She's WILD

Welcome back to the She’s Wild the Podcast for Women In Land & Development. Today’s guest is Pam Giss. Pam structures and negotiates complex land secured public finance projects for real estate developments in the Southwest and Midwest regions of the United States. Pam is a licensed Missouri attorney who practiced almost two decades for a large regional St. Louis-based law firm in its real estate development and public finance departments. For a decade, she assisted land developers, big box chains, national retailers and sports teams with land acquisitions, leases and public finance. In 2005, Pam moved to Shanghai, China to manage the firm’s Asia operations and spent the decade following assisting US companies expand their Asian presence.

Upon returning to the States, she joined Launch Development Finance Advisors in its Scottsdale Office. Pam assists land developers and builders in Arizona, New Mexico, Utah, Idaho, Nevada, Missouri and Oklahoma in developing plans to finance real estate development projects, including master-planned communities, mixed-use developments and commercial and entertainment venues. Pam has an intimate knowledge of district finance, tax increment financing, tax abatement, state grants and government buy-lease back statutes throughout the Southwest/Midwest regions.

In today's episode, we discuss Pam’s journey throughout her real estate career including the fascinating story of how she landed in the real estate department within her organization. Pam also shares her experiences of working abroad in Asia and how that differs from working in real estate from the U.S. Tune in today to learn more about Pam and hear a unique piece of advice that has not yet been shared on other episodes.

Memorable Moments: 

6:22- You never know where things are gonna go. So you just have to roll up your sleeves and work hard and see where you wind up. Even though I didn't want to be in real estate, I rolled up my sleeves and just started hitting it hard, and then developed a love of it. Just because I started learning about it and all the different aspects of it.

12:22- Real Estate in Asia, particularly China, is very different. I was still a transactional attorney, so I was still doing a lot of the same things. But it just looks very different. So I would mainly say it was more teaching people, helping people get stuff done, rather than following the exact letter of the law, which actually, frequently, either there was nothing, or it didn't work.

18:11- What we try to do is we look at all the sources, all of the funding sources available to developers, for public infrastructure. We try to maximize the return from each source so that they have more money to put into amenities, beautiful streets, programming, and all the things we've come to expect from houses these days.

22:50- Oh boy, you know, the great projects to me are the ones where I'm more involved in them. So generally, it's a more entrepreneurial client.

24:31- Probably the most satisfying professionally is where I am today. Just because the further you get into your career, the better you understand it, the more service you are to your clients, the better you feel, right?

27:51- At some point or another in your career, someone expects you to know something. And if you keep leaving, every time it gets hard, you're not going to know anything. And it's going to be really painful in your late 30s because that's kind of when people start going, okay, time to produce, right?

Connect with Nancy:

Instagram: https://instagram.com/nancysurak

LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/nancysurak/

Website: www.nancysurak.com

Connect with Pam:

LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/pamelagiss/

Website: https://launch-dfa.com/

Podcast: http://landtolots.com/

Pam’s Book Recommendations: 

1. Falling Upward
   1. https://www.amazon.com/Falling-Upward-Spirituality-Halves-Life/dp/0470907754
2. Born to Run
   1. https://www.amazon.com/Born-Run-Hidden-Superathletes-Greatest/dp/0307279189

Welcome back to the She’s Wild the Podcast for Women In Land & Development. Today’s guest is Gina Wieczorek. Gina is the Co-founder of Casitas, a full-service ADU development and consulting firm involved in all phases of the design, permitting and development process within the single family, multifamily and affordable housing sector. As an Orange County native, Gina grew up with a true passion for Southern California residential design and always design and develops projects with the final user in mind, providing housing that renters and homeowners are proud to call their home in the communities in which she builds. Thoughtful and architecturally significant design, from the facade to the interiors, is always a key component to all projects Gina undertakes.

In today's episode, Gina and I discuss ADU’s and how they play such a big role in her niche business model. She offers a wide variety of advice throughout today’s episode that is sure to inspire you to chase after the next goal you are working toward. 

