Women Leaders Of Real Estate: “We cannot succeed in this industry if we don’t adapt to the way…

Women Leaders Of Real Estate: “We cannot succeed in this industry if we don’t adapt to the way consumers are behaving” Veronica Figueroa of The Figueroa Team

Most people think their only option is to buy or sell. Sometimes, renting for a year in between homes might be the best option for someone.

Agents believe our industry is static and there’s only one way to sell a house, and that’s not the case. Our generation is evolving and technology is changing everything. Agents need to be more nimble and adapt to the new way of virtual home buying and selling.

This industry depends heavily on the consumer and the way they’re buying and selling homes. We cannot have a successful industry if we don’t adapt to the way consumers are behaving.

As a part of my series about strong women leaders of the Real Estate industry I had the pleasure of interviewing Veronica Figueroa.

Veronica Figueroa of the Figueroa Team is a vibrant, passionate and experienced real estate agent based in Orlando, FL. She started her business in 2005 with a passion for selling real estate. 15 years later, she’s turned it into a highly respected organization where agents can develop their careers and people can achieve their dreams of home ownership. Veronica cares deeply about leading her team with heart and about being a light that represents her industry and community. She stands for women in real estate, single moms and hispanic women who want to help their world grow. She is also one of only 20 agents in the nation who is a Zillow Agent Advisory Board Member and has experience in many aspects of real estate.

Can you tell us the “backstory” about what brought you to the Real Estate industry?

My purpose has always been rooted in a passion for helping people. Career-wise, my real first choice, at least I thought, was human resources. I thought that was how I could help people grow, develop and connect with a company personally. Within HR, I worked at a resort in Puerto Rico, got into timeshares and even dabbled in the medical field; my goal has always been to help. A friend convinced me to get my real estate license right out of college. Now, she’s one of my top-selling agents. My first client was actually my mom! When I realized I couldn’t do real estate just part time anymore, I went all in and decided to learn everything I could about the industry. 15 years later, I couldn’t be happier helping both my clients and agents achieve their dreams.

I love working with people and helping them grow. I’ve broken a lot of barriers for single moms, latina women and just women in real estate in general. I’ve always looked at my business from multiple angles and have taken many different approaches, putting my own spin on the traditional way of doing things. My message to my team has always been, ‘If I can, you can.’ I don’t just want to be a real estate agent who sells a lot of homes. I want to be a beacon of light for business owners and women in my community.

Can you share with our readers the most interesting or amusing story that occured to you in your career so far? Can you share the lesson or take away you took out of that story?

I’ll never forget speaking in front of over 2,500 top real estate agents at a Zillow conference in 2016. Standing in front of the very people who inspired and mentored me in real estate and speaking my truth was an incredibly powerful experience. I never thought my career would lead me to that moment. It was an experience that opened so many career opportunities for me, including accepting a seat on Zillow’s Advisory Board. The core of this industry is great leaders that have big hearts and want to help people. My advice is to put yourself in those moments of opportunity and show up to the conversation.

Are you working on any exciting new projects now? How do you think that will help people?

I’m working on finishing my first book, ‘The Queen of Teams.’ It’s a road map of our journey through real estate at the Figueroa Team. I discuss the things we did right, the things we did wrong, some of the mistakes we made and lessons we learned along the way. There are stories throughout from different people who have been part of our journey. I hope it will be a great resource that inspires other professionals who want to launch their team into success and profitability with a true, clear mission and purpose.

What do you think makes your company stand out? Can you share a story?

We’re more than just real estate at Figueroa Team; we’re a movement. We embody this fierce mindset. We’re ok with being different and going against the status quo. We have fearless tenacity and are willing to outwork anyone. In a time where people are letting go and making cuts, we’re recruiting and doubling down on our marketing effort. We’re providing even more resources to our clients to go through this process virtually.

Diversity is at our team’s core. We represent a unique community coming together to have a positive impact in this world. We have each other’s backs, and we have a lot of trust. Our team of agents trust each other, and our clients can trust that our agents will come through for them. We work with people from all walks of life, not just luxury clients. Whether the seller has a ten thousand dollar lot or a million dollar property, it’s about helping people through their individual journey.

None of us are able to achieve success without some help along the way. Is there a particular person who you are grateful towards who helped get you to where you are? Can you share a story about that?

There are so many! I’m grateful for all of the people who trusted my crazy vision and who believed in me at all stages of my career. I remember their names and their faces. I remember the person who helped me write my very first contract, and the very first agent I had on my team. So many people have poured themselves into me that didn’t have to help me. Those people, and the impact they had on me personally and professionally, have stuck with me for life. Their kindness motivates me and makes me want to do the same for others.

I have to give credit to my husband, Anthony. He has been a huge support system for me over the past 15 years of us working together. Being married and having five kids in a very demanding industry was not easy. It feels awesome to look back and see how far we’ve come and how much Figueroa Team has grown. As our broker associate, he’s been my partner through this, and we lead our team with the same passion. Running a real estate business together has come with its share of challenges, but we’ve grown together and overcome more than I ever imagined we could.

Ok. Thank you for all that. Let’s now jump to the main core of our interview. The Real Estate industry, like the Veterinarian, Nursing and Public Relations fields, is a women dominated industry. Yet despite this, less than 20 percent of senior positions in Real Estate companies are held by women. In your opinion or experience, what do you think is the cause of this imbalance?

This is a topic that really hits home for me. I’ve had the opportunity to sit at a lot of important tables throughout my career, but for the majority of them, I was the only woman in the room. It’s not a secret that women are underrepresented in leadership within the real estate industry. It’s a huge issue in our culture and society, and this industry is behind the curve like many others. It’s not just women who are underrepresented, there’s also a huge lack of cultural representation throughout the industry. I’m a champion for women, and I’m on a mission to bring more women and women of color to the table.

