Tia Jesse, Senior Vice President of Development for EDEN Multifamily and EDEN Living is our guest for today’s episode. Listen to learn more about Tia's 20-years of multifamily and residential development experience.
Welcome back to the She’s Wild Podcast hosted by Nancy Surak! We are so excited to have Tia Jesse as our guest for today’s episode.
Tia Jesse is currently serving as senior vice president of development for EDEN Multifamily and EDEN Living, where she manages numerous residential real estate development projects across multiple Florida markets including Miami & Orlando.
Prior to working at EDEN, Tia was employed with Wood Partners for 10 successful years where she managed development projects and supervised all aspects involved in ground-up development of 2,000+ units across South Florida! She attended the University of Florida and holds a Bachelor’s degree in Finance and International Business from Florida International University. She is an active member of ULI and currently serves as an Assistant Chair on the ULI Florida Product Council’s Multi-Family Development Council.
Tia is an experienced land developer who has seen the industry change dramatically over her 20-year career. She provides insight on how everything from roles, to projects themselves, have evolved throughout this time frame to help potential newcomers get acclimated with what they might experience in their first years working here too! Throughout this episode you will hear the passion for Tia’s career shine through with the amazing advice that she gives.
Memorable moments:
9:01 “I think for a lot of us in this business, a big focus right now, is trying to figure out how to build these projects and navigate the crazy construction pricing, building material, supply chain issues that are out there.”
20:15 “I think back, I don't know, that I would ever have seen myself going in this direction. But it's just been such an incredible journey, and I love what I do.”
21:33 “I think it’s always interesting that there aren't more women in this industry, because I think it's a great industry for women!”
24:02 “I never ever, ever could have imagined until I got in the business, the sheer number of people, and energy and effort and time and smarts that it takes to get these projects from a piece of dirt to a completed project.”
27.05: “This isn't just I go to work and I come home, this can be an enriching part of your life. And it's great to make these connections for professional reasons, but I've also made great friends through some of our projects “
27:49” If we have really good relationships, and we all inherently trust each other, and know that we're all here to do a good job, and help each other out to get to the goal line - then when you hit bumps in the road, you can get through those so much easier.”
Connect with Tia:
LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/tiajesseerealestate/
Websites: https://www.edenmultifamily.com ; https://edenliving.net
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: surakproductions@gmail.com
Nancy Surak 0:00
Welcome to She's Wild, the podcast for women and land in development. I'm your host, Nancy Surak. I created this podcast as a way to collect conversations of women in the land and development industry. I've been a land broker on the west coast of Florida for nearly 20 years.
And I love to empower other women and to tell them about this amazing industry. But I find often that there just aren't enough women being featured on big stages, whether that's at local conferences, or nationally. So I set out to find these women myself that are killing it in my business across North America that are changing the communities that they live in every single day, whether they're building condos, multifamily, single family, office, or industrial projects. I hope that you will find this space to be inspirational, motivating, and educational. From time to time, I will feature women who are not only in my business, but also career coaches, and motivational speakers. Today's guest is Tia Jessee. Tia is the Senior Vice President over development for EDEN Multifamily, and Eden Living out of Southeast Florida. Tia has more than 20 years of development experience and she's been responsible for building more than 2000 multifamily units in her career. And she's building more and more every day. In this interview, you're going to hear all about how she originally got involved in the development industry. What keeps her going every day. And what she's most excited about. Enjoy the show.
Hi, welcome to she's wild, the podcast for women in land and Development. Today we have a very special guest. I'm gonna let her go ahead and introduce herself to you. Why don't you tell us who you are and what you do.
Tia Jesse 1:54
Hi, well, I'm happy to be here with you today, Nancy. So again, my name is Tia Jesse and I am VP of Development at Eden Multifamily. We are a multifamily development company based in Coconut Grove in Miami, Florida. We develop ground up projects, multifamily projects, currently throughout the state of Florida, and we are expanding very soon and quickly into the Carolinas, Georgia, and even moving out west into Utah and Colorado. So we I have been with Eden for close to seven years now six years now. So it's been it's been a number of years now. But I started working in the beginning of the company. So it's been great. I've had a great opportunity to be with to be with EDEN since the first project and experience sort of our exponential growth in the past couple of years has been super exciting.
