What is a trailblazer? An extraordinary person who sets new paths and paves futures for generations to come. In today’s episode of Women Who Lead, our host, Teresa Palacios Smith, is joined by three trailblazers in the real estate industry. These women have expanded the realm of real estate to make the industry a more diverse, professional, and welcoming space for everyone.
Meet the trailblazers:
- Tiffany Curry - Owner and CEO, Berkshire Hathaway HomeServices Tiffany Curry & Co., REALTORS®
- Erica Courtney - CEO, 2020vet, Inc.
- Desirée Patno - CEO, Women in the Housing & Real Estate Ecosystem, Chairwoman of NAWRB’s Diversity Inclusion & Leadership Council
How the trailblazers got their start in real estate:
- Tiffany did not intend to be in real estate, planning to enter corporate law. However, when a classmate said she was getting her real estate license, Tiffany decided to get hers as well and never looked back.
- Erica was bored in college and enlisted in the army. But after the birth of her two kids, she needed more flexibility to spend time with them, so she left and started her own company.
- Desirée gave up her initial career when she realized real estate was a space she could grow so much more. She now consults, influences, and shapes other people’s real estate journeys to build more sustainable lives and futures.
Leading others in a pandemic (and post-pandemic) world:
- An effective leader does what is best for the team. As a broker-owner, Tiffany makes decisions for her company based on how it affects her agents.
- Leads should listen and use what they hear to inspire productive action.
- It’s not about perfection; it’s moving forward, trying our best, and knowing our people to understand their problems and help address them.
The importance of staying positive online:
- So much content online and on the news is negative. Taking just five minutes to engage in a positive or productive action online can establish a powerful brand that builds your reputation.
- Balance personal and professional content on your platforms. After all, it’s not companies following your content; it’s the humans behind them.
Overcoming challenges as women:
- It’s about acting with integrity and authenticity. Leadership is about being ourselves but being willing to adapt based on the people we lead.
- Women need to treat other women how they want to be treated. While we want to be on an equal playing field, we often aren’t sure how to conduct ourselves on that equal playing field.
- Women still need to respect other women and evaluate our mentality in how we treat other women.
- Find and purchase the Women Housing Ecosystem Report (WHER) at nawrb.com/womenhousingecosystem.
Remember, always bring women up the ladder with you as you climb to the top. For more great content from Teresa, connect with her on LinkedIn, join her Women Who Lead Series on Facebook and subscribe to her YouTube channel. You can find more episodes of Women Who Lead on Spotify, Apple Podcasts, and anywhere else podcasts can be found.
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