Bonnie Gross

Written by Elizabeth McCabe | Photos by Ezekiel E. Photography

Bonnie Gross ts taking care of people, one chapter at a time.

Bonnie Gross was still doing hair when her Coldwell Banker manager asked a question that would change the direction of her career, “How many pendings do you have?”

Bonnie thought about it. 

“I have 15.”

His reaction was immediate.

“What 15? Why are you still doing hair?”

Bonnie had an answer for that, too. 

“Where do you think I get most of my leads from?”

It was classic Bonnie: practical, people-oriented and maybe a little unaware of just how successful she was becoming. Twenty-five years later, the former hairdresser has built a real estate career almost entirely on the same thing that filled her chair all those years ago: relationships.

“I’m not a billboard kind of gal,” Bonnie says. “I really admire people who are very successful and yet humble.”

Bonnie earned her real estate license in 2001 after approximately 20 years as a hairdresser. Initially, real estate was simply a way to make some extra money while transitioning out of a physically demanding profession. But the people sitting in her salon chair already knew and trusted her, and many became her first real estate clients. As business grew, Bonnie eventually had to put away the scissors for good.

“I just kept getting busier and busier with real estate,” she says.

Long before large real estate teams became commonplace, Bonnie was a “one-girl show.” Three times, she was nominated as one of Tulsa’s Top 100 REALTORS®, handling her growing business largely on her own.

A Simple Prayer

Early in her career, Bonnie didn't have decades of experience to rely upon. What she did have was a simple prayer. “God, just send me the people that you want me to help, and I’ll do the very best that I can for them.” That became her mantra.

“I don’t care if you’re a first-time buyer or a million-dollar buyer or a retired seller,” she says. “People have different priorities at different times in their lives.”

Take care of them well, she believes, and when life changes again, they'll remember who took care of them the first time. Today, much of Bonnie’s business comes from repeat clients, their children, friends, and referrals. And she has someone particularly special working alongside her, her daughter, Chantal Gross.

Chantal originally studied medical molecular biology before deciding healthcare wasn't for her. Bonnie admits that change was initially difficult to understand. “God had the plan,” she says.

Chantal earned her real estate license approximately 10 years ago and has thrived. Her strengths in marketing, social media and paperwork complemented Bonnie’s self-described role as the “people person,” although today Chantal has built a strong client base of her own.

“It’s been a blessing to me that we’re now a team,” Bonnie says.

Calm in the Chaos

Twenty-five years in real estate means Bonnie has seen plenty go wrong. Her approach? Stay calm, even when she's “screaming on the inside.”

“I try to keep the buyers or sellers calm and work them through the difficult points of the transaction,” she says.

She'll advocate fiercely when necessary, but she doesn't believe every obstacle requires a battle. “There’s no reason not to try to get things to go as smoothly as possible and just do it in a kind way.” That extends beyond getting a transaction to the closing table. “This is the largest transaction that people usually make in their lifetime,” Bonnie says. “It’s a big deal to me.”

Her reputation matters far more to her than a commission check. As she says, “I’m not selling houses for the money. I really do care about people, and I want to take care of them.”

A Full Life

Bonnie has been married to her husband, Jerry, for 43 years. They have two grown children, Chantal and Marshall, daughter-in-law Jessica and a brand-new granddaughter, Anistyn Christine, whom Bonnie calls “a little gift from heaven.” Her middle name honors Bonnie’s beloved mother-in-law.

Bonnie and Jerry grew up on small farms in North Dakota before his career with American Airlines brought them to Tulsa. Today, they still have a home and part of the family farm in North Dakota. But Bonnie's passport has gotten quite a workout, too. When she turned 50, with the children grown and the family dog gone, Bonnie made an announcement to Jerry.

“I’m going to start traveling, and if you want to come with me, that’s great. And if you don’t, I’m going to go anyway.”

She's now visited 49 countries, many of them multiple times, with number 50 planned for January. Travel has changed her perspective. Seeing how people live elsewhere has given her a deeper appreciation for Tulsa, Oklahoma, and everyday things that are easy to take for granted. “Your mind grows so much when you travel,” she says. “And all the world history is fascinating.”

Closer to home, Bonnie gardens, cooks and has taken up milling organic wheat and baking homemade bread. She even gives loaves to clients.

“To make something with your hands and give it as a gift… maybe it’s just a little more meaningful,” she says. Best of all, people really appreciate it. “They say, ‘This is so good.’” It’s a denser bread, really fluffy, and each loaf is made with love. 

One Hour Can Matter

Service isn't confined to Bonnie's career. She has sung in her church choir for 35 years, serves as a cantor, plays the flute and has volunteered with Catholic Charities, first in their food pantry and later at the Porta Caeli House as a companion to people nearing the end of their lives who had nowhere else to go.

“If everybody would just volunteer for one thing, just think how wonderful the world would be,” Bonnie says. “Wouldn’t the world be a much better place if everybody just gave one hour a week to volunteer for something?”

After 25 years in real estate, Bonnie has no plans to disappear into retirement. “I hope I can do this till I’m gone,” she says.

Her daughter is increasingly coming into her own. Her referral business continues to bring people through the door. And Bonnie is still doing what she asked God to let her do at the very beginning: taking care of the people placed in front of her. 

The hair scissors may be long gone. The people part never changed. She has helped countless clients over the years, served them wholeheartedly, and has lived her best life through real estate.