Female Disruptors: Camilla Kodsi of Arbor Residences On The Three Things You Need To Shake Up Your Industry
Blog by Medium
The best leaders aren’t the ones who know everything — they’re the ones who know how to bring the right people together and trust them to do what they do best.
Asa part of our series about women who are shaking things up in their industry, we had the pleasure of interviewing Camilla Kodsi.
Camilla Kodsi is a real estate development manager specializing in luxury residential projects throughout South Florida. She oversees projects from construction through completion, coordinating with architects, engineers, contractors, city officials, and sales teams to bring developments to life. Passionate about building communities and making the development process more approachable, she hopes to inspire more young people — especially women — to pursue careers in construction and real estate.
Thank you so much for joining us in this interview series! Before we dig in, our readers would like to get to know you a bit more. Can you tell us a bit about your “backstory”? What led you to this particular career path?
Honestly, I kind of fell into it. My dad acquired Arbor in 2023 and encouraged me to get my real estate license so I could help with the sales side of the project. As I spent more time with him, I found myself gravitating toward the construction and development team. I started working side by side with him every day, learning the business from the ground up. The more involved I became, the more I fell in love with everything happening behind the scenes — the permitting, coordination, problem-solving, and all the moving pieces that go into bringing a building to life.
When my dad unexpectedly passed away, I was already deeply involved in the project. I stepped into a much larger role and helped lead the development through the final stages of construction and delivery. It definitely wasn’t the career path I expected, but looking back, I can’t imagine doing anything else. I fell into it, fell in love with it, and somewhere along the way, it became my passion.
Can you tell our readers what it is about the work you’re doing that’s disruptive?
I actually think the industry itself is disruptive. Development changes communities. For a few years there’s construction, noise, road closures, and a lot of inconvenience. People don’t always love that part. But if it’s done well, the end result is something that serves the community for decades. It creates homes, jobs, businesses, and brings new life to an area.
One of my favorite parts of this job is seeing people believe in a vision before it exists. At the beginning, all you have are drawings and renderings. Then, little by little, it comes to life, and one day people are actually living there. That’s a pretty incredible thing to be part of.
Can you share a story about the funniest mistake you made when you were first starting? Can you tell us what lesson you learned from that?
When I first started, I was constantly mixing up product names with construction terminology. Construction has its own language, and I quickly realized that nobody expects you to know everything on day one. Those moments taught me not to be embarrassed to ask questions. I’d much rather ask a question than pretend I know the answer.
We all need a little help along the journey. Who have been some of your mentors? Can you share a story about how they made an impact?
I’ve been lucky to have a lot of mentors throughout my career, but my biggest one was always my dad. He had a way of seeing potential in people before they saw it in themselves, and he was definitely that person for me. He challenged me, pushed me to take on more responsibility, and trusted me with things that felt way outside my comfort zone. Looking back, I think that’s one of the greatest gifts he gave me.
Professionally, one of my biggest mentors has also been JP Rosenbaum. He came onto the project when we were working toward TCO. I’d already spent about a year working side by side with my dad and learning development, but there was still so much I hadn’t experienced. JP taught me how to think like an owner’s representative. He showed me how to coordinate inspections, work with the city, manage consultants, and keep a project moving when it felt like everything was working against you. More than anything, he became someone I could brainstorm with. We always worked well together, and I learned an incredible amount just by watching how he approached challenges.
I’m also really grateful for everyone on the project who took the time to teach me. Construction can be intimidating when you’re new, but people were patient with me, answered my questions, and helped me grow.
In today’s parlance, being disruptive is usually a positive adjective. But is disrupting always good? When do we say the converse, that a system or structure has ‘withstood the test of time’? Can you articulate to our readers when disrupting an industry is positive, and when disrupting an industry is ‘not so positive’? Can you share some examples of what you mean?
No, I don’t think disruption is always a good thing. I think it’s about finding the right balance. Development creates homes and opportunities, but it also changes neighborhoods. As more development happens, prices go up, affordability becomes more difficult, and sometimes markets become oversaturated. I think good development isn’t about building more just for the sake of building. It’s about creating projects that truly add value to the community and improve the places people call home.
1. You’re only as good as your team.
Real estate development is the ultimate team sport. No project gets built because of one person. It takes architects, engineers, contractors, consultants, city officials, sales teams, and owners all working toward the same goal. One of the biggest lessons I’ve learned is knowing what you’re good at, recognizing what you’re not, and surrounding yourself with people who make you better.
2. Never be afraid to ask questions.
Construction has its own language, and nobody walks into this industry knowing everything. Every question I asked made me better. I’d rather ask one “stupid” question than make one expensive mistake.
3. Be persistent.
Construction rewards persistence. Projects move because someone follows up. Sometimes that means one more phone call, one more email, or one more visit to the city. I’ve learned that patience is important, but persistence is what gets projects across the finish line.
We are sure you aren’t done. How are you going to shake things up next?
Right now, I’m working on several townhouse developments in Miami’s Shenandoah neighborhood. We’re taking older properties and transforming them into new homes for families while helping revitalize the neighborhood. Watching a property evolve from something that’s been sitting for years into a place where people will create memories is one of the most rewarding parts. Long term, I’d love to continue leading larger developments that have a lasting impact on Miami.
In your opinion, what are the biggest challenges faced by ‘women disruptors’ that aren’t typically faced by their male counterparts?
I can only speak from my own experience, but I’ve actually been incredibly fortunate. From the beginning, I worked with people who were willing to teach me, answer my questions, and help me learn. I think a lot of that came down to something my dad always told me: when people can tell you genuinely care about the work, they’ll respect that. That ended up being exactly my experience. I asked a lot of questions, I wasn’t afraid to admit when I didn’t know something, and I think people responded to that. At the end of the day, everyone on a project has the same goal: we all want to build something we’re proud of. When people see that you’re just as invested in that goal as they are, it creates a lot of mutual respect. I hope more women consider careers in development and construction because it’s an incredible industry. If you’re willing to work hard, stay curious, and care about what you’re doing, there are so many people who are willing to teach you.
Do you have a book/podcast/talk that’s had a deep impact on your thinking? Can you share a story with us?
Honestly, the biggest lessons I’ve learned haven’t come from a book or podcast. They’ve come from the people I’ve worked with. Construction is one of those industries where experience is everything. Some of the smartest conversations I’ve ever had happened walking a job site or sitting in a construction trailer trying to solve a problem. It’s taught me that no matter how much you know, there’s always someone who knows something you don’t. Staying curious is one of the greatest strengths you can have.
You are a person of great influence. If you could inspire a movement that would bring the most amount of good to the most amount of people, what would that be? You never know what your idea can trigger. :-)
I’d love to inspire more young people — especially women — to consider careers in real estate development and construction. Most people don’t realize this career exists. They see the finished building, but they never see everything that goes into making it happen. It’s an industry that’s creative, challenging, and incredibly rewarding, and I’d love to see more people discover it the way I did.
Can you please give us your favorite “Life Lesson Quote”? Can you share how that was relevant to you in your life?
“You’re only as good as your team.”
I know it’s not your typical inspirational quote, but it’s probably the lesson that’s shaped me the most. This industry has taught me that nobody succeeds alone. The best leaders aren’t the ones who know everything — they’re the ones who know how to bring the right people together and trust them to do what they do best. Knowing your strengths is important. Knowing your weaknesses is just as important. That’s how you build great teams, and great teams build great projects.
How can our readers follow you online?
You can connect with me on LinkedIn, follow my journey on Instagram (@camillakodsi), and learn more about our work through the Ark Capital website.