Sonja Nieves

I believe one of the biggest reasons I am where I am today is because I refused to let the words of other people define me. Throughout my life, there were voices that tried to convince me I would never become anything. In my marriage, I was told I would never succeed or accomplish anything meaningful. Even a government teacher once saw me working at McDonald’s and said, “I knew you were going to end up at McDonald’s. You were never going to be anything.”

What he didn’t know was that I was simply waiting for a federal service position to open after our transfer. But those words stayed with me: “You’re never going to be anything.”

The truth is, there is absolutely no shame in working at McDonald’s—or in any honest job. Work is work. Every person out there working, striving, and providing is doing something meaningful. No one’s worth is determined by a title, a paycheck, or someone else’s opinion.

What mattered to me was making sure those negative words never became my truth. I couldn’t control what people thought about me, but I could control what I believed about myself. I chose to push forward. I chose resilience. I chose growth.

Most importantly, I pushed myself for my daughters and my granddaughters. I wanted them to grow up knowing that independence matters. Self-worth matters. Resilience matters. Having a loving partner is a beautiful thing, but I wanted them to know they are capable of standing on their own if they ever have to. I wanted them to understand that strength comes from believing in yourself even when the world doubts you.

Today, one of my greatest joys is seeing that lesson reflected in my family. My daughter, Erynn Renne, recently published her poetry book, Far Before I Said It, now available on Amazon. Watching her pursue her creative passion and share her voice with the world is a powerful reminder that perseverance, confidence, and self-belief can change the course of generations.

We may hear doubt from others throughout our lives, but we never have to accept it as our identity. Sometimes the greatest success is simply refusing to become what others expected you to be.

My greatest inspiration has always been my mother. Her strength, resilience, work ethic, and unconditional support helped shape me into the woman I am today. She is truly my hero. From raising me, guiding me, and loving me through some of the most difficult moments of my life, she showed me what perseverance and grace really look like. Looking back now, I know that so much of my determination and drive came from watching her never give up.

Professionally, I have also been blessed with incredible women in my life whom I lovingly call my “white hat ladies.” If you know Olivia Pope then you understand. These are women who inspired me, encouraged me, and reminded me of my worth during moments when others tried to make me doubt myself.

Some of those amazing women include Donna Walker, Aniqua Trice, Tiffany Reynolds, Terry Winters, and Laura Smith. Laura Smith was the motivator who helped bring me to this incredible city and encouraged me to step into new opportunities and believe in something bigger for myself. All the way from little Ol El Paso Texas.

There were moments in my career when certain people told me I would never go anywhere, that I would always be stuck where I was. Those words could have easily become discouraging, but thankfully, I had stronger voices speaking life into me. While negativity tried to sit in one ear, these women stood in the other reminding me, “Don’t let one person define your future. You are capable of so much more than what they say.”

Their belief in me mattered more than they probably realized. Even today, I still stay in touch with these incredible women, and I continue to carry their lessons, encouragement, and friendship with me.

Every accomplishment I have achieved carries a piece of what they poured into me. They reminded me that there truly is no limit to what women can accomplish when they support and uplift one another.

My hope is that one day someone can say the same thing about me—that I helped pour into them, encouraged them, and reminded them of their worth. At the end of the day, I simply want to see people grow, flourish, believe in themselves, and find happiness along the way.

I would tell young women to never doubt themselves. If you believe deep down that you have something special inside of you, then you do. Never give up, and never give in to the voices that try to convince you otherwise.

There were people who told me I would never get promoted, that I would never move forward, and those words can stay with you if you let them. But I want every young woman out there to know this: if you love what you do, do not let anyone hold you back or make you feel less than capable. You are stronger and more capable than you realize.

If I could come into the leasing industry as a young woman and turn it into a successful career, then so can you. This industry has given me opportunities, friendships, growth, and so many moments of joy. One thing people should know is that you absolutely can have fun while building a career. We laugh, we celebrate wins, we motivate each other, and sometimes, if the office gets too quiet, I’ll start dancing just to bring the energy back into the room. Life and work don’t always have to feel heavy.

Most importantly, I would tell women not to wait for someone else to believe in them first. You have to become your own biggest champion. Every morning, look at yourself in the mirror and remind yourself of your worth. Tell yourself that you are capable, that you are deserving, and that you can and will succeed.

