North Texas Talent: Bella Shop - Senior Associate of Industrial Leasing
(Photo by Thanin Viriyaki)
More About Industrial Leasing
High-End Earners (Top 10%)
$111,803 annually
Median Earners (TOP 50%)
$57,038 annually
Education Required
High school diploma or equivalent
(Source: InterLink 2026 Data, Real Estate Sales Agents)
CTE Pathway
Real Estate Program of Study
Take courses like Interior Design I, Fundamentals of Real Estate, Commercial Lending and Real Estate.
See pages 16-17 for the full breakdown of the courses you can take in Business, Marketing and Finance.
MAKE AN IMPACT
Real estate agents do more than help people buy and sell homes—they guide families toward stability, opportunity, and a sense of belonging in their communities. By connecting people with places where they can build their lives and businesses, they leave a lasting impact that strengthens society as a whole.
You MIGHT be great at this job if YOU…
Are/want to be on the debate team
Can balance your school and personal life schedules well
Find it easy to teach others who struggle with classwork
Are/want to be a captain on your sports team
In middle and high school, Bella Shope was more focused on the present than the future. She spent her free time playing sports, hanging out with friends, joining clubs and volunteering. All of these extracurricular and fun activities prepared her for the future, all without her realizing it at the time. When she thought about the future, she wasn’t sure what path would unfold for her. All she knew was that she wanted to provide for her family, travel and experience the world, and one day, open an animal rescue foundation. Now, at 25 years old, her career has provided ample opportunities for travel and given her a stable foundation.
“I still hope to open an animal rescue someday,” Bella said. “I believe the business experience and relationships I’m building will help me get there.”
In high school, her plan after graduation was to go to college, explore different career paths, gain experience and meet new people. Bella attended Texas Christian University in Fort Worth as a business major and through her coursework, she discovered her love for finance and real estate.
“I focused on what I could control—keeping my grades up, earning scholarships, and taking dual credit courses to reduce costs. That plan worked out,” Bella said.
Bella’s life was shaped by everything around her, which led to the career she has today. Her father owned a retail store and it was truly a family-run business. In high school, she co-owned a Fort Worth-inspired clothing business with her brother and friends. They did everything, from design and sales to accounting – it taught her teamwork and responsibility. She also worked a variety of jobs while in school. She was a personal assistant, retail associate, bartender, nanny and more.
“Each [job] taught me something valuable, from work ethic to problem-solving to relationship-building,” Bella said.
In college, her interest in real estate really began to blossom. This is when she realized that this was the career for her and was introduced to people she still works with today. Her day-to-day job at Hillwood, A Perot Company, focuses on leasing industrial buildings in Alliance, Texas – a 27,000-acre master-planned development.
“I love that I get to meet people from around the world, promote Fort Worth, work on large-scale projects and continuously learn and grow alongside a strong team,” Bella said.
Where to Work
Hill College - Burleson
Hill College - Cleburne
Hill College - Hillsboro
Hillwood, A Perot Company
WHERE TO LEARN
Dallas College Brookhaven Campus, Farmers Branch
Dallas College Cedar Valley Campus, Lancaster
Dallas College Eastfield Campus, Mesquite
Dallas College El Centro Campus, Dallas
Dallas College Mountain View Campus, Dallas
Dallas College North Lake Campus, Irving
Dallas College Richland Campus, Dallas
Hill College - Burleson
Hill College - Cleburne
Hill College - Hillsboro
Tarleton State University
Tarrant County College
University of North Texas
Weatherford College
(Photo by Thanin Viriyaki)
