This interview was originally published in Lido Living Magazine August 2018 Issue.

Newport Beach native Tracy Schroeder enjoyed a wholesome Southern California childhood growing up on the beach of China Cove, doing all the things children do in this active beachside community. Her very involved parents made family a priority, so in addition to family soccer games and water sports, real estate entrepreneurs Ernie and Donna Schroeder included and immersed Tracy and her older brother Jeff in the family business from an early age. Family vacation car trips usually included stop off “boots on the ground” visits to do “maintenance walk-throughs” at various properties that her parents owned or managed; Tracy listened and learned from her dad.

From Harbor View Elementary, to Corona Del Mar High School, to UCLA, to New York City and back, Tracy feels her inherent sense of adventure and work ethic was inspired by her parent’s example. As Co-Founder of Schroder Investment Partners, working alongside her father, Tracy knows her parent’s strength, fortitude and passion for buying and improving real estate has guided her towards the success she enjoys today.

Tell us about Schroeder Investment Partners:

I co-founded the company in 2013 with my father. He has been in the business for over 40 years, acquiring real estate in Southern California through the creations of LLCs for high net worth individuals. We are personally invested in each LLC, and are managing members for each entity.

I’m also Chairman of the Board of Schroeder Management Company, a division that oversees all of the property management of the real estate assets we have ownership in and also is hired out by third-party owners as property managers for their apartment communities. I started Clerel Construction and Clerel Design. We are a general contractor and design company involved in commercial real estate build-outs.

Anything extraordinary/unique that your company does?

The Schroeder Companies pride ourselves on being a leader in Southern California multi-unit residential real estate. All the divisions of the Schroeder Companies are closely tied together, but there is a healthy independence that allows for individuality and also advancement. Some employees have been with us for the entire life of our company and we value our team as they are what make our apartment communities and investments successful.

The Schroeder Companies’ understanding of housing has led us to become involved with HUD, and we support homeless causes. My dad is on the board of United Way and we particularly care about veterans’ issues, VASH, and Mercy House.

Given your business expertise and the nature of what you do, what advice can you offer to the residents of your neighborhood?

My dad always talks about the “broken windows” theory, where if you leave things broken, more crime and dilapidation occur. That’s why I always believe in taking the time to maintain your home and have that extra pride of ownership.

There’s a really great saying in my dad’s office: “My great-grandfather told my grandfather, my grandfather told my father, and my father told me, ’If you had purchased real estate you’d be a rich man today.’ Now what are you going to tell your children?”

You grew up immersed in real estate, but when did you decide to focus on that industry?

I remember as a five year old, spending my free time in the Schroeder Corporate office alphabetizing paperwork for our secretary, I must intuitively have known that having a career in the family business was going to be my eventual path.

My mother had a real estate license and both my parents instilled a strong work ethic in my brother and me. As teenagers we were expected to find work in the summers, and I ended up working in sales for a local surf shop. I studied Sociology at UCLA, originally thinking I wanted to be a news broadcaster, but after I graduated, I found Interior Design to be my calling.

I worked for a high profile residential design firm in Newport Beach (as well as on nationwide projects), which gave me a lot of experience in understanding space and how to work with color tones, textures, etc.; but in my twenties, I wanted to experience the energy and life in the Big Apple, so I moved to New York to work in fashion, which was a huge opportunity in business; something inside of me knew, however, that the fashion biz wasn’t my “forever” career.

That’s a big change, how it did it feel?

It was a very valuable experience because it got me out of my “safe” zone and made me push myself to work harder than I thought I ever would and prove to myself that I could really be involved with some incredible projects and complete them successfully. I had a great experience working as the executive assistant to the President of Tory Burch.

How did you make the jump to real estate?

Really by happenstance, on a lunch break one day, my real estate broker showed me an apartment in a brand new building in Soho that people were clamoring to get into, so I made an offer. I bought the apartment, then decided to get a real estate license in New York, and a year later, the developers of my building, Cape Advisors, offered me a job. I worked on big development deals, multi-million dollar projects including hotels and large residential properties. It was intense, but glamorous. After seven years in New York, I felt equipped to handle the responsibility and commitment of my own companies so I came home to Newport Beach.

So from Manhattan to Lido … you like Islands?

As Simon and Garfunkel coined, “I am a rock, I am an Island.” I recently built a home at the very end of the island. Before building the house I am currently in, I lived exactly in the middle of the island! Yes, Lido is an incredible place to live.

What do you find so appealing about living on Lido Island?

When I came back from the East Coast it was the unpretentious environment of Lido that drew me to the isle, and it reminded me of the natural way of life I grew up with in Newport. Every time I cross the bridge onto Lido after a long day at work I take a deep breath, feel peacefulness, and am so happy to be at home!

Also, the new Lido Village has made my life so much easier! I shop at Elyse Walker for most of my clothes and get all my incredible body products at Le Labo and Aesop. I buy interior furnishings from Aleph Gallery and personal products at Cos Bar. My workout clothes only from Sweaty Betty and workout at Curl Fitness. Basically, Lido Village and all the boutiques within Cannery Village supply my entire lifestyle! It’s the convenience of city living on the beach!

Tell us about your family:

My incredible parents are still happily married after 48 years, and my brother, Jeff, is in the wine business, and married to a beautiful, smart woman, Stacey. I have an adorable niece. I am very blessed to have my family.

What are you your hobbies/interests?

A couple of years ago our family bought a boat, which I tend to go out on every Sunday; it has become my favorite pastime! It’s called SIP, which has three meanings: Schroeder Investment Partners of course, but also it’s the name of our favorite bar in the Bahamas – the word Sip means ‘gossip’ in Bahamian.

But also, since my brother is in the wine business, our crew takes care of us while we sip beer and wine onboard – appropriate! We are members of the Lido Island Yacht Club, and often take “her” to Catalina, Emerald Bay, and just around the harbor.

I also serve on the Board of Trustees of the Orange County Museum of Art, am a member of the Young Contemporaries Circle at Laguna Art Museum. I recently became a Board of Trustees member for the new NB Foundation.

Beyond that, I run almost every morning and play tennis once or twice a week. I also work out at the gym with a trainer. I have travelled extensively in Europe, the Caribbean, and am going to venture to the Asian continent next year to explore that part of the globe!