Life is too short to spend it in a career that makes you miserable. Everyone deserves to wake up feeling fulfilled, inspired, and proud of the work they do. Believe in yourself enough to chase the life and career that truly make you happy.

The Austin market is incredibly competitive right now, especially for older communities like ours. As a 40+year-old property, we may not have all the modern bells and whistles that some of the newer developments offer, and that’s simply the reality of the market. But what we do have is something just as valuable — the ability to create an experience that residents will never forget.

Our focus has never been solely about competing on amenities. It’s about building relationships, creating a sense of community, and making people feel seen, valued, and cared for. At the end of the day, people remember how you made them feel far longer than they remember a fancy clubhouse or upgraded appliance package. That human connection is what sets us apart.

One of the biggest challenges I see in this industry, however, goes beyond the market itself — it’s leadership and succession planning. Too often, people in leadership positions are hesitant to truly mentor others because they fear being replaced or overshadowed. Instead of nurturing talent, some leaders unintentionally hold people back, dimming the very spark that could help move the industry forward.

When someone has remained in the same role for years, we should ask ourselves why. Is it because they are fulfilled there, or is it because no one took the time to guide them toward the next step? Many people have incredible potential, but potential can only grow when someone is willing to teach, mentor, and invest in them.

Great leadership should never come from fear. A strong leader should want the people around them to succeed, grow, and eventually move beyond the position they started in. Growth should continue up the chain, with each generation of leaders helping develop the next. Unfortunately, that mindset is not always as common as it should be, and that can be discouraging.

Personally, I believe leadership is about the exact opposite. I want to ignite people. I want to help people grow into the best version of themselves professionally and personally. I want to surround myself with talented people who challenge me, inspire me, and even become better than me — because if that happens, then I know I have truly done my job as a leader.

Outside of my professional life, family is the heartbeat behind everything I do. At the center of my world is my mother. She is 80 years old now, and these days, she is my greatest priority, my biggest blessing, and my safe place. No matter how busy life gets, family will always come first for me.

I’m also the proud mother of four grown children and grandmother to 11 amazing grandchildren who keep my heart full and my spirit young. Everything I do, every lesson I’ve learned, and every challenge I’ve overcome has been about building something meaningful for the generations behind me.

One of the ways we stay connected is through our family podcast, Have At It: Family Divided. Every Sunday at 11 o’clock, my upstairs living room transforms into our little studio, and we simply “have at it.” The podcast is built on honesty, laughter, tough conversations, and real life. We talk about everything people are sometimes afraid to say out loud — depression, relationships, situationships, family struggles, job losses, politics, healing, and learning how to survive life while still finding moments to laugh through the chaos.

For me, authenticity matters. I believe people connect most when they stop pretending everything is perfect and just tell the truth.

I’m also a writer, and honestly, writing has always been my therapy. Long before people openly talked about mental health, healing, and trauma, I turned to my pen. Growing up, therapy was considered taboo, especially in the generation I came from, so instead of sitting on a couch, I sat with notebooks, journals, and late-night thoughts.

In February 2008, I published my first book, His World, My Hell, which shared my experiences surrounding my previous marriage, bipolar disorder, abuse, and survival. Writing allowed me to release pain, find my voice, and turn broken pieces into something meaningful. I’ve also had articles published in military newspapers — pieces I still proudly keep hanging on my wall today because they remind me where my voice first began to grow.

Right now, I’m working on my second book, Dancing with the Devil, another deeply personal project that continues my journey of storytelling, healing, and truth-telling. Writing, much like my podcast, has become a way for me to process life and hopefully encourage others who may be carrying struggles of their own.

Personality-wise, I always joke that I’m an introverted extrovert. When I’m with my team, residents, or behind a microphone, I’m energetic, passionate, outgoing, and fully engaged. But when I’m home, I’m home. I enjoy quiet evenings, ordering food in, and recharging in my own space.

I’ve always loved speaking and connecting with people on a deeper level. Over the years, I’ve taught at hospitals, spoken publicly, and even participated in prison ministry throughout Texas, walking into places where people felt forgotten and trying to remind them that their story wasn’t over yet.

At the core of everything I do — whether it’s leadership, writing, podcasting, motherhood, or mentoring — is a desire to encourage people, help them feel seen, and remind them that healing, growth, and happiness are always possible.