Gracias and Thank you to My “Personal Board of Directors†whose belief in me inspired me to take chances to grow and achieve goals I never thought possible in 2020.  May you create your Own Personal Board of Directors for 2021 to help you have a Happier New Year!

Last month, I spoke on “How To Build Your Own Personal Board of Directors” to the United States Department of State WeAmericas Entrepreneur Latin America Program, and, the Urban Land Institute Women’s Leadership Initiative San Diego/Tijuana.

“Personal Board of Directors†is a term I use to describe the people who are close and important to me.  Knowing I have the support of each of my “Directors” continues to help me become better at what I do every day, better at who I want to be, stay on track when the world turns-upside-down (think 2020) and reach big goals via small sequential achievable steps.   

Having an open mind allows You to discover people who can fill the seats of your own “Personal Board Directors” anytime, anywhere.

I find Directors for  my “Personal Board†or they find me at different times and through various experiences   – we share similar values and consciously stay in touch to support each other  to meet or exceed our goals.  Men and Women on my “Personal Board Directors” are diverse, located in different parts of the world, are of different ages and backgrounds, represent various industries, and, we all exchange ideas and help each other grow.

I’ve found my “Personal Board of Directors” while working on a real estate deal, law case or committee together, teaching a class together, investigating a city of million squatters together, speaking on a panel, participating in a Annual Real Estate or Law Conference.  I’ve even connected with people, who later join my “Personal Board of Directors”, while spending time on a boat, at a football game, in a traffic jam in a foreign country, during a kickboxing or Zumba class and when bravely reaching to follow up on a media mention or zoom call. 

Each of my Personal Board of Directors turned into a trusted friend I value.  We talk life, law, real estate, property rights, teaching, business, economics, technology.  What this all boils down to is we talk about how we can work together we work to make our world better this year and next.

Here are some examples of how your “Personal Board of Directors” may inspire you!  One of my Directors may suggest  I read a book by an economist, or a famous lawsuit, or a book on affordable housing demand, and then we make the time to discuss it and apply the lesson. 

Through scheduled “Think sessions†(Brainstorming-phone calls or zoom calls during covid time) a Director and I may come up with a new goal to meet.  A Director may simply remind me to exercise. Another Director may be my go-to-source when I have business questions for particular industry or country. One may quietly tell me, “your suggestion helped me achieve…”

Every time I talk with one of my Personal Board of Directors, I am inspired to take the next step.  This may mean: write a new blog, take a new interview, speak to a larger audience, add to my skill set, dream up a new goal and take on a new challenge to grow and become better.

As we arrive at the beginning of a new (and hopefully better!) year,  may you invite people, important to you, to join your “Personal Board of Directors” to help you have an even happier and more meaningful New Year!  

Suzanne Hollander is a real estate attorney, speaker, professor, broker and voice for property rights, real estate.  The U.S. Department of State appointed Suzanne to its Fulbright Specialist Roster as an Expert in Real Estate. In 2019, Suzanne was awarded U.S. Federal Funds to travel to Latin America to begin investigating Chinese Investment in Real Estate and Infrastructure.  Suzanne teaches real estate law at Florida International University Hollo School of Real Estate where she has taught thousands of students for over 10 years.  Suzanne also taught at NYU Schack Institute of Real Estate.

Nationally, Suzanne is a Board Member of Housing on Merit, a 501(c)(3) Nonprofit organization, committed to preserving and developing affordable housing nationwide, an Board Member of  RiskFootprint, a Property-Technology company quantifying environmental/ climate risks for  property, and, an Appointee to the National Diversity and Inclusion Task Force of Commercial Real Estate Women. 

Internationally, Suzanne is a member of Abogados de Bienes Raíces De Latam, a “Think Group” on repositioning Shopping Centers to respond to COVID.   Suzanne frequently gives speeches  and visits Peru, Brazil and Colombia as an Invited Real Attorney Expert.  In 2019, Suzanne was appointed to the Attorney Planning Committee, and a Speaker at the Annual Real Estate International Council of Shopping Center’s Latin American Real Estate Conference in Peru.  Suzanne also researches affordable housing, and, visits “squatter cities†in need of housing solutions and infrastructure in Peru, Brazil and throughout Latin America.

Fluent in Spanish and English, Suzanne is an invited attorney expert delivering speeches and moderating panels to private industry, universities and government entites on (1) real estate (2) housing/infrastructure development (3) urban and regional development and finance (4) shopping centers impact on regional economy and social issues (5) empowering women and advocating for diversity in business; (6) the importance of private property rights to wealth creation and promotion of democratic ideals and (7) strategies to build transparent legal and property systems to make real estate markets efficient and valuable to attract global allocation of wealth.  

In Miami, Suzanne is a Board Member of CREW Miami and 100 Women in Finance. Suzanne was Vice Chair of the Affordable Housing Advisory Board of the City of Miami Beach for 4 years.

Commercial Real Estate Women Network awarded Suzanne its Global Impact Award for Career Advancement for Women in 2018 and Globestreet recognized Suzanne as a Woman of Influence in Commercial Real Estate – Mentor Category 2019.

Suzanne’s comments on real estate, housing and property rights appear in Spanish, Portugese and English media, including Wall St. Journal Money Watch, YahooFinance!, The Mortgage Reports, Miami Herald, El Nuevo Herald, The Dallas Morning News, The Palm Beach Post,  Wallethub, The Real Deal, Bankrate, Mercado De Dinero USA, GlobeStreet, Scotsman Guide Commercial Real Estate edition, El Monterero, Peru and InfoMoney, Brazil.

Disclaimer: Professor Real Estate® written materials apply generally to real estate subjects and are not intended to apply to specific legal issues. 

Copyright 2020 ~ All rights reserved. ~ Professor Real Estate® Suzanne Hollander