About TJ Shimek

Born and raised in Leelanau County, I am acutely familiar with the area and super excited about Real Estate and the challenges that each transaction presents. I love learning and figuring out solutions and, above all, I love putting a smile on a client's face. Real Estate can be fun and it is important to help others see the light at the end of the tunnel during a challenging or stressful situation. It is also a blast to help first time home buyers fulfill their dream of owning that first house.

The cool thing about northern Michigan is there are so many different areas to explore and pieces of property to fulfill people's dreams. I am not scared to tell someone if I don't have all the answers to their questions and you can guarantee I will dig in and follow up.

I was born on a farm to Tom and Linda Shimek. You can grab some of the best sweetcorn in Leelanau County from our farm stand on M72 in the summertime. I graduated from Glen Lake Community Schools and then went on to be a 5-time All-American student-athlete at Aquinas College in Track and Field. Following college, I headed west to explore acting in Hollywood before returning to Northern Michigan a year later.

From 2009-2020, I was the chief operating officer and a key player in nurturing a small tent company in Traverse City to become a national leader in the tent manufacturing and experiential marketing industry. Under my leadership and in partnership with others, we transformed a 3-person, $1M company to one that isnow 70+ employees, worth more than $14M today.

Each fall/winter, I enjoy coaching the Glen Lake 8th grade boys’ basketball team. In the summer, you can find me on Lime Lake, where my late grandfather, Larry Stachnik sold and developed real estate in the 1980s. Me along with my wife, Christina, and our two small children, Contessa and Leonardo, live on the edge of our family farm.

I am a long-time steward of the community. Whether it’s cultivating the youth’s aptitude for athletics or meeting the unique needs of diverse real estate clients, I AM committed to fostering a bright future for Northern Michigan so it can be enjoyed for generations to come.