Memorable Moments: 

13:33- It's very hard to start something without having a tremendous access to capital. And, you know, a lot of women in this industry don't have that.

15:41- Everyone kept coming to us is like the resource or guru for how do we add this? What do we have? What is the legislation allow for? And then it became the go-to? And I'm like, No, we could start a business out of this. Right?

17:03- I think also COVID taught us a lot of lessons. There are opportunities that have existed. Because of that, I think a lot of people had a hard time and trying to figure out how to navigate what would happen next if they lost their job or if they did lose their job.

18:55- I think that one lesson learned is you'll always be able to figure it out. We're resourceful, and we'll be able to figure things out, right? And don't not do something because you're scared. I also think time is too precious and too short not go after and do something that you're passionate about and what you love. And if that means pivoting into a completely different career, or within the sector doing something else, like, do it, you know, don't stay stuck in something, right? Just because, yes, you're getting a check at the end of the day.

20:21- I think there's nothing like being able to look at something and saying, hey, I built this, like, this is mine; I still go by that project that's on Melrose cry in Hollywood, you know, and I really proud, like, when I drive by it, like, the role that I had to play in that. And so that is one of the most exciting parts about my job.

25:44- One thing I do think is that sometimes women don't like to ask, and if you don't ask you never will receive.

35:04- I don't even think being persistent is obnoxious, I think shows you that you're passionate about something and you want the opportunity.

Connect with Nancy:

Instagram: https://instagram.com/nancysurak

LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/nancysurak/

Website: www.nancysurak.com

Connect with Gina:

LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/ginawieczorek/

Website: https://casitas.la/

Gina’s Podcast Recommendation’s: 

1. Leading Voices in Real Estate with Matt Slepin
   1. https://www.terrasearchpartners.com/voices/
2. The Competent Collective

Nancy's Hype Playlist:

https://open.spotify.com/playlist/0caHUGjUv8vfWiJxFOE61B?si=qSyjXD_gRmW9oSlNDMIuKg

Nancy's Fast Driving Playlist:

https://open.spotify.com/playlist/00YC8ND05duS0uU6VBXxRv?si=MoSGR_KITLCFdXfpgyy_Ow

Welcome back to the She’s Wild Podcast hosted by Nancy Surak! Today's episode is all about my career journey and how I got to where I am today. Although I have interviewed many guests on the podcast, I realized I have never told my story of how I started working in real estate and land development. My career path in this field was untraditional, like many of the guests I have interviewed, and I can’t wait for you to learn more about it. My hope is that this episode lets you learn a little bit more about me and why I absolutely love what I do. I am so grateful for all of the individuals I have met along the way and can’t wait for you to learn more about my career journey!

Memorable Moments: 

2:15- It's really funny for me to think back to the fact that my love of land development started when I was really young, without any external influence. I didn't have it around me. I was just naturally drawn to the built environment.

6:12- I was raised, quite honestly, with the lens of my dad. So I was raised to believe that I, you know, from age eight on, I could do anything I set my mind to, that I shouldn't let my gender get in my way that if I wanted something, it was really about hard work.

17:49- Other than when my dad got injured, getting accepted into UF is quite possibly the biggest pivotal moment in my life outside of meeting my husband and having my kids. It completely changed the trajectory of my life.

18:53- I worked for an engineering company that was woman owned, and it was phenomenal. I was doing all their business development work. I was calling on developers, getting deals, and securing their work in the market on the west coast of Florida, and it was great.

21:46- And as I dug into, what do I want to be when I grew up, like literally, I was like 35, right? What do I want to be when I grow up? What kind of impact do I want in my career? I kept coming back to land, land, land, land and development. It was just such a huge draw to me and just a pull in my belly, like I knew that was where I needed to be.

