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Jacksonville Real Producers ~ September 2023 Rising Star, Gigi Urbanski with Pickett Home Advisors
September 2023 Broker Spotlight ~ Brittany Nolan of DJ & Lindsey Real Estateeptember 2023
By Michelle Williamson
Photos By Scott Golmic
Stay-at-Home Mom to Rising Star REALTOR®
Angela “GiGi” Urbanski, REALTOR® with Pickett Home Advisors is a self-described, “Unfiltered kinda gal. What you see is what you get,” she shares. GiGi is also a Jacksonville native who is successfully applying her real estate knowledge, her entrepreneurial spirit, and developed skillset to her real estate career.
In 2021, after entrepreneurial success in premier designs jewelry, a role she grew while her children were young, followed by a career in dental operations management and a recruiting role with Orange Theory Fitness, GiGi decided to follow through on a longtime career interest and “get into real estate.”
On choosing a career shift to real estate, she says, “I considered getting into real estate over 20 years ago. I never really pursued it as life happened — kids and family... During COVID, though, through some discovery, I decided to take time to learn real estate by taking the course.” While at first she was unsure how she would use her newly gained knowledge and certification, she explains, “After completing the course and state exam, I decided to give it a try with no expectations. I just wanted to learn and grow in a new industry.”
“Then, after truly learning how impactful a REALTOR® can be in helping people navigate one of the most stressful transactions, I knew I wanted to be a part of that. I love the idea of putting puzzle pieces together, supporting those making decisions, cultivating relationships and being a community resource makes sense for my personality,” she says.
GiGi’s direct sales, recruiting, and operational experience also fueled her transition. Her professional experience allows her to “infuse a unique approach to real estate.” She also remains detached from personal gain or rising star loss in any interaction, which gives her the opportunity to truly get in the trenches with those she has the opportunity to serve.
GiGi greatly values “the chance to earn trust and build confidence in others,” she shares. She loves to work as a team to reach the finish line, which is all smiles at the closing table.
LOOKING BACK NOW
GiGi is a proud Jacksonville native who was raised in a “strong, bonded Italian family.” Hard work, strong ethics, family, and “going after what you want” were instilled early. “I grew up on the west side, best side,” she laughs. She graduated from the same high school as her mother, Ed White High School; then she completed her associate in arts degree at Jacksonville State College. Her dad built and ran a successful HVAC company while her mom worked her way up through Duval County schools. “I was able to watch both my parents work hard and reach many milestones,” she remembers. “They always pushed me to be my best version of me, go after my (sometimes crazy) dreams and were always there to dust me off when I fell. In my twenties, I found myself as a single mother going to college, working two jobs and raising two small children. I remember feeling so overwhelmed trying to juggle it all. Thinking about my future in those days was scary. I always held onto my dream to be an entrepreneur, though, and to help others.”
LOVING THIS FLORIDA LIFE
Today, GiGi and her husband Steve have been married for 18 years and have four children, ages ranging from 22 to 26 years old. They have two “awesome grandsons” and Mason, the family dog. Their blended family of six loves “spending time together at home, swimming in the pool, cooking out on the Blackstone, vacationing at our beach condo, and just living this Florida life together.”
When she’s not working or with family, GiGi loves meeting new people, trying new restaurants, wine, riding her Peloton, and gardening. “I love plants!,” she says.
GiGi is excited about life and plans to “watch my family grow and instill some of the legacy that was instilled in me into my children and their children.” She also hopes to be there for her parents as they age, to care for and love them with patience as they did while raising her. “God bless them,” she says. GiGi continues, “To dance with my husband at eighty and beyond with our entire world around us, smiling and seeing what true love looks like.”
Professionally, she is working to create something special. “We want to build a brand so infused with passion and impact that when others see it, they feel it,” she explains. GiGi’s family focus, integrity and passion, fused with her hometown roots are all factors of her success.
I just wanted to learn and grow in a new industry.
