As a pillar of Atlantan society, Bonneau Ansley, founder and CEO of Ansley Real Estate, needs no introduction. Get to know the man behind the name and legacy as we explore the many facets of his life and personality.
Bonneau Ansley at Children’s Healthcare of Atlanta’s Egleston Gardens
It has been a moment since we sat down with Bonneau Ansley of Ansley Real Estate. After a year that put a lot of things in perspective— many families changing environments, buying new houses and moving to new locations—Ansley is doing better than ever. Loyal Atlantans continue to come to the name that needs no introduction, and out-of-towners looking for more bang for their buck turn to Ansley. In fact, they just won our publication’s Top Luxury Team in Atlanta. At the helm of it all is the fifth-generation Atlantan and University of Georgia grad who feels his success comes from the way he runs his business, which entails investing time in people, in the community, in emotions and in people’s futures—whether that be on the agent or the client-side. Get to know the man behind the name and legacy as we explore the many facets of his life and personality.
Bonneau Ansley started his brokerage in 2015, but his efforts as an entrepreneur, investor and philanthropist go way back, proving that without risk there is no reward.
“When we started day one, we wanted to have a company that was different. It wasn’t about how much money we made; it was really about how we can impact and shake the bag on this industry,” says Bonneau Ansley, the founder and CEO of Ansley Real Estate, a brokerage whose history dates back to 2015 but whose legacy goes back much longer. The difference here for Ansley is that this impact can be multifaceted.
Since opening its doors on Dec. 16, 2015, Ansley Real Estate has contributed to the community on its short lists of musts. It’s a key pillar of the culture. On May 2, 2017, the firm announced an official partnership with Children’s Healthcare of Atlanta donating a portion of each sale to the foundation that is close to their hearts. “We identified [with Children’s] because we deal with families; we sell homes to families with kids. We wanted an organization with substantial work and a wide net benefitting Atlanta and beyond,” says Ansley. Aside from just giving monetarily, Ansley Real Estate agents and Bonneau himself give their time via volunteer efforts and opportunities.
Instead of stopping there with his philanthropic efforts, Bonneau has consistently worked toward giving back to his community in ways that are less visible as well, through investments in socially conscious companies that deal with a variety of issues in our local and in the larger community. “My most recent is a startup from Michael Render (aka Killer Mike), Ambassador Andrew Young and Ryan Glover called Greenwood, which is a financial services company that will focus on access for Black and brown business owners and community members,” says Bonneau. “I was also an early investor in Rubicon, a software platform with a mission to eliminate waste through waste and recycling solutions.” Bonneau’s personal investments are congruent with company goals and values, and conntects the dots between the two. “Every entrepreneur is an investor. Leaders in this space are always looking at opportunities for the next big thing or person to create something amazing,” says Bonneau. “The contribution to early growth is an exciting way to focus on other businesses that you believe in and causes you believe in. Yes, there is risk. That’s in the DNA of a strong entrepreneur. No risk equals boring. No risk equals no growth.”
Bonneau Ansley
We all know the name Ansley. With a history dating back to the 18th century, the Ansley family has made a lasting impact on Atlanta and the state of Georgia through their involvement in the development of Ansley Park and Ansley Golf Club, as well as their ties to UGA and the Georgia coast.
For fifth-generation Georgian Bonneau Ansley, the Georgia coast has always felt like home, as it has for his family dating back to the early 1930s when his great-grandfather purchased a home in the newly emerging Sea Island. Since then, each generation has owned their own home at the iconic address. Bonneau and his wife, Jen, recently completed their new dream home with help from famed architect Keith Summerour. As a founding member of and investor in third Home (thirdhome.com), a luxury travel club that lets its members trade five-star stays in premier locations worldwide, Bonneau has become an expert in the second-home market. He also recently purchased a home in Cashiers, N.C., near the newly developed High Hampton, a sister property to the famous Blackberry Farm.
Bonneau’s passion for second homes and, at the core, real estate started at the beginning of his career when it was just him and Jen, his college sweetheart. The pair moved to Savannah after college, where Bonneau started his career selling property at the Ford Plantation, later moving on to Palmetto Bluff in South Carolina and developing over 100 homes. Their Atlanta roots soon brought Bonneau and Jen back to the city where the two have raised their two children, and where Bonneau founded Ansley Real Estate (ansleyre.com) in 2015.
Many awards, growth and successes later, and Bonneau and Ansley Real Estate now have over 300 agents and staff members and seven offices, and have achieved sales in excess of $2 billion. “My hope for Ansley is that the agents that work with us will continue to get better as entrepreneurs, and build their businesses while building their lives,” says Bonneau. “Our company culture is based on putting people first and doing the work. We are doers.” Bonneau’s entrepreneurial spirit, passion and tenacity for people have only expanded upon Ansley’s impact—not only in Atlanta, but in Southern culture and cities all around the state of Georgia.
Bonneau Ansley III
