Eighteen years old and laid up with a broken leg, Telek pondered her future and chose a career in real estate. It was no great stretch; her mother is in residential sales and her father is in construction. But after selling residential properties in California, Telek moved to Florida, where she earned a degree in finance and then began work in industrial warehouse sales. She closed 30 transaction sides worth $30 million in 2005.
Make room for industry: "There's a scarcity of land for industrial use," says the Hungarian-born Telek, noting many cities have shifted their master plan to include more residential, office, and retail. Telek serves on the board of the Industrial Association of Dade County and educates community leaders about the importance of the industrial market.
Matchmaker, matchmaker: "I look at this business as a game of matchmaker," says Telek. "I enjoy learning about a company's needs and how it's run. Then I apply that information to help it find a new location."
Girls rule: Telek says the stereotypical industrial salesperson is a 40-year-old man who's been in the business for years. That works to her advantage, she says. "Clients like fresh faces, and I know what I'm talking about."