara is not only a seasoned professional in the real estate field but also a devoted Christian whose faith significantly influences her business journey. She holds a Master of Science (MSc) in Real Estate Studies from UCEM and a National Diploma in Real Estate Studies from UNISA, complemented by various marketing qualifications.
With a real estate career spanning over two decades, Barbara’s journey began with the founding of Horizon Properties, a company she co-established with her husband, who is also her all-time business partner. Despite initially aspiring to be a journalist, Barbara found her true passion in real estate. Her writing and communication skills were ignited when she produced a property magazine, Property Focus, the only property journal at the time. The magazine later transitioned into a radio program called Property Focus, a program that focus on disseminating educative real estate information to the public and has been on air for four years.
Barbara’s unwavering dedication and passion for the real estate industry have positioned her as a pioneer and leader. Her multifaceted contributions, from business leadership to media engagement is mostly reflected in the reputation, success and market influence that Horizon Properties has in the industry.
Hands-On Leadership Style
Barbara is a self-described results oriented and naturally gifted marketer an astute negotiator who possesses a deep passion for the real estate business. She thrives on identifying untapped opportunities within the market and exploring them to their full potential.
As a leader at Horizon Properties, Barbara adopts a hands-on leadership style, working closely with the ambitious team. She describes herself as down-to-earth and approachable, emphasizing her multifaceted role in driving the company’s vision. Beyond being responsible for various aspects of the business, Barbara sees herself as the team’s coach, teacher, and motivator. Her belief in the immense potential of each individual drives her to inspire and encourage team members to push their limits, contributing to the formation of a united, focused, confident, and resilient team with a strong appetite for tackling challenging assignments.
For Barbara, building a great team is just one piece of the puzzle. She recognizes the importance of maintaining a conducive work environment, fostering a winning attitude, and cultivating strong interpersonal relationships. Barbara places significant value on genuine feedback, considering it a valuable source of hindsight for every decision or direction taken. In her leadership approach, she aims not only to build a successful team but also to ensure an environment that enhances productivity through a positive and collaborative atmosphere.
A Holistic Approach to Business
According to Barbara, Horizon Properties distinguishes itself as a customer-centric and results-oriented company that has achieved success through continuous efforts to comprehend current market trends, understand customer preferences and buying capacity, and address the processes and challenges that impact clients. The company is dedicated to providing solutions that work in favor of its customers at any given point in their real estate journey.
From the outset, Horizon Properties positioned itself for success through preparation, this was done by studying the market, and products and probing to understand the needs of the customers. Barbara emphasizes the importance of preparation meeting opportunity, acknowledging that while success is never guaranteed in business, thorough preparation ensures readiness for any potential opportunities. Fueled by zeal, determination, and a burning passion for success, the company had a clear vision of its destination, even if the exact path to get there was initially unclear.
Identifying a gap in the market, Horizon Properties strategically positioned itself to cater to the middle-income sector, recognizing the unmet needs in the middle market. In an unstructured property market with navigational challenges, especially for buyers, the company established itself as a trusted brand. This reputation is built on a robust due diligence system that has safeguarded customers from any financial loss in their more than 20 years of business existence. Additionally, Horizon Properties has positioned itself as the local market experts, leveraging superior knowledge of market intricacies to guide both buyers and sellers through the complexities of property transactions.
Commitment to Staying True to The Mission Statement
Barbara emphasizes the importance of staying true to Horizon Properties’ mission statement: “To offer real estate services efficiently and effectively to satisfy the needs of our clients.” To maintain innovation, the company continually scrutinizes and enhances its systems of delivery, striving to remain relevant and at the forefront of the industry.
Education and training are identified as crucial tools to sharpen skills and stay updated for top-level performance. In the dynamic business environment, characterized by constant technological advancements and evolving buyer expectations, staying well-informed and prepared is essential. Barbara underscores the significance of adapting to changes and meeting buyer demands by leveraging knowledge and staying ahead of industry trends.
As the business developed, Horizon Properties initiated an aggressive marketing campaign coupled with an excellent customer care policy. This strategy served as a springboard, propelling the brand to the top as satisfied customers shared positive experiences. Advertising remains a substantial part of the business, recognizing the ongoing opportunity to reach new customers.
