I took over the family business at 26 after my father died. Finishing his final project helped me grieve.
Camilla Kodsi, a 27-year-old real estate developer, shares her experience of taking over her father's firm, Ark Capital Group, following his unexpected death. She credits the completion of his final project, Arbor Residences, as a vital part of her grieving process and professional development.
Why it matters
This personal account highlights the challenges of sudden leadership succession in family-owned businesses and the intersection of professional responsibility with personal loss.
Camilla Kodsi took over her father's company at age 26 after his unexpected death. Ark Capital Group Camilla Kodsi, 27, took over her father's company after his unexpected death in 2025. She completed her father's project, Arbor Residences, a building in Coconut Grove, in 2026. Kodsi said finishing her father's project helped her honor his vision and memory. This as-told-to essay is based on a conversation with Camilla Kodsi, 27, the principal of Ark Capital Group, a Florida-based real estate investment firm founded by her father, Isaac Kodsi. When her father died unexpectedly in August 2025 in the middle of developing Arbor Residences, a residential building in Coconut Grove, Florida, Camilla took over the company and his projects. The following has been edited for length and clarity. My dad started Ark Capital. He used to focus on debt and equity, but right now we're focusing on development.
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