In a turbulent year that shook sectors of business and society to their cores, creativity and perseverance shone through. Solutions were scaled and put in place to maintain connectivity and productivity amid the pandemic. Behind some of that ingenuity were people like this year’s class of 40 Under 40 honorees.
Having long ago proved their acumen in their respective fields – which range from government to commercial real estate to law to health care to the arts – these 40 leaders again rose to the challenge under trying conditions, steering themselves and their teams to success. It was thanks to their agility and willingness to pivot that they were able to navigate a way forward.
Such agility comes from years of honing their skills and expertise both professionally and personally. Selected from 309 nominations, this year’s honorees represent the diversity of Greater Philadelphia’s business community.
In the profiles that follow, the members of our 2021 class share how they manage their time and what habits they’ve adopted over the past year.
Congratulations to this year’s 40 Under 40 honorees!
Nadia Bilynsky
Associate, MPN Realty Inc.
Age: 37
At first glance, a Fishtown cabaret, a noodle bar and a marijuana dispensary have little in common except their neighborhood. But such diversified businesses finding a home there is thanks in part to Nadia Bilynsky. Guiding both tenants and landlords as they navigate commercial real estate, Bilynsky has carved out a niche in the neighborhood and elsewhere in Philadelphia, negotiating over 350,000 square feet of retail leases in Center City. In her time at MPN Realty, Bilynsky has closed more than 150 sales deals totaling over $250 million.
I can’t live without: My family, friends, but most importantly my dogs, Rosco and Belle.
What daily routines or practices do you use to stay on track? Every morning I like to do what I call a mental reset. I take about two minutes to clear my mind prior to starting my day. This allows me to re-focus on my daily tasks, deals I am working on, listings, etc. My days are generally packed with meetings, property tours and calls, thus I block off 30-60 minutes in the morning and at least an hour in the evening to catch up on emails and calls.
Before my 40th birthday, I’d like to: Buy a vacation home in Hawaii, which is my favorite place to visit.
My lesser-known talent is: I train Muay Thai at Martinez BJJ in Northeast Philadelphia.
Something I adopted during quarantine and will continue doing: Making sure I make time for myself. With an extremely busy schedule, many times it’s difficult to fit in even five minutes a day to just focus on myself, my health and wellness. During quarantine I was allocated the time to do so and I’ve continued to make a point of fitting some “me” time into my schedule. Whether it’s daily exercise, grabbing a cup of coffee and relaxing for five minutes, or getting my nails done, this helps alleviate the stresses of daily life and keeps me focused.
The best advice I’ve ever received: Sometimes it’s better to not speak and just listen – especially in the real estate brokerage industry, where it’s extremely important to listen to clients, their needs, thoughts, etc.
If you could dedicate more time to something, what would it be? Reading for pleasure.
If I wasn’t in this field, I would have liked to pursue: Travel blogging.