25:57- Today, we're at the end of October of 2022. And I'm reflecting on, you know, almost the two decades that I've been in the business like I literally just started my 18th year of the brokerage side. And, you know, it's really, really awesome for me just to take a minute to pause. And to think about all the lives that I've impacted all the sellers that I've worked with the buyers that I've worked with.

26:52- Over the last 18 years, I've sold hundreds of millions of dollars worth of vacant land in and around the Tampa Bay region. Those parcels have already become or they are under construction now or will become 12,000 plus single family homes 6,000 plus multifamily apartments and millions and millions of square feet of commercial developments.

28:57- Last year in 2021. I was recognized by the Realtors Land Institute, I finally cracked through the top 20 Land brokers in the United States. I was the only woman to do so then and still. So I was recognized by the Realtors Land Institute as the top woman land broker in the nation. And I've had just so many awards.

29:52- My best piece of advice is if you have a dream, or you have an interest go after it. Do not stand in your own way to reach the next level in your life.

30:31- Flexing the muscle to take a risk will propel you. It is the best advice I can give. If you want something, work your tail off and go make it happen. Do whatever you need to, to get your goal accomplished.

Connect with Nancy:

Instagram: https://instagram.com/nancysurak

LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/nancysurak/

Website: www.nancysurak.com

She’s Wild Sound production by:

Luke Surak, Surak Productions: [email protected]

Welcome back to the She’s Wild the Podcast for Women In Land & Development. Today’s guest is Heather Hetherington. Heather has nearly 20 years of experience as a strategy and business professional. As an Associate and owner at Kimley-Horn, Heather is responsible for the creation and execution of strategic business and marketing plans for the firm’s development services and energy (electric vehicle) market sectors in Florida and across the country. Her expertise also includes private land development such as mixed-use, residential, and healthcare. Her expertise in these areas and relationships with key partner groups and clients has allowed her to help drive significant growth in these sectors over the past 15+ years of her career at Kimley-Horn. 

Heather is a graduate of the University of Central Florida and is a member of the Urban Land Institute (ULI), Innovating Commerce Serving Communities (ICSC), and Women in Healthcare (WIH). Currently, she is serving as President of the Florida Chapter of Women in Healthcare and she sits on the Women's Leadership Committee for ULI Southeast Florida/Caribbean Council’s District Council.

In this episode you'll learn all about Heather including how she grew her role at Kimley-Horn, how she survived breast cancer, why she loves EV planning, and how she once had a conversation that lead her firm to working on a billion dollar development project in Miami known as the Brickell City Centre. 

Memorable Moments: 
3:47- I was raised by an entrepreneur; My father had his own business for more than 20 years. And he always told me, don't work for a company, have your own business, do your own thing. And so I was never the type. I'm not a risk taker. I like the comfort that a big company allows. But I was looking for that opportunity in a company where I could really kind of create my own path, and create my own role.

5:12- About five years into working with our healthcare practice builders on growing that practice in Florida, I was diagnosed with breast cancer. So I'm a breast cancer survivor. And after that, health care became much more personal, and I became much more passionate about it. And so since then, I've become much more involved in the healthcare industry as a whole.

7:44- I think for a woman to have a short haircut like that. I think it exudes a difference. And to be confident with that haircut. I mean, I think it just makes people take notice. And I think people just assume that you mean business. And it opened some doors for me that hadn't been opened previously, which I thought was pretty interesting.

10:37- The greatest thing about Kimley-Horn, and the reason I've been here so long is because of the people, our people are just fantastic. They are some of the smartest people I've ever met.

18:27- We spend so much time at work; our careers are so important to us. And you really want to do the best that you can do. And you can't do that if you're not receiving some constructive criticism along the way, either. And so I made the commitment to myself and to my team, that I would always be that type of person, that if you were looking for that type of feedback, or you really wanted it, I was someone that you could come to, and I would give it to you.

