Meet Elle Dominguez | Commercial Real Estate Professional and Mom Blogger

We had the good fortune of connecting with Elle Dominguez and we’ve shared our conversation below.

Hi Elle, where are your from? We’d love to hear about how your background has played a role in who you are today?
I am originally from the Dominican Republic and immigrated here with my family when I was 3. Like many who come to the United States, my parents were looking to provide us with a better life and worked tirelessly to achieve their goals. They made a lot of sacrifices, often putting themselves last, but at the core of it all was family, love, respect, and integrity – all values I carry with me, and today instill in my daughter.

Watching my parents run their own businesses, purchase their first home, their first multi-family building – all with 3 small kids and without having strong command of English was and still is inspiring. Having a front seat to their successes and failures gave me the strong work ethic and drive that I’ve carried throughout my professional career. It also provided me with an entrepreneurial mindset that I have never been able to shake after 20+ years in corporate America.

Alright, so let’s move onto what keeps you busy professionally?
I have been in commercial real estate as a manager for about 18 years now. The majority of my career I spent with 3 of top global firms and most recently worked for a high profile commercial developer. In retrospect, having helped my parents build their real estate portfolio this career path was a given for me. For better or worse, it also became a HUGE part of my identity since I have been doing it for so long. I remember being on maternity leave preparing budgets and sitting in construction meetings for a major project with my daughter in my arms so I wouldn’t be out of the loop when I returned from leave (because I wanted to, not because it was required of me). With that level of dedication, a lot of sacrifice, hard work, and an amazing support system I have won several industry awards for my work, including property manager of the year, which is the one I am most proud of since I earned this after becoming a mom.

Commercial real estate is not for the weak – the hours are long, the people can be cutthroat, and you need to know how to pivot at the drop of a dime. The thing that has kept me sane and focused throughout the years is having a positive attitude. I truly believe that in life you need to always look for the light in the darkness. It is also important to continue learning so that you can continue to grow. Most recently I learned that experience and accolades mean nothing if you are not in the right place. Also while making money is great, it won’t bring the same satisfaction as good culture does. It’s important to be where you are valued and where it is possible to have a healthy work/life balance.

This year has probably been the most difficult for me professionally because I simply did not have either of the latter, but I didn’t come this far just to come this far. I am a single mom to an amazing little girl that thinks the world of me and it really opened my eyes some months back when she said that I liked talking to my “workers” more than her. So I stopped working all hours of the day/night and started to give her more quality time. I also started blogging earlier this year to help other busy moms having similar experiences juggling countless responsibilities while trying to maintain some semblance of balance in their lives. This is how MamaLuxeLife was born! We empower mothers by offering practical tips and resources that can seamlessly fit into their hectic lifestyles. Moms generally put themselves last and we want to gently help change that.

Any places to eat or things to do that you can share with our readers? If they have a friend visiting town, what are some spots they could take them to?
First I want to say, I love playing tour guide! South Florida is such a vibrant community with so much to offer so for a week long trip we would definitely do a tri-county tour catered to their preferences. Most of my friends have kids so most things on the itinerary are kid-friendly, with exception of drinks. I have a great sitter for those outings lol.

Starting in Miami, we would have a bougie beach day on Miami Beach at Faena, or spend an afternoon in Coconut Grove or the Design District. We would probably also visit Zoo Miami, Perez Art Museum, Tinez or Pintos Farm, or take a sunset boat tour for additional fun with the kids. For food/drinks we would probably check out Il Gabbiano, Casa Neos, Giselle, Cote, Kyu, Joe’s Stone Crab, Stubborn Seed, Pastis, Naked Farmer, Carbonne, Boia De, or Gekko. Miami has some great eats!

In Broward, we would have a chill beach day on Fort Lauderdale or Deerfield Beach, catch an airboat ride in the Everglades, do lunch on a boat at Casa Sensei, or visit some of my local favorites like Butterfly World, Bonnet House Museum and Gardens, or Museum of Discovery and Science. For food/drinks we would definitely go to Matarranos, JB’s on the Beach, Ethos Greek Bistro, Sirocco, s3, Nubé, TRP Taste, or Rooftop at 1WLO.

In Palm Beach, we would spend a day on Peanut Island, Downtown Clematis, or City Place. Other favorites are the Palm Beach Zoo or McCarthys Wildlife Sanctuary. For food/drinks, RH, Spruzzo, and Galley are a must. I also really like Agora Mediterranean Kitchen, Avocado Grill, and E.R. Bradley’s.

Who else deserves some credit and recognition?
I want to give a shout out to my parents and sisters, as well as my daughter, Ava Maria. Life just wouldn’t be what it is without them!

Website: https://www.mamaluxeonline.com

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