There’s an idea that this is a man’s industry, despite women having just as many, if not more, natural skill as agents. I believe we still need men in leadership, but it should be a nice blend of diversity. Women need to show up, get involved in local politics, sit on government and agency boards that regulate this industry and help us all break down these barriers. There’s a lot of work that needs to be done, but none of it can happen if we don’t show up and demand opportunity.

What 3 things can be done by a)individuals b)companies and/or c) society to support greater gender balance going forward?

Dream — Know your purpose and find your passion. Then, show up and speak up. Whether it’s real estate, helping stop social inequality, ending homelessness or affordable housing. Whatever you’re passionate about, let people know by showing up and speaking for it.

“Motivate — Be authentic and remember everyone was new to their career at some point. It’s not just the people at the top who should get all the attention. Mentorship and pouring yourself into the next generation of professionals and agents who are going to impact the future of the industry is equally as important.

Inspire — Aim to inspire others and be authentic about it. To me, that’s more valuable than money. I encourage you to inspire and promote the next generation of agents and hire women and diverse candidates in this field so the industry can continue to grow

In your opinion, what are the biggest challenges faced by women executives that aren’t typically faced by their male counterparts?

There are a lot of assumptions made about women and a lot of stereotypes that hold women back in many industries. Real estate is no exception. Men are called innovative and leaders for bringing new ideas, whereas women are typically second-guessed or called bossy for taking charge. It’s my mission to bring more diverse voices to the table and break that mindset by putting in the work.

Can you share 3 things that most excite you about the Real Estate industry?

When I can instill my passion for real estate in my team, it inspires me to work even harder for them. Inspiring other agents in this industry motivates me every day. Second, helping home buyers and sellers achieve their dreams fuels me. I want to go that extra mile to help them on their journey. Lastly, growing the Figueroa Team and leading with heart alongside my agents makes me so proud and excited about what’s to come.

Can you share 3 things that most concern you about the industry? If you had the ability to implement 3 ways to reform or improve the industry, what would you suggest?

I believe there should be a higher barrier to entry in the industry nationwide. Some states require more hours of training and longer course requirements, others require different levels of education. There’s no standard comprehension training for language barriers. The industry is under attack because of how easy it is for some people to get in and be lucrative. That has created a gap in the quality of agents.

There’s a major lack of representation for women at the top of the real estate industry. I’ve had to fight and work extremely hard to get to where I am, nothing was just handed to me. I think there’s a lot of work left to be done for women to achieve equality at the executive level of real estate.

Affordable housing and housing discrimination is a topic that really needs to be addressed. Home buyers participate in it without even realizing they’re doing it by asking to see homes in “safe neighborhoods.” Agents do it by assuming someone wouldn’t be able to search at a desirable price point or in certain areas based on the way they look in person or on paper. Housing affordability and housing discrimination go hand in hand.

What advice would you give to other leaders to help their team to thrive?

There are two books that have really resonated with me as a female leader and a woman in real estate. I recommend any woman looking to build a team or an organization read ‘Rocket Fuel’ by Mark C. Winters and Gino Wickman and ‘The Shadow Effect’ by Debbie Ford, Deepak Chopra and Marianna Williamson. These books discuss how imposter syndrome limits our beliefs and dreams and how any strong leader needs integrators and implementers for their vision. Those two books have really helped me develop professionally and build my team.

Ok, here is the main question of our interview. You are a “Real Estate Insider”. If you had to advise someone about 5 non intuitive things one should know to succeed in the Real Estate industry, what would you say? Can you please give a story or an example for each?

Most people think their only option is to buy or sell. Sometimes, renting for a year in between homes might be the best option for someone.

Agents believe our industry is static and there’s only one way to sell a house, and that’s not the case. Our generation is evolving and technology is changing everything. Agents need to be more nimble and adapt to the new way of virtual home buying and selling.

This industry depends heavily on the consumer and the way they’re buying and selling homes. We cannot have a successful industry if we don’t adapt to the way consumers are behaving.

Social media is so important! The agent who doesn’t have an online presence and who doesn’t adapt to the way consumers are engaging will go extinct. If you want to survive and thrive, you need to put yourself out there.

COVID-19 has changed the traditional way of buying and selling a home. I think even when this passes, we will continue to see this virtual trend. Real estate is based on relationships and connecting with your agent. It’s different now, but at Figueroa Team, we’ve figured out that you can still do that effectively in a virtual setting.

Because of your position, you are a person of enormous influence. If you could inspire a movement that would bring the most amount of good to the greatest amount of people, what would that be? You never know what your idea can trigger. 🙂

The empowerment of women is a movement I’m already a part of. I have a passion and obsession with royal history and the era of kingdoms, queens and women who would go to war with their soldiers. Women who fought for what they believed in and who didn’t have to sacrifice love or children to be queens. Women can be so competitive with each other, which can get in the way of lifting each other up. We can all have our ‘queendoms’ and clap for each other. It’s lonely at the top for women in leadership, and there’s a lot of pressure that isn’t talked about. When we speak our truth and our journey, that’s when we are the most empowered. When we can push each other to do better while still being fierce and relentless but soft and vulnerable, that’s when we discover the unique power of women.

How can our readers follow you online?