20:42- I think a key of personal growth, too, is just asking people for feedback constantly. And looking at it as a gift. And you know, you should always ask different types of people in different roles. Because you, you know, some people are very willing to be blunt and honest, and others aren't. And so you need to kind of touch a variety of people and get feedback from different types of people in different roles as well.

24:10- To be in this industry for 16 years, and then learn something completely new is really exciting, and it's been a great opportunity. And I think electric vehicles are something that a lot of our clients, both public and private, are looking at. And it's really been exciting. And I think it's an area that if you're not focused on it you probably should be.

29:37- Once you're in the industry, I always recommend ULI because I was told very early on in my career that it's the best organization for connections and relationships, and it really has been.

Connect with Nancy:
Instagram: https://instagram.com/nancysurak
LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/nancysurak/
Website: www.nancysurak.com

Connect with Heather:
LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/heather-hetherington-4008853/
About Brickell City Centre: https://www.brickellcitycentre.com/assets/images/uploads/BCC-Press-Kit-9-2-2016.pdf
https://www.brickellcitycentre.com/

Heather’s Book Recommendation: 

1. Big Little Breakthroughs
   1. https://www.amazon.com/Big-Little-Breakthroughs-Innovations-Oversized/dp/1642936774

She's WILD Sound Production by:
Luke Surak, Surak Productions: [email protected]

Welcome back to the She’s Wild Podcast hosted by Nancy Surak! Today’s guest is Katie Maslechko, Director of Development at Beedie. In her role, Katie focuses on guiding several of the firm’s developments from initial acquisition and deal structure, through design, development approvals, financing, construction and turnover. Her project experience spans a variety of asset classes and includes Vancouver's first purpose-built Biotech Laboratory building and GMP Facility, several complex Affordable Housing partnerships, retail and grocery stores for national brands, and several mixed-use and residential high-rise developments across the Vancouver region. Katie currently serves as the Co-Chair of the Urban Land Institute’s (ULI) America’s Young Leaders Group, working to cultivate and empower the future of our industry and representing 10,000 ULI Young Leaders in 54 cities across the US, Canada and Mexico. She is a member of the ULI Public-Private Partnerships Gold (PPPC-Gold) Product Council where she currently serves as Assistant Chair, and is appointed to embrace the role of Product Council Chair for the 2023-2026 term. She also serves as Board Member for Catalyst Community Development Society, a not-for-profit affordable housing developer. Katie holds a Bachelor’s Degree in Policy, Planning & Real Estate Development from the University of Southern California.

Memorable Moments:
3:26- I really take personally, the new tagline that ULI just came out with, which is where the future is built. Because I think that's what YLG really, really can be in the most beautiful way. It's really about creating more accessible and equitable access to leadership opportunities.

10:26- I think the one piece that definitely connects to development for me anyways is that I was an insanely inquisitive child who needed to know the answer to everything or ask questions that probably, you know, not every adult was equipped with the answer to answer me on but I was persistent regardless.

12:50- I think I've always gravitated towards the complicated, hairy, messy deals that often take a lot to unpack, but are so worth it in the end, and have really kind of built a niche for myself on those ones, being the challenging ones, or the highly political ones.

15:26- Instead of being able to produce our own vaccines, we were literally waiting on other countries to send us theirs. And while I hope we don't have to go through COVID, ever again, that manufacturing capacity for a whole variety of different things is going to be really, really significant for the economy out here as well.

17:12- I really, really love the approval side. It's such an integration of kind of strategic thought, often political, angling, and kind of figuring out how to make your compelling case, despite the political headwinds that may exist.

25:15- I can't even tell you how many times that someone I volunteered with at 23, or 24, has since become the person on the other side of the negotiating table, or quite literally, the city planner responsible for approving my project.

