The intersection of branding and placemaking | Ep. 17 with Vaike O'Grady

Welcome to this episode of Smith Lane, where we’re joined by the influential Vaike O’Grady—a strategist and place-maker who has transitioned from the corporate world to entrepreneurship. Vaike now leads Residential Marketing Resources, serving her clients through strategic planning, market research, and more.

A key theme in our conversation is intentional place-making—creating environments that create a “community vibe” as Vaike describes it, achieved through strategizing around and being responsive to the needs of the residents.

One example Vaike shares is a community where a trail system and interconnected amenities encouraged residents to walk, explore, and immerse themselves in their surroundings. This thoughtful design fostered a sense of connection and well-being among community members.

We also discuss The Villages in Florida, a community Vaike highlights for its adaptability to the needs of multiple generations. Additionally, Vaike reflects on elements from her childhood community, where the freedom to explore and roam safely significantly shaped her appreciation for the feeling places provide.

Throughout our discussion, Vaike provides valuable insights into the intersection of branding, strategy, and place-making. Her experiences demonstrate how market research-backed decisions and intentional design can create memorable places.

Join us for this insightful conversation as we explore the power of strategic place-making with Vaike O’Grady.

About Vaike

Vaike O'Grady brings over two decades of expertise in residential real estate to developers, builders, and industry partners. Drawing from her extensive experience with leading organizations like Newland Communities (now Brookfield Residential) and Metrostudy (now Zonda), she delivers strategic insights on consumer behavior, market positioning, and competitive dynamics in the housing industry.

Vaike specializes in analyzing consumer and Realtor sentiment, conducting comprehensive market research, and evaluating shopping experiences to drive strategic decision-making. Her data-driven approach helps clients optimize their market position, enhance brand awareness, and improve customer engagement across the residential real estate ecosystem, including for affiliated services like engineers, architects, banks and title and mortgage companies.

Known for her ability to translate research into actionable strategies, Vaike's expertise spans both B2B and B2C environments, with a proven track record of driving sales performance through targeted research and competitive analysis. Her work has consistently resulted in increased market share and enhanced brand visibility for the organizations she serves.

Her dedication to the residential development community is demonstrated by her volunteer work with the Urban Land Institute, various home builders and Realtor associations, and HomeAid.  Vaike recently took on the role of launching Ladies in Land in Central Florida.

Vaike is based in Florida, where she serves as a land broker with Eshenbaugh Land Company.  She holds two positions with Texas-based companies: Chief Marketing Officer with Architectural Plan Review, and as a Consumer Research and Competitive Strategy Advisor with Community Builders Advisory Services.

Originally from Maryland, Vaike likes to say she has a flip-flop in Florida and a boot in Texas.

Connect with Vaike

LinkedIn 

Email: [e-mail]