Follow Veronica online:

http://www.veronicafigueroa.com/

And on social media:

https://twitter.com/figueroateam

https://www.instagram.com/veronicafigueroainspires/

https://www.facebook.com/veronicafigueroainspires/

And check out The Figueroa Team:

https://www.figueroateam.com/

https://www.facebook.com/TheFigueroaTeam/

https://www.linkedin.com/company/the-figueroa-team/

https://www.instagram.com/thefigueroateam/


Women Leaders Of Real Estate: “We cannot succeed in this industry if we don’t adapt to the way… was originally published in Authority Magazine on Medium, where people are continuing the conversation by highlighting and responding to this story.

Andrea DeRosa and Ashley Manhan of Avenue Interior Design: The Future of Travel in the Post Covid…

Andrea DeRosa and Ashley Manhan of Avenue Interior Design: The Future of Travel in the Post Covid World

The current COVID19 conditions have impacted our industry in a magnitude of ways. In recent years we’ve seen the boutique hospitality market flourish and expansive growth within branded chains as well. We suspect the variety in product offerings may change over the next year as business and leisure travel has stalled. It will be a new challenge for those properties that weather this storm to evolve to address new regulations and expectations amongst guests.

As part of my series about “developments in the travel industry over the next five years”, I had the pleasure of interviewing Andrea DeRosa and Ashley Manhan of Avenue Interior Design.

Since it’s 2009 foundation in a bohemian studio off of Venice and Abbot Kinney, hospitality-based Avenue Interior Design has positioned itself as a tiny powerhouse in an industry full of giants. Now based in Downtown Los Angeles, the team continues to design and collaborate on the industry’s most dynamic proprieties for the most prominent leaders in hospitality. Under the direction of founders Andrea DeRosa and Ashley Manhan, the studio has become known for its refusal to be defined by any one style, instead opting to apply a fresh, distinctive, and exclusive design to each project with consideration to brand, demographic and location.

Thank you so much for joining us! Can you tell us a story about what brought you to this specific career path?

15 years ago we met a boutique design firm in Santa Monica. I had just graduated from UW-Madison and Ashley was finishing her program at UCLA. We became fast friends but we also realized a shared drive and dedication to design. For both of us, starting our own practice was a given, until we realized we could partner and make an even bigger impact in the industry. The Great Recession catapulted us into making that leap sooner than we expected and in the winter of 2009, we founded Avenue Interior Design.

Thank you for that. Let’s jump to the core of our discussion. Can you share with our readers about the changes that you are seeing brought to the travel and hospitality industries?

The current COVID19 conditions have impacted our industry in a magnitude of ways. In recent years we’ve seen the boutique hospitality market flourish and expansive growth within branded chains as well. We suspect the variety in product offerings may change over the next year as business and leisure travel has stalled. It will be a new challenge for those properties that weather this storm to evolve to address new regulations and expectations amongst guests.

You are a “travel insider”. How would you describe your “perfect vacation experience”?

A perfect vacation experience would be one surrounded by an abundance of natural beauty. Something visually detoxing!

Which tips would you recommend to your colleagues in your industry to help them to thrive and not “burn out”? Can you share a story about that?

It’s easy to burn out in any industry and if you’re a professional who loves what they do, it’s inevitable. While we have definitive staffing practices that are imperative to the success of each project, we do leave a little room for flux. It always makes sense to have a team member stay the course for the duration of each scope, but it’s great for the team to be able to welcome new team members with specific strengths as needed. This also allows our designers to play a pivotal role in more than a single scope which keeps the ‘job’ of what we do more interesting — meanwhile building skill sets and sharing knowledge.

We’re also in an interesting time in which we’ve all had to redefine what ‘work’ means to us as we work from home. There has been less separation between our work lives and personal lives simply due to the fact that both now happen in the same space. A condition may make it easier to become frustrated and burn out quicker than if we had a more tangible division of the two as we did pre-pandemic. On the flip side, no daily commute to the office and considerably less travel makes for a less stressful work week for sure.

None of us are able to achieve success without some help along the way. Is there a particular person who you are grateful towards who helped get you to where you are? Can you share a story?

Over the years we’ve worked with a handful of clients on numerous scopes and we can sincerely say we are now truly friends with many of them. Even pre-pandemic, our industry was a roller coaster and constantly evolving. It’s been invaluable to have confidants to connect and brainstorm with throughout the years — and some of whom we just sit back and listen to.

As you know, COVID19 changed the world as we know it. Can you share 5 examples of how travel and hospitality companies will be adjusting over the next five years to the new ways that consumers will prefer to travel?

The hospitality industry has been completely upended given the current pandemic conditions so it’s made everyone pivot to varying degrees. In a time of so much uncertainty we’re trying to be collaborative partners with our clients to ensure they weather this storm. The hospitality industry is inherently social — in fact based on socially un-distancing. The core objective of the bars, restaurants, nightclubs and hotels we design are to bring people together. With our current climate, we are challenged with maintaining that hospitality level of comfort while maximizing guest safety.

Which change are you most often seeing and think you will be using in your upcoming projects?

Our current projects are maximizing on flexibility and scaling back on ‘communal’ messaging. We’re seeing more flexible layouts and less built-in components in design so that properties can ease back into opening and modify their environments as restrictions lift and comfort levels evolve. Smaller groupings and pairs of table/chairs configurations are replacing communal table-oriented layouts.

How do you envision that this might disrupt the status quo?

With people less inclined to utilize air travel, drive-to destinations are gaining traction more so than in past years. As people become more comfortable with traveling again, they are opting for short road trips to surrounding destinations — which we have an abundance of here in Southern California.

Can you share with our readers how you have used your success to bring goodness to the world?

Having a fun, creative, and positive work environment was something that was imperative to us when starting Avenue. Fostering a strong sense of community and self-worth within our team is critical to happiness inside and outside of the office. Being positive role models, mentors and collaborators is our way of helping our team achieve success in their own right.

