Young Independents: Aspiring and Inspiring Leadership
With more than a million people now calling Jacksonville “home”, The Resident News set out to discover young, independent residents out there who are truly worthy of the “one-in-a-million” title. These up-and-comers are making huge impacts in the community, whether it’s through real estate, banking or customer service.
Working to change Jacksonville for the better, our Young Independents are among the city’s best and brightest. They have a drive and a passion for what they do, and it is hard not to feel inspired in their presence. We rounded up just a few of these movers and shakers to discuss their career, passions, accomplishments and Jacksonville faves. The future is in good hands and it’s time to celebrate the contributions of the next generation of professionals…right here in our stomping grounds.
Sam Middlekauff
Quick-study Sam Middlekauff has only been an associate at Colliers for two years, yet he’s already become very well versed in the “urban boroughs” — Riverside, Murray Hill, Avondale, San Marco and Springfield areas. He grew up in Jacksonville and knows all too well how Jacksonville’s downtown hasn’t really been a highlight for the city. But Jacksonville is changing quickly, and downtown development has been a major cause of that change.
“I’ve always felt like that’s the one area that’s held Jacksonville back from being on the radar with the Miamis and the Tampas,” he said. “It’s starting to get on the radar of a lot of these groups, whether it’s developers, whether it’s restaurants from out of town or businesses.”
In his position with Colliers, he focuses on urban, mixed-use development on the retail side. He is a part of bringing new businesses and new attractions to draw people to the city.
“It’s long hours and it’s a grind, but you have a reward at the end of it. You kind of have a chance to make an impact on the city.”
Middlekauff has a passion for his hometown and loves seeing the changes that are happening. Although he went to college at the University of Alabama, he came straight back to Jacksonville after graduation and soon was part of the development of the Federal Reserve building.
“The building was fully condemned. There were trees growing out of it. You look at it now, and it’s a beautiful courtyard, a fully renovated building,” he said, noting that it has been somewhat of a kickoff to some of this major development happening downtown.
When he’s not growing the urban neighborhoods, Middlekauff likes to golf, watch the Jaguars and attend events downtown. He’s also a proclaimed “foodie” and loves to try new restaurants that pop up around town while frequenting favorites Mesa in Avondale and bellwether downtown.
“It’s the area that I’ve grown up in, so I kind of live, work and play here,” he said.
Taylor Miller
Born and raised in Jacksonville, Taylor Miller, like so many other natives, has a deep love for the Jaguars. But this lifelong dancer gets the unique privilege of showing her pride as part of the ROAR, the professional cheerleading squad of the Jacksonville Jaguars. She is a four-season veteran with the ROAR and will continue with them this upcoming season.
“I grew up dancing and just love to dance,” Miller said.
Miller earned a two-year dance scholarship from the Florida State College at Jacksonville after high school, after which she pursued a career in the beauty industry. She attended the Parisian Spa institute and is a medical aesthetician at Amara Med Spa.
Miller has been in the aesthetic industry for five years performing facials, microneedling, chemical peels and more.
“Skin is the first thing people see when they talk to you,” she said. “I like helping people overcome any insecurities, helping people become more confident in their skin. It’s really a magical process when you can help people get through conditions such as like acne, melasma, rosacea, and just have that confidence to wear their skin without adding tons of makeup on it.”
When she isn’t working, the ROAR keeps Miller busy on and off the field. The team does appearances at different events, and Miller said one of the best parts is the volunteer work they do.
“Being on the field and dancing is only one little, tiny piece of everything we do, and it’s really been a super rewarding opportunity to be able to be a part of the team for so long,” she said.
Off the clock, Miller enjoys visiting the Riverside Arts Market on Saturdays or other attending events that take place around town.
“I always just try to support or go to whatever event is going on in Jacksonville,” she said.
Lyman Starmer
At just 19, Lyman Starmer is no stranger to the business world. Two years ago, he started his first business called Highlands Marketing, and then introduced Perspective, a social network prioritizing bipartisanship. At the time, he was prepared to drop out of Wolfson High School to focus on his business. It was becoming too much to juggle, so Starmer spoke with the school’s principal to see if there was a way around having to attend school five days a week. They came up with a plan that allowed Starmer to stay enrolled in school while allowing him to keep his business up and growing.
“You don’t really have to always play by the rules, sometimes you just need to ask. And it’s always about how you ask,” Starmer said.
His current company, PeerLyfe, grew out of Perspective, and launched three months ago. Starmer noticed that out of all the social media platforms, there was no way for groups to consolidate all the information, control the narrative, and give residents a place to talk with other residents. So, he decided to create a kind of self-sustaining ecosystem, a private social network for communities.
He spends most of his time working, but it’s only because he is so passionate about it. And he likes helping other young entrepreneurs iron out their concepts and get that process started.
