Memorial Day is ultimately about remembering and honoring the brave men and women who gave their lives serving our country. While no words can fully express our gratitude, I believe it is important to pause, reflect, and remember the courage and sacrifice that freedom requires.

This week, I also found myself thinking about the women inside the Wise Network and the many different paths that bring women into business ownership, investing, entrepreneurship, and commercial real estate.

Some women in our network are attorneys.
Some are executives.
Some are first-time investors.
Some are mothers rebuilding after difficult seasons.
Some are business owners.
Some are learning commercial real estate for the very first time.

Some have served our country.

One of those women is Ada Ramirez.

Ada, from Killeen, Texas, served 13 years in the United States Air Force and continues serving today through leadership, business, and community impact.

When Ada shared her story with me, what stood out most was her desire to build a legacy.

She told me she fell in love with fixing and flipping homes through her company, Nickenz Builders, because she saw real estate as more than properties. She saw it as a way to create something lasting for her family, her community, and future generations.

What I admire most about Ada is that she is always thinking bigger. She joined Wise because she wants to continue growing, learning, and surrounding herself with women who challenge her to dream beyond where she is today. Her vision is to continue building through real estate development, investments, and multifamily projects while creating opportunities for others along the way.

Stories like Ada’s are why Wise matters to me.

Wise was never simply about commercial real estate.
It was never only about deals, networking, or investments.

It has always been about women becoming brave enough to build something bigger for themselves, their families, and future generations.

Women who are willing to step into rooms they once felt unqualified to enter.
Women who are creating financial independence.
Women who are building businesses.
Women who are choosing courage over comfort.
Women who continue showing up with resilience, discipline, and vision.

Leadership does not always look loud.

Sometimes leadership looks like service.
Sometimes leadership looks like sacrifice.
Sometimes leadership looks like quietly continuing to believe in a bigger future.

This Memorial Day, I am grateful for the men and women who gave their lives in service to our country. I am also grateful for women like Ada and so many others in our Wise community who continue serving, building, leading, and creating impact in their own unique ways.

The women inside Wise remind me every day that there is no single path to leadership.

There is only the decision to keep growing, keep learning, and keep building something meaningful.

Stay Wise,
Dedee Boring