Nancy Surak 2:50
How exciting is that? So what did you do before you were at Eden?
Tia Jesse 2:55
So I started many moons ago, but not that many, not that many working for a development company in Miami. It was a small developer, a Brazilian developer, doing condo development, that was my first my first job out of college and work there for a number of years and left and to follow a boy to Ohio and actually came back down to Miami and got a job with one of my contacts I had from my previous job and got a job working for Wood Partners which was my first foray into multifamily and had a really great experience there and really learned that was where I learned about multifamily everything had been caught up into that point in time and was at Wood Partners for about eight years, I guess it was and worked for my now current boss and our our principals at EDEN, Jay Jacobson and had a great experience they are really learned so so much about the business and and then 2008 hit and I was laid off. And and very sad because I really liked what I was doing. But kind of thought this is a good time to sort of regroup. We've had a busy couple of years, a good couple of years, you know was able to kind of take that time off and relax and do some things and had a third child. So that kept me busy and decided I was going to just kind of lay low for a few years do some consulting work again using some of my contacts that I had. I just picked up jobs here and there helping people right deal memos, you know, doing you know, just analyzing deals, doing some development work on a consulting basis and stayed in touch with Jay Jacobson for those years and reached out to him at one point and his email bounced back. And so I called him and he said, I'm so glad you called me. I've got great news. I'm starting a new development company with another very seasoned real estate professional in South Florida, Jay Massirman. And he said, we're starting a new company, and I want to bring you on. Like, I'm in like, I don't even need any more details. So took us about six months to actually make that happen. But then that was when I moved over to EDEN.
Nancy Surak 5:30
That's amazing. And you guys, how many units do you guys currently either own or have under development?
Tia Jesse 5:35
So right now, and I jotted these numbers down. So because I, because they're, they're quickly increasing. So I never know where we are. But right now under construction. And actually, we have two platforms right now. So we have our multifamily side. But then, we recently launched our EDEN living platform, which is our horizontal living, what a lot of people know is that, you know, build for rent product type. So we've kind of broken off those two separate books of business. And on the multifamily side, we have 500 units under construction. And we have 630 units under contract, and a ton more in our pipeline and the EDEN living pipeline. We have, we have countless projects. I mean, it's I really was going to listen, I thought, oh my gosh, we have so much work, which is great. But we have 600 units under construction and 1500 units under contract right now.
Nancy Surak 6:25
So where exactly is the geography for those units.
Tia Jesse 6:28
So on the multifamily side, we have a project that's active in Broward County, and Tamarack that's under construction, we have one in Port Orange under construction as well. The ones that we have under contract are actually in South Florida, which is exciting for us, because we always we really like to do deals down here. It's just really, really tough. And are EDEN living projects tend to be right now we have one in West Melbourne that's under construction, we have one in Jacksonville, those tend to be a little bit more central Florida and North. Just because of the nature of those projects requiring larger sites. Obviously, we don't find a lot of huge undeveloped land parcels in South Florida. So those tend to be more central in North Florida.
Nancy Surak 7:14
We're running out in Tampa to broker and so I love that space. And I joke around and I'm like if I had $1 for every Build For Rent group that came in and said, hey, we're coming to Tampa, I'm like I could retire because there's so many. Congratulations to you guys for getting deals going. And under construction. I do think that it's going to change, homeownership and renting, like forever. You know, my guess is it's not I don't think it's ever gonna go back.
Tia Jesse 7:44
Yeah, yeah, it's incredible. And I think that you can just see it and the values and the rates that a lot of these properties are getting, and it's just it's very exciting. And there's obviously a lot of capital out there who's very interested in this product type, which makes it you know, a lot easier for us to get projects done when went up, you know, when people are throwing money at us, that we're trying to chase them down for the money.
