Introduction: The Stoop Where Vision Was Born
What if the next real estate mogul wasn’t forged on Wall Street but on a weathered stoop in Flatbush? The late management thinker Peter Drucker once said, “The best way to predict the future is to create it.” That’s precisely what Maureen set out to do. When she launched Brownstone NYC, she wasn’t surrounded by venture capitalists or Silicon Alley tech wizards. There were no splashy launch parties—just resolve, clarity of purpose, and a deep belief that neglected neighborhoods held untapped potential.
At first, the industry shrugged. Banks passed. Investors scoffed. But that changed when she crossed paths with Third Level Ventures, a business incubator offering more than advice—offering transformation. With access to startup mentorship, strategic advisory, and business development support, Maureen built not just a firm but a force. Her path from underestimated founder to real estate powerhouse offers a timely lesson: when given the right tools, overlooked builders can reshape the skyline—and the system.
Reimagining Who Gets Funded
In an ecosystem where innovation is often mistaken for access, entrepreneurs from marginalized communities face a familiar barrier: funding. Despite having viable ideas and resilient work ethics, many remain stuck in early-stage purgatory—unfunded and unrecognized. The narrative repeats itself: if you weren’t born into networks of wealth or prestige, the odds seem rigged.
Maureen, a determined Brooklynite, was no exception. But she knew that changing her outcome required changing the ecosystem. With guidance from Third Level Ventures, she accessed the Capital Advisory Package—a bridge between promise and profitability. What followed wasn’t a miracle; it was the result of structure, mentorship, and access.
This wasn’t just about financing a business. Brownstone NYC’s success reminds us that the right mix of insight and investment can turn local ambition into national influence. That’s not charity—it’s strategy.
The Stakes of Real Estate—and Who Holds Them
When Maureen founded Brownstone NYC, she didn’t just enter the real estate industry—she entered a battlefield for equity, ownership, and generational change. In cities like New York, real estate has always been about more than brick and mortar. It’s a lever of power, a tool of displacement, and—when wielded equitably—a pathway to transformation.
For many founders like Maureen, the challenge isn’t competence, it’s access. Yet data shows that startups nurtured within incubators or accelerators have an 87% five-year survival rate—nearly double the average. Brownstone NYC’s journey affirms what programs like NewME Accelerator and Third Level Ventures have demonstrated: mentorship and tailored capital strategies matter.
Under the leadership of Schelton Assoumou, Third Level Ventures has positioned itself not only as a financial conduit but as a cultural translator—helping founders refine their pitches, restructure their operations, and reimagine what’s possible. Its alumni have achieved $200 million in real estate transactions, contributing to a combined total of over $1 billion in contracts across multiple joint venture businesses and projects
Its community investments have touched thousands of lives.
Maureen’s success isn’t anecdotal—it’s architectural. It proves that when you plant the right seed in the right soil, you don’t just grow a business. You grow a blueprint.
The Funding Gap: Challenges Faced by Minority-Led Ventures
For many minority entrepreneurs, breaking into the real estate sector is akin to navigating a labyrinth without a map. The obstacles extend beyond capital—they stem from systemic barriers that often leave community-driven founders under-resourced and misunderstood. Traditional lenders, wary of ventures that defy Silicon Valley molds, frequently sideline businesses that are deeply rooted in social impact or neighborhood revitalization.
It’s not a deficit of innovation or ambition. Often, the issue lies in the lack of formal documentation, limited access to influential networks, and discomfort with investor terminology. These hurdles obscure the true potential of many entrepreneurs. Add to that the common misconception that a startup must launch with a polished, fully-loaded product, and you create an ecosystem that stifles ingenuity before it can bloom.
Yet the minimum viable product (MVP) model challenges this thinking. It champions experimentation and real-world feedback over perfection. As Eric Ries of The Lean Startup emphasizes, the path to product-market fit is paved with learning, iteration, and adaptability. That approach resonated deeply with Third Level Ventures leadership—especially co-founder Schelton Assoumou, a Wall Street veteran who brought both strategic precision and a deep understanding of community capital to the table. Together with a team of ex-JP Morgan advisors, Assoumou helped forge a new playbook: one where minority-led ventures aren’t just viable—they’re investment-ready.
Three Lessons That Took Brownstone NYC from Side Hustle to Market Leader
In the early days of Brownstone NYC, every day was a masterclass in adaptation. Like many startups, the team faced the daunting challenge of refining their model while staying afloat. The breakthrough? Systematizing the hustle.
Carol Schultz, founder of Vertical Elevation, once remarked, “Delegate and build systems—or you’ll burn out faster than a Lagos generator on low fuel.” The message was clear: founders must work on the business, not just in it. Brownstone NYC took that to heart. Instead of spreading themselves thin, the team invested in replicable systems and brought in seasoned hands who had scaled businesses in similarly complex ecosystems.
Third Level Ventures (3LV), the incubator behind Brownstone NYC, designed a modular support system around three pillars: business development, strategic implementation, and high-touch mentorship. Founders received tailored guidance in market research, operational frameworks, and real-world execution.
One of the turning points came when the team chose clarity over complexity. Rather than mimic the jargon-laden blueprints of tech giants, Brownstone NYC focused on building accessible, scalable models that served their core audience: underrepresented entrepreneurs seeking a foot in the door. That clarity translated to confidence—in their mission, in their model, and ultimately, in the marketplace. As Schelton Assoumou often shares, success is not about imitation—it’s about innovation rooted in authenticity.
How Your Business Can Join the Movement
At Third Level Ventures, we believe that entrepreneurship should not be a privilege—it should be a pathway. Our mission is not simply to launch businesses, but to nurture lasting legacies. Startups like Brownstone NYC are proof that with the right scaffolding, even the most overlooked ventures can rise to prominence.
Our Incubation & Mentorship program helps early-stage founders sharpen their strategies and build durable foundations. Strategic Advisory Services demystify funding and partnerships. Our Business Development & Implementation arm handles the details—so entrepreneurs can focus on their vision. Whether you’re testing your idea or seeking funding for scale, we tailor our support to meet you where you are.
What sets us apart is our people. From former investment bankers to innovation leads at firms like Chevron and Google, our global bench of advisors brings decades of experience and a shared commitment to equity. Together with leaders like Schelton Assoumou, we’re building a pipeline of bold, market-ready ventures—one founder at a time.
Conclusion: Scaling Dreams in Concrete
The story of Brownstone NYC is more than an entrepreneurial win—it’s a case study in reimagining what’s possible for underserved communities. The company didn’t rise on hype or hollow promises; it scaled on grit, guidance, and the belief that dreams born in marginalized neighborhoods are just as worthy of investment.
Key Takeaways: With structured mentorship, a supportive incubator, and leaders like Schelton Assoumou who understand both Wall Street and the needs of Main Street, ventures like Brownstone NYC are charting a new course—one that turns “not yet” into “why not.”
So when the odds seem stacked against your venture, remember sometimes concrete doesn’t bury dreams—it cultivates resilience. Ready to rewrite your story? Let’s get building. Visit www.ThirdLevelVentures.com or call (212) 555-3060.
Schedule a Discovery Call → Let’s turn your vision into a venture worth remembering.
