In this episode, Cathey Kuo, talks about her upbringing and how she got her start in real estate and business.
Catherine "Cathey" Kuo is a real estate broker, investor, and entrepreneur with over 10 years experience in commercial real estate leasing & sales, real estate investing, asset management, and 1031 exchanges.
As a business owner and investor herself, Cathey has an innate grasp of the real estate market and entrepreneurship which allows her to be solution oriented and empathize with all parties in a deal to structure win-win resolutions. Her immense desire to help others fulfill their dreams of entrepreneurship and grow their investment portfolios & wealth stems from her own family's humble beginnings. As the child of first generation immigrants, she experienced firsthand the countless goals and opportunities that could be achieved through grit & hard work and strives to empower and inspire others to fulfill their dreams and full potential.
Cathey began her career in real estate working alongside her mother, who has her own successful 30 year track record in the industry as an agent, broker, and investor. This early start provided her with a visceral understanding of the industry as she began to analyze investment opportunities since she was in high school. After high school, Cathey went on to obtain her BBA in Real Estate from Baruch College's Zicklin School of Business in New York City then began her career in commercial real estate in the Midtown Manhattan NYC office as a wheel program associate with CBRE.
After a few years of working in the commercial real estate industry in NYC, Cathey relocated to Las Vegas in 2014 to take advantage of the business, investor, and tax friendly environment and regulations in the city as well as the far better quality of life. Although she initially relocated to Las Vegas to build her own portfolio, she soon realized the immense opportunity and calling to help others build their portfolios & wealth. Bringing her northeast real estate experience and work ethic to the market, she has been able to help countless business owners and investors achieve their goals against the odds as she treats her clients with the quality of service she demands. At the same time, she worked diligently to add value to, lease up, and stabilize her family's 80,000 SF portfolio in town, bringing the total occupancy from under 50% to over 90%.
In addition to brokering commercial real estate deals, Cathey serves as the Broker and a Partner / Co-Owner of Elite Homes - Engel & Völkers Las Vegas and helps lead business development, marketing, and strategic growth for the firm with her business partner. She is also an angel investor and co-founder of Kyou Beauty, a salon and spa in Las Vegas’ bustling Chinatown district. When Cathey is not working, she enjoys trying all the amazing restaurants in the city, going to the gym, and traveling. She admittedly has trouble not being productive and hasn't owned a TV in years so outside of work and her hobbies, she is also an active member of the local community and loves supporting its many business groups & charity events and organizations. Her favorite way to pay it forward is through mentorship and she has served as a volunteer for numerous groups where she has both spoken to groups and mentored individual high school and college students, including serving as an board member for OCA, whose primary purpose is coordinating a mentorship program for UNLV & CSN students, for a number of years.