Nancy Surak 8:05
Imagine that like coming from 2008 and nine and 10. And being like, oh, yeah, money's not an issue in the space anymore. But I remember, you know, like, I remember, like, nobody was buying anything in 2009 and 10. So tell me in your role at EDEN now what exactly take me through a typical day, what do you what do you do on a typical day or a typical week?
Tia Jesse 8:31
Well, you know, and that's one of the things that I really love about this business is that we do so many different things and wear so many different hats. And I never appreciated that and didn't really understand what all went into the development of projects, until, of course, you know, I got into this business. So you know, at this point, really we are, we are working so quick to get a lot of these deals out of the ground. And so a lot of my time right now, I shortly have a call with our general contractor of our equity partner to go over a new price that we received today, which of course is way too high as all the prices receive on these new construction projects are right now. But that will be that's been a big focus is really trying to and really right now, I think for a lot of us in this business, a big focus is trying to figure out how to build these projects and navigate the crazy construction pricing, building material, supply chain issues that are out there. That's taking a disproportionate amount of my bandwidth at this point time. But really a lot of my day is just going through each of our projects, kind of, you know, seeing where we are with things, working with the consultants, you know, having meetings with our equity partners, to kind of keep everybody up to speed and where we are with things and and, you know, running through all these new projects that we've got just really getting them you know, Getting the site plans on getting our plans done really kind of. And then just even further along, you know, we have these projects two or two multifamily deals are about to, they will be getting CO'd in the next few months over the next six months, both of them and so we're busy ramping those up with our management company to go ahead and start pre leasing out those. And so it really varies every day, which is what I love about this business. It's just there's so many different facets. So I might be in a construction meeting, I might be on a job site one day with, you know, my boots and my hard hat. And, you know, the next day we're having, you know, a fabulous luncheon with our equity partners who flown in from New York, or there's just so many different things. And it just keeps it really exciting. And just always, always challenging too, because it changes the landscape is changing. I mean, again, this environment with pricing and supply chain issues. I'm having conversations and dealing with subjects that I've never dealt with before in my career, which is which is kind of fun. You know, I mean, these issues aren't all fun, don't get me. Don't get me wrong, I get it. But at least just even just, you know, it's it's challenging. I never have a boring day, that's for sure.
Nancy Surak 11:11
Yeah, the variety is great. Because I even say that, you know, I tell people, Oh, I say I'm a land broker, I sell land and if it's not somebody in our business, this blank stare, like what, what? So I explain it. And they say, they'll ask me like, what's that like, and I'm like, every day is different. Every piece of dirt is different. Every landowner is different, every buyer is different, every contract is unique. And I said, you know, a lot of my job is really just keeping things on the proper path. And that sounds like it's a lot of years to just sort of just making sure. Okay, what should be the next step? Is that occurring? And if it's not occurring, like, what is the problem? And how do we go and address that?
Tia Jesse 11:50
Yes, that's a great way to summarize it. And that's very true. And also, a lot of what we've had to do recently is because things are moving so quickly, is really look forward and anticipate a lot further ahead, kind of where we're going in and where we can have missteps, and start trying to figure out ways to quickly correct because again, with all the pricing volatility for us, you know, we really have had to make some quick decisions and do things in a different way than we've had to do them before. And so we're just trying to be as forward thinking as we can, so that we can keep these projects more moving forward that we, you know, we want to build all the stuff that we have in our pipeline, and we've had an incredible pipeline. So we really want to get all these things started. But it's not, it's not as easy as it used to be, you know, it is easy, it's easier in some regards, as you said, because of the capital, that's great to not have that on our plate to be just constantly doing the dog and pony show and trying to raise money. But every deal takes so much more brain damage right now. And just because of because of the crazy environment we're in. So that's that's been a, that's been a challenging part of it, and just really trying to anticipate things that we've never had to anticipate before. So, and we had a meeting that I was in the other day, we were talking about that and just really even in writing contracts, and in writing and in negotiating juicy agreements, again, so much more brain damage, before we would get these agreements, you go through them, you'd make a couple changes, you'd sign them. Now they're taking, you know, months, and then pricing is changing as you're doing this in and and then you're going back to the drawing board. And there's just it's very, it's very time consuming. And but I also say it's making us better project managers. It's making us better developers. It's making us better contractors. You know, we're really having to kind of really dig in and fine tune our skills at being developers, because it's not always so easy.