Connect with Nancy:
Instagram: https://instagram.com/nancysurak
LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/nancysurak/
Website: www.nancysurak.com

Connect with Katie:
LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/katiemaslechko/
Website: https://www.beedie.ca/
Twitter: https://twitter.com/KatieMaslechko
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/katiemas/
ULI Americas, Young Leaders Group: https://americas.uli.org/councils/district-councils/get-involved/young-leaders-group-ylg/

Katie’s Podcast Recommendation:
Rare Breed
https://www.audible.com/pd/Rare-Breed-Audiobook/0062933078

She's WILD Sound Production by:
Luke Surak, Surak Productions: [email protected]

Welcome back to the She’s Wild the Podcast for Women In Land & Development. Today’s guest is Jaimee Reinertsen. Jaimee is the co-founder of SparkFire Branding, a full-service agency specializing in marketing mixed-use and residential real estate. Jaimee is an award-winning creative director, and has been using her passion for place-making to help developers build distinctive brands for over 20 years. Before opening SparkFire Branding in 2015, she was the Vice President and Chief Creative Officer of Wallace & Company and Ecendant Interactive, as well as the Vice President of Milesbrand. She is an active member of the National Town Builders Association and Vice Chair of the Urban Land Institute's Community Development Gold Council.

In today's episode, Jaimee and I talk about SparkFire Branding, the real estate marketing agency that she and her husband created to combine their talents of technology and design. Jaimee walks us through some of the projects she has worked on over the years. Listen in as we discuss her career path, as well as things that she's seeing in her business right now. Jaimee is an incredibly talented individual with a passion for helping businesses grow. It was inspiring to chat with her about all of the work that she and her team are doing at SparkFire Branding. It's clear that they are making a big impact in the real estate industry, and I'm excited to see what they do next!

Memorable Moments:
9:05- The name of the game in the last few years has just been being as nimble as possible. So, we're looking at things week to week with what's the engagement level in the market? What websites are people spending their time on? What are their questions? What are the frustrations they have? How can we communicate better? And it's really been such a dynamic time in the last couple of years, that it's just been so unpredictable and fun in that regard.

12:01- Because of COVID, people really started to think very critically about what their home allowed for, what the shortcomings were, and having kids at home through school. So there were just so many different decision-making factors that went into it. And that really altered and I think, made the buying decision so much more urgent.

13:22- For a while, it felt like the computer was the thing the world lived in because that was your interaction with humans. So changing how we took information centers, basically online, and created virtual presentations, that you would have always wanted to be in person before.

18:44- At the end of the day, we want to work on places that everybody's committed to be proud of. And it just makes for a much more collaborative, enjoyable, and creative experience.

21:34- We're always trying to get people to change the value equation from price per square foot to quality of life. And the more we understand how the developer came to it, the more we can help build that value.

26:36- Our motto is to share recklessly, because we want to give back to the industry that, you know, has been so good to us.

26:57- It's such a long game with business development in this industry because it's all about relationships, and things come back, and we truly believe that. It's fun to just share with people; it's something we love to do. It kind of all comes back around. So sometimes, we need advice from people, and we want people to share with us.

27:41- The most fun I have is traveling to places I would probably never get to if I were vacationing, right? Like I probably wouldn't necessarily end up in Liberty, Missouri, for a vacation, right? But I remember going there and meeting the people, and we were doing a city rebranding, and just hearing about their history and what they're proud of, and what they love.

35:10- Real estate's such an interesting thing to market because most of the time, in the early days, as you know, we're talking about things that aren't there yet, right? And we're asking people to trust us that they're coming.

Connect with Nancy:
Instagram: https://instagram.com/nancysurak
LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/nancysurak/
Website: www.nancysurak.com

Connect with Jaimee:
LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/jaimeeabbott/
Spark Fire Branding Website: https://sparkfirebranding.com/

Jaimee’s Book Recommendation:
HANDLING YOUR FIRE: Passion, Burnout, Routines and Resilience
https://robbell.com/audio/handling-your-fire-passion-burnout-routines-and-resilience/

She's WILD Sound Production by:
Luke Surak, Surak Productions: [email protected]

