Nick Smoot

Biografía: Nick is a multidisciplinary leader with over 20 years of experience in community and economic transformation across 15 states and 7 countries. He specializes in solving complex issues related to social sciences and economics. Nick has provided guidance on the development and adaptive reuse of 8 real estate campuses, including the transformation of a “problem child campus” within a town, turning it into the highest-priced per square foot for commercial use. Additionally, he spearheaded the transformation of an old Lowe’s into a mixed-use facility now leased by Burning Man’s primary maker space, two colleges, and high-tech companies. His driving passion is to turn human flourishing into the ultimate amenity present in every single real estate space, which fuels his work and has driven the development of award-winning programs that activate communities and economies in a way that generates demand for “concrete.” His work has gained recognition from Bloomberg, the Milken Institute, SXSW, and others for challenging the status quo and advocating for a shift that harmonizes human needs with market demands. Nick is renowned for his unique economic model and custom programs that genuinely prioritize people while still delivering exceptional returns. In one city, Nick’s work resulted in 350+ patents, the establishment of 5 new schools, the creation of 740+ jobs, and the securing of over $360 million in funding for new companies. He also initiated the largest single-state education initiative for Apple Inc. and spearheaded 3 adaptive reuse projects. The city saw a remarkable 160.77% increase in rent prices, a 19.1% reduction in poverty rates, and a rise of 24 spots in the list of best-performing cities. It was cited as the number 2 spot in the US for new companies per capita. In a survey of 18 property managers, there was a vacancy rate of less than 1% across their 5,536 units. Nick champions a purpose-driven future and encourages us to confront our shortcomings head-on, raising questions about whether we have forgotten the true purpose of real estate campuses and towers. He believes a new movement is emerging, and perhaps it’s already here, in how individuals choose where they work and live, primarily based on their ability to flourish in a holistic manner, transcending the mere addition of “play.” Instead, it’s about intentionally designing experiences for learning and creating as amenities. Nick’s comprehensive approach to work, live, play, learn, and create experiences sets his company uniquely apart and is designed to usher in a brighter future for every real estate campus worldwide.