Zeynep A. Talu-Baci

Zeynep A. Talu-Balci is a Miami-based real estate professional with dual master’s degrees in real estate development and international real estate. Her career spans brokerage, international trade, and entrepreneurship, with a focus on Miami’s dynamic preconstruction market and tenant representation for businesses seeking to grow in South Florida.  

 Before relocating to the United States, Zeynep spent nearly two decades representing Turkish exporters abroad, organizing international trade shows across the Middle East. Operating in Saudi Arabia at a time when women were not permitted to work, she developed resilience, cultural fluency, and a global outlook that continue to shape her professional path.  

In Miami, she is the founder of Makos Real Estate, where she advises global buyers, investors, and tenants navigating one of the country’s most competitive markets. She also co-founded She.Work, a platform amplifying women’s voices in business and leadership through long-form storytelling.  

 Zeynep serves on the boards of CCIM Miami and GGDF (The Global Girls Development Foundation), and volunteers with CREW Miami to advance mentorship and education for future leaders. As a Doctor of Business Administration candidate at Florida International University, her research interests include adaptive reuse, branded residences, and the ways storytelling, marketing and market perception influence real estate investment and redevelopment.  

Beyond her professional pursuits, Zeynep is a proud mother of boy–girl twins, an active writer, and a lifelong learner.