Welcome back to the She’s Wild Podcast hosted by Nancy Surak! Today’s guest is Carla Sevilla, Partner, Glenwood Homes & and Owner Chanticleer Properties. Following her graduation from Duke University, Carla started in residential real estate in 2001 while serving in the United States Marine Corps. She assisted her fellow officers in finding their new homes while stationed at Camp Pendleton, CA. Following her service, including a year during Operation Iraqi Freedom, Carla decided to pursue her true passion in real estate full time. She entered the UNC-CH MBA program on a full fellowship and concentrated in real estate development and marketing. During this time she also co-founded Chanticleer Properties with Phil and Margaret Hinesley. Following graduation, she was recruited by a large national homebuilder to run the marketing department in the Washington DC Metro area. After two years she was then promoted to a VP of Sales position in Raleigh and then the state of North Carolina. After having her fourth child she decided to go back to selling directly to the customers and began Glenwood Homes with two partners. Today she serves as the Glenwood Homes Sales Manager bringing national design and sales knowledge to the local level – a win-win for her company and her homeowners.

In this episode Carla shares all the lessons she's learned in her career and tells us what she's working on now.

Memorable Moments:
1:05- I decided to get my license and real estate after having a very bad experience purchasing my first home with a VA loan. And I was like this idiot realtor just made $10,000 on this transaction and did literally nothing. So I decided to get my license.

19:48- It was scary. I'll be honest, like it was really scary making that transition away from a salary and bonus opportunity with the national builder to being commissioned only and you eat what you kill.

20:05- A lesson I learned is that you can make unlimited money, as long as you work hard, and I am a very hard worker. So for me, I was like, I can't fail. This is how I'll feed the kids, we have to pay the mortgage, and just knew that I would have to get whatever I put into it, if that makes sense.

21:59- So a lot of the things, it's just doing it and you're going to learn it because no one can tell you every little iteration of what you're going to encounter in this business. So I just learned by failing or finding out new things on every sale, they're all different.

25:45- So when I started my homebuilding company with my two partners, we all three said the same thing, we are not going to do luxury, we are not going to get into move up, we want to be entry level and entry level only. Because I mean, during the downturn, I saw my friends, a lot of friends lose everything, houses, cars, companies, because they were going to the in the pyramid of the luxury market. That's the first one to crash

28:44- Save that 3% and get your license, because you're going to know the deal better than an agent would I would definitely get that first and foremost.

Connect with Nancy:
Instagram: https://instagram.com/nancysurak
LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/nancysurak/
Website: www.nancysurak.com

Connect with Carla"
LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/carla-sevilla-a6b9b5/
Website: http://glenwoodhomes.com/

Carla’s Podcast Recommendation:
Bigger Pockets Podcast
https://www.biggerpockets.com/podcasts/real-estate

She's WILD Sound Production by:
Luke Surak, Surak Productions: [email protected]

Welcome back to the She’s Wild Podcast hosted by Nancy Surak! Today’s guest is Ra’eesa Motala, Vice President at Rokos Advisors. As an Industrial and Corporate Solutions broker, Ra’eesa is responsible for providing her clients with transparent and measurable results for their commercial real estate solutions. Her ability to work in multi-markets has provided her with vast knowledge and experience within the industrial sector and given her clients insight into how their businesses could benefit by being positioned in developing cities that offer the best incentive packages, access to robust supply chain routes, cost savings, and growth opportunities. Ra’eesa’s tenacious nature and creative ability allow her to find effective and creative ways to solve problems that keep clients up at night.

In today's episode, Ra'eesa and I talk about what's happening in the industrial space right now in Minneapolis. Ra'eesa is a shining example of someone who followed her heart and ended up exactly where she was meant to be. After attending medical school with the hopes of becoming a doctor, Ra'eesa found her true passion in multifamily real estate. And now, she's thriving in the industrial space. My favorite part of today's episode was Ra'eesa's advice on creating your own personal board of advisors to connect with in hard situations. I think we all need a few people like that in our lives - people who we can turn to for honest feedback and sage wisdom. Thank you, Ra'eesa, for sharing your story and your insights with us today.

