20 Under 40 | EMMANUEL “MANNY” HERRON
Photo by JOHN BURNS
Emmanuel “Manny” Herron is the founder of Infinite Properties Group LLC where he manages full-house renovations and minor projects, builds project scope, works estimates, manages subcontractors, and leads and develops his team.
Growing up in a single-parent home in one of the poorest counties in Kansas, Manny was born dead (literally for 20 minutes) and has been challenged by extreme odds. At 19, Manny spent over 10 years in federal prison for his first and only offense. While incarcerated, he learned to read when he was 21 and is now fluent in Spanish. Since his pardon by President Obama for outstanding rehabilitation in 2016, Manny has started and grown businesses that are adding jobs to the economy and dignified homes in Topeka.
A graduate of the Strategic Leadership Academy and recipient of the Greater Topeka Partnership Award of Excellence, Manny is a co-leader of a community group with Fellowship HiCrest, board member of GO Topeka and member of the Momentum 2027 Housing Task Force.
What led you to this career?
My mother was a single parent, and we rented most of our lives. We didn't always have the best landlords, though she always paid her rent on time and did a great job keeping the place up. However, when something broke, they wouldn't want to fix it. I found my mother being taken advantage of, which broke my heart. I knew one day I wanted to build houses and give them away to single mothers trying their best. When I was 12, I mowed lawns for a guy who was a real estate investor. After that, I no longer wanted to cut the lawns; I wanted to own them.
How have you grown?
I've learned to become a better listener and question-asker. I'm comfortable with not having all the answers so I surround myself with the right people. Slow and steady wins the race, but it can also cost you. I better understand how to recognize the path to take due to failures. I'm not afraid of mistakes or tension; I've learned it's best to seek them out before they find you. As a result, I believe I'm a more grounded leader who leads through a lens of empowerment instead of dictatorship.
What advice do you wish someone had told you during your career journey?
Have a WHY bigger than your WHAT. If I had known that initially, I could've made more intentional long-term and short-term decisions. Now that I have a WHY, and it's bigger than the WHAT I do, I make value-based decisions that will move the organization with fewer losses and intentional gains.
Click here to go to the full list of 2022 20 Under 40 Honorees.