How can our readers follow you on social media?

Instagram! @avenue.id


Andrea DeRosa and Ashley Manhan of Avenue Interior Design: The Future of Travel in the Post Covid… was originally published in Authority Magazine on Medium, where people are continuing the conversation by highlighting and responding to this story.

Rose De Vore of The Travel Coach Network: The Future of Travel in The Post Covid World

Sahara Rose De Vore of The Travel Coach Network: The Future of Travel in The Post Covid World

Despite the massive impact that the pandemic had on the travel and hospitality industries, travelers are resilient and our desire to travel is innate. There will be a shift in these industries, just like there will be a shift in practically every industry but, this shift will be for the better. It will be a fresh opportunity for companies to redefine what travel and experiences truly mean to consumers.

As part of my series about “developments in the travel industry over the next five years”, I had the pleasure of interviewing Sahara Rose De Vore.

Sahara Rose De Vore is a Travel Coach and founder of The Travel Coach Network™. After receiving a degree in Hospitality and Tourism Management, she spent over a decade traveling to more than 84 countries by the age of 31. She is the founder and owner of the world’s very first certification program for travel coaches called the Travel Coach Certification Program™. Sahara Rose helps business travelers and corporate employees have more meaningful experiences that improve their wellbeing through her own travel coaching services. She is also a business coach for other travel coaches and entrepreneurs through her various programs, events, and courses. A published author and global speaker, Sahara Rose is passionate about empowering people to take control over their travel experiences and have trips that boost their overall wellbeing and give them the transformative outcomes that they crave. She is a pioneer in the travel coaching industry and has been featured in over 45 media outlets including Forbes, Business Insider, Thrive Global, Yahoo! Finance, Best Company, Corporate Wellness Magazine, USA Today, U.S World News & Report, and Skift. She is also the founder of the #ThriveThroughTravel initiative which inspires people to travel in a way that helps them thrive in all aspects of their life. She was a 2019 nominee by career-changing women in the travel industry for rising female leader, best female coach, and best innovative trailblazer. You can learn more about Sahara Rose and The Travel Coach Network at https://thetravelcoachnetwork.com/

Thank you so much for joining us! Can you tell us a story about what brought you to this specific career path?

When I graduated over a decade ago from university with a degree in hospitality and tourism management, I was very underwhelmed by the lack of diversity in career options. At the age of 22 I was unsure of the life that I wanted to have and what my passions were. I was struggling with anxiety and bouts of depression and knew that whatever it was that I was going to do with my life, I wanted it to bring me happiness, purpose, and I wanted to make an impact on the lives of others and the world.

I decided to take a very unconventional route and ignore what pressures society and family were placing on me. I booked a one-way ticket to Europe, packed a suitcase, and set off to find the answers that I was looking for.

I wound up falling in love with how much travel was helping and healing me that I spent over a ten years traveling on and off to over 84 countries by the age of 31.

The first half of my worldly adventure was the most difficult. The amount of travel resources, tools, and technology was limited. I remember traveling with a flip phone, paying to use internet wherever I could find a computer, and using a paper map to navigate around new cities.

Throughout the years, I got hands on experience with shifts in the travel industry. Talking with other travelers and having my own experiences, I learned what travelers used, liked, desired, and didn’t like. I also learned what problems, voids, and shortages existed in the travel industry and for travelers. Being a millennial in the mist of the rise of social media, it shown a light on how and why people were traveling as well as the growing desire for more freedom-based jobs.

Despite having a degree in tourism and years of traveling under my belt, I struggled for many years trying to figure out what travel-related career I wanted. I was aware of what existed; travel agents, booking managers, working for a company that paid me to travel for business, becoming a blogger, or growing my social media to become an influencer just to get free trips.

I wanted to do and be some more. I believed that my travel experiences, skills, knowledge, and perspectives were far more valuable and impactful than what I was told I could use them for.

I knew that since I couldn’t find what I was looking for, I had to create it myself.

That is when I decided to become a travel coach and specialize in helping business travelers and corporate employees have better and more meaningful travel experiences while bringing a fresh take on wellness travel

I am also pioneering the path for other ambitious and passionate travelers who desire to become certified travel coaches. I founded The Travel Coach Network™ because I wanted a place for travel coaches around the world to connect with other like-minded travel coaches and experts, list their business and niche, and for people and companies to find and hire a travel coach. I designed and accredited the very first travel coach certification program to make their journey easier and clearer as a travel coach and entrepreneur.

Can you share the most interesting story that happened to you since you started your career?

When I began my business journey, I never imagined that I would have created the world’s very first certification program for travel coaches. I started my business as a travel coach when the industry was at its infancy. I realized right away that there was no company or person to turn to help other ambitious travelers become travel coaches and start their own travel coaching business. So, I decided to pioneer the way. Almost 2 years to the date of registering my own travel coaching business, I became the proud creator and owner of the very first accredited certification program for travel coaches. It was only a few days difference, two years apart, to the date of beginning my business journey, a point when paving a path for other travel coaches wasn’t even a thought yet. It’s funny how the universe leads you to exactly where you need to be.

Can you share a story about the funniest mistake you made when you were first starting? Can you tell us what lesson you learned from that?

One of the silliest things that I did when starting my business was when I launched a new group program and offered a payment plan, I accidently set it as a one-time payment which meant that I had to contact each client each month for that month’s payment until the three months were over. I learned to double check everything before making it available to my audience.

Which tips would you recommend to your colleagues in your industry to help them to thrive and not “burn out”? Can you share a story about that?

