Women Influencers

In this inspiring episode of Women Influencers, I sit down with Tina Thakkar, president of J. Sterling’s Wellness Spa and a trailblazing entrepreneur. Tina shares her incredible journey from growing up in a small town in India to building a thriving spa franchise in Orlando, Florida.Tina opens up about the cultural challenges she faced as an immigrant in the U.S. and Canada, including learning a new language and adapting to unfamiliar environments. She details her pivot from a career in microbiology and IT to becoming a business owner, all while balancing family life and raising two daughters.Tina shares how she and her husband left their high-paying IT jobs to pursue their dream of entrepreneurship, starting with one spa location and growing to five successful locations with plans for more. She talks about the financial and emotional challenges they overcame and the faith, hard work, and family support that kept them going.Throughout the conversation, Tina emphasizes the importance of saving money wisely, staying disciplined, and inspiring the next generation. She also shares her passion for empowering other women through J. Sterling’s franchise opportunities, inviting aspiring entrepreneurs to take the leap and build their own businesses."Spend your money wisely." – Tina ThakkarConnect with Veronica:https://www.capstackcommercial.com/veronica-malolos-ccimhttps://www.linkedin.com/in/veronica-malolos-ccim-401649218/Connect with Tina:https://jsterlings.com/#womeninbusiness #CRE #commercialrealestate #businesspodcast #realestatepodcast #commercialbroker #entrepreneur #CCIM #Welness #Spa #JSterling

In this empowering episode of Women Influencers, I sit down with Tressa LoVasco, founder of LoVasco Creative Group, a digital marketing firm specializing in commercial real estate. Tressa opens up about her journey from growing up in a large Italian family in Detroit to becoming an entrepreneur and a mother. She shares how her supportive family and mentors helped her navigate life’s challenges, and how her passion for design and business led her to build a thriving company.Tressa discusses the leap she took to start her own business, the risks involved, and the role faith played in guiding her through tough decisions. She also talks about the struggles of balancing motherhood with running a company, and how she’s learned to focus on inch-by-inch progress rather than trying to do it all at once.Throughout the conversation, Tressa emphasizes the importance of mentorship, supporting others, and making intentional choices to preserve one's identity while nurturing family and career. Her insights into leading with faith and vision are inspiring for any woman looking to make a meaningful impact in both her personal and professional life."Inch by inch." – Tressa LoVascoConnect with Veronica:https://www.capstackcommercial.com/veronica-malolos-ccimhttps://www.linkedin.com/in/veronica-malolos-ccim-401649218/Connect with Tressa:https://www.linkedin.com/in/tressalovasco/https://www.lovascocreativegroup.com/#womeninbusiness #CRE #commercialrealestate #businesspodcast #realestatepodcast #commercialbroker #entrepreneur #CCIM #marketing

In this inspiring episode of Women Influencers, I speak with John Crossman, CCIM, a well-known commercial real estate expert, philanthropist, and advocate for social change. John shares his unique journey from growing up in a working-class family with civil rights leaders as parents to becoming a successful real estate professional and educator. His commitment to supporting historically black colleges, women's empowerment, and mental health awareness is deeply rooted in his upbringing and experiences.John discusses the impact of his parents' activism, the importance of diversity in real estate, and his personal passion for bridging gaps in education and opportunity. He emphasizes the power of mentorship and advocates for both men and women in leadership roles to create safe spaces and empower marginalized groups.Throughout the episode, John stressed the significance of making meaningful contributions through personal sacrifice, like supporting scholarships for women and minorities, and cherishing deep, positive relationships. His advice is grounded in making a real impact in the world by focusing on what truly matters.“Sacrifice to Make Impact.” – John CrossmanConnect with Veronica:https://www.capstackcommercial.com/veronica-malolos-ccimhttps://www.linkedin.com/in/veronica-malolos-ccim-401649218/Connect with John:https://www.linkedin.com/in/jcrossman/#womeninbusiness #CRE #commercialrealestate #businesspodcast #realestatepodcast #commercialbroker #entrepreneur #CCIM

