Napa commercial property management firm owner builds on local success

Kim Nicol, president and broker of KNM Properties, Inc. in Napa, said she's never had a job she really disliked.

"I learned something from every job I've ever had, from babysitting and working fast food in high school to the professional world," Nicol wrote. She gained something from each role, "had a lot of fun, and made a lot of friends along the way."

Nicol has been in the property management industry for 36 years and owned KNM Properties, Inc. for 12 years.

The commercial property management company focuses on properties in Napa, Sonoma and Solano counties. It recently expanded to Palm Springs and the Coachella Valley.

1. What was your childhood ambition?

I wanted to be a flight attendant so I could travel the world.

2. What was your first job?

I can't remember if my first job was babysitting, watering neighbors' lawns/gardens while they were on vacation, or delivering papers, but I started early. My mom told me if I wanted designer jeans, I had to work for them, so at the age of 10, I got out and started hustling.

3. What job would you like to try/not try?

Try: I would love to try interior design. It's something I'm passionate about, and I love going through design books and experimenting with design ideas at home.

Not try: Pest control. I have an extremely high regard for the guys at Bob & Duff's Pest Control, but I have such a fear of spiders and rodents that I just couldn't do what they do.

4. How did you get into property management?

I completely fell into commercial property management. When I was in my early 20s, I was hired as a temporary employee at Colliers in Sacramento when one of their admins was on vacation. They liked me and asked if I was interested in an admin position at their office located at the CalPERS headquarters. I said yes and worked my way up to the position of assistant property manager at the 500,000-square-foot CalPERS headquarters, where I worked for close to 10 years before moving to Napa in 2000.

After meeting a few people in the industry here in Napa, I was hired by a local firm to launch its commercial property management division, which ultimately led me to start my own commercial property management company with my husband, Mark. We started working out of our home, then rented a small office, expanded twice, and in 2022, we purchased a building I had admired for years, located at the corner of 2nd and Jefferson, where we currently run our business.

In November 2025, we started discussing expansion into the Palm Springs market, and in April this year, we made it happen. We have an employee running the Palm Springs location, and I'll spend a few days there every other month. Mark and I plan to keep running the business from our Napa office full-time.

5. What do you love or like best about what you do?

I love building, tenant, and landscape improvement projects. Probably because I love design so much and because it's so gratifying to see something that really needed work transform into something beautiful.

6. What is the biggest challenge your industry has faced?

I'd say the biggest challenge has been the lasting impact of COVID on how people use space, particularly office space. While the economy has always played a major role in our industry, the shift toward remote and hybrid work has fundamentally changed demand. Many companies now need less space, which has created challenges for landlords in leasing and repositioning their properties.

At the same time, broader economic conditions continue to influence decision-making. When the economy is strong, businesses are more likely to expand, but in uncertain times, they tend to be more cautious and often look to reduce their footprint.

Overall, the challenge has been adapting to both a structural shift in how space is used and the ongoing cycles of the economy.

7. Who do you most admire in the business world?

I really admire Sam Zell, a self-made billionaire and philanthropist who built some of the most influential real estate companies in the country, including Equity Residential and Equity Office. He was known for his ability to read market cycles and buy when others were pulling back and selling at the right time.

What I respect most is how he operated. He understood risk and used leverage strategically without overextending, which allowed him to navigate downturns that hurt so many others. His success came from strong judgment, patience, and the confidence to act decisively in uncertain situations. He also believed that if you take care of people, good things will happen.

Sam was known for being straightforward, valuing relationships, and trusting his instincts. Those are principles I try to live by, and I completely respect that he was able to do so much good and be so successful in life by doing the right thing.

8. What's one thing Napa could do to help local businesses or the economy?

So often, we have tenants who need to build out their leased space before they're able to open for business. The permitting process makes this incredibly difficult for our tenants; it takes months to complete, often exhausting their free-rent period and leaving them obligated to start paying rent for a space they can't even use yet. If the city could handle the permit review process in-house and streamline it, I feel it would really help small businesses get their businesses up and running much quicker and, in turn, set them up for success far sooner than the current process.

9. What's your favorite charity or nonprofit?

There are so many worthy nonprofits, and I try to give to as many as possible. Mark and I are members of the Napa Valley Yacht Club, a nonprofit dedicated to supporting local environmental efforts such as Coastal Cleanup and Earth Day. Through the Yacht Club, we also support the CANV Food Bank, and at Christmas time, we support a local care facility by purchasing gifts for all the residents. Individually, we support the Boys & Girls Club, local animal shelters, the World Wildlife Fund, and the Lake Tahoe Wildlife Care.

10. What's something people might be surprised to know about you?

Probably that when I was in my early 30s, I thought it would be amazing to fly helicopters for a living rather than continue with property management, so I started taking lessons and did pretty well. Eventually, I had to give it up because, in reality, it was just an expensive hobby. It was fun while it lasted, though!

Nicol can be reached at kim@knm-properties.com, 707-335-8700.

Editor's note: The Napa Valley Register is a tenant in a building managed by KNM Properties.

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