Real estate has come a long way in recent years for everything related to innovation. Right now, it’s one of the most technologically advanced economic sectors. It has seen some of the most robust modernization efforts.
But technology isn’t the only innovative area. Real estate has also been one of the leaders in female entrepreneurship. To celebrate women’s history month, the San Diego Business Journal released its list of influential women in real estate and construction.
Today, we’ll go through some of the most prominent names among these sectors, from recent and previous years. Let’s go through some of the stories of the most successful women in the sector.
Women’s experience in commercial real estate
A few days ago, The Globe And Mail released an article about successful women's commercial real estate experience. It parts from a recent study that revealed significant gender disparity in the industry.
For instance, only 15% of the highest management positions included females. That number comes from a US study in 2019 by the CREW (Commercial Real Estate Women Network). Therefore, the recent note aimed to shed light on the issue.
Let's go through the five interviews detailing the experiences of five female real estate workers in Canada.
Ouri Scott
Ouri Scott focuses on indigenous throughout British Columbia. She’s a designer for community and cultural buildings, educational spaces, health centers, and multifamily properties.
The main challenge she details was working in a predominantly male company. The firm showed a desire to provide equal opportunities for women, yet most chances went to males. She had to work extra time to gain her architect registration.
Her advice for women is to come to terms with not being able to do everything. It’s okay to lean on loved ones for support.
Karen Walker
Her prior experience came from working as an executive assistant for a development company located in Mississauga. She moved to work for a similar company in Hullmark, which tasked her with creating an internal department. It now manages over 30 properties spanning over 100 tenants.
The main challenge comes from other workers not expecting her to have the required knowledge for specific tasks. However, she does note that the industry has evolved a lot, becoming more diverse.
Her advice for women is to focus on networking. Meeting people can open more doors than what you can find on your own.
Anna Murray
Anna came from British Columbia, later moving to Alberta and focusing on ESG (Environmental-social-corporate governance). Her focus on gas, oil, and mining also carried her time spent with the UN's Global Compact, promoting sustainability.
For her, the main challenge for women is to find companies that are serious about promoting leadership diversity. Additionally, women also need to consider balancing their lives and work responsibilities.
Therefore, her advice is to profile potential employers thoroughly. The plan is to spot their commitment to diversification efforts.
Lara Murphy
Lara Murphy started as an entrepreneur. She always looked to build businesses, knocking on doors to find clients. It was only natural for her to start a firm of her own back in 2005. After meeting Karen Ryan, they founded the Ryan Murphy Construction company.
Despite her surviving market collapse in 2008, she notes that the biggest challenge is to feel like an outcast. That's because it's not common to see women running companies.
Her advice is to find the right allies. The right people can help you overcome obstacles and become a better businesswoman.
Joanne Chua
Finally, Joanne Chua started with Grosvenor Americas. She started as an executive assistant before becoming an investment manager. Luckily, the company actively encouraged her to find her interests.
Nevertheless, she still notes that it's challenging to find areas where men don't dominate the sector. Joanne acknowledges that avoiding that in her workplace was a lucky break, and she's now the education and outreach director for Commercial Real Estate Women in Vancouver.
Her advice is similar to many of the interviews: networking. Everyone should build connections for both opening doors and support you.
A growing trend in real estate
Luckily, real estate has grown continuously in recent years regarding diversification. Success stories like these are also available from years ago. Women have maintained a steady increase in their management influence within the industry.
This article by Real Estate Express is a fantastic example of what we've mentioned. Released precisely three years ago, it also details the experiences from five success stories. Additionally, it notes that real estate is among the ideal careers for women looking to craft their future.
Kim Howard
She abandoned corporate marketing for a more fulfilling career. She had the “hustling mindset” that made her love working on her own. That led her to recruit her husband, and they made the jump together as partners.
For her, the main challenge for women in real estate is showing that they’re as good at negotiating as men. However, she notes that relying on other agents disclose the information and jumping after them helps her take deals by surprise.
Her main advice is to learn to say “no” and focus on one’s goals. In the end, focusing on the right things is better for everyone.
Kristina McCann
Kristina started around 21 years ago as an assistant for mortgage bankers. She later became a realtor’s assistant before being a realtor by herself. After being let go by her boss, she held an open house, which sold on the first day for a million dollars.
For her, the challenge is falling for the idea that real estate is like a club. Many forget that everyone is just doing their best. She’s also had to become less friendly as a real estate agent, preferring to focus on getting things done.
Her advice is to try marketing to people outside your locality. That means competing with more agents, but outsider clients are easier to reach.
Lisa Song Sutton
Lisa started with experience in law and business, switching to real estate later. She focused on luxurious properties before landing a multi-millionaire deal on the first try. Her knowledge of Nevada and her negotiation skills make her an expert in finding top-paying clients.