Nancy Surak 13:53
Yeah, I mean, if they were they say, if it was so easy, everyone would be doing it, you know?
Exactly. And you guys have a great track record and a beautiful product. And you know, when I called you to be a guest, I was like, I can't wait, I can't wait to hear what you're working on. And I love to ask this occasionally. Tell me about your favorite deal that you've ever done in your career. What comes to mind?
Tia Jesse 14:17
Oh, that's a tough one. But I'm gonna have to say it was my first deal. And it wasn't a multifamily deal. It was a condo deal. And it was very exciting because I was just out of college, had been a year out of college and had thought I was gonna go into banking, my degrees in finance and international business I thought oh, I'm gonna go to banking and and didn't started interviewing, did the management training. realize, oh, this is terrible, you know, go into banking. And and so again, got a job, you know, in development and working for this this company in Miami. That was developing a new condo and they were seasoned developers of shopping malls and South America and had never developed kinda before hired a super smart guy in Miami. He was my first boss of my mentor and built this super luxury 14 story condo on South Beach. And this was back in 96, 97 98 ish. So it was right when kind of the first like super luxury condos were coming to Miami Beach. And it was just very fancy it was we had great we sponsored a Pavarotti came to the beach, we sponsored Pavarotti and, and we would have these lavish parties and, and of course, I was in my, you know, early 20s At that point in time, and, and so it was just it was really fun. But what was neat for me just coming out of college and working for this, this very small shop, I was kind of thrown into all of it. So I was first started working and was just kind of running numbers, I was kind of hired as an analyst. And then they needed somebody to help with some of the marketing stuff. So I would get to go sit on the advertising meetings. And then throughout construction, they needed, you know, help with with various things, you know, during just during the sales process. So I would be in the I would get to go over to the sales center. And I would get to, you know, do a few things and spend some time over there. And then as the project got finished, as we were closing it out, I got to do the walkthroughs I got to you know, with all the buyers and just help on the closing process. And so I really just got to do all of these things. That plus it was just fun. And it was on South Beach and
I was young and and single and leisurely tan. Yeah, exactly. I don't know you can you see me I'm not super tan person. I never happened. However, it was just a really fun, exciting time. And of course, it was very high on Qantas with the finish was fabulous. And everything was just everything was fabulous. And it was very fun, which was kind of funny, because then what I did move over to the multifamily side, I got this interview and I really didn't know a lot about multifamily. And went in and started looking at the product type. I thought this is kind of I'm gonna be slumming it if I'm working in multifamily. I'm going from these fabulous kitchens with fabulous Sub Zero to like, what is the cheapest appliance I could possibly put in here. And so it was definitely a shift for me. But I would say that was like it was my first time, you know, I got to where I was wearing a hard hat and going up into a high rise, you know, for the first time and it was just the whole thing was very exciting.
Nancy Surak 17:36
So I'd love to just say like, okay, in your case, you didn't go to school for real estate or urban planning. You went to school for finance and international trade, right? That's my undergrad too before, but not at UF at LSU. So I've it was a great degree, like I really enjoyed what I learned.
But I always like kind of scratch my head and go do do I have I ever really applied what I've learned. I think it taught me how to think about economics and deal structure. But I'd love to know like when you were a younger girl, before college, did you have any tendencies when you were younger that you might have been able to forecasts that you would end up in the development or the built space?
