Retail Developer on the Rise
“You have to make sure you're surrounding yourself with mentors and people who allow you to stand up for yourself.”
When I asked Britney Mroczkowski what her ideal role would be, she said, “exactly what I am doing now.” Behind her, an image stands tall of a commercial construction project she is currently working on - The Marina Landings Town Center at Westshore Marina District, a formerly failed development her company acquired and will complete in December.
At 31 years old, Britney has risen from marketing assistant to a commercial real estate broker at Colliers International in Tampa to Vice President of Retail Development at BTI Partners. She faces countless dynamic challenges in the field to ensure that BTI’s retail development projects across Florida run smoothly and seamlessly. Currently she is working on the 52-acre master planned waterfront community Westshore Marina District in South Tampa which is home to Marina Landings.
Be Like Lisa
Britney is a Tampa native who graduated from Florida State University with a dual degree in real estate and marketing in 2011. She envisioned a fast start to her real estate career right after graduation but due to unfavorable market forces had to adjust her perspective. She worked hard just to get her foot in the door as a marketing assistant to a team of brokers at Colliers in Tampa.
Britney admits to having a strong personality which enabled her to communicated her motivated ambitions to her employer - this really helped propel her career further. While she acknowledges it is difficult to ask for what you want, she advises that this is often the only way to advance forward.
Once she became a broker, she was paired with Lisa McCaffrey, who became her mentor and business partner. Through this mentorship, she learned the skills necessary to land a job at BTI. Her only hesitation was leaving this mentorship behind, one that helped her grow into the role she is in now.
"I really hope that I can be a Lisa to someone in my future. She's an inspiration to me. It was hard to leave her when I chose to come to BTI. She had invested so much in me, but I also knew this opportunity was one that I couldn't turn down. She made such an impact on who I am as a person and gave me the foundation for everything I need, and I will forever be grateful to her.”
Be Ready for Obstacles
One of the biggest obstacles Britney faces is her young age since she has people working for her who are older. While this can sometimes create conflict, her advice is to treat everyone with the same amount of dignity and respect as she would expect for herself.
“You have to treat everyone with the respect that you would like to receive. Obviously, you're not always going to get it back. You’re not always going to be treated right, but when that happens you have to move on and learn something from it.”
She has gained recognition for her accomplishments despite her age, as this year she was announced as a 2020 Honoree for the Tampa Bay Business Journal 40 Under 40 award.
The nature of Britney’s business is often dependent on outside factors beyond the company walls. COVID-19 has impacted everyone including the real estate development industry. When the pandemic grew more serious, Britney was working on The Marina Landings within Westshore Marina District, her baby since she started at BTI two and a half years ago.
Britney was planning to begin moving retailers into the Town Center in March, but that's when retail started closing their doors. Then came the excruciating wait while the world readjusted to the realities of the new normal. The entire project plan had to be halted, reimagined, and readjusted.
Luckily, after the initial scare there was a surge in demand for new housing spaces. People started to move into completed residential developments within the project and the demand for new restaurants and shopping came back with them.
“A lot of mistakes have been made, but I've learned from each one. The amount of knowledge I've gained over the past two and a half years is more than I ever could have imagined.”
Heating Up
Britney loves what she does and has aspirations for growing her team at BTI, right now she is the only one working in retail development. She is also currently pursuing her Florida General Contractor’s License and is a member of the International Council of Shopping Centers and a Certified Commercial Investment Member (CCIM) designee.
In her free time, Britney enjoys being outside on the water with friends, traveling internationally, and spending time with her horse Matthew and dog Bandit. She has been to 32+ countries and can't wait to travel again post-COVID. You can follow Britney's adventures on her social channels:
– Instagram
– Facebook
– LinkedIn