One of her primary challenges was underestimating herself. Additionally, male-dominated markets tend to create harmful perceptions about female realtors. For instance, many think that women see real estate as a side-gig while caring for their kids.
Her main advice is to create, nurture, and take hold of one's brand. That means going beyond any brokerage's branding.
Shelton Wilder
Shelton has one of the most interesting backgrounds. She was a fashion lover and even appeared in Shark Tank with her line. Today, she maintains that real estate is very similar to fashion, and selling properties is basically like styling.
For her, the main challenge was self-imposed: not wanting to join a team. Thankfully, she loved the hustle. Additionally, she prefers to leave all decisions to their clients, focusing on providing facts and statistics.
Her advice is to have enough reserve capital to start a career by yourself. The other option is to find support or join a team.
Anne Baldwin
Anne had a similar start to Shelton. She began with wholesale fashion merchandising. Her negotiation and marketing skills made her husband’s family take her into their real estate business. Now, she and her husband are partners.
Interestingly, she says that it could be challenging to overcome the idea that women work in real estate because they're attractive and make sales. Reaching a leadership position can be difficult, but it's changing.
Her best advice is to embrace flexibility. Real estate is unpredictable, and you need to think fast and find solutions when that happens.
A growing trend in real estate
The Los Angeles Business Journal also notes that construction is a land of opportunity for women in particular. Despite remaining underrepresented so far, leadership has become more common for female figures.
The article states that more companies seem to encourage women to join leadership roles. That includes promoting their female workers, and it's one of the industries that beat the joint pay gap. It mentions that they make 1% more than males on average.
Additionally, Women In Construction has shown that this isn't new. In late 2018, they released an excellent article on the eight most influential women in the industry.
Elizabeth Diller
Elizabeth Diller also made it to the Time 100 list in the same year. She’s been among the most influential figures in the world. She founded Diller Scofidio + Renfro over 30 years ago with her husband.
Her portfolio includes expanding the Museum of Modern Art and working on the Centre For Music in London. She’s also responsible for the design behind LA’s Broad Art Museum. The High Line is also part of her visionary work, which is now an architectural icon.
Roma Agrawal
Roma Agrawal studied Physics and Structural Engineering, working six years with WSP Global developing Western Europe’s tallest tower: The Shard. She was the only featured woman featured in The Tallest Tower, a Channel 4 documentary about the project.
She also won the Rooke Award three years later. It's worth noting that it's among the most prestigious recognitions. She's no stranger to media features, appearing in The Guardian, TEDx, Cosmopolitan, and The Telegraph.
Kelly Vincent
Kelly abandoned school when she was 18, joining an administration position with the NHS. She felt inspired by her father, a building contractor. It made her look for construction job opportunities. She decided to learn about electricity before founding Kelly Electrics.
Today, the female electrician is famous for her contributions. For instance, she was a finalist for Britain's Top Tradesperson and Women in Construction awards. Today, she focuses on hiring female electricians to inspire more females to join the industry.
Roni Savage
Roni began her own construction company in 2009, named Jomas Associate. She focuses on environmental engineering. She was also part of the Goldman Sachs small business program at Saïd Business School.
Before that, she worked extensively on major road projects in the UK. Recently, she’s worked with land developers, evaluating ground conditions and contamination. She also promotes job diversity and is famous for winning several awards, like Black British Businessperson of the Year.
Claire Gott
Claire Gott is the co-founder of Cameroon Catalyst, a charity focusing on international projects via community developments. The charity was responsible for a medical center, primary school, carpentry and mechanical workshop, housing, and electricity hubs.
Other projects include running multi-disciplinary teams, working on prominent projects. Redeveloping the London Bridge Station is an example. She's been awarded an MBE for civil engineering and her charity work.
Monika Slowikowska
Her career started with advertising before switching to construction, thanks to her home-building dreams. Noticeably, she’s worked for the Park Plaza hotels in London. She then worked for five years as her brother’s managing director.
After that, she founded Noble Houses Developments, her own business. It was later renamed Golden Houses Developments, and it focuses on high-end residential developments. Like the Best Woman Contractor in 2018, she's earned awards and has been featured in mainstream media.
Barbara Res
Interestingly, Barabara hit deadlines back in 2016 by speaking against Donald Trump. She was also involved in the Trump Tower construction, releasing a memoir detailing her experience during the work and other thoughts about women in the industry.
With over 40 years in the industry, she’s also famous for being the first woman overseer for a major project in New York. Trump named her the senior vice president, leaving her in charge of the Trump Tower.
Christine Townley
Finally, Christine is another legend for females in construction. Her career's beginning was marked by notable projects: reservoirs, floodwalls, and dams. The Thames Tidal Barrier is an example of her work.
She became an educator, mainly dedicating her time to promote diversification in the industry. For instance, she's worked with the Construction Youth Trust, becoming a vital force behind the charity's growth. Since then, she's been an active figure promoting young women joining the sector.