2019 Women in Real Estate: Jessica Vilmenay, Schuckman Realty Inc.

Name: Jessica Vilmenay

Title: Managing Director | Associate Real Estate Broker

Company Name: Schuckman Realty Inc.

Association/Organization Affiliations: ICSC 

What is your favorite motivational quote?
“Finding opportunity is a matter of believing it’s there.” ~ Barbara Corcoran. I find this particularly true in our ever-changing retail real estate world. We constantly must find new and creative ways to drive business. With stores going dark and daily reports of bankruptcy, we must seek opportunity, and be flexible in our mindset. For example, we are seeing medical uses and entertainment tenants filling the void left by traditional brick and mortar tenants. Landlords are now willing to consider uses that they may never have considered in the past. There is always opportunity for the persistent, patient and creative.

Who inspired you to join the CRE industry and why?
I was inspired to join the CRE industry by my associates at Schuckman, where I was working as a receptionist. I had no aspirations of being a broker when I started, but I found the industry fascinating and the energy in the office exhilarating. Working with our founder, Stanley Schuckman, and his son Kenneth, our president, I learned at a rapid pace and recognized the opportunities that were in front of me. As a result, I received my real estate salesperson license and shortly thereafter became an associate broker. 

What is the best advice you have received, and who was it from?
In the challenging world of CRE there is no shortage of advice–some good, some not so good. On a personal note, I have to say that my father has been influential and objective and allowed me to move forward in a successful way, intended as life lessons his advice easily translates into business. It is particularly inspirational because despite many bumps in the road, my father still works full time in his late 60’s. The most valuable lesson I could impart would be to always move forward and strive to be your best.