Broker Jaime Sturgis saw the potential for Fort Lauderdale's Flagler Village when few others did. It paid off.

The founder and CEO of Native Realty Co. fully leased two properties after they were retrofitted from warehouse to mixed-use and then brokered the same for a total of $13.25 million.

“Everyone told me I was crazy when I set out to do these projects and lease them. Everyone told me, 'You'll never get those numbers. The demand is not there,' ” Sturgis said.