Building with Purpose: Vanessa Conde’s Vision for Sustainable Growth at Insight Community Solutions™, LLC

I met Vanessa Conde recently through community events in our vibrant Miami neighborhood. From the first few moments of conversation, I could feel her passion for serving the community, especially her unwavering love for animals. As a fellow former dog mom, I instantly connected with her energy. There was something magnetic and grounded about her. Within minutes, I knew I had to feature her in the Empowered Women in Business series.

Vanessa Conde isn’t just another entrepreneur, she’s a force built on grit, reinvention, and real human connection. Now the co-founder of Insight Community Solutions™, LLC, Vanessa is using her decades of marketing experience to tackle community development in South Florida.

Vanessa grew up in Brooklyn, New York, and like many trailblazing women, she worked her way up in an industry that was nothing like the digital landscape we know today. “I started my marketing career about 30 years ago in New York City, in the traditional ad agency world—back then, it was print, TV, radio, and billboards,” Vanessa shared. This was long before SEO, social media, and smartphones. Her career took off in destination marketing, working with the Cayman Islands as one of her anchor accounts. That foundation kept her engaged in an industry where creativity and travel became the heartbeat of her work.

Over the years, Vanessa built an impressive portfolio, managing accounts for high-profile brands like The New York Botanical Gardens, Davidoff Cigars, and Lowe’s Hotels. After September 11th, she made a bold life change and moved to Miami without knowing anyone. She quickly carved out her space by launching a boutique marketing firm, which led her to exciting opportunities like event marketing projects for Shaquille O'Neal and high-end luxury watch brands targeting celebrity clientele. Vanessa’s transition from agency to in-house marketing roles was a natural evolution. She’s known for her ability to rebrand and rebuild companies from the inside out, particularly in the franchise world, working with brands like Dr. G’s Weight Loss & Wellness, Uni K Wax, and OXXO Cleaners.

Vanessa’s early days in the New York advertising world were transformative. It was a different era—pre-9/11, pre-digital—a time of late nights, high-stakes pitches, and hand-crafted ad boards made with X-Acto knives. It was gritty, fast-paced, and electric, and those formative years gave her the spark and stamina to launch her own business decades later.

The Power of One Voice

When asked if someone inspired her entrepreneurial journey, Vanessa’s face lit up as she shared the story of a woman who profoundly shaped her life’s path: Alice O’Leary.

Vanessa’s introduction to Alice came when she was just 22 years old, working her first job at a small boutique ad agency on Madison Avenue in New York City. Vanessa, then balancing college at night and working full-time during the day to help her mom pay for her wedding, landed a job as a secretary. What she didn’t know at the time was that this position would open the door to her entire future.

Alice saw Vanessa. She quickly told her, “You’re not meant to be a secretary. You’re meant for more.” Alice encouraged Vanessa to explore every department in the agency to figure out where her passion truly lay. Vanessa dove in, working across creative, production, finance, and client services before ultimately discovering her love for account management — the role that let her build client relationships and connect all the moving pieces of an ad campaign.

Alice didn’t just offer advice; she invested in Vanessa’s growth, even sending her to continuing education classes at the Four A’s (the American Association of Advertising Agencies) to hone her skills. “She saw something in me that I couldn’t even see in myself,” Vanessa said, reflecting on the life-changing opportunity Alice provided.

Beyond shaping Vanessa’s career, Alice became a model for the kind of businesswoman Vanessa aspired to be: someone who leads with grace, speaks with power, and leaves a lasting impression. One of Alice’s lessons stuck with Vanessa forever: “The quietest person in the room is the one who’s learning the most. When you finally speak, what you say will move the room.”

Alice O’Leary was more than a mentor—she was the catalyst for Vanessa’s journey, the one who ignited her ambition and showed her what was possible.

And sometimes, all it takes is one person to change everything.

Insights into the Community

But Vanessa’s story doesn’t stop at corporate success. As she settled into Miami, she planted deeper roots by purchasing an apartment in Edgewater. That decision unexpectedly launched her into a new chapter as the president of her condo board. In this role, she became acutely aware of the challenges in the property management industry especially after the devastating Champlain Towers collapse, which sparked new legislation and raised serious questions about board leadership and community safety.

What Vanessa noticed was a dangerous gap. Many board members lacked the experience to manage multi-million-dollar properties, and some didn’t have the best intentions for their communities. "It was like someone with no background suddenly stepping into a CEO role," she explained. Vanessa’s operational knowledge from franchising gave her a unique perspective. She understood P&L management, operational systems, and the importance of running an organization with transparency and accountability. And that’s where her next venture was born.

Vanessa co-founded Insight Community Solutions™ LLC with a co-board member to address this critical need. The company focuses on consulting for condo boards and property associations, helping them navigate complex legislation, self-management challenges, and community tensions. "Our mission is to teach people how to govern with transparency and build stronger relationships within their communities," she told me. Vanessa and her team are helping boards step up, govern with integrity, and manage their properties in ways that truly serve their residents.