All entrepreneurs have a million ideas for their business. They want to do this, create that, add this feature, speak at that event, launch this program, etc. Starting and running a business, especially on your own, requires many tasks. In the first few years of any business, business owners wear numerous hats which can lead to burnout and overwhelm. The best thing that you can do to thrive and not burn out is to avoid spreading yourself too thin and staying focused.

I remember in the first year of my business, I was trying to bring all of my ideas to light. I was spreading myself so thin doing too much at one time that I was not focusing on the most important things that needed to get done. At the end of the first year, I knew that I needed to make changes. I decided to prioritize my ideas for my business and focus on what were more important to do first and what could wait for a later time.

None of us are able to achieve success without some help along the way. Is there a particular person who you are grateful towards who helped get you to where you are? Can you share a story?

One of my mentors, Minna Whitman, the Global Knowledge and Collaboration Lead at American Express Global Business Travel, is someone who has helped me tremendously in my business. I connected with Minna through the Global Business Travel Association’s Women in Travel organization because I was seeking someone to help and guide me through my own business journey. My favorite thing about having Minna as a mentor is how open she is to hearing my ideas and helping me break through my mental blocks. I also love hearing about her beautiful location of Nova Scotia, a place that I have always wanted to travel to.

Thank you for that. Let’s jump to the core of our discussion. Can you share with our readers about the innovations that you are bringing to the travel and hospitality industries?

Those who are passionate about travel and want a career in the travel or hospitality industries are limited. When I graduated with a degree in hospitality and tourism management, I was very underwhelmed by the lack of options for careers. I then traveled around the world for the next ten years. During that time, I became aware of the “new” options for those who loved to travel. Still, I wanted more than to be a travel agent or advisor, travel blogger or writer, an “influencer”, a freelancer, work for a company that paid me to travel for business, or any other jobs that existed.

When I realized the potential and growth in the online coaching industry, I knew that travel coaching was exactly what I had been searching for but didn’t know existed, yet. I knew that based on my thousands of discussions that I held with other travelers around the world and online, that others were unknowingly seeking a dream travel career as a travel coach.

This is why I founded The Travel Coach Network™, a community of travel coaches and like-minded travel experts who help people travel better and more effectively while having an authentic business based on their specific niche and area of expertise.

I designed the world’s first Travel Coach Certification Program™ (TCCP) which certifies travel coaches internationally and is accredited by International Coach Federation (ICF). This program is an all-encompassed business and coaching program. I wanted to incorporate the business fundamentals aspect in it because of how important I know it is to have all of the information in one place and brings clarity and focus. The TCCP also shares my unique signature travel coach approach that focuses on empowerment, experience, education, mindset, intuitive travel, transformation, and more, everything that ensures that my travel coaches get a well-rounded training.

Which “pain point” are you trying to address by introducing this innovation?

Travel coaching brings more meaning and purpose to travel experiences. Travel is meant to help us improve, change, or transform in some way but that can only happen with intent and purpose. Travel coaches help travelers acknowledge their deeper reason for travel and have the experiences that they need in order to have the outcomes, results, transformation, or improvements that they seek. They do this through empowerment, education, inspiration, guidance, planning, and support.

Travel coaches also emphasize the wellbeing of travelers both in and out of the workplace. Something that business travel and corporate employees need to perform better, feel better, and thrive more.

How do you envision that this might disrupt the status quo?

Travel experts are used to staying within the mold of what is possible and travelers are use to handing over their entire travel experience to a booking agent. Travelers will be empowered to take control over their travel experiences and achieve the transformations and wellness benefits that drive their urge to travel in the first place. Business travelers and corporate employees will benefit from their enhanced and empowered experiences by reaching specific goals and improving their wellbeing while combating burnout, boosting work performance, and putting paid vacation time to best use.

As you know, COVID19 changed the world as we know it. Can you share 5 examples of how travel and hospitality companies will be adjusting over the next five years to the new ways that consumers will prefer to travel?

It’s no secret that COVID19 took a huge hit on all industries, especially the travel and hospitality industries. Despite the devastation that the pandemic caused, we need to find some positivity and hope for the future. The silver lining for the travel and hospitality industries are the shifts that they are making for the better. Here are five examples of how travel and hospitality companies will be adjusting over the next five years to the new ways that consumers will prefer to travel.

There will be a focus on traveler wellbeing

Yes, companies are going to address the concerns over traveler’s health and safety post COVID19 but there will be a new found focus on wellness. Before the pandemic, the wellness travel industry was on the rise as well as the start or shift in wellness programs in the corporate world. Companies are realizing that travelers and employees want to feel understand and cared for. They want to have experiences that are tailored specifically for their wants, needs, and desired goals. Travel agencies, booking managers, human resources, and other travel or wellbeing-related sectors will be taking a more human-centered approach to their services and programs that ensures that the individual meets his or her goals, outcomes, or transformation, whether that is in their personal or work life.

There will be a new definition of “experience” which will include more location, culture, and people.

The word “experience” was beginning to lose its true meaning but things are about to change. Travel and hospitality companies will take a closer look at their definition of experience. People want an experience that makes them feel something, inspires them to do something, helps them achieve something, or transforms them in some way. No longer is the expected. Instead, people will want something more meaningful and goal-driven. Companies will be tuning into the location, culture, and the people. What kind of experience can someone have based on the location? Are there great hiking spots? Is there clean calming beach air? How about walking around the city’s main center? Is there a hidden gem that will put them in awe? How about the culture? What kind of experience can they have that gives them a taste of what the local culture is all about? Is there a local market to try new cuisine or fresh local treats? Now, what about the local people? Human connection is a key ingredient to travel and hospitality. By having experiences where the surrounding environment, culture, and people are involved, consumers are more likely to have the mindset, professional, wellness, personal, or other goals that they seek.

