For Rob Knight, being all-in on anything is clearly nothing more than a starting point.
Take, for instance, his most recent epiphany. The longtime developer and Denton County resident was hooked on buying up a considerable amount of land in Flower Mound to build a private, multi-family estate where his wife, partner and best friend, Jodi, three grown children and six grandchildren could live and play together. Everyone would have their house and plenty of acreage to spread out—complete with rolling hills, lush meadows, and trees as far as the eye could see. Sunday dinners could spill out onto wide porches, grandkids could race their bikes down winding driveways, and holidays would mean a short walk rather than hours on the road.
It was more than property; it was the promise of a legacy, where family ties would grow stronger for generations to come. Knight was all-in on the idea, too. That is, until he began to notice a few limitations with his original plans.
“It was an incredible piece of land just north of Lake Grapevine—roughly 25 acres to start. The houses were drawn up; we were ready to go. But I couldn’t help but feel like the houses were still too close together,” he said with a laugh. “I wanted to spread out just a little bit more. As luck would have it, we were already looking to develop about 200 acres in Bartonville for another community. I stopped by to take a look, and it was perfect. As you can imagine, the wheels in my head started spinning.
“I thought, ‘We can keep the other property in Flower Mound and develop it, but I’d rather move my family over here.’”
What’s happening next isn’t just a massive win for the Knight family.
Out of the roughly 183 acres in Bartonville, Knight carved out 83 for what he’s calling Knights Crest—a private enclave reserved for his growing family. The remaining acreage will be developed into Knights Landing in Bartonville, a distinguished development of 15 six-acre plots that seamlessly blends the tranquility of rural life with the luxury and prestige of modern living. The first gated community in Bartonville, it features fenced areas for residential use and five acres that are eligible for agricultural or wildlife exemptions.
It’s the perfect addition to a historic town already known for its picturesque rural landscapes, equestrian facilities, ponds and nearby lakes, eye-popping topography, and spacious properties—all within a stone’s throw from all of life’s urban conveniences.
And the idea doesn’t stop there.
Knights Landing in Bartonville is part of a larger vision to secure the best land and help neighbors build their legacy properties. As a result, Knights Landing in Flower Mound and Knights Ridge in Argyle are right around the corner.
“The goal is to get the land, sell it, develop it, and build on it—but in doing so, we want to bring something special to the area that’s not already out there. We want to help build legacy communities for other families,” Knight said. “I thought as I got older that I might slow down, but I am a man of change, and I’m always looking for something. I’m all-in on this because it’s the right thing to do.”
Michael Hershenberg agreed. He is a trusted business partner at Knights Title and is involved in many aspects of what Knight does in the development space. Not to mention, he has become a close family friend.
“People these days want to escape the hustle and bustle of city life. They want to be catered to, and that’s who we are developing these mini ranchettes for, because it’s not just the physical structures but also the communities they create,” Hershenberg said. He is the owner of The Hershenberg Group, a luxury real estate team. “Rob is just looking forward to getting to know his neighbors. He’s having the time of his life right now.”
Knight’s vision for what “can be” is only outshone by his humble beginnings and the belief that the only person who could hold him or any of his many dreams back was himself. Raised by his grandmother in Carrollton, Knight grew up holding down various jobs, including newspaper delivery boy, construction work with his uncle, a stint in a donut shop, and cleaning Taco Bell parking lots.
He went on to cobble together a 40-year career in the beverage industry, first with Pepsi and eventually with Dr. Pepper.
He went from driving a route truck every day to 20 years later becoming the vice president of national accounts at Dr Pepper over 23 states. After gaining more experience with Rockstar Energy Drink and Coca-Cola USA, he pivoted in 2010 by joining IBC, a company designed to help independent convenience store owners compete with major chains.
IBC grew from 800 stores to 2,200 before Rob took full ownership in 2016 and then continued to grow IBC’s business to over 11,000 stores across 37 states today, thereby solidifying his reputation as a dynamic business leader.
In 2022, he transitioned into real estate because he needed a new office to support his growth at IBC. He founded Knight Development Group and built their first residential community and commercial space to build his new office and first Corporate Convenience store, Knight Spot. This is where he and his son Joey fell in love with the development space. Sheena, his daughter, joined the family business in 2024 to help Rob and Joey keep up with their growth. His other son, Chris, will soon be joining the Knight Family team to support the family’s growth and vision.
As additional fuel for Knight Development Group’s growth, Rob founded Knights Title, Knight Luxury Homes, Knight Family Office, and Knight Property Group. He acquired majority ownership in Knight Contracting Group, which develops convenience stores, hotels, veterinary clinics, restaurants, office spaces, and more.
Together, they are building Knight companies throughout communities that prioritize family values and quality living.
“My grandmother always used to whisper in my ear, ‘You can do anything in life that you want, but you have to get past the man in the mirror,’” Knight said. “She was right, too. We lived paycheck to paycheck, and while we were never poor, I used to see what my friends and other people had and think, ‘Man, how do I get a slice of that pie?’ I had many people in my life tell me that I couldn’t do something or that what I was doing was too big. I am so glad I didn’t listen to any of them.
“To me, this job is like getting paid to go to a playground every day. I love it that much.”
Proof that being all-in is just the beginning.
