“In high school I started selling T-shirts out of my locker and assembled a sales team of students from each grade,” says Jarret Jarvis, REALTORⓇ at Compass in Chicago. “We sold around 400 T-shirts in a week, and I received a commission from the manufacturer. I didn’t know I was running my own business. I was just having fun connecting with people and offering them something they loved. Just like real estate!”

Since those school days, this aspiring entrepreneur has moved beyond T-shirts. Jarret grew up in Arlington Heights and Schaumburg with his mom and salesman dad. He would spend summers in Dayton, Ohio, with his grandmother, Jan, and hero grandfather, Roger—a major in the US Air Force who was awarded many medals for bravery in the Vietnam War. 

After high school, Jarret attended Illinois State University where he majored in marketing. During his college years, he continued to practice his entrepreneurial aptitude.

“Not many people know that in college I was a booking agent and manager for several musicians and music groups,” he says. “Over a period of three years, I helped my clients book over seventy-five concerts/gigs, and a few often opened for several major artists like Wiz Khalifa and G-Eazy.”

After graduating in 2014, Jarret started his marketing career in building-materials sales, and was calling on lumber yards, roofing suppliers, builders, contractors, and retail stores. 

 

“In any given year, I had to drive anywhere from 30,000 to 40,000 miles around Chicago, and I listened to finance and real estate podcasts as I drove,” recalls Jarret. “That began my journey into buying investment properties.”

As he began to purchase properties, family and friends began to ask him real estate-related questions. His new-found expertise had him consider a future career in the industry. So Jarret spent many nights in the Sulzer Regional Library in Lincoln Square, studying for his license exam. It wasn’t long before he’d earned his license and transitioned into life as an agent.

“I became a REALTORⓇ because I genuinely love connecting with people and guiding them on their journey to finding the perfect home,” says Jarret. “It’s not just a job; it’s a chance for me to make a positive impact on individuals and families.”

“Real estate has also played a pivotal role in my desire for personal growth and professional fulfillment,” he adds. “It’s a field where learning is a continuous journey. And it’s a career in which I can create lasting relationships and make a meaningful difference, especially in giving back to the charities I love.”

Included in this list of organizations is the Associate Board of the NorthShore University Health System, which raises funds for NorthShore’s pediatrics divisions. It’s a cause that became more personal when Jarret’s daughter, Sienna, who was born there, arrived ten weeks early in 2022. “My wife, Elise, and I had to lean on our friends, family, and colleagues to help us through that time,” Jarret says. “The experience brought me closer to my faith and through that, I’ve begun to donate more time and resources to charities all around Chicago.” In 2023, Jarret held events that raised over $190,000 for NorthShore. 

He has also been active with Feeding People Through Plants, a charity that provides tents and food for the homeless. He’s also served with Cradles to Crayons, a group that supports children in poverty.

“I’m very passionate about the progress I’ve made in my charitable actions,” says Jarret. “This year, I started a quarterly volunteer event in partnership with the Compass Young Professionals Board. So far, we’ve volunteered over ninety hours and counting.”

Looking forward, Jarret hopes to continue to grow his business, which will enable him to help more people. He credits his quick success to leaning into his strengths, especially his background and knowledge of building materials and home renovations, and his consistent work ethic. It’s advice he regularly gives to new agents and those interested in a REALTORⓇ career:

“I often say to up-and-coming top producers, ‘Stay in your lane: focus on the one big thing that you’re good at. Focus all your effort on that, and surround yourself with mentors that have done what you want to do,” he says.

In real estate, Jarret has found the ideal blend of financial success, intellectual challenge, and freedom to focus on positive causes that keep him engaged. He sees himself in this industry for the long haul.

He explains, “It’s the mix of reaching my objectives, feeling good, and helping others that defines success for me.”