There will be more control put back into the hands of the consumer

Consumers are use to travel and hospitality companies taking full control over their experiences beginning at the planning phase. The more involved that consumers can be in their overall experience, the more likely they are to have the desired outcomes and experiences that they want and need. What you will see companies doing is creating resources, tools, and guidance that focus on empowering the consumers to take control over their experiences, tailoring them towards their specific needs, and have the skills and knowledge that is needed to simplify the process.

Topics like budgeting, destination, accommodations, including family members or loved ones, travel hacking, personal or wellness goals, and professional goals are only a few areas that consumers will be able to be more involved in.

Companies will hire a travel coach

To help put control back into the hands of the consumer, companies may hire a travel coach. Travel coaches are travel experts who specialize in their own area of expertise or niche, whether that is family experiences, couples travel, solo adventure, work-life, employee vacations, female travel, cultural experiences, or any other specific niche. Travel and hospitality companies will seek the services of a travel coach to help gain a deeper understanding of the consumer and have a more traveler-centric approach to the experiences provided depending on what exactly that individual is looking for.

Travel coaches, depending on their niche, may focus in business travel, employee travel, wellness travel, transformative travel, family travel, adventure travel, travel photography, remote work, work-life improvement, women empowerment, solo travel, or any other unique area of expertise based on their personal experiences and training. If a company has a travel coach available or in-house, consumers will have the opportunity to have an expert to help them achieve the personal, professional, or wellness goals that they want through travel.

There will be more intention and purpose behind travel experiences with desired outcomes.

People traveled for more meaningful reasons before COVID19 hit but they didn’t always acknowledge their true purpose for travel. Whether it was to heal from a tragic life event like a loss of a loved one or to cope with a divorce or a breakup, to spend time alone doing some soul-searching or to do self-reflect, to find inspiration for your future or work-life, or maybe to reconnect or strengthen a relationship with your partner, children, friends, or family. Whichever reason drives you to travel, there is an underlying purpose. People crave a change, outcome, transformation, or result during and after a trip. Post COVID19, there will be more meaning behind why people get on a plane, train, or other mode of transportation to get away and have the kind of experiences that they desire.

Despite the massive impact that the pandemic had on the travel and hospitality industries, travelers are resilient and our desire to travel is innate. There will be a shift in these industries, just like there will be a shift in practically every industry but, this shift will be for the better. It will be a fresh opportunity for companies to redefine what travel and experiences truly mean to consumers.

You are a “travel insider”. How would you describe your “perfect vacation experience”?

Have you ever gone on a vacation and returned home feeling even more exhausted or unsure of things than before you left? We travel for deeper reasons than to just get away and relax on a beach. We travel to heal, seek, restore, refresh, connect, and more.

My perfect vacation experience would be to return home with the transformation, changes, results, or revelations that ignited my vacation in the first place. In order for this to happen, I must acknowledge the real reason for why I want to travel and then be intentional and mindful on my trip.

Can you share with our readers how have you used your success to bring goodness to the world?

I know how hard it is to start a business from complete scratch. I know what it’s like to struggle with what direction to take my ideas in and how to lay the fundamentals down in a business. Therefore, I am passionate about inspiring, helping, empowering, and guiding other ambitious travelers and entrepreneurs, especially women, to create and build their dream travel coaching business. I believe that you can’t give away too much free value so I highly enjoy doing my free trainings, providing free resources, and creating programs, opportunities, and events that truly make an impact.

You are a person of great influence. If you could start a movement that would bring the most amount of good to the most amount of people, what would that be? You never know what your idea can trigger. 🙂

It is part of my mission to inspire people to use travel as a way to thrive in their personal and work life. My movement is called the #ThriveThroughTravel initiative and represents the idea that travel can be used to help people do and be their best in all aspects of their life, work, and wellbeing.

How can our readers follow you on social media?

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/SaharaRoseTheTravelCoach
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/thetravelcoachnetwork/

Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/in/sahara-rose-de-vore-4b8bb394/

This was very inspiring. Thank you so much for joining us!


Rose De Vore of The Travel Coach Network: The Future of Travel in The Post Covid World was originally published in Authority Magazine on Medium, where people are continuing the conversation by highlighting and responding to this story.

Bridget Perry of Contentful: Why You Should “Just Tell People What You Want”

A boss of mine once gave me a very value piece of advice. It was at a time in my career when I was feeling a bit “stuck.” I had been feeling stagnant as a result of being in the same role and level for a few years. I was frustrated that neither my boss or other leaders were helping my career along. During a career discussion with him, I shared my feelings of frustration. He was surprised by what I had shared and said, “Bridget, you should realize that I am not a ‘mind-reader’ nor is anyone else that I know.” His advice to me, which I took to heart then and put into action ever since, was to “just tell people what you want.” What I have come to learn is that the best way to get to where you want to go is to know what you want and then share it with others.

As a part of our series about strong women leaders, I had the pleasure of interviewing Bridget Perry, CMO at Contentful.

Bridget spent the past 20 years leading marketing at established and early-stage technology companies. Bridget led Adobe’s commercial marketing through its transition to SaaS and launch of a digital experience platform. Most recently, Bridget led Adobe’s marketing across EMEA. Bridget also held leadership roles at Microsoft across enterprise marketing, partnerships and sales. Bridget got her start in technology at a digital agency, incubating early-stage ventures and helping established brands adopt digital. Bridget holds a BA from Boston College and an MBA from Yale School of Management. Outside of work, Bridget loves spending time with her family and outdoors — running, skiing, hiking, biking and paddling.

