Brought To You By
Rodrigo Afanador
From Bogota, Colombia, to Asheville, Rodrigo’s journey is about more than just bricks and mortar—it’s about stories, community, and squeezing the most out of life. With over a decade of experience, including being a landlord and completing more than 300 transactions, Rodrigo has a deep understanding of real estate – the wins, the losses, and the emotional rollercoaster that comes with owning rentals. Dig deeper, and you’ll find Rodrigo’s not your average property manager.
He’s served as the President of CREIA, co-founded AVL Meetup, and is rolling up his sleeves with Homeward Bound to tackle homelessness head-on. It’s about more than just business; it’s about making a real difference. Off the clock? Rodrigo’s world is all about family and the great outdoors. His two boys, his “tornados of chaos,” keep him on his toes. And with his incredible wife by his side, they’re navigating the wild ride of parenthood! Whether solo or with family, Rodrigo always enjoys exploring the trails and the mountains surrounding Asheville.
For Rodrigo and the Vesta PM team, true success is measured when a house transforms into a home, and an investment yields returns. They’re not just in the property management business; they’re in the business of creating value and lasting impact..
Zacory Ruiz
Zacory Ruiz is a business operator, Marine Corps veteran, and relentless entrepreneur. He acquires founder-led service businesses and scales them through systems, strategy, and strong leadership, while preserving the legacy that made them successful.
After leading Marines as an Infantry Sergeant, Zac joined JPMorgan’s investment bank in NYC, where he honed his skills in data, execution, and cross-functional business strategy.
A lifelong entrepreneur and real estate investor, Zac’s ventures range from gold foil tattoos with Miami Ink artists, to patented products, to advising startups—and helping scale Asheville's own 2020 Builders as Director of Technology and Strategic Growth.
His tech journey began with a simple problem: real estate professionals needed better data. So he taught himself full-stack software engineering and launched the Ruiz Report and remc that deliver modern reporting and market intelligence to Realtors® across North Carolina (he also made this site!).
Today, Zac is building a portfolio of essential service businesses, taking over the reins from owners ready to step back, and leading teams through the next chapter with clarity, culture, and a scalable playbook. He’s known for saying what needs to be said, aligning people fast, and building businesses that run without heroics.
Kim Winters
Kim Winters is the Founder of Power of Women World and the owner of The Kim Winters Team powered by Movement Mortgage. After receiving her BA from University of North Carolina Asheville, she started her career in the financial industry in the banking realm. With a career spanning 20+ years, she is passionate about helping others and has successfully helped thousands of clients over the years navigate through the mortgage process. Kim has built a team that promotes and empowers women to succeed in this field while focusing on helping clients with their purchase and refinance needs. Kim is consistently in the top 10 loan officers at Movement Mortgage nationally and has earned both the Presidents Club and Changemaker recognition since 2014. Additionally, she is recognized with multiple awards: Top 1 Percent Mortgage Originators in America, Scotsman’s Guide Top Women Originator, Top 40 Under 40 Business Professionals Asheville Honoree, and the prestigious Mortgage Banker of the Year honoree for 2011. Her tireless efforts to serve her clients and the realtors in her community set her apart. Kim prides herself on giving back to her community with time given to Habitat for Humanity, Haywood Street Congregation, Eblen Charities, and the Cancer Society of America. When not working, Kim can be found at the beach with her husband, 5 children, and two dogs. The Kim Winters Team is licensed in NC, SC, FL, TN, VA, AL, IL, GA, and KY. Advice for other women - As a female leader, I would share that people value authenticity, strategic thinking, and expertise. Work hard to empower other women around you. Sit at the table! As women we have superpowers due to our ability to show empathy, to be nurturing and passionate. Giving back by mentoring and elevating people around you builds’ influence, raises the level of play, and creates a ripple effect of change. Make sure people know they can rely on you and always strive for consistency. One of the most significant barriers for women has been mindset and leverage. Growing in your career while being a mom is like walking a tight rope. Gender bias is real. Women are much more likely to avoid delegating. I struggled working excess hours after bedtime so that I could outperform my male counterparts. Once I surrounded myself with mentors, I was able to hire folks to support my business. I do feel that women are constantly left to prove their worth and until we shift the institutional mindsets in our corporate world, we will continue to face this. Inspirational Quotes – Nothing is impossible, the word itself says I’m Possible. Attract what you expect, reflect what you desire, become what you respect and mirror what you admire. Mindset is everything