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Nicole Komin and Danielle Shainbrown co-founded two companies together out of Buffalo, New York: Bellwether Advisors, a real estate consulting and advisory practice, and Shainbrown Komin PLLC, a law firm. They launched both in 2022 and have been running them side by side ever since.

Their paths to getting there could not be more different. Nicole came up through public interest work, elder law, and pro bono coordination before moving into real estate. Danielle spent nearly a decade at a commercial real estate development company, working her way to president, then stepped away to build something of her own.

In this special episode of CZ and Friends, hosted by GC AI’s General Counsel, Laurel Palluzi, Laurel sits down with Nicole and Danielle to cover:

• Why they launched a law firm and a consulting practice at the same time, and how they keep them distinct
• What working inside a real estate development company teaches you that you cannot learn from the outside
• The real estate law details that never show up in law school, from wetland delineations to title curative work in New York state
• What it actually takes to leave a president title behind and start over
• How they use GC AI to replace the work of multiple FTEs and redline contracts directly in Word
• What Buffalo's real estate market looks like right now, and why it is drawing attention as a climate refuge and residential hotspot
• The one thing nobody tells you before you go from employee to founder

This is the first time CZ and Friends has gone deep into real estate law. Nicole and Danielle bring a perspective most real estate attorneys do not have: they have stood on every side of a deal.

Follow Danielle, Nicole, and Laurel:

@Danielle Shainbrown on Linkedin

@Nicole Komin on LinkedIn

@Laurel Paluzzi on LinkedIn

Chapters: 0:00 Introduction 1:22 Nicole's path from elder law to real estate 6:45 How the McGuire opportunity came together 7:07 Danielle's path: from law firm to general counsel to president 13:05 What it was like to lead through COVID as president 15:41 Why Danielle walked away from the president role 18:43 Nicole's decision to build something of her own 21:19 Planning the escape hatch during one-on-ones 23:02 What nobody tells you about going from employee to founder 27:13 Real estate law: what you only learn from the inside 33:19 Running a law firm and a consulting practice in parallel 36:17 Buffalo's real estate market and what it means to be embedded in a community 43:06 How Nicole and Danielle found GC AI and what changed 47:01 Lightning round: myths, books, and advice for your younger self 50:21 Final takeaways

About the Guests: Nicole Komin and Danielle Shainbrown are co-founders of Bellwether Advisors and Shainbrown Komin PLLC, based in Buffalo, New York. Their practices cover commercial real estate, business law, owner's representation, and real estate development consulting.

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