Thank you so much for doing this with us! Before we dig in, our readers would like to get to know you a bit more. Can you tell us a bit about your “backstory”? What led you to this particular career path?

I was a history major in college and spent the first 6 years of my career working in the non-profit sector. I worked for an organization that served refugees and immigrants who had come to the US as a result of conflict. So, you could say that I had a very unconventional start to my career and an unusual path to where I am today. I took away a number of valuable lessons from this early part of my career which I continue to draw from today. I learned how to work with diverse communities and cultures to understand their challenges and needs and from this, design, build and launch new programs that had a real impact on people’s lives. I also learned how to raise funds, manage people, lead organizations and to operate programs and services on a shoestring budget.

I discovered my passion for building new things and leading people and organizations. I decided to expand my management and leadership skills by going back to school and received an MBA at the Yale School of Management. I graduated at the time when internet technologies were emerging and reshaping the business landscape. The potential for this technology to reshape the world, business and our everyday lives was both intriguing and exciting to me. My first job out of business school was as a strategy consultant at a high-growth digital agency. I’ve worked in technology ever since.

Can you share the most interesting story that happened to you since you began leading your company?

I was introduced to Contentful at the end of 2019 and within a couple of months had accepted an offer to become CMO. Within a few weeks time, COVID had become widespread and Contentful, like many other businesses, closed all physical offices and shifted to 100% remote work. In addition, between the time I decided to join Contentful and my start date, the global economic environment had dramatically changed. I had accepted an offer at a high-growth, early-stage company doubling in revenue every year and within a matter of only a few weeks found myself starting in the midst of a global economic recession.

The first meeting I joined focused on replanning which was based on a few assumptions and a lot of unknowns. This boiled down to three scenarios: “bad,” “worse” and “break glass.” The situation was unprecedented and no one could predict or fully anticipate the impact of COVID on the business in the coming weeks, months or years. My first challenge as CMO was to make an immediate, dramatic reduction in the marketing budget and realign the remaining budget and resources to drive the most efficiency and near-term impact. With the support of my new team, we made these changes quickly while closely monitoring the market, customers, partners and our business.

Within a couple of months, we discovered an increase in customer interest and demand for digital technologies. The COVID pandemic had driven consumers to digital channels and businesses began to increase investment in digital technologies in response. With this early insight, we pivoted once again but this time back to our original growth plans. My greatest lesson through this experience and a lesson that I plan to keep front and center at all times is to always be ready to pivot. Be ready to adapt quickly to the market, both in the growth times and at times of uncertainty, to your customers or consumers, because what might delight them today is going to change tomorrow, and to your competitors.

None of us are able to achieve success without some help along the way. Is there a particular person who you are grateful towards who helped get you to where you are? Can you share a story about that?

One of the best leaders that I have ever worked for was early in my career while at Microsoft. I consider myself very lucky to have been a part of her team because she did not hire me. She was hired into Microsoft shortly after I joined and we immediately formed a great partnership. Patricia Ryan approached her role as the general manager and sales leader of a region as a “servant leader” putting Microsoft’s customers and partners first and building a culture of customer and partner-centricity. She invested time, energy, passion and creativity in transforming her leadership team into a high-performing team built on transparency, trust, accountability, teamwork and collaboration. She inspired us, her leaders, to become “servant leaders” to the employees in our organization by investing time and resources on employee morale and culture. I remember a time when Patricia convinced her leaders to serve all of the employees breakfast one morning to celebrate and recognize the hard work of our employees after we all achieved a big goal.

During the time that I worked with Patricia, she proactively looked for ways to invest in me by providing me with new assignments and creating opportunities for me to get visibility with senior leadership. When I had my first child, I was also at a point in my career where I realized it was time and I was ready to start a new role once I returned from maternity leave. Patricia was extremely supportive of my career and let me know that I could remain in my current role for as long as it took me to find the right next role. She also worked behind the scenes to recommend me for a promotion to Director. This was an incredible boost to my career and one that helped propel me forward when I returned from maternity leave.

What are your “5 Things I Wish Someone Told Me Before I Started” and why? (Please share a story or example for each.)

When I was a young girl, I believed that I could do anything I wanted and set my mind on when I grew up. I also believed that I could have it all — a career, a family and a full life. I had bought into the Wonder Woman Myth. I had to learn the hard way that it was impossible to do it all yourself without killing yourself. Having kids and a career has taught me or led me to the realization that you can’t do it alone even with a solid, supportive partner. I have reached out to others, asked for help and assembled a village to support me and my family.

A boss of mine once gave me a very value piece of advice. It was at a time in my career when I was feeling a bit “stuck.” I had been feeling stagnant as a result of being in the same role and level for a few years. I was frustrated that neither my boss or other leaders were helping my career along. During a career discussion with him, I shared my feelings of frustration. He was surprised by what I had shared and said, “Bridget, you should realize that I am not a ‘mind-reader’ nor is anyone else that I know.” His advice to me, which I took to heart then and put into action ever since, was to “just tell people what you want.” What I have come to learn is that the best way to get to where you want to go is to know what you want and then share it with others.

When I was earlier in my career, I remember feeling fear or anxiety when I was approached with challenging, visible stretch assignments or new, big roles. I would expend a lot of energy coming up with reasons and convincing myself and others that the timing was off or they were not the right opportunities. When I look back now, I realize that these feelings were driven by a fear of failure. Where others saw opportunity, I saw risk. It wasn’t until my desire to grow, to take on more, to be challenged finally won out over my desire to avoid risk and play things safely. What I eventually came to learn was that the only real failure is not trying in the first place. In the process of holding myself back from these opportunities to avoid failure, I was failing myself.

