BOSTON–When Shelley Balanda launched Footprynt in the middle of a global pandemic, she wasn’t just starting a business — she was reimagining how strategy gets done in commercial real estate.
Today, five years later, her firm is quietly behind some of the most meaningful operational transformations, strategic pivots, and generational transitions in the industry. For this, she has been named the 2025 Transformational Strategist in Real Estate — a recognition of not only her deep expertise, but her unique ability to bring clarity, precision, and results to moments of high complexity.
On September 11, 2025, at the Burlington Marriott Hotel, Balanda will be honored at the Annual Awards Gala, joining a distinguished list of visionaries who are redefining the built environment. But for Balanda, the recognition is not about accolades. It’s about impact — and the quiet power of helping companies move forward when the stakes are highest.
A Practice Built for the Inflection Point
Balanda is the Founder and Managing Principal of Footprynt, a boutique strategic execution and outsourced COO practice that helps real estate investment managers and operators navigate change: succession, restructuring, reinvention, and growth.
Her model? Simple — and rare. Work with a few clients at a time. Embed deeply. Deliver results.
“Built for the moments when strategy needs structure,” Footprynt offers what few others can: a hands-on, behind-the-scenes partnership that translates vision into action. Whether it’s reengineering operating models, aligning executive teams, or integrating AI into decision-making workflows, Footprynt specializes in bringing order to complexity while preserving each firm’s unique DNA.
And the results speak for themselves: more than $50 million in enterprise value unlocked since launch, driven by embedded leadership, strategic execution, and operational redesign.
A Career Forged in Complexity
Balanda’s 20-year real estate career is marked by a dynamic blend of institutional rigor and entrepreneurial instinct. Her resume spans $5 billion in acquisitions, $1 billion in joint venture equity raised, and enterprise-wide transformations across both founder-led shops and national platforms.
She’s worked across asset classes — multifamily, office, retail, mixed-use, and niche — and across the country, from Boston to New York, San Francisco to Los Angeles. But it was her 2014 transition from brokerage and capital markets to operational strategy that became the turning point. “I wanted to get closer to the work — the friction, the urgency, the day-to-day decisions that actually shape a company’s future,” she says.
That grit — and her ability to stay calm amid chaos — was forged much earlier.
Formative Years: Structure in the Midst of Change
Balanda grew up in Western Massachusetts, the daughter of young parents still finding their footing. She moved nearly ten times before graduating high school, learning early how to adapt, observe, and create order in uncertain environments.
Reimagining development strategy for a 42-resort ski operator.
“Change wasn’t a phase. It was the constant,” she recalls. That upbringing taught her not just how to survive change, but how to lead through it — a skill that would later define her professional identity and inspire the “Y” in Footprynt: a symbol of structure, clarity, and intentionality in complex moments.
From Adversity to Entrepreneurship
Balanda’s entry into real estate wasn’t planned. During her junior year of college, she suddenly lost access to the financial support she was counting on. Determined to continue, she took a full-time job at a Boston real estate investment firm while attending night classes in Rhode Island.
That early role introduced her to the world of real estate — not just the assets, but the ecosystems behind them. “What hooked me wasn’t just the buildings. It was the complexity behind them. The intersection of fundamentals and execution. That’s where I’ve stayed ever since.”
Operational restructuring for a $3.0B, 14,000+ unit multifamily platform
In 2020, after her role was eliminated during the COVID-19 pandemic, Balanda built the first version of Footprynt from scratch — advising small retailers through lease negotiations and strategy. Over time, that mission grew into the platform it is today: a trusted advisor to firms facing critical transformation.
Quiet Influence, Bold Impact
Footprynt isn’t about visibility. It’s about strategic precision. Projects range from platform restructuring and succession planning to investor readiness and redevelopment strategy. One recent engagement involved a full-scale operating model redesign for a $3 billion investment firm preparing for generational transition. Another focused on aligning Vail Resorts’ redevelopment strategy with long-term investment objectives.
Now, Balanda is investing in expanding the firm’s embedded COO practice, creating frameworks for scalable audits, and building a bench of diverse experts, particularly around AI integration — tools she believes will reshape how real estate firms operate in the future.
“Growth for us doesn’t just mean scale. It means influence,” she says. “Being the quiet force behind platforms that are not just built to perform, but built to last.”
Leading Differently
Balanda’s leadership philosophy is one of observation, context, and deliberate action — not volume. “You’ll be underestimated at times. Let them,” she says. “The ones who are really paying attention know the quietest person in the room is usually the one shaping what happens next.”
