Molly Silvia 

VP, Performance Management, Nickerson 

How many years have you been in the industry?   

I started my career in real estate marketing immediately out of college, so I’ve been working in the industry nearly ten years. Previously, I worked at a residential brokerage in Washington, DC that was acquired by Compass.   

What’s one piece of advice you’d give to someone entering CRE?   

Be a sponge, learn as much as you can, and don’t hesitate to rely on the expertise of others. There are so many facets to real estate and having a strong network of peers who are experts in their fields can help you excel in your role. The real estate industry is small, so do not hesitate to build meaningful relationships, share your knowledge with others, and find creative ways to immerse yourself in the industry.   

What’s your favorite thing about real estate?   

I find the continuous, changing dynamics of the real estate landscape fascinating. Whether change is implemented through policy, social initiatives, or technology, I appreciate the intricacies of the ever-evolving real estate landscape. In particular, I’ve loved to see how prop-tech and climate-tech have started to shift the industry, and I’ve been excited to work with a handful of clients who have developed new technologies that could be game changers in the real estate space.  

What’s your biggest career accomplishment?   

Throughout my time at Nickerson, I’ve seen our roles with our partners shift from the execution of PR and marketing initiatives to consultative guidance. As we have continued to build meaningful relationships, our clients have come to see Nickerson as a strategic partner, who can support go-to-market and growth strategy development, internal messaging and communications, rebrandings, and leadership positioning. This increased request for our strategic industry expertise has been a testament to our full team’s performance, and their knowledge, and is certainly my greatest accomplishment to date within my role as VP, Performance Management.  

Why do you find ULI valuable?   

ULI has been crucial to me as I have continued to expand my professional network and grow my industry expertise. As Co-Chair of WLI Steering Committee and a member of WLI Council, Programs Committee and YLG, I’ve appreciated the opportunity to connect with a diverse group of industry professionals who have deep knowledge as subject matter experts in their fields. This network, coupled with the candid, thoughtful conversations we have at ULI meetings and events, have made the organization invaluable to me.  

What are you reading, watching, or listening to now?   

I have a habit of swapping back and forth between one professional book, followed by one ‘guilty pleasure’ book. I recently finished Set Boundaries, Find Peace, which was a great book on establishing boundaries within your relationships to remain authentic to yourself. I’m currently reading the sci-fi novel Dune.