Daisy Okas 2013

Name: Daisy Okas Title: Director Company: Besen & Associates Location: New York, NY Birthplace: Southampton, NY College: Boston University First job outside of real estate: In high school I worked for a men's clothing store but after college I went right in to public relations, working for a boutique firm that represented magazines and fashion clients. My favorite account was New York Magazine; I got to read the articles before the issue hit newsstands. First job in real estate or allied field: Besen is my first real estate job. I transitioned from PR less than two years ago. What do you do now and what are you planning for the future? Investment sales. I live in Brooklyn and spent the first year canvassing most of that borough, with a focus on development sites and changing neighborhoods like Bed-Stuy and Crown Heights. I'm now doing sales in Manhattan and think these two boroughs will keep me plenty busy for a while. Hobbies: Jewelry-making, yoga, dog rescue. I used to sew - I have made a few quilts -- although my sewing machine is pretty dusty these days. Real estate doesn't leave much time for hobbies! Favorite book: The Color of Water by James McBride. An autobiography/tribute to his widowed mother who raised 12 children, all of whom went to college. Favorite movie: As with my taste in books, I love documentaries about real people. The Philosopher Kings is about janitors and their take on life. These folks don't get much attention, but actually have a lot of wisdom to share. Keys to success: Persistence. Person(s) you most admire (outside of family): I admire anyone who can admit when they are wrong. I'm also amazed by musicians who stand the test of time. - Tina Turner, Mick Jagger, Robert Plant. The Who blew me away at the recent 12/12/12 concert for Hurricane Sandy. If you had to choose another vocation, what would it be? I've had enough career change in the past few years. I'll be sticking with real estate for the foreseeable future!