Drooms hosted our first Women in Real Estate webinar on March 8th, bringing together a diverse group of women in the industry to honour International Women’s Day. We are excited to share five great tips from the webinar – on topics like overcoming imposter syndrome, the importance of mentorship and advice for career growth whilst managing a healthy work-life balance as a woman in Real Estate.
Remember the importance of networking, determination, and resilience
“The only real mistake is the one from which we learn nothing.” – Henry Ford.
One of the first questions we asked our panellists was about the lessons learned throughout their careers. We wanted to know how they got where they are now and what advice they would give to other women in the industry.
Emma O’Driscoll, Associate Director, EMEA Hotel Capital Markets at Savills, highlighted the importance of networking. “You can never assume that your career will grow just because you are doing a great job in your current role” – Emma O’Driscoll. Emma pointed out how important it is to network outside your team and company and show that you are growing your experience and want to get ahead. We loved Emma’s recipe to success: Emma spent the first decade of her career offering to organise company-sponsored client events and actively seeking at least one industry-specific breakfast seminar / after-work networking event per week to attend.
We agree that networking is crucial, but what other qualities are required to succeed in the Real Estate industry? According to Victoria Yakubenko, Director at Tristan Capital Partners, determination and resilience are essential. Victoria shared her exciting career story, reminding us not to get discouraged when things are not easy and always remember that the dream opportunity might be just around the corner.
Find your mentor
“A mentor is someone who allows you to see the hope inside yourself.” — Oprah Winfrey.
Another interesting topic we discussed with our panellists was the importance of mentorship. It’s important to remember that anyone can be a mentor, a colleague, a boss, a senior leader, or a family member. Melissa Mc Coy, Investment Director at ECE Real Estate Partners, phrased it perfectly: “A great mentor is someone who coaches you, gives your constructive criticism and offers you exposure.” We could not agree more with Melissa.
Overcoming imposter syndrome
Imposter syndrome is a familiar feeling of self-doubt and insecurity affecting anyone in any profession. However, it can be particularly challenging for women in male-dominated industries such as real estate. Here are some top tips on overcoming the imposter syndrome from our panellists:
- Focus on your strengths
- Take the pressure off yourself and hold onto positive feedback
- Overcome your fears; remember that fear is your worst enemy when it comes to achievement, growth, and success
Support and empower other women.
Supporting and empowering women in the real estate industry is essential to creating a more inclusive and diverse environment. We asked our panellists what women can do better to support and empower each other.
Laura Treu, Vice President at Eastdil Secured, offered practical advice such as organising events for all women in the company, inviting the most junior members of the team, and, of course, recognising women’s success in front of male colleagues. It is vital to provide mentorship and make all women in the organisation feel supported.
Do not let unconscious bias get the best of you
Unconscious bias refers to the attitudes, beliefs, and stereotypes that people hold unconsciously about certain groups of people, which can affect their decision-making and behaviour towards those groups. Unfortunately, the real estate industry is not immune to unconscious bias towards women.
We discussed this sensitive topic with our panellists and got many valuable tips on not letting unconscious bias get the best of us. Pauline Diminutto, SVP of Commercial Real Estate at Marathon MCA, shared her observation that many women think that to be successful, they must work the way men work. It is crucial to remember that this is only sometimes true. Pauline specified that women have essential qualities to succeed in real estate. “We tend to be more organised, collaborative, and better at compromising” – Pauline Diminutto.
The Women in Real Estate webinar hosted by Drooms provided a platform for women to share their experiences. It highlighted the importance of promoting gender diversity in the real estate industry. The event was a great reminder that women can succeed in the real estate industry by working together and supporting one another.
Watch our webinar on-demand version below:
Women in Real Estate: Career Growth and Tips to Succeed (splashthat.com)