“I love solving problems,” he said. “I don’t want to say I know it all, but I want to give them advice for things I learned along the way.”
Starmer enjoys splitting up his workday so that he gets a different view, different perspective every day. He spends time in the office and then ventures to a different coffee shop every week in the afternoon. Some of his favorites are Southern Grounds, Brew and Vagabond.
“The Jacksonville coffee scene is pretty good,” Starmer said. “That’s where I get all my creative work done.”
Patrick Carney
After graduating with a degree in marketing, Patrick Carney was introduced to the “great energy and passion” of Christian Harden and Keith Goldfaden, managing partners with NAI Hallmark.
“It was a little infectious,” Carney said.
So infectious, in fact, that he is coming up on his six-year anniversary with the company, now serving as its vice president, office specialist.
A Jacksonville native, Carney loves that he is able to make an impact on his hometown through his job.
“You kind of have an impact representing owners of real estate and on the Jacksonville landscape,” he said. “It’s pretty exciting.”
He has worked through the ranks, starting as a sales associate, then senior sales associate and now, vice president.
“I’m excited about being with Hallmark and want to continue to grow that legacy,” he said.
One of his proudest moments at his job was recently closing two deals on a property called the Concourse that dealt with government users.
“It was pretty difficult,” he said. “You’re going through government regulations — requirements that are much more intense and a more involved process than a normal office lease.”
When Carney isn’t working, he enjoys meeting different types of local, regional and national real estate owners, CEOs and CFOs, hear their stories and work hand-in-hand with them. He likes spending time outdoors, playing sports like tennis.
“[Tennis] is almost a dirty word, with all the excitement around pickle ball,” Carney said with a laugh.
He’s also training for his first triathlon, typically running along the iconic Riverwalk on the Northbank. He grew up at the beach and enjoys surfing as well.
“I’m kind of a jack of all trades,” he said. “I like to do a bit of everything.”
Carney frequents the Winston YMCA and Jacksonville’s famed coffee spots, especially Southern Grounds in San Marco. He plans to get more involved in the community and wants to find a passion outside of work where he can do some good.
Brooks Dame
Born and raised in Jacksonville, Brooks Dame has an incredible sense of community and what it takes to make a difference at the local level. That passion is a perfect match for her current job as assistant to Jacksonville City Council Member Randy DeFoor, as well as her upcoming post with with Council Member Jimmy Peluso, slated to start on July 1.
“Being able to be here at city hall and work, you have such a good opportunity to make change in people’s regular lives, whether it’s the pothole in front of their house or an overarching policy that affects them,” Dame said.
Prior, she worked at the Sulzbacher Center. “These are my roots,” Dame said. Working there allowed her to come to her current job with “a community lens and a nonprofit lens.”
Dame is also passionate about nature and hiking. She hiked the entire Appalachian Trail in college in somewhat of a spur-of-the-moment fashion. Her friend was heading off on the adventure and asked Dame if she wanted to join.
“One of my role models is my mom, and she is one of those, strong, independent women. So, I feel like I could tackle anything and do it. I was like, ‘I could do that,’” said Dame. “I didn’t realize what I was getting into.”
Yet, after five months of sleeping on the ground and eating oatmeal, she said it is still something she’s incredibly proud of.
Dame has a love for volunteering and civic-minded activities, volunteering at Schulzbacher once a month as well as at other nonprofits. She also enjoys attending different events and exploring the Jacksonville food scene. Some of her favorites are Orsay and 1748 Bakehouse.
“Only the bored are bored in Jacksonville,” Dame said.
Paul Twum
For Paul Twum, the best part of his job is fulfilling the needs of his private banker clients. He’s been at Chase since 2017 managing affluent clients and maintaining strong relationships between the client and the bank.
“I help them find solutions,” he said. “I help them with their worries and help change their thoughts around that problem. I watch them go from worried or having anxiety to leaving my office and feeling good about their situation at hand.”
Twum’s proudest moment is the acknowledgment of the stellar customer service his branch in San Marco has given the last three years.
“I’m really proud of being the No. 1 banker in all of Jacksonville, as far as making sure that folks are taken care of financially,” he said. “I provide stellar service across the board. If anybody has any issues with their bank and they want to give a Chase a try, just know that Paul will service the bejesus out of you.”
When he isn’t working, Twum enjoys giving back to his community and his alma mater, University of North Florida (UNF). He is a part of the student council to help UNF retain and bring more students into the school. He also enjoys mentoring students who are studying finance, helping to guide them and teaching them how to build a network and a brand. He also volunteers at several churches in San Marco and in Clay County, where his parents live.
Twum’s favorite local spots for great food are bb’s, River and Post and Hawker’s. When he’s not dining out, he fancies himself a novice cook. He likes testing out dishes he has seen on TikTok and social media.
“It’s a new passion for me,” he said. “I’ve made this nice pasta recipe that I’m really excited about.”
