Mauricio Umansky's Toughest Challenge Yet: Special Forces and Family

Lucía Torres · 2026-09-23

Mauricio Umansky has spent his career negotiating multi-million dollar real estate deals. But did that prepare him for a reality competition modeled after military selection in the Malaysian jungle? In this exclusive Q&A, The Agency's Founder & CEO opens up about his time on "Special Forces," which he calls the toughest challenge of his life. He shares what it taught him about leadership, resilience, and what it meant to compete alongside his daughter, Alexia. ### Pressure in the Jungle vs. the Boardroom In real estate, reading people and staying calm under pressure is essential. Did those instincts kick in out there? Absolutely. But this was pressure on an entirely different level. It was probably the hardest thing I've ever done, physically and mentally. What I learned very quickly was that you couldn't let your mind get too far ahead of you. You had to stay calm, focus on what was directly in front of you and get through the next challenge. That actually translates very closely to business. As a CEO, there are always going to be difficult moments, decisions, and things outside of your control. You can't panic. You assess the situation, make the best decision you can and keep moving forward. This experience reinforced for me just how powerful mindset is. ### Family and Work Dynamics in Competition As members of The Umansky Team, you and Alexia deal with challenges together for a living. Did your work dynamic show up in this competition? Or your family dynamic? Definitely both. Alexia and I know each other extremely well, so there was an instinctive understanding of when the other person needed encouragement and when they needed space to push through something themselves. But what was really special for me was getting to experience Alexia outside of our normal father-daughter and work relationship. I got to see her resilience and strength in an entirely different environment. There were moments when I wanted to protect her as her dad, but I also had to let her compete and find that strength within herself. I was incredibly proud of her. ### Strengths That Translate You and Alexia are in tune with each other's strengths in real estate. Which of those strengths came into play in this competition? Resilience, communication and being able to perform under pressure. In real estate, you can prepare as much as you want, but something unexpected will always happen. You have to adapt quickly without losing focus. That was true every single day on Special Forces. You never really knew what was coming next, so you couldn't waste energy worrying about it. You had to trust yourself, trust the people around you and deal with the challenge in front of you. > "The biggest thing I learned is that your mind gives up before your body does. Whether you're competing on Special Forces or leading a company through a difficult moment, resilience is deciding you're going to keep moving forward." – Mauricio Umansky ### Mind Over Matter Did this competition reveal new strengths that might translate to your work life? It reminded me that we're all capable of a lot more than we think we are. Your mind will sometimes tell you that you're done before your body actually is. Learning to push beyond that voice was incredibly powerful. As a CEO and entrepreneur, resilience has always been important to me, but this gave me a completely different understanding of it. Building a company comes with highs and lows. There are moments when things are incredibly difficult, and you have to keep believing in what you're building and keep moving forward. That's mind over matter in a different form. ### Key Takeaways for Professionals - **Stay present:** Focus on the immediate challenge rather than worrying about what's next. - **Trust your team:** Lean on the strengths of those around you, especially in high-pressure situations. - **Push past your limits:** Your mind often gives up before your body does; resilience is about continuing forward. - **Adapt quickly:** In both real estate and competition, unexpected obstacles require fast, calm adjustments. Don't miss the premiere of "Special Forces" on Thursday, September 24th at 9 PM EST & PST on Fox. Stream it live on YouTube TV, and catch it the next day on Hulu and Disney+.