Daniela Pereyra ’16 shifted her career from TV to real estate and couldn't be happier. She credits the lessons learned at Elon for allowing her to have such a versatile career.
For Daniela Pereyra ’16, the road to success wasn’t just a path she followed; it was one she built from the ground up. Today, as a successful residential real estate agent and founder of the seminar series, Dare to Jump, Pereyra credits her time at Elon University as the foundation for her multifaceted career.
Pereyra majored in cinema & television arts with minors in entrepreneurship and French. Her undergraduate years were defined by a need to get involved, serving as a tour guide, diversity ambassador, orientation leader and a member of the student government.
Of all her roles, she highlights her time as a tour guide as particularly transformative for her current career.
“Being a tour guide helped me tremendously sharpen my people skills, adaptability, presentation skills and my communication clarity,” she explained.
Pereyra’s post-grad journey was a testament to her grit and determination. She had completed a summer with Elon in LA in her junior year and ended up falling in love with the city, so just one week after graduation, she decided to move to Los Angeles with little to no plan.
She ended up finding success in LA working in production assistant roles, which she describes as the “project management” precursor to her current career. Once LA no longer fit her lifestyle, a tip from a friend who worked in rental properties convinced her to look into real estate. She eventually took his advice and pivoted to the housing market, and today, she operates under her own LLC, working directly with clients to help make their dreams come true.
Despite the shift from TV to real estate, Pereyra still utilizes the lessons learned at Elon. She frequently recalls a lesson from former Elon faculty member Paul Castro, who taught that storytelling is about having a simple plot with complex characters. In Pereyra’s world, the “plot” is the sale, but the “characters” are the people navigating major life changes. This perspective was never more vital than when she handled her most personal transaction to date, selling her parents’ home.
“That transaction encompassed every challenge all at once. The deal fell through twice with two different buyers. And then the third buyer, almost fell through,” she said.
Real estate, she emphasized, can be especially challenging.
“You’ve got to be extremely careful and cautious with timing, protecting your client’s money, protecting their efforts and protecting their emotions,” she explained. “The most complex clients are the ones who may be up against the wall, where they don’t have a choice on whether to sell.”
“I believe that I have become immensely emotionally mature and intelligent through this process because of the different personalities and characteristics that I’m able to adapt to regularly.”
Now, Pereyra is paying it forward through her seminars. Inspired by a networking event, she realized she had a unique ability to deliver a message based on her own life observations. Her workshop, which explores how self-sabotage can be any professional’s “biggest villain,” has expanded from her initial idea of teaching to real estate agents to now working with professionals in every industry.
Pereyra was honored to be chosen as one of Elon’s Top 10 Under 10 Alumni. Right now, she is focused on her career and hoping all the hard work she put in early on will continue to pay off.
Since 2011, Elon University has honored 10 recipients each year with the Elon
Top 10 Under 10 Alumni Award, recognizing their significant professional
achievements. This award celebrates accomplished alumni from the last decade
who not only excel in their careers but also actively contribute to their
communities and serve as dedicated alumni role models.
Do you know an alum who has an interesting story to tell? Please share your feedback or those stories online:
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