Forty Over 40

Forty Women to Watch Over 40

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Forty Over 40 Asks: 9Qs for Tere Blanca, President and CEO of Blanca Commercial Real Estate

Welcome to the Forty Over 40 blog. Every week we spotlight one of our honorees and their thoughts on reinvention, mentorship and momentum…plus a peek into what makes them tick.

This week’s Q & A is with Tere Blanca, President and CEO of Blanca Commercial Real Estate. Tere launched her own boutique firm during the U.S. recession and has been consistently recognized by South Florida Business Journal as one of the top 25 commercial real estate firms South Florida.

1. What was a pivotal momentum of reinvention for you?

Deciding in December 2008 to leave a leadership position with a global firm to start my own business – and then launching Blanca Commercial Real Estate in April 2009.

2. What is your biggest goal right now?

To grow Blanca Commercial Real Estate’s footprint in Florida.

3. How do you unplug? How often do you unplug?

Boating; on Sundays with my family..connecting to nature in the ocean gives me clarity, peace and re-energizes me…

4. What challenge / achievement are you most proud of?

On the business side, it’s the success of my firm having celebrated our 5th anniversary and now enjoying the largest market share in our core business (landlord agency office leasing) in the key four largest submarkets in Miami. On the personal side, it has been raising two amazing daughters who are smart, caring, responsible and independent young adults.

5. What was the last business book you read?

How: Why How We Do Anything Means Everything by Dov Seidman

6. What cause do you most want to advance?

My work as Chair of City Year Miami, in support of our community’s K-12 education system. City Year is an education-focused, nonprofit organization that partners with public schools to help keep students in school and on track to graduate. Nearly one million students drop out of school every year, and 50 percent of those dropouts come from just 10 percent of schools. City Year fills a gap between what many students in high-poverty schools need to succeed, and what schools often have the resources to provide.

7. What is the best piece of advice you ever received?

Email is great but lots can get lost when you are not communicating face to face….have face to face communication with your team and clients as often as possible…it helps build long term loyal relationships.

8. What is your “keep me going” quote?

“Be the change that you wish to see in the world.” I am inspired by Gandhi’s life and especially this quote…I serve as Chair of City Year Miami and have built the culture of my firm with this in mind.

9. What is your secret indulgence?

Dark Chocolate

Check out Tere Blanca’s full 40 Over 40 profile here!

Whitney Johnson

Whitney Johnson

Whitney is the author of the acclaimed Dare, Dream, Do: Remarkable Things Happen When You Dare to Dream. She has been named on numerous Smart Thinkers and People to Follow lists by major media such as Inc. Magazine, Business Insider and Huffington Post and is quoted in Wall Street Journal, CNN, Fast Company, Forbes and more.
Whitney Johnson