This week on Women Influencers, we compiled three of the great questions my guests have asked me. I am honored to have the opportunity to chat with amazing, influential women on the podcast and it is always an honor to consider and respond to insightful inquiries.Kenisha Robnett asked me about our rebrand from CapitalStack to Capstack.Barbu Reuter asked me about what I learned from the adversity I have faced in my life.Tiffany English asked me what I have learned about myself through the course of my career.Watch to find out how I answered!#womeninbusiness #CRE #commercialrealestate #businesspodcast #realestatepodcast #commericalbroker #entrepreneur

Beth Azor: Canvassing QueenThis week, I had the honor of speaking with Beth Azor, a commercial real estate veteran with nearly 40 years of experience. Beth shares her inspiring journey from growing up in a family of entrepreneurs in Wisconsin to becoming a commercial real estate mogul in Florida. Despite initially resisting the real estate path, Beth found her way into the industry through unique experiences, like working for a shopping center developer.Throughout her career, Beth has focused on inclusivity—especially for women—helping them break into an industry that once had limited space for female professionals. She’s now on a mission to encourage more women to invest in commercial real estate, offering practical training and inspiration through her Women’s Investment Summit. For more information, visit azoracademy.com, and don't miss Beth's upcoming Women’s Investment Summit on March 13-14, 2025, where you can connect, learn, and tour properties with some of the most generous and inspiring women in real estate.The conversation touches on leadership, continuous learning, and Beth’s motto: “It’s not who you know—it’s who knows you.” This episode is packed with wisdom, inspiration, and practical insights for anyone looking to grow in business, real estate, or personal development."Follow your instincts.” - Beth AzorConnect with Veronica:https://www.capstackcommercial.com/veronica-malolos-ccimhttps://www.linkedin.com/in/veronica-malolos-ccim-401649218/Connect with Beth:bethazor.comazoracademy.com#womeninbusiness #CRE #commercialrealestate #businesspodcast #realestatepodcast #commercialbroker #entrepreneur #CCIM #canvassing

This week, I had the pleasure of speaking with Edie Weintraub, an inspiring entrepreneur and broker from Atlanta. Edie specializes in placemaking—blending culinary concepts and culture to create vibrant food halls. She shared her unique journey, from studying biology and working as a dental assistant to diving into hospitality and ultimately founding her real estate firm, Terra Alma.Edie’s passion for hospitality, creativity, and people shaped her career. Early on, she thrived as a nightclub promoter and restaurant worker, embracing fast-paced environments. Encouraged by her father, she pivoted to real estate, finding her niche in retail by combining her love of hospitality with property development.Our conversation touched on the importance of curating meaningful partnerships and aligning with clients who share similar values. Edie also opened up about the challenges of entrepreneurship—like the loneliness of starting a business and the difficulty of rebuilding pipelines after leaving established firms."We should listen much more than we speak" – Edie WeintraubConnect with Veronica:https://www.capstackcommercial.com/veronica-malolos-ccimhttps://www.linkedin.com/in/veronica-malolos-ccim-401649218/Connect with Edie:https://www.edieeverywhere.com/https://www.linkedin.com/in/edieweintraub/#womeninbusiness #CRE #commercialrealestate #businesspodcast #realestatepodcast #commercialbroker #entrepreneur #CCIM 

As we hunker down in preparation for Hurricane Milton's imminent landfall, we have decided to postpone this week's episode of Women Influencers. I am praying for everyone in the storm’s path. Stay safe and take care! 💙🌧️

