Take the Risk or Lose the Chance was my theme for 2017! This past year, I was presented with a tremendous opportunity that involved moving over a thousand miles and leaving what had been a source of stability for many years. The opportunity involved a major step-up in my academic career as well as access to a whole new network for creative, research, and business endeavors. Of course, making moves requires taking on risks that could otherwise be avoided; but as they say, one can’t steal second while keeping a foot on first! These opportunities do not just come randomly or that often, thus If I turned it down, it may never come back. In short, either I would take the risk, or lose the chance. I took the risk!

This is my first post in over a year, 2017 was a great year of transition and opportunity, but little time for blogging, and this shall change in 2018. First, a personal update (i.e, what I was alluding to above). I have joined New York University’s Schack Institute of Real Estate as the Academic Director and as a Clinical Assistant Professor of Real Estate. This is an exciting new post in the senior leadership team of what is objectively the best academic real estate program in the nation if not the world. I work with an amazing team and am now located in the center of the real estate and finance world, New York City. This move was somewhat quick and unexpected; and of course had to leave Orlando and the University of Central Florida, a city and institution that prepared me and helped me develop for over 15 years.

While every person and situation is unique, I encourage you to take risks when big opportunities are presented. Especially when the upside is high and more or less probable and the downside is limited and unlikely. In truth, I knew UCF and Orlando were too limited for the size of my ambition and ability, but was unsure what to do about it. Thankfully, NYU’s headhunter found me, and in retrospect everything looks divinely orchestrated. In fact, so much of the course of my life now “makes sense”, but for this to be so it required me act boldly in the face of challenge and opportunity at critical points. I realized, taking the risk was always the best choice.

While it has been a busy year, there was still time for photography. First rule of photographing Manhattan, leave Manhattan. The main photo is from the balcony of a high rise apartment in New Jersey and the others from the DUMBO area of Brooklyn. The last one is from Washington Square where NYU’s main campus is located. More to come so stay tuned!

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