Tia Jesse 18:22
Well, you know, interestingly, I didn't really even know about the development space i That sounds so strange to say but especially what I say what I'm about to say my father's a homebuilder. My stepmother is a real estate broker. So I've been around and my great uncle was a prolific builder, I've been around the business of construction and real estate my entire life. But when I was when I was in high school I was I was really good at math students always liked math. And I had visions of myself when I was you know a teenager that I was going to go to college and I was going to have this great executive job and I was going to wear my you know, navy blue suits and at the time pantyhose and high heels and and I think I just love that picture of being in business and I was good at math. So you know finance kind of made sense but I didn't really know what I was going to do with it I thought maybe I'd go into something investment sales I didn't even really know what that meant. You know? And so when I and again strange I've been around construction and real estate stuff my entire life but not of course not at the scale that of what we do. And I really fell into it because I had gotten a an internship with Trammell Crow company, right after school and working and doing just a summer internship kind of a thing. And we I that's where I kind of learned a little bit more about the real estate industry versus just being a residential broker or residential home builder, and then ended up getting my real estate license just for the heck of it, because why not? Yeah, and got a real estate license. And then, and then just sort of kind of fell into it, it looked for a job and just happened to get a job. With a company that again, I was thinking I was going to be an analyst, maybe I didn't, I didn't even have an idea of the track, that this could lead into what I started with. And, and so it just kind of unfolded organically over time. It wasn't intentional. And I have been super, super blessed to work with great people who have been great mentors, who have been really just good people that have and smart people that have cared enough to kind of, again, mentor me and kind of show me the way and and encouraged me and given me enough rope to hang myself. And you know, and but it's been great. And I it kind of I think back though, when I'm like I don't know, that I would ever have seen myself going in this direction. But it's just been such an incredible journey. And I love what I do. I it's you know, there's some nights it was last night at 830. And I'm reviewing this terrible construction agreement and I'm drawings that are a mess, and I'm frustrated. And where's this gonna go? And we and our partners are gonna freak out. And, and but I love it. I love what I do. I think it's really exciting. And I think it's, it's always interesting to me that there aren't more women in this industry, because I think it's a great
industry for women
Nancy Surak 21:44
I 100% agree to, yes, the women in the industry are like rockstars I love to be around them. They're super thoughtful and considerate. And they work really hard, you know, to be so successful for themselves and the companies that they're associated with. And I don't like paying you just for like you said, for as much as it's really frustrating right there. There are really challenging moments. I mean, I had a deal that died yesterday, the day of closing, you know, in today's environment, I'm like, oh my god, I just worked seven months. Oh, God broke or like more than most deals, holding everyone's hands in. It didn't work. And I'm like, oh, so hard. But at the same time, I'm like, I woke up this morning, and I'm like, I freaking love this. I love what I do. I love knowing that I'm part of something that's bigger than just me. You know, and I joke around a lot. And I say this a lot on the podcast that I take full credit for when I do a deal with people like you guys, I will drive pass something I sold after it's built like I built that. Yeah, I own it. You should own it. I had nothing to do with the construction or the development. I just sold the property. But am I am I okay with it. My kids? Oh my gosh, they grew up with me saying like, Oh, yeah, that's my project. And they're like, oh, did you build that? I Built that. I did not build that
Tia Jesse 23:14
Yes. Amen.
Nancy Surak 23:15
You know, so when when you guys as a development companies, when you put together a really beautiful project, it's like super special for people on the front end of the deal, who don't always get to participate on the back end, and to see because it is a bit of ownership that we know that we've ever been a part of something that's making our community better. So I'm gonna thank you on behalf of everybody on the front end of the deals and land brokers, the surveyors, the environmental scientists, because we don't, we don't get that back piece.
