A Trio Of Influence: Nicole Shiman, Meg Daly And Tere Blanca
It probably comes as little surprise that the brawn behind 13th Floor's various projects—VP Nicole Shiman—comes from a real estate family. And she's just one of the featured speakers at our Power Series: Women of Influence this Thursday, 7:30am, at the Miami Beach Women's Club.
Nicole grew up in commercial real estate, her family involved in development and investment in Canada. That exposure planted a seed of interest in the business at an early age, she says. Nicole's first job was in her teens when she worked on job sites and in property management. Soon after school, Nicole took a post with The Boston Consulting Group, where she was a financial analyst.
That eventually led to 13th Floor, where Nicole went full-bore into development on such projects as the 1010 Brickell condo (here) and the Motion @ Dadeland apartment tower projects, and the project she's proudest of to-date: Link @ Douglas, a mixed-use development in JV with Miami Dade County and Transit for 7.5 acres around Douglas Station. Nicole, an avid runner and yoga aficionado, says women entering the business should seek out mentors. "Prioritize thinking through your career trajectory, future opportunities and the steps to take now to get you to where you want to go," she says. "Don't be scared to fail."
For Meg Daly, it took a bike accident and two broken arms to become a Woman of Influence. The head of the Underline project, Meg crashed her bike four years ago, and the injuries required her to go to physical therapy without the ability to drive a car. One hot July afternoon, as she was taking the Metrorail, Meg says she was shaded beneath the elevated tracks.
"It was comfortable. I noticed how much land was there and that I was the only one there. I thought this should be Miami's High Line [the famous NYC park]." And thus began the great effort to create a new trail path beneath the Metrorail, the one thing she considers her legacy beyond her family. And it's an idea that has caught fire in Miami.
The Underline's master plan has been completed as has the economic impact study. She has hunted down more than $7M to fund the first phase of the park trail at Brickell, with construction slated to begin next fall. Meg, as the founder and president of Friends of The Underline, has also been instrumental in raising funds from notable donors, including $600k from Swire Properties, more than $500k from the John S. and James L. Knight Foundation, and $50k contributions each from Pinnacle Housing Group, Banyan Street Capital, Mary Brickell Village and Publix Charities (to donate, click here). Meg's advice to young women? "Work harder than anyone else. Never compromise your integrity. Be firm but fair."
A native of Cuba, Tere Blanca was one of those who never planned to get into real estate. But upon moving to San Diego after graduating with an MBA from the University of Miami, Tere took a job with a CRE company and was immediately hooked. "The fact that you meet so many interesting people that connect you to the community and allow you to learn new perspectives is always exciting," says the founder of Blanca Commercial Real Estate. "Soon after, I came back to Miami and decided to dedicate my career to commercial [real estate] and still feel just as motivated and hooked as I did from the day I started my career," she says. When it comes to young women looking to enter the business, Tere says she has simple advice: "Actively seek continued learning, identify and cultivate great mentors and sponsors, and always be ready to embrace change," she says. "Just as important, find causes you believe in and generously give back to the community."
Come hear from such Women of Influence as Miami Beach Commissioner John Elizabeth Alemán; Miami-Dade County's Alice Bravo; Kimley-Horn's Jill Capelli and The Vagabond Group's Avra Jain 7:30am, tomorrow at the Miami Beach Women's Club. Register here.