Barbara adopts a perspective aligned with Richard Branson’s belief that an organization’s purpose should extend beyond profit. Consequently, Horizon Properties takes on responsibilities as a company to contribute in various ways that help to enhance and contribute positively to the real estate industry. This commitment reflects a broader sense of corporate responsibility beyond financial success, aligning with the belief that businesses can play a role in contributing to the betterment of society.
Importance of Being Open to Learning
Barbara sees her role as a leader in real estate as a valuable chance for exposure and personal growth. Leading at any level offers significant growth opportunities through continuous interactions in the property landscape which involve creating, managing, and building relationships. Mastering the skill of dealing with individuals uniquely and establishing trust is a continual learning experience.
She further believes meaningful growth as a leader comes from being open to learning. She emphasizes leaders should be continuous learners, understanding the work atmosphere, team dynamics, and business trends. Learning from both successful and unsuccessful experiences helps leaders discern what to adopt and what to avoid.
According to Barbara, the importance of leaders taking on bold assignments in the workplace and the community as another way of growing can’t be overemphasized, true leadership growth, she asserts, involves assuming responsibilities beyond personal benefits for the larger good of organizations and communities.
New leaders, Barbara advises, should not be intimidated by leadership but recognize it’s not about knowing everything; it’s about influencing and inspiring others toward a common cause. Key qualities for leaders, she says, include people management skills, empathy, passion, and a clear vision. She acknowledges challenges for today’s leaders in the rapidly changing business environment, emphasizing adaptability, agility, quick diagnosis, and adept management of resistance to change for successful navigation.
Strategizing Excellence
Barbara’s role encompasses a diverse range of responsibilities which can be summed up as overseeing all operational aspects of company strategy, helping to set strategic goals for the organization as well as spearheading formulation or realigning of policies whenever gaps are identified.
Leadership, according to Barbara, involves a significant focus on recruitment. The success of any organization depends on the quality of the team members. Despite there being no guarantees or assurances of great results, she believes recruitment is worth the effort and time. Barbara emphasizes critical signs to look for in candidates, such as communication and enthusiasm. Enthusiasm, in particular, signifies a great attitude, and candidates who display enthusiasm tend to learn and adapt more quickly, often becoming excellent team members.
Being a results oriented individual, Barbara still finds hitting team targets and exceeding the set goals to be among the most thrilling and fulfilling aspects of her daily duties, however, identifying talent, nurturing it and helping individuals begin to flourish in their roles, skills or gifts is just as fulfilling. Expressing that there is no better feeling than that. Beyond her role at Horizon Properties, Barbara wears the hats of a wife and a mother to four children—two boys and two girls. Additionally, she enjoys running as a form of exercise, adding a personal touch to her multifaceted and dynamic lifestyle.
The Idea of Success
Barbara defines success as an ongoing process of innovation, invention, and embracing new challenges. She sees success not as a fixed destination but as a continuous effort to improve the organization and the industry and positively impact surrounding communities. For her, success means having a prominent presence in the market and a larger platform, offering businesses the leverage for extensive positive contributions. This perspective emphasizes continual growth, improvement, and making a meaningful difference, transcending traditional measures of success.
Impressive Award-Winning Streak
Barbara proudly highlights that Horizon Properties has garnered several prestigious awards over its existence. These accolades include:
PMR Africa Awards:
- Silver Arrow Award in 2014
- Gold Arrow Award in 2015
- Diamond Arrow Award in 2016
International Property Awards:
- Best Estate Agency Single Office Zambia in 2020, 2021, and 2022
- Best Estate Agency Single Office Africa in 2023
- 95th Agriculture and Commercial Show Zambia:
- 2nd place in Climate Action Enterprise
- 3rd place for Best Service Provider
These awards stand as testament to Horizon Properties’ consistent dedication and excellence in the real estate industry, both locally and internationally.
Beyond Residential Units
Over the course of its business history, Horizon Properties has successfully delivered thousands of residential units. However, the company is now prioritizing the sustainability agenda, marking one of the significant challenges in the next phase of its operations. The focus is on transforming all developments into sustainable ones, with a particular emphasis on achieving optimum environmental sustainability by embracing passive design principles and considering water and energy efficiencies. Horizon Properties is committed to incorporating key aspects of sustainability into its environment, combining practicality with the aspiration to make a meaningful impact in the communities it serves. The company eagerly anticipates overcoming this challenge and influencing positive change on a larger scale within its communities.
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