Tia Jesse 23:52
Honestly, it was I mean, it's you guys who make it all happen. I mean, that's what I would say the least I never ever, ever could have imagined until I got in the business, the sheer number of people, and energy and effort and time and smarts that it takes to get these projects from a piece of dirt to a completed project. It's It's shocking. I mean, it's It still blows my mind when I stop and think about all the moving parts that are happening right now as I sit here, everything that's going on. And so it's just an everybody on the team is such a critical part of that process that it's like it's it all it's you did build it. I mean, it really, if it wasn't for your part of it, it wouldn't happen. And everybody's part is like that. It's all and that's why it's so important. And we've been really fortunate that we have such a great team and that a team of against myself, like the people that I've worked with smart and good, honest, hardworking people, and, and frankly, and sometimes it's just surprising in our business, but people that don't really have a lot of ego like people that are really just like humble, confident and their abilities at As they shouldn't be, but but but humble and just willing to do what you have to do to get the job done and, and we really work together just really, really, really well. And that's been such a great thing just to have, you know, it sounds corny, but we really are kind of like a family. Because you do work so hard on these and you spend so much time together. And that's even on our projects, even with our consultants, I do like to create that sort of environment, you know, and
Nancy Surak 25:25
for these projects to throw together I sage to when you're turning it over to the residents. Yeah, what's your typical? Because I tell people, my timeline is in sales what in brokerage? What is it for you guys, once you put a piece, from the time you put a piece of dirt under contract, to the time you're actually someone on your team is handing somebody keys? What's that timeline?
Oh, it can it's, you know, it's three years, you know, it can be it can be shorter, can be longer, depending on, you know, where we are with the project when we when we get under contract on it, and but, you know, our project in West Melbourne that we just started right now, we went under contract on that, I guess it's probably been a year ago. And we it'll be under construction for three years. So four years, you know, from start to finish, let's and it'll be a little longer, because we'll still have to lease it up fully, you know, after that, that, but after that stage, but it's, it's, and I and that's something important too. For me personally, in my career, I've really felt it's important to me personally, to work for people that I respect, and I like, and work with people that I respect my like, and maybe that's why I like my job so much. Because it's, I really try to surround myself with people that I like, and that they're, that are doing a good job and that we work well together. Because like it's such a long period of time, and you are working with each
other I'm you know, I'm talking to our, all of our consultants, there's points or we're talking multiple times a day for months at a time, and then we'll continue to talk throughout the life of the project. It's great to form a good relationship, even a personal relationship and get to know people and know their families and know about them. And, you know, this is we're spending so much of our time on these things that, you know, let's let's learn about each other and know each other and make this isn't just oh, I go to work and I come home, this can be an enriching part of your life. And and it's great to make these connections for professional reasons. And just personal reasons, I've made great friends through some of our projects. And it really should be a positive experience. I like to see other consultants, I really want us all to like, let's let's get off to start on the right foot, let's really, you know, this can be a great experience for all of us, it's not going to be perfect. But if we all have a really good relationship, and we all inherently trust each other and know that we're all here to do a good job and help each other out and get to the goal line. When you hit bumps in the road, you can get through those so much easier. You know, you can just because you know that we're all on the same page. And that's so important. 100% agree. So tell me if a young woman called you and said, I'm thinking about the world of commercial real estate or development, or land. And she said, I'm just looking for some guidance and advice. What would you tell her?
Tia Jesse 28:20
I would say Heck, yeah. First of all, like, yes, yes, yes, do it. And I would, I think the best advice is, you know, it's sort of hard to know where to start with it. Because you don't really know what you're gonna like doing. I don't think I last, we talked a little earlier, I didn't really ever envision what I'm doing. Now, I don't know that I knew about what I was doing now. And I don't know that I knew that I would be good at what I'm doing now. And so, I think getting in with a good company that offers you you know, some ability to be exposed to a lot of different things is an ideal scenario. So you can really kind of get a feel for what you like, what you're good at. You know, I think another important thing that I've seen a lot of young women doing in recent years that I didn't do, but I think it's great. It's getting involved in a lot of the women's organizations, professional organizations, I think there's there's so many great resources and there's so many women that are a little further along in their career. Women like us, who are so willing to just spend some time with younger women and and, and, you know, mentor them if we if we can or just you know, help them along in any way that we can support them, you know, some business their way of we can and really just help them kind of come up and I think that's a really there's some great groups out there now. I mean, there probably always have been I again, I didn't take advantage of that when I was younger and I look at that now and go, Oh my gosh, I really missed some opportunity there. But you know what I'll say I'm So, so expose yourself to different things, connect with other women. And really kind of be open to opportunities that you don't, I think I had a really defined idea I was going to go into banking. And I actually went so far as to go to North Carolina for a while, because I was convinced at the time, Charlotte was the banking Epicenter with was, it was nation's bank at the time. And before it was Bank of America.