Amazing! I had the chance to speak with Traci Miller this week on my podcast, Women Influencers. She is the Senior VP of Corporate Communications at Miller Construction, where she started in 1993 as the office manager. She also gives motivational talks and serves on the executive committee of the Greater Fort Lauderdale Alliance Board of Directors, the boards of Commercial Industrial Association of South Florida (CIASF), Rebuilding Together Broward County, Big Brothers Big Sisters of Broward County, and on the United Way of Broward’s Women United Leadership Council, in addition to several other boards.We discussed how her father and uncle founded Miller Construction, and how she ended up working there out of necessity after going through a divorce with two young children. Over the years, she has worked her way up the ladder to SVP. We discussed how an important part of her success is her willingness to voice what she wants, as it is easy to be overlooked and not considered for opportunities when you never say what you’re working towards.We discussed her charitable involvement with Women on the Verge, which has awarded nearly half a million dollars in scholarships over the last 10 years. Then she gave some advice, and asked me about my recent commercial real estate acquisition.“Write a letter to your younger self.” - Traci MillerConnect with Veronica:https://www.capstackcommercial.com/veronica-malolos-ccimhttps://www.linkedin.com/in/veronica-malolos-ccim-401649218/Connect with Traci:https://www.linkedin.com/in/tracidmiller/#womeninbusiness #CRE #commercialrealestate #businesspodcast #realestatepodcast #commercialbroker #entrepreneur #CCIM #construction

Amazing! I had the chance to speak with Diego Leiva, a successful bilingual/bicultural entrepreneur and business professional with over five decades of experience working in international business ventures, diversified investments, commercial real estate business and currently a Partner/ CIO and Asset Management Officer with the Joe Williams Land Bank Fund, a Fund investing $150 million on land acquisition and entitlement process to achieve the best and highest use for these properties. We discussed the culture shock he experienced at the age of 15 when he immigrated to New York City from Cuba. Diego’s dream of being an astronaut led him to apply to NYU’s School of Engineering, and you’ll have to tune in to the podcast to hear the intriguing story of how he ended up with a full-ride scholarship to NYU’s Business School.We discussed how Diego’s entrepreneurial spirit led him to start and sell several businesses, create prepaid calling cards, and how he finally settled into the Commercial Real Estate business in 2006. “Limitations Are in Your Head.” - Diego LeivaConnect with Veronica:https://www.capstackcommercial.com/veronica-malolos-ccimhttps://www.linkedin.com/in/veronica-malolos-ccim-401649218/Connect with Diego:https://www.linkedin.com/in/diego-leiva-5b955a/#womeninbusiness #CRE #commercialrealestate #businesspodcast #realestatepodcast #commercialbroker #entrepreneur #CCIM

Wow! I had the chance to speak with Dr. Laurel Mellin, PhD this week on Women Influencers and we had a great discussion about the neuroscience behind joy. Dr. Mellin is a health psychologist who founded and developed emotional brain training. She is an associate clinical professor of family and community medicine and pediatrics at the University of California San Francisco. Dr. Mellin has authored papers on the science and efficacy of EBT and is a New York Times bestselling author of four books on the method.We discussed how she grew up with both parents and had a normal life until she finished her undergraduate at UC Berkeley in just 3 years, married her childhood sweetheart at 21, and had a baby at 23. Unfortunately, the baby passed away and Dr. Mellin was scarred from surgery as a result and was given the news that she would not be able to have more children. Since her plans on being a mother of 4 children and enjoying married life were interrupted, she went to graduate school in nutrition and after a while decided to invest all her time in trying to cure obesity. 6 months into her new job as a professor at UC San Francisco, she became pregnant. You’ll have to tune in to hear her incredible story!We discussed Emotional Brain Training (EBT) and how just a few simple steps and encouragement from a group of people can cure things like obesity by allowing you to achieve neural integration - or in layman’s terms: Joy.“You can make a major shift in your life.” - Dr. Laurel Mellin, PhDConnect with Veronica:https://www.capstackcommercial.com/veronica-malolos-ccimhttps://www.linkedin.com/in/veronica-malolos-ccim-401649218/Connect with Dr. Mellin:https://www.ebtconnect.net/https://www.linkedin.com/in/laurelmellin/#womeninbusiness #CRE #commercialrealestate #businesspodcast #realestatepodcast #commercialbroker #entrepreneur #CCIM #EmotionalBrainTherapy #Joy #neuroscience