Her advice to the next generation? Stay curious. Create structure. And when the path isn’t clear — build your own.
Q&A with Shelley Balanda, Transformational Strategist of Real Estate
Boston Real Estate Times: What first sparked your interest in your current field?
Shelley Balanda: Like many, the field found me. During my junior year of college, I lost access to the financial resources I was relying on, and continuing my education meant forging a new path. I took a full-time role at a prominent real estate investment firm in Boston while commuting to night classes in Rhode Island to round out my education.
That job was my first real exposure to the built world, and it opened my eyes to an industry I didn’t even know existed. I was captivated by the consumerism expressed through buildings, how communities formed around real estate, and how much had to align to bring any vision to life. After living in five cities, I developed a deep appreciation for the architecture, cultural nuances, and the evolution of neighborhoods — how the old coexists with the new, how gentrification reshapes identity. You don’t just walk through cities. You read them differently once you know the work behind the walls.
What hooked me wasn’t just the asset. It was the complexity and the ecosystem behind it. The strategy. The intersection of fundamentals and execution. That intersection is where I’ve stayed ever since.
BRET: What are some of the key milestones or turning points in your professional journey?
SB: One of the most defining through-lines of my career has been movement and diversity of thought across roles, disciplines, and cities. I’ve lived and worked in five: Boston, Providence, New York, San Francisco, and Los Angeles. Each city offered a distinct lens into the real estate landscape and sharpened my ability to recognize both patterns and potential.
The deal junkie in me — speaking to others in the room — would point to the 2013 Ghirardelli Square acquisition. It was a monumental turnaround of a complex, historic asset. High-profile, high-stakes, and layered with complexity, it demanded every ounce of strategic discipline, operational rigor, and transaction creativity.
A major shift came in 2014 when I transitioned from brokerage and institutional investments into operating roles. I wanted to get closer to the work — strategy, execution, and the day-to-day friction that makes or breaks a platform. It was a grit I felt at home with. I found energy in the urgency, the constraints, and the creativity required to deliver under pressure. It’s where I learned how to build, not just follow instruction.
But the most transformative milestone was founding Footprynt. It wasn’t just about stepping out on my own. It came from years of watching the same need surface in different forms and the long journey of building a platform that could meet it. This phase has been incredibly rewarding. I’ve had the opportunity to work across a wide range of projects and company types, and I’m still learning every day. It’s a mix of challenge, discovery, and trust that I don’t take for granted.
BRET: What obstacles did you face, and how did you overcome them?
SB: Ten years ago, I had no idea where my career would take me, and I certainly wouldn’t have guessed I’d one day be leading my own practice. For a significant chapter, I specialized in retail real estate. We weathered recessions, navigated the rise of e-commerce, and faced increasing pressure as the industry evolved. It was a strenuous time, and truthfully, my role wasn’t always secure or positioned for linear growth. There were moments I had to rebuild professionally and personally without a clear roadmap. I didn’t have the luxury of certainty, but I stayed close to the work, stayed curious, and kept showing up.
In 2020, with the onset of COVID and my role eliminated, I built the early version of my practice out of necessity. I launched with the intent to champion and advise small retailers, helping them navigate lease negotiations and stand their ground with intimidating landlords. It was a way to put my retail superpowers to good use during a mission-critical moment, and I still do when the opportunity feels right.
Early in my career, I thought I had to lead like everyone else around me. But over time, I realized my value wasn’t in mirroring. It was in seeing things differently. I came up through an industry that doesn’t always reward nuance. I had to fight to stay close to the initiatives I cared about: strategy, structure, and execution, while others chased transactions. I learned to trust my instincts, prepare relentlessly, and lead from a place of observation and clarity. That became my edge and ultimately the foundation of my practice.
BRET: Was there a mentor or role model who helped shape your path?
SB: I’ve been fortunate to have mentors who didn’t just guide me. They championed my curiosity and supported my desire to grow. They saw when I had outgrown a chapter and encouraged me to step into something bigger, even when it meant leaving familiar ground.
One pivotal moment early in my career stands out. I had made a mistake, and instead of correcting it for me, a leader asked me to walk them through how I got there. They approached it with genuine curiosity, not criticism. That experience showed me the power of the velvet glove, how a thoughtful, patient response could transform a learning moment and shape leadership character. It changed the way I think about the work I produce, and it continues to shape how I mentor others.
Some of those early mentors are still in my corner today. They’ve become trusted sponsors and executive committee members, people who continue to challenge and support me in equal measure. Their belief in me helped shape not just my path, but the way I show up