Brittiany Light
Hair stylist Brittiany Light continues to work her way up toward master stylist at Hair Peace in Riverside. Currently working hard toward 4a, which will allow her to have the help of an associate, she said the best part of her job is the transformations.
“That’s kind of why I got into it, because I love makeovers and making people feel really confident,” Light said.
Hair Peace specializes in curly hair, and Light prides herself on teaching curlyheads how wear their hair natural, which they might have shied away from before because they didn’t know how to style or manage it.
“Instead of straightening it, they can wear it natural, and just helping them learn how to do that can make a big difference,” she said. “Even though you aren’t changing who they are, you still do a transformation for them.”
Light always wanted to do something creative with her career. She got her degree in fashion and ultimately ended up going to school for hair, calling it “a good way to make money and be creative”.
When she isn’t busy with hair transformations, she spends time with her dog, Scamp, who she says is exactly like her. She also enjoys hiking, going to the beach and exploring the different trails Jacksonville has to offer. One of her favorite spots is the Cummer Museum’s outside garden.
“It’s very pretty out there,” she said. “And it has the water aspect. Anything with water is usually good for me. I am very much a nature person,” said Light.
And she’s no stranger to Jacksonville. Light grew up in Callahan and came to Jacksonville for most of her needs.
“When I needed to go to the grocery store, I had to go to Jacksonville,” she said. “Jacksonville has so many great things. My favorite restaurant might be over here, but then I love going over to the beach or other areas to experience nature.”
She has started to play tennis but admits it hasn’t become a passion just yet. She is also a skilled baker — just ask about her white chocolate macadamia nut cookies.
“My friends always brag about my cooking, because when I throw parties, I always bake everything for it,” she said.
Aiden Simonetta
Although new to the area, Aiden Simonetta is making a name for himself in the Jacksonville real estate scene, along with his father, Phillip Simonetta. Aiden and his father opened Pier 21 Realty, a combination of a real estate brokerage and real estate school, about six months ago in Jacksonville.
“It seems like it’s a growing city, so it was an area for opportunity for us. We felt we had value to offer, and the location itself had value for us as well,” Aiden Simonetta said.
During the COVID lockdown, Simonetta was in college, but wanted to keep moving forward.
“I talked to my dad and said, ‘Hey, the world’s kind of stopping right now, but I wanted to keep going. Can I work with you?’”
Simonetta got his real estate license, and two years later, his broker’s license. He also has an instructor’s license. One achievement he is specifically proud of was his first transaction when he worked on a horse farm.
“It gave me a commission of nearly $40,000,” he said. “And it was life changing. I appreciate the fact that people trust me with those transactions. That they trust me with maybe the largest purchase they will make.”
After that, he continued to grow.
“A lot of my success is due to my dad,” Simonetta said. “He’s been in the industry for decades. That really helped me get my footing. He showed me the ropes over the last few years, and I’ve grown from there.”
When he isn’t busy with the business, Simonetta likes weightlifting and playing video games. He also enjoys trying different food trucks around town and “all the typical, middle-aged guy things” like cooking and grilling.
Olivia Steinemann
When Olivia Steinemann first started working at Colliers, she wasn’t sure what side of the business she wanted to be on – commercial or residential. But once she joined Matthew Clark’s team, she was able to “really explore different sectors of the industry, find out what I like, find out what I don’t like. And it really has allowed me to somewhat find myself as a young adult starting my career.”
Although she isn’t from Jacksonville — she grew up in Charlotte — Steinemann loves focusing on mixed-use development in downtown.
“For the longest time, all the locals, and people from Jacksonville in general, have been very jaded on downtown,” she said. “There have been empty promises over the years and a lot of this development has not occurred. But now you have players — local players, out of town players — that have come to market and they’re putting their money where their mouth is.”
Steinemann said it is an exciting time to be a part of this growth. She wants to be involved in creating a place where people want to go and spend a Saturday shopping and dining under an urban landscape.
“These projects really allow you to create these districts in your urban core that have ceased to exist for the past 50 years,” she said. “I really wanted to immerse myself in a more urban environment and bring out my creative side and work on projects that were very dynamic and had a lot of moving pieces to them, [ones that] brought in concepts from outside markets.”
In her downtime, Steinemann gets centered through yoga. She also bikes, spends time at the beach and is a big foodie, loving Mesa, Black Sheep, River and Post, and Hawker’s.
“When you have a lot going on, giving yourself an hour or two to really just focus on movement and clarity of the mind helps you on your day to day as well,” she said.
Ultimately, Steinemann just feels very grateful to be where she is.
“To be able to sit down in a room with these developers and master planners who have worked their whole lives to create these dynamic environments, and being able to listen in and learn from them is quite the experience, and I’m very grateful for it,” she said.
By Jennifer Jensen
Resident Community News
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