< Back to News

A Day in the Life: 24 Hours With Downtown Dynamo Star Hughes

Title: Director

Age: 24

Career accomplishments to date: Star has worked on more than one million square feet of lease negotiations, and has become one of the most prominent millennials in the downtown San Diego business community to date.

Little Known Fact About Star: She has visited more than 50 countries, and adds to the list every year.

Star Hughes with fiance Steven Gorup
Star with fiancé Steven Gorup on a recent ski trip in Aspen, Colorado.

A natural born achiever, Star Hughes has accomplished more in her professional life than many will by twice her age. She recently landed on SD Metro’s 40 Under 40 list, and was named a finalist for San Diego Magazine’s Woman of the Year Award.

But Star’s not all blind ambition. Even while managing an incredible workload, Star remains remarkably centered, and is one of the most poised and good natured people you are likely to meet. Much credit is due to the influence of her family, with whom she’s incredibly close, and her fiancé – all of who work with Star every day at Hughes Marino.

Star Hughes and family
The Hughes family, pictured from left to right: Bailey, Shay, Jason, Star and Tucker.

Recently engaged to HM Vice President Steven Gorup, Star is busier than ever planning a late spring wedding, selling her downtown condo and looking for a new home in North County. All while continuing to serve in multiple volunteer roles, and working full-time to help tenants with commercial real estate requirements in San Diego’s thriving downtown.

It all adds up for an intense daily grind that requires massive stores of energy. Here’s a glimpse into a typical day in the life of one of San Diego’s most dynamic millennials.

6:30 am: “I check email the minute I wake up,” says Star. Responding to those she can quickly, she spends the rest of her early morning hours tending to her 8-year-old Lhasa Apso, Diggen, which she shares with her fiancé.

8:00 am: Star arrives at the Hughes Marino office after dropping Diggen off at doggy day care. During her first hour in the office, she continues to respond to client questions, prepare for tours, and return phone calls.

9:00 am: Star is frequently on the move in the Hughes Marino Sprinter van touring office spaces with clients. Together with her clients she may tour 6-8 properties before lunchtime.

12:00 pm: Star generally has lunch with a client or another young professional with whom she’s connected. “I enjoy networking with young women of a similar mindset. I enjoy the brainstorming, the support, and the laughs,” she says. She admits though, that she is also guilty of working through lunch more often than she probably should.

1:00 pm: Star’s afternoons are peppered with client appointments and meetings with her Hughes Marino colleagues. In between she’s working on everything from proposals to counter proposals, generating financial analyses, creatively structuring lease expansions, and more.

7:00 pm: If she is still at work, Star will order dinner to be delivered to the office or meet Steven for dinner in nearby Little Italy, often at her favorite spot, Davanti Enoteca. Star also frequently caps off dinner with a frozen yogurt from her favorite shop, just across the street. “I confess to having a major sweet tooth,” she says.

Steven Gorup and Star Hughes
The happy couple, Steven and Star.

8:00 pm: If Star doesn’t have any appointments, she uses her evening hours to study real estate trends, catch up on industry articles she’s bookmarked, make progress toward her goals and leadership initiatives, write blog posts, and/or work on articles for the number of publications that publish her work.

9:00-10:00 pm: When Star finally gets home she spends her downtime planning her wedding. Fortunately for Star, she finds looking at gowns, flowers, and centerpieces to be an excellent way to decompress. “I love all aspects of design and décor, whether it’s in a well-appointed office space or an ethereal wedding venue. So planning the details of my wedding blends several of my passions,” she says. “It’s a very busy time, and I have so much to do, but this is also a really beautiful time in my life both personally and professionally.”

Make no mistake; Star definitely stretches her workweek to the max, but she still makes plenty of time for fun. She makes the most of living in sunny San Diego where you can be outdoors 365 days a year. “I love to go hiking with Steven, plan weekend getaways to explore new places, and go shopping for home décor. I love looking for beautiful things for my future dream home!”



7 OC office space1
Previous Story

How Much is the Noise in Your Open Office Costing You?

pink office 1
Next Story

At First Blush: Tips for Adding a Touch of Pink to Your Office