Memorable Moments:
9:32- Every person that I pitch to is going to remember me after they hear a pitch from all of these guys. And a lot of them are fantastic but I just had this kind of mentality and attitude that if they could do it, I could find a way to do it better and be more memorable doing it. So that's why I jumped into industrial real estate.

15:02- A big part of my job outside of identifying organizations' real estate as a whole is really kind of helping them build their people and their culture. You know, if you don't believe in the people and the culture, then the real estate is not going to work, no matter what you do.

19:02- I would say that on the industrial side, it's still full steam ahead. And from what we can tell, we don't have, knock on wood, a lot of our clients saying hit pause or slow down anything they're doing. They are saying let's start planning and making sure we get ahead of this because we don't want to be in a situation like they were two, three years ago, where we thought we were, you know, pacing ourselves and we fell behind and we fell behind pretty quickly and hard.

32:20- Of the mentees that I have right now, I think some of the advice that I have given them is that, you know, I went through this, and I dealt with a lot, as a woman and as a woman of color. And just because I went through, it doesn't mean that they need to go through it, it's my job to make it easier for them. And it's their job to then make it easier for the women that come after them.

33:37- Your perspective is not always the best perspective. And you really have to find those who have gone through different opportunities, whether they failed or succeeded to be able to understand what your next move is.

Connect with Nancy:
Instagram: https://instagram.com/nancysurak
LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/nancysurak/
Website: www.nancysurak.com

Connect with Ra’eesa
Website: https://raeesamotala.com/
LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/raeesamotala/
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/raeesam/

Ra’eesa’s Podcast Recommendation:
Atomic Habits
https://www.amazon.com/Atomic-Habits-Proven-Build-Break/dp/0735211299
Fanatical Prospecting
https://www.amazon.com/Fanatical-Prospecting-Conversations-Leveraging-Telephone/dp/1119144752/ref=sr_1_1?crid=3JBCTN1DUFT5Z&keywords=fanatical+prospecting&qid=1663619989&s=books&sprefix=finatical+prospecting%2Cstripbooks%2C65&sr=1-1
The Future is Faster Than You Think
https://www.amazon.com/Future-Faster-Than-You-Think/dp/B07TSQF4RX/ref=sr_1_1?crid=293JD8SVNMCIF&keywords=The+Future+is+Faster+Than+You+Think&qid=1663620019&s=books&sprefix=the+future+is+faster+than+you+think%2Cstripbooks%2C72&sr=1-1

She's WILD Sound Production by:
Luke Surak, Surak Productions: [email protected]

I am so excited to have Ashley Wilson as our guest for today’s episode. Ashley, is the Co-Founder of Bar Down Investments, LLC & HouseItLook, LLC, Co-Host of The Passive Investing Show, Best Selling Author of The Only Woman in the Room, Knowledge and Inspiration from 20 Women Real Estate Investors, and a BiggerPockets’ Series Host. She started investing in real estate in 2009 and has been involved in over $100 million in transactions within both single and multifamily real estate across over 1,500 units. When Ashley is not working on her businesses, she enjoys spending time with her family, including her husband and their two daughters. Additionally, Ashley enjoys competing with her horses, Diacara & Wow!

Ashley always dreamed of being her own boss and running her own business. So, when she was presented with the opportunity to transition from her career in big pharma to real estate, she jumped at the chance. Ashley is passionate about empowering women and helping them build confidence. She believes that every woman deserves to have a seat at the table and she is dedicated to helping women achieve their goals. Ashley is a strong advocate for financial independence and she encourages all women to take control of their finances. She is an inspiring example of a woman who has taken charge of her career and is living her best life. Thanks for tuning in!

Memorable Moments:
7:22- It's interesting to see, when you have major changes in a market, how different groups respond. And to me, you can always find a deal no matter what cycle we're in, it's a matter of just being more creative.

