With Thanksgiving tomorrow and the Holiday Season just a day away from being in full swing, we caught up with The Agency’s CEO and co-founder Mauricio Umanksy to ask him what he’s most thankful for this year. We also talk with him about his Thanksgiving plans, family traditions, working over the holiday weekend and the Formula 1 race he just attended in Austin, Texas.
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The Agency Blog: First off, tell us what you are most thankful for this Thanksgiving?
Mauricio: I’m most thankful for my family — for the closeness and good times that we share together. I’m thankful for the opportunity that I’ve had to create and make a difference by establishing The Agency, in that we’re able to be innovative in this industry, and I’m also thankful for the fact that the industry has been embracing us. I’m especially thankful for mine and all of my family’s health.
Tell us how you’ll be spending Thanksgiving this year? Who’s all coming to dinner?
M: We will spending it on Wednesday at our house with family and lots of friends. Thursday we fly to Vail for actual Thanksgiving and will be spending it with just the immediate family. We’ll do some skiing if there is snow, hang out, relax, and have some fun.
Will you be spending any time in the kitchen, or do you leave that to the pros?
M: Kyle will be doing all of the cooking along with the girls. Some friends may contribute as well and bring a few dishes.
Do you and your family have any Thanksgiving traditions?
M: Traditionally we celebrate Thanksgiving on both Wednesday and Thursday nights — usually one night at our house, and the other night at a close family friend’s house or one of Kyle’s sisters’ houses. Normally we don’t leave town on the actual day of Thanksgiving, but this year we want to get away and get some good quality family time in. And Vail is a Umansky favorite destination.
Does the real estate business take a break over the holiday week/weekend or will you be mixing family holiday time with phone calls and meetings?
M: I will be in Vail mixing business with pleasure and staying at The Ritz-Carlton Residences there. Since we do sales and marketing for a few of The Ritz-Carlton properties around the world, we always love visiting the different locations and experiencing them firsthand. Even on vacation, there’s always a phone call to be made, always an escrow to be dealing with, always a client that needs something — so I never really take a break as much as I do definitely make time for family and holiday. The key is being able to mix business with pleasure and balancing the two.
You were just in Austin for the Formula 1 race. Are you a big fan of F1? It seems a lot of celebrities have gotten behind the wheel of races cars over the years. Ever think of racing yourself?
M: I love Formula One. Real major adrenaline rush. The F1 in Austin, The Circuit of the Americas, was an amazing feat. I want to congratulate my friend Tavo Hellmund for being responsible for working with Bernie Ecclestone to bring F1 back to the U.S. I’m so thrilled to have it brought back here. I love fast cars and sport cars, and would love to drive one if ever the opportunity arose. Congrats also to the winner Lewis Hamilton.
Photo above of the Umansky family by Carlos Aristizabal – www.CarlosAristizabal.com
