Bauer of Crumbs Bakeshop launches Voda Bauer Real Estate with industry veteran Voda

Jason Bauer, founder of Crumbs Bakeshop, and New York City real estate veteran Avi Voda unvieled the launch of Voda Bauer Real Estate, a revolutionary full-service residential and commercial firm. "As founder and CEO of Crumbs, my goal was to create an iconic brand while cultivating a workplace environment unparalleled in the food industry," said Bauer. "Together with Avi, one of New York's top agents, we will create a successful real estate firm where corporate culture is as valued as agent productivity." Due to their shared philosophies, Voda Bauer decided to launch at WeWork, with headquarters at the WeWork Fulton Center location at 222 Broadway in Manhattan. "Both Voda Bauer and WeWork embrace the concepts of community, innovation and openness," Bauer said. "Our progressive office environment is one that is unique to traditional real estate firms, and a breath of fresh air in today's ultra-competitive New York City marketplace." Bauer founded Crumbs Bakeshop, the pioneer of the gourmet cupcake industry. The company started with a single location on Manhattan's Upper West Side in 2003, and grew to a nationwide chain of more than 75 stores in less than 10 years. In 2011, Bauer orchestrated the sale of Crumbs to a publicly traded company, leading to its listing on NASDAQ, while remaining a significant shareholder. That same year, he was awarded Ernst & Young's "Entrepreneur of the Year" award for his achievements. He plans to implement best practices learned from Crumbs in developing the Voda Bauer brand. "Combining Jason's phenomenal success as an entrepreneur with my longstanding real estate experience and relationships enables us to build a company that will transform the way the industry operates," Voda said. Previously, Voda was executive vice president at Douglas Elliman, having created the first team at the leading firm. With nearly 20 years in the industry, his experience spans residential and commercial real estate. One of his many areas of expertise is new developments, which he oversees from the early stages of selecting and purchasing properties through effectively marketing and selling. Focusing on properties in Manhattan and Brooklyn, Voda Bauer is breaking the traditional real estate model. The company fosters collaboration and best practices sharing among its agents and employees. All team members operate from a set of core values that emphasizes relationship building and individual growth through a cohesive program of professional development and career coaching. Agents will also have the opportunity to share their areas of expertise with colleagues during company meetings. Additionally, in a bold move distinctive from others in the industry, Voda Bauer is launching with a revenue sharing model where agents share in the company's top line revenue, regardless of company net income. Voda Bauer also has an investment sales division that will focus on brokering off market transactions as well as sourcing equity for investment opportunities. Bauer will also be investing his own funds in investment and development opportunities.