SANTO DOMINGO.- From a young age, they accompanied their father on tours he offered to clients to show them the Cap Cana Destination City, and during school and university summers they did internships at the company, which gave them the advantage of getting to know the inner workings of the company's day-to-day operations.
Amelia and Josemaría, along with their father Mariano Sanz, form the trio behind Inversiones Aides, a real estate firm with 16 years in the Punta Cana market. Their father is one of the salespeople who were born alongside the Cap Cana resort complex, where he remains a long-time resident.
“Working as a family is very organic for us; the three of us are very similar, especially Mariano (father) and Josemaría (son). They both share the same personality: relaxed, confident, and funny. Amelia, on the other hand, is more technical. In other words, we complement each other very well,” they explained in an interview for “Real Estate Families” in El Inmobiliario, a digital newspaper.
They understand that working as a family offers several advantages because they know each other very well, know how to help one another, and share common interests. They collaborate on the company's growth, helping to maximize the results they seek; they know when Mariano is their father and when he's their boss.
Mariano Sanz is the founder and CEO of Inversiones Aides, Amelia y Josemaria, exclusive brokers in Cap Cana. Amelia also serves as marketing manager.
The father says he is proud to work alongside his children and is confident that they will guide the company towards evolution and adaptation to current times.
“The trust a parent has in their children is important, meaning they close their eyes and delegate responsibilities to us, trusting that they will be successful. As I mentioned before, our corporate structure within the family is quite organic, allowing us to delegate with complete trust,” they explain when we ask them about the results they can show from their joint work.
Humility is the value most frequently applied by this real estate family. “We were taught from a young age that we should always be humble and think of others. In this line of work, you can't let it go to your head, because once that happens, you stop putting in the effort you should. Besides, it's a job where our daily routine involves interacting with clients. Here, you have to really put yourself in the other person's shoes, understand their interests and what they're looking for in order to offer them the best properties and close the sale,” the children explain.
Mariano Sanz began his career as the exclusive real estate agent for Ciudad Destino Cap Cana in 2002. He founded his real estate company in 2006, along with a team of eight salespeople, and is now recognized as one of the best brokers in Cap Cana and one of the few who have remained since the project's inception. His office is located in the Fishing Lodge, Unit D77, Cap Cana.
For Amelia and Josemaría, working at their father's company means "knowing his effort and everything he did for us to give us a good education and a good childhood is priceless. It opens our eyes and makes us realize how much a father does for his family. This teaches us and guides us. When you're a teenager, you're very selfish and don't usually think about everything your parents do to give you a better life; however, working with him every day allows us to appreciate his hard work," the children explain.
They explain, “We don’t just see this in our father, because Sharon (our mother) also plays a very important role in the company as a financial advisor and is the person who has supported our father in decision-making. As children, seeing how they don’t take a step forward without the other agreeing teaches us how important the couple is in a marriage, and how they should complement, guide, and help each other, always with love in mind,” they comment.
Amelia officially joined the firm a year ago, while Josemaría joined in June of this year, after finishing university.
In addition to being a family business, Aides Real Estate is comprised of Gina Bonnelly, Margarita De Moya, Jorge Iván Matos, Karen Zorrilla, and Isabel Otero. “These are people who, although not close family, have contributed to the company's growth,” they explain.
The Sanz family believes that social media has distanced families considerably, as it's not easy to maintain a natural connection with screens constantly in hand, although they acknowledge that Dominican culture, compared to other countries, is among the healthiest. “Dominicans really enjoy spending time with their families. We know of others just like ours, who get together every Sunday, even the most distant cousin is there. This is something you don't see in other cultures. Dominicans, thank God, have been able to maintain their traditions throughout different times and generations.”.
They recommend that families working in the same space not mix their personal and professional lives, keep what happens at home separate from what happens at work, and work together, helping each other achieve their goals. “It has to feel like you're working organically. Also, understand that if your boss is a family member, you should accept their feedback and not take it personally.”.
That's why they recommend that working as a family is healthy. However, they emphasize that we must fully understand each other's personalities and always protect ourselves.