11:25- When you first play Monopoly, you think the objective of the game is to buy as many houses or properties as possible. But what you quickly realize is, that's not the object of the game, the object of the game is to buy the right properties and build hotels as fast as possible, which means you have to buy houses as fast as possible. So you have to allocate your funds differently, and you strategize to play the game in a completely different way than you do the first time playing Monopoly. Well, I think most people in life are playing Monopoly and playing life as if they don't know the rules.

13:57- Every journey is different. And the great thing about real estate is real estate is still a business especially multifamily. I always say you're buying a business and real estate's just attached to it. It's not a real estate business, per se.

22:24- I like to always run a potential partner through what I call the three C's, which are character commitment and capacity, going through that exercise with someone and taking personality tests as well as working with them prior.

57:53-I think most people look at a deal first, and then the market and then the team. And I think you should always look at the team first, and vet the credibility of the team before anything else and not be swindled by return metrics. But really know a team very thoroughly make sure that they've all worked together previously, that they have experience on that type of deal and that type of market all the way down to have they worked with a property management company before.

Connect with Nancy:
Instagram: https://instagram.com/nancysurak
LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/nancysurak/
Website: www.nancysurak.com

Connect with Ashley:
LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/ashley-wilson-2835685/
Website: https://www.badashinvestor.com/
Bardown Investments Website: https://www.bardowninvestments.com/
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/badashinvestor/?hl=en

Ashley’s Book Recommendation:
Anything Malcolm Gladwell
Only Woman in The Room- Ashley Wilson
https://www.amazon.com/Only-Woman-Room-Knowledge-Inspiration/dp/173559590X

She's WILD Sound Production by:
Luke Surak, Surak Productions: [email protected]

Today’s guest is Monaca Onstad, the President and CEO of Onplace. Monaca is a nationally recognized community relations and lifestyle executive with a passion for building community in the residential and commercial real estate market. She has more than 20 years of sales and operations experience in the real estate industry with the last several years focused on driving home sales and leasing efforts through placemaking, community relations, and lifestyle programming. Monica has been recognized as the best lifestyle director in the U.S. in 2018 by the National Association of Homebuilders Sales and Marketing Council. She was ranked among the top 4 lifestyle directors in the country in 2019, 2020, 2021, and 2022.

In today's episode, Monaca and I chat about lifestyle development and how she has seen a shift in priorities of not only the resident's needs but also the way developers think about starting a new project. Monaca dives into some of the challenges she faced in community management during the pandemic and how she used the resilience she learned from working on a farm to pivot and make the most out of the situation. Monaca is an inspiration and I am so excited to share her wisdom with you!

Memorable Moments:
5:07- I learned growing up about what true community really is and how we step up for one another when times are hard, but also we celebrate each other when times are good.

13:28- I'm there to help increase the ROI for my client. And while we want to put them in the best marketing position possible, we also have to make sure that it's the right size, and that we are doing things that help from a long-term standpoint, the operation piece of how the lifestyle program is going to operate.

15:10- To me, lifestyle is not just about events and parties and that type of thing; it's about building a true community. And I think that crosses between commercial and residential, how do you connect those local businesses to those residents, and vice versa?

22:50- I think working on a farm taught me so much about how to pivot, perseverance, and just respect for farmers on what they go through. I mean, understanding how they have this connection with the land is so important, because they don't get the credit or the pay that probably most of them deserve.

Connect with Nancy:
Instagram: https://instagram.com/nancysurak
LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/nancysurak/
Website: www.nancysurak.com

Connect with Monica:
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/onplacelifestyle/
https://www.instagram.com/monacaonstad/
LinkedIn:  https://www.linkedin.com/in/monacaonstad/
Website: https://www.onplace.life/

Monaca’s Podcast Recommendation:
The Moth Podcast https://themoth.org/podcast

She's WILD Sound Production by:
Luke Surak, Surak Productions: [email protected]