It’s refreshing to see a woman bring such a thoughtful, operations-driven approach to an industry that has long needed reform. Vanessa is building something sustainable, scaling intentionally, and creating space for honest conversations about community leadership. She’s proving that we can turn our career experience into something that solves real-world problems.

Advocacy for Community & Animals

What’s exciting is that Vanessa isn’t stopping here. She still takes on selective fractional CMO projects, but her focus is moving toward deeper civic involvement. With her growing knowledge of local governance, Vanessa sees a possible path toward a future political role—maybe even as a city commissioner. She’s already making waves in Miami’s community spaces and is unafraid to advocate for what’s right. She recently was appointed to the Miami-Dade Animal Services Advisory Board.

Another passion that fuels her journey is animal advocacy. Vanessa is deeply committed to protecting animals and isn’t shy about using her voice to challenge harmful policies. She’s been actively involved in efforts to prevent bear hunting in Florida and works alongside organizations like the Humane Society to fight for animal rights. "We’re building homes in their habitats, and then we punish them for showing up. It’s not right," Vanessa emphasized.

Her passion for community, animals, and doing the right thing is in her DNA. She comes from a family of public servants—her father was a New York City detective, and her mother worked in hospital administration for decades. Vanessa’s story is a shining example for entrepreneurial women everywhere: we don’t have to fit into one box. We can evolve. We can lead in multiple industries. We can build businesses that matter.

Through it all, Vanessa stays grounded in what’s most important: leading with purpose, building communities that thrive, and leaving a meaningful legacy. For women navigating entrepreneurship, Vanessa’s journey is a reminder that it’s never too late to pivot and create something impactful.

Scaling with Intention

When I asked Vanessa where she envisions Insight Community Solutions™ heading over the next year, her answer was refreshingly grounded and growth minded.

“We’re hoping to bring on at least five more buildings this year,” she shared. It’s not about fast, reckless scaling for Vanessa. It’s about meaningful, manageable growth. With a lean team of just three including her two partners, who each bring over 30 years of experience in property management and hotel operations. Vanessa is strategic about what they take on. She openly admits that she’s still learning the finer details of the industry, and she’s grateful to have partners who can support the operational depth while she continues to expand her expertise.

What I admire most about Vanessa’s approach is that she’s not in it to simply stack numbers. “We can only take on as much as we can physically handle,” she said. They stay intentionally Hands-On with each building. This isn’t a transactional business—it’s relational. It’s about walking side by side with board members and residents, taking the time to educate them, and helping them build better communities. That kind of transformation doesn’t happen overnight, and Vanessa isn’t interested in cutting corners.

Looking ahead, her plan is to stabilize their current growth by carefully selecting the right properties and creating long-term success stories. By 2026, Vanessa envisions doubling the number of buildings under their care, potentially bringing in additional team members to support their high-touch model. For her, it’s not about chasing scale just to say they grew. It’s about making sure the growth is sustainable, impactful, and continues to uphold the level of care that sets Insight Community Solutions™ apart.

Vanessa’s dedication continues to shine. Just a few days before this article went live, she reached out to share that she’s now a Licensed Commercial Association Manager (LCAM). She’s committed to equipping herself with the knowledge needed to genuinely support boards and associations in achieving operational excellence.

Passionate Advice

When I asked Vanessa what advice she would offer to women looking to launch their own business, she didn’t hesitate. For her, the starting point is always passion.

Vanessa explained that the mistake many entrepreneurs make—herself included at one point—is focusing solely on where the money is instead of what truly excites them. “I was starting to think about doing things that were just about how to make money, not necessarily things I was passionate about,” she admitted.

That mindset can be dangerous because the entrepreneurial journey isn’t easy. It’s not just launching a product or setting up a website - it’s doing all of the behind-the-scenes, unglamorous work, especially in the beginning. Vanessa emphasized that when you start from scratch, you’re building everything yourself. She personally juggled everything from designing logos and building websites to managing operations for Insight Community Solutions™. It was a full-on hustle.

Vanessa believes entrepreneurship should be about building a legacy, not just earning a paycheck. Whether you’re stepping into a franchise or starting from the ground up, you should choose something that fuels you. That’s what will sustain you through the long hours, the growing pains, and the inevitable challenges.

Her words really resonated with me. As women, especially as entrepreneurs, we often get pulled toward what feels practical or profitable, but Vanessa’s journey is a reminder to lead with passion. Success follows when your heart is in the work.

Want to Connect with Vanessa?

You can find her on LinkedIn at Vanessa Conde

Or reach out via email:

📧 vanessac@insightcommunitysolutions.com

🌐 www.insightcommunitysolutions.com