MESSAGE 10: ROBERT HERJAVEC

Robert Herjavec

Founder & CEO, Herjavec Group; Leading ‘Shark’ on ABC’s ‘Shark Tank’

Question:  As a leader, what is your message to Americans who are frightened about the future due to the Coronavirus?

Message: My advice to all Americans right now is to know that there is light at the end of the tunnel. It may be long, and uncertain but there is light and we will get there.

While we are living in this time of uncertainty, I’m finding a lot of comfort in 3 key words – (1) honesty, (2) resilience and (3) trigger.

First - Be honest with your employees, your landlords, your bank and each other. People want bad news sooner than later and would rather you be transparent about the economic impacts of uncertainty or about your ability to pay certain things like rent. Communicate, be upfront and be honest.

Second - We are incredibility resilient as human beings. Any small business owner knows this time is about survival and you have to do what it takes right now to bounce back. It will take time but have confidence in your ability to rebound.

Lastly, recognize the trigger points in your business when it’s time to pull back, or when it’s time to invest further.

I truly feel a sense of optimism about our ability to rebound from this. Just focus on that light at the end of the tunnel.

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Robert Herjavec is one of North America’s most recognizable business leaders. A dynamic entrepreneur, Robert has built and sold several IT companies including his current enterprise cybersecurity firm – Herjavec Group. Robert’s motivational business advice has received millions of impressions through TV, print, radio and digital media. He shares his expertise with other entrepreneurs each week as a leading Shark on ABC’s Emmy Award-winning hit show, Shark Tank.

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Photo: Lesley Bryce

MESSAGE 4: GEORGE LEONE

George Leone

Co-Founder & COO, Corner Lot Development Group

Question:  As a leader, what is your message to Americans who are frightened about the future due to the Coronavirus?

Message: In these unprecedented times it's hard to focus on what's important (definitely not toilet paper).  I remind myself daily to pray, be thankful for my life and family and to always keep working because it takes hard work to move forward toward better days ahead.

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George Leone began his seventeen-year career in real estate after graduating from Florida State University class of 2001. His ambition quickly led him to real estate development where he began his thirteen years at Toll Brothers ending as the Vice President of Land Development. In 2005 George relocated to Jacksonville, FL, where he oversaw development projects amounting in over $500 million in Central and North Florida, South Carolina and North Carolina where he regularly managed over forty different consultants and contractors. In 2016, George started Leone Development to pursue his ambition of creating a leading real estate development company in the southeast United States. Over the years, George has built a great reputation for understanding development constraints, being solution oriented and building great teams for the successful execution of land development projects. The culmination of George’s experience led him to partner with Andy in creating Corner Lot Development Group wherein it's first year sold 220 lots to local and national builders. In his personal life, George enjoys an active role with his wife Irena in raising their three children; Anthony, Jordan, and Isla.

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Photo: Courtesy George Leone

MESSAGE 3: ANDY ALLEN

Andy Allen

Co-Founder & CEO, Corner Lot Development Group

Question:  As a leader, what is your message to Americans who are frightened about the future due to the Coronavirus?

Message: Thankfully, Main Street has more emphasis than Wall Street in this generation.  We have seen more people come together during this pandemic to support one another more than anytime in our history.  Initial panic is scary, but we are the home of the brave and the land of the free.  Let's not forget that. It takes bravery to be free.  This same bravery was seen on the shores of Normandy, in the dust of our towers, and everyday fighting for our families.  Finally, WE are one nation under God, we got this!

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A native of Jacksonville, Andy Allen attended Jacksonville University where he earned the President’s Award (Scholar Athlete Award) for the graduating class of 2003. Andy majored in Finance and minored in Marketing and was a Cleveland Golf Academic All-American. Andy has been involved in almost every aspect of the real estate industry throughout the past 15 years. He started Corner Lot Properties in 2009 where he conducted commercial, multi-family and land transactions and quickly became the largest real estate wholesaler in Northeast Florida showing over $1billion of real estate including acquisition, disposition, sales and development. From 2011-2014, Andy's companies facilitated the largest Residential REIT, American Homes 4 Rent, with its acquisition, rehab and management of its Northeast Florida market. This spawned Heritage Holdings, his own residential portfolio of 1,100 SFR houses, in Northeast Florida which is one of the largest in Duval County. Through natural progression, Corner Lot Development Group (CLDG) was formed in 2017 and developed over $15 million in commercial and SFR subdivisions in its first year.  Currently, CLDG is a leader in the marketplace focused on developing lots allowing for affordable priced homes to continue to exist. In 2015, he was included in Jacksonville Business Journal’s 40 under 40. Andy is the best in the business at identifying undervalued assets. Outside of real estate, Andy is one of the top amateur golfers in Jacksonville and enjoys Gator & Jaguar football. He cherishes spending time with his wife Kristen and his two children Ava and Payne.

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Photo: Courtesy Andy Allen

MESSAGE 1: JUSTIN M. HIGGINS

Justin M. Higgins

Founder, JM-Higgins Realty & JM-Higgins Law

Question:  As a leader, what is your message to Americans who are frightened about the future due to the Coronavirus?

Message:  My message would be that America and its people have always been, and will always be, the most resilient Earth has ever known.  While the dark clouds of COVID-19 currently cover our country, and have frightened many, including me, I know, and all Americans should know, that the sun will soon shine through again, it always does.  In trying times like these, it is important, if not essential, for the most courageous among us to open their hearts and extend their hands to those in need.  I am already seeing this in my hometown of Jacksonville, Florida, where family members are helping family members, neighbors are helping neighbors, colleagues are helping colleagues, and strangers are helping strangers.  Coronavirus, in all its awfulness, is quickly bringing a divided America together, which to me, is already a sign that things are moving in the right direction.  America will be back again! 

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Justin M. Higgins is the Founder and Managing Member of JM-Higgins Realty (https://www.jm-higginsrealty.com/) and JM-Higgins Law. Prior to founding his own businesses, Mr. Higgins worked for Lendlease, a global real estate development, construction and investment firm, where he held legal, project management and property management roles. Earlier, he was an attorney for Deutsche Bank, a global investment bank, with a focus on servicing the firm’s hedge fund clientele.

In March 2020, he founded a digital questionnaire series called, AMERICA WILL BE BACK!, Messages from leaders to Americans experiencing COVID-19 adversity. The series can be found on Twitter @A_W_B_B.

In 2016, he founded a digital interview series called, The Life Advice Guide, Insights for Young Adults from Stars of Business and Beyond. The series, which can be found at www.justinmhiggins.com, featured: Larry Summers (former Secretary of the Treasury under President Bill Clinton); Robert Herjavec (‘Shark’ on ABC’s Shark Tank); Chris Sacca (billionaire venture capitalist); Anthony Scaramucci (former White House Communications Director under President Donald J. Trump); Arianna Huffington (Founder of The Huffington Post); Robert Wolf (former Chairman and CEO of the American arm of global investment bank UBS); and many more.

In years 2014-2017 and 2019, Mr. Higgins was invited to and attended the invitation-only SkyBridge Alternatives (SALT) Conference (www.salt.org), the leading alternative investment event in the world, as one of its youngest delegates. In 2019, Mr. Higgins participated in the exclusive SALT Young Leaders Circle (SYLC), which was comprised of emerging professionals from around the world, representing the worlds of business, politics, technology and philanthropy.

Mr. Higgins is a former Division I soccer player and holds Bachelor of Arts and Juris Doctor degrees. He is a licensed Florida real estate broker and attorney.

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Photo: Courtesy Justin M. Higgins