Legacy 2015 Miami: Top Black Educators Issue | Page 13

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ADDITIONAL PAGE FOR THE DIGITAL VERSION OF LEGACY MIAMI BY MIA MEDIA & COMMUNICATIONS GROUP

MONDAY, AUGUST 31, 2015

Lost in the City? Where to find Opportunities in South Florida

By Fabiola Fleuranvil

South Florida is a region of contrasts.
On one hand, the rapidly growing skyline of
massive towers signals an influx of affluence
and wealth, mostly from international
buyers. But, on the other hand, a recent
article reminds us of the reality that South
Florida is among one of the least affordable
housing markets for recent graduates, which
hints that the average South Floridian isn’t
getting paid enough to comfortably afford to
live here.
It’s not all hype that South Florida is hot
right now…because we are. We’re quickly
becoming one of the coolest regions for
millennials and receiving a lot of recognition
for our growing entrepreneurship and tech
scene. But the truth is that many young
professionals: do feel lost and uncertain of
how to make it and climb the ladder; are
paying more to live here and probably saving
less; don’t feel like their career options are as
competitive as other metro areas. Reasons
why talent retention has become such a key
topic among the business, community and
local leaders.
However, perhaps the greatest

challenge is that people just don’t
understand how to navigate South Florida
to discover the opportunities that are
available. There are things you can do
here, in a fairly reasonable amount of
time, to build your movement, create a
name for yourself, and get in the right
circles that would be close to impossible to
do in New York, Chicago, or Washington,
D.C. That’s because those cities have
deep circles that take an even deeper
network, the right contacts, and more
money to penetrate and make a fit for
yourself. When you find a lane here, you
can dominate it. Not every metro area can
claim that. So where are the opportunities
in South Florida for young professionals,
and how do you make something happen?
Get involved and network with various
groups like YPN Miami and YPN Broward.
Get out, explore the scene and meet
people. This is an area where you have
to be proactive to get connected and find
opportunity. You need to understand the
changing landscape and see where there’s
a fit for you. It’s so easy to be a stranger in

your own city and not see the gems that
are right before your eyes.
Take the housing market for example.
This is the time to be investing at the
ground level, but not in the areas that you
would think. While Brickell and Midtown
are bursting out of the seams, and
Wynwood, Overtown, and Little Haiti are
quickly changing, guess where you should
be looking… Liberty City, Allapattah, and
even Little Havana. Those are the next
hotspots. In Broward make sure you check
out Pompano Beach, Miramar, Pembroke
Pines, and Fort Lauderdale. Everyone
wants to live, work and play close to the
city, and those neighborhoods can get you
Downtown in a matter of minutes and with
little traffic. There are still properties that are
pretty cheap, and money can be made by
renovating them and selling for a profit, or
holding in anticipation of future growth.
Real estate is not your thing? Then
what about entrepreneurship? Our tech and
entrepreneurship scene is surging, and don’t
think of this as being an opportunity for only
techies. You should be using your professional

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expertise and passion to consult, create a
service and/or build a side business.
Miami and all of South Florida are the
new hotspots and everyone wants to live
here. There’s no better place to start making
things happen than in cities where things are
on the cusp.

Fabiola Fleuranvil
Blueprint Creative Group
The Branding Experts
www.BlueprintCreativeGroup.com