And I was, I was going to go into banking into a management training program, and I really kind of got stuck on that. And I think it's very easy sometimes. I mean, there's, there's a difference between being focused on what you know, you want, but also don't pigeonhole yourself.
Because there's a lot of great stuff out there and, you know, be open to some different ideas and different opportunities, because you just don't really know where they're gonna lead and maybe to your dream job, it may just be a connection point, you know, to somebody that, you know, as a stepping stone to something else I you know, but I would say, first of all, just say, do it, just just get into get into commercial real estate, we need more women?
Nancy Surak 31:04
Yes. Which is why I'm doing what I'm doing. Right. That's the whole point of this podcast is for me going around and talking to women like you. And Laura Cole at Lakewood Ranch and a few business coaches that I know and I'm like, Hey, like, we need more women in the room. I'm still I've been doing this almost 20 years, and I'm often the only woman in the in, and I love it. And I'm like, this is an intimidating environment, it looks like on you know, on the surface, like it can be intimidating to go to some meetings when you're like, Okay, there's 30 people here, and there's two women in the room. Right. And the industry has changed so much since I started in, it's just some of the barriers that were there, completely broken down. And people said they want really smart people around them, who care about what they care about, and can move the needle, you know, and now and I to say to young women, like Do not be afraid to pick up the
phone and cold call anyone, you might actually get them on the phone. I mean, that's how I got you on as a guests. I don't worry, we hadn't met and I was like, Hey, you don't know me. I'm on the west coast of Florida. But I know who you are. And this is why I want you to share your message. And I hear from women across the United States occasionally in my space and in development. And, you know, they're in their 20s. And, and I'm like, I will drop everything I'm doing to talk to them. Some like, hey, or I'll tell them if I can't, right at that moment, I'll say, I need you to call me this evening, I'll talk to you on my way home, you know, when I'm driving home, or let's set a time I want to be able to give you good, honest insight. Because I love it. Because I think it's so important. It's so important for us to say, you know, I'm gonna throw my hand back like I ran track in high school a minute, Throw my hand back, because I want you to grab it so that I can pull you forward. And if you can be more successful faster than me or have tools that you didn't even know existed, I want to be able to help you. Yes, I won't be doing this forever. But I love it. And I'm glad that you brought up the women's organization. I know Cruz is great.
But we're both members of the Urban Land Institute. I know you're I think you're involved with the Women's Leadership Initiative. Yeah, I am very involved. It's great. And, you know, I tell people like you need to be involved in associations, but the Urban Land Institute is really the premium. And get involved and get a seat at the table. And if you feel intimidated, like find out the other women in your organization, and call them up and say this is my first meeting or my second meeting, I just need a friendly face, or somebody who's going to help me introduce them, you know, me to people, or anyone. So I am really happy that you brought that up. So I'm glad that you gave your advice. I think those really wonderful I like to wrap up every podcast with a couple pretty simple questions. One is, is there a book that you've read recently, or that you're currently reading or podcasts that you listen to where you get either inspiration or something that just helps you fill your fill your cup to move forward?
Tia Jesse 34:05
Well, I have been so swamped lately. I'll be honest, I have a stack next to my bed. And I'll open one and I get about three sizes in my fall asleep because it's usually about 1230 When I start reading them. So no, I have been trying to get through atomic habits for two years. So we send
you the cliffnotes I know you know it's funny on one trip from from a ULI event one time that was over in St. Petersburg coming back I thought I would listen to the audiobook, but that didn't work so well for me because I'm like, I need to take note. This is good stuff. And I need to highlight so I scrapped the audiobook. But no and I'm actually and also I I do read the Bible. So that actually has always been something that I go back to just a little bit of just kind of keeping me grounded and focused and keeping me balanced on that. And other than that, no, I have a list but I just can't get to the same with podcasts. But hopefully, I keep saying, after this next week, you're going to call it down a little, I think after this next week even better calm down. But um, so hopefully we'll get there and I can start working through my list.
