Rico Naylor
At PeopleDem property we believe in celebrating our community by spotlighting black excellence in property. Today we are celebrating Rico Naylor.
Rico is the Founder and CEO of CRE Insider, a platform that connects commercial real estate leaders and occupiers through media, events, and storytelling making the CRE industry more accessible, connected, and intelligent. Rico’s passion for business, SMEs, and the workplace, combined with his professional background as a Chartered Surveyor, helped him realise that two worlds business and real estate weren’t speaking the same language.
Rico’s journey into property began back in 2016. At the time, he felt stuck and unsure of what he wanted to do. In his final year of college, university wasn’t even on his radar until one day, a family friend asked him a question that changed everything:
“So Rico, what are your plans after college?”
When he admitted he didn’t know, she probed further:
“Hypothetically, if you were to go to university, what would interest you?”
After a moment’s thought, Rico replied, “You know what, I quite like property. I’ve always been fascinated by mansions, beautiful interiors, and architecture but I can’t study property at uni.”
Her response was simple but powerful: “How do you know if you haven’t looked?”
Curious, Rico opened his laptop and searched for property-related university courses. He soon discovered a Real Estate course and became increasingly intrigued as he learned about the world of surveying. Determined to explore it further, he attended an open day at Liverpool John Moores University.
After the programme leader finished his presentation and opened the floor for questions, Rico asked, “Does Liverpool have a Nando’s?” When he was told there were a few, he replied, “Great, I’ll see you in September.” He kept his word and that was his inadvertent introduction to surveying.
Rico’s first taste of the industry came through a summer internship at Cushman & Wakefield, where he was inspired by HR specialist Jessica Martin. Their conversation and his induction in London or “The Big Smoke” only fuelled his ambition to make a name for himself in the industry.
He later joined JLL on their graduate training programme, diving straight into Office Agency, which he absolutely loved. Throughout the programme, Rico rotated through Lease Advisory, Capital Markets, and Valuation, before successfully completing his Assessment of Professional Competence in late 2023 passing on his first attempt.
There’s a well-known saying in property: “It’s not what you know, it’s who you know.”
As an ethnic minority entering the industry with no family or professional connections, this reality initially made Rico anxious. Without a network to rely on, he asked himself, “How do I get ahead?”
He realised the answer lay in building a personal brand. Rico made it his goal to gain recognition internally at JLL understanding that if senior leadership didn’t know who he was, his progress could be slow compared to those with established networks.
Within a year, Rico grew from 200 connections to over 2,000 followers. This visibility opened doors for him to host panel events, award shows, and gain recognition across the ‘Big Six’ firms as well as attract job offers.
Through this experience, Rico learned that building industry recognition has tangible value. A strong personal brand can multiply your network, attract opportunities, and open doors. Seeing entrepreneurs generate millions through thought leadership on LinkedIn inspired him to help others do the same and that’s how CRE Insider was born.
Today, Rico helps founders, surveyors, and property professionals build authority in their industries by providing a platform that highlights thought leadership and supports personal brand development on LinkedIn.
CRE Insider currently focuses on three key areas: the Manchester Market Insights Newsletter, Thought Leadership, and Personal Branding. The platform features insights from market leaders on current and emerging trends, while also teaching professionals how to build personal brands that stand out.
It’s been an honour to write about Rico. He’s still at the early stages of his career, and we look forward to seeing how his journey unfolds and where his ambition takes him next.