Nancy Surak 35:12
I'm sure you will. And I'll let you know when we go to full launch, right. That way, you could just listen to my podcast.
Tia Jesse 35:18
I know, that would be great. I would love that. I would love that. Because I do think it's really important. And even though I'm not making time for it, but but do what I say not what I do right?
Too early to fill your cup, like you said, to really, you know, because it's easy for us to get so distracted with everything around us. But really to get that positive messaging and whatever that looks like for you. You know, in your life on a daily basis, it really kind of keeps your rights your shifts?
Nancy Surak 35:44
Yes, no, absolutely. Okay. And the final question is, if people wanted to keep up with any of your escapades through your career, Are you active on LinkedIn or any social media? Can they follow you or you pretty much like head down gets the job done?
Tia Jesse 36:00
You know, I'm terrible on LinkedIn, I'm embarrassed to admit that. So don't go to my LinkedIn,
because I know, I'm embarrassed about how little content there is there. We had a PR company for a while tried to load stuff in there. And then anyway, but I'm trying to put more stuff on my Instagram, it's always been a little bit spotty, with, you know, more pictures of kids or an occasional thing. But I actually did just post on my story yesterday, our Eden Project that we have in West Melbourne, because we've just gotten this whole huge giant site cleared, and anticipation of starting our 373 units there. So I did post that. That's my, I posted it as my baby for the next three years. So I love I love that.
Nancy Surak 36:45
know, a couple years ago, I did a big personal branding project. And I was like, Okay, well, I do
all my professional stuff on LinkedIn, and I do all my personal stuff on Facebook. But what I was so siloed that I was like, my clients are, because I'm with them for so long. They want to get to know me better on a personal level. So finally, I was like, I'm not really active on Instagram.
That's gonna be where I blend the two parts of me and that's really like who I am, right? I'm like, This is who I am. Yes, like me on Instagram, you're gonna see business stuff, you're gonna see pictures of me and my kids, you're gonna see pictures of my cocktail, because I that's cocktail making. And I'm like, you know that you'll get to know me, you know, but I'm gonna throw some facts out about the business. And you know, if I'm gonna start following you,
Tia Jesse 37:31
Nancy, because then I'm gonna follow your lead. I'm gonna do what you do. Because that sounds like perfect.
Nancy Surak 37:38
I haven't really talked about it. Like, that's where I am right now. I built a lounge in my house. And it's a craft cocktail lounge, its background, this is can't really see it, I will be able to do it too much. We can see the velvet curtains in the background and lots of come over. All my girlfriends
are like, when's the next party in your lounge? Or people who know me well, and I'm like, I'm doing this podcast, you need to come on. And they're like, Okay, when can I come to the lounge to record it? I'm like, no, no, we do it on here, like, I'm not going to be on it. Unless I'm sitting with a cocktail in your time.
Tia Jesse 38:12
I know. That one bite me I will definitely I will come for it. Your your craft.
Nancy Surak 38:17
Oh my gosh, I can't wait. And I know like I just said something the other day. I'm like a year from now. I'm gonna invite everybody who was a guest somewhere, and be like, let's bring it together.
And let's, you know, just celebrate the success. Again, I want to thank you for your time. And I really appreciate you spending time with me. You're super positive and infectious. And I can see why you're really successful. Thank you,
Tia Jesse 38:41
Nancy, and I thank you for doing this podcast. I think this is a great, great thing. And I thank you for for your efforts and trying to, you know further and promote women and commercial real estate industry.
Nancy Surak 38:51
That's great. No problem. Well, thank you again. Take care.
Tia Jesse 38:56
All right. Thank you.
Nancy Surak 38:58
Thank you for joining us for another episode of she's wild the podcast for women and land and development. If you enjoyed today's show, please go out and rate us so that we can be found by other women in our industry. And if you know women who are working in land and development, please share this podcast with them. And if you know a total rock star woman, badass chick who is killing it in land and development anywhere in North America. I want to know who she is. Please reach out to me so that I can feature her on an upcoming episode.
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