I started in my first executive level role at a new company. I was both excited and anxious. I had read the book, The First 90 Days, a few years earlier and remembered the general premise. I had a short transition between companies so I didn’t invest the time in re-reading the book. I jumped into the new company and role and hit the ground running. I found myself immersed in the day-to-day right away and was running at a fast clip for the first several months. Rather than spend the time evaluating the current state, I was formulating a point of view as I went about operating my role. I remember a conversation with my boss after about 5 months when I was defending the work of my team. My boss said something that stuck with me not only in that moment but for years to come. She said, “Always remember, you aren’t hired to maintain the status quo.” Whenever I start something new, this guidance is front and center in my mind.

For a very long time in my career, I was very self-critical and evaluated myself based on what I did and the work I produced. My need to feel valued by myself, my bosses and the companies where I worked, led me to constantly push myself to work harder. If I experienced a brief dip or lull in productivity, I would feel anxious and a lowered self-esteem. The culture of the company where I worked at the time, reinforced the message that you were only as good or valuable as the work you produced today. After leaving that company, it took me a number of years to change my mindset. I worked with a personal coach who helped me see how destructive this thought pattern was to me as well as the people around me. He helped me realize that my value comes from who I am as a person not just what (or how much) I do. This coach helped me see and appreciate my own value.

We are very blessed that some very prominent names in Business, VC funding, Sports, and Entertainment read this column. Is there a person in the world, or in the US with whom you would love to have a private breakfast or lunch with, and why? He or she might just see this if we tag them

I would absolutely love to have a chat with Megan Rapinou. First, I played soccer when I was growing up. I was a part of the first cohort of girls who played women’s soccer following Title IV. Megan also plays for the Seattle Reign, which is my hometown professional women’s soccer team. But, the real reason I would like to meet Megan is because she is a confident, courageous woman who speaks out on critical issues related to equity, gender and race. She has not been afraid to express her views about the current administration and political environment in the US. She is using her platform to send the message that we all have a responsibility to make America a better place and encouraging everyone to exercise their right to vote. She is a leader and role model for many girls and women around the world including me and my daughters.

Thank you for these fantastic insights. We greatly appreciate the time you spent on this.


Bridget Perry of Contentful: Why You Should “Just Tell People What You Want” was originally published in Authority Magazine on Medium, where people are continuing the conversation by highlighting and responding to this story.

Lesslie Keller of Episcopal Community Services: “Why you should admit when you don’t have the…

Lesslie Keller of Episcopal Community Services: “Why you should admit when you don’t have the answer or when you were wrong”

Try to let your actions speak louder than your words and do a lot of listening. This is hard for those of us who think we usually know the right answer. Admit when you don’t have the answer or when you were wrong. Hire good people, train them well, and then get out of the way and let them do their jobs. Trust but verify. You’re still where the buck stops but you can’t do it alone.

As a part of our series about strong women leaders, I had the pleasure of interviewing Lesslie Keller.

Lesslie Keller has been the CEO of Episcopal Community Services (ECS) since March 2007. Founded in 1927, ECS provides more than $30 million in health and human services in the areas of homelessness, mental health, substance use disorder treatment, and early childhood education to more than 6,000 clients in San Diego over five programs. With more than 20 locations, the agency employs more than 400 people.

Lesslie is an alumnae of LEAD San Diego Influence, the Fieldstone Foundation Executive Learning Group and the Harvard Business School’s Strategic Perspectives in Nonprofit Management. She serves on the Audit Committees of Cygnet Theater and St. Paul’s Episcopal Cathedral and as a moderator for the San Diego Harvard Business School’s Nonprofit Management Development program.

Lesslie moved to San Diego from Chicago where she had been the Director of Finance and Administration for the Episcopal Diocese of Chicago for 14 years, overseeing all financial and administrative services for the Diocese’s six corporations and one association. A CPA, she joined the diocese after working in the public accounting and private corporate sectors.

Born in Tennessee and educated in Virginia and North Carolina, Lesslie’s college major was in mass communications and she worked in several television and radio stations before switching to business and finance.

Thank you so much for doing this with us! Before we dig in, our readers would like to get to know you a bit more. Can you tell us a bit about your “backstory”? What led you to this particular career path?

I started my career in the for-profit world as a CPA, but through client and volunteer work I discovered that the environment which most inspired and stimulated me was in the nonprofit sector. Mission-based work was my motivator. When I had the opportunity to make a switch, I took it. Thankfully, ECS’s $29 Million budget, allows me to continue to utilize my financial experience but in a different context.

Can you share the most interesting story that happened to you since you began leading your company?

An early encounter I had with a mentally ill, homeless man left me with an experience I will never forget. When I welcomed him to a Thanksgiving luncheon we were serving, he yelled and cursed at me and accused me of hating him and said he would be leaving to go and get drunk. Taken aback, I assured him that I did not hate him and that he was welcome at our outreach program. Over the course of the next hour, I had another similar encounter with the same man who was obviously agitated and hostile. He was every bit the stereotype of a scary street person. But to my surprise, our last encounter was very different. When I offered him a piece of pie, he took my hand in his and met my gaze and we had a very civil conversation in which he apologized for his earlier behavior and thanked me for affirming him. I realized in that moment that he was likely more frightened of me than I was of him and the defenses that were necessary for him to survive on the street initially prevented us from connecting. I had to get past my own stereotype of him as he did of me. It was deeply moving to me to be able to break through those defenses, to really see and connect with a human being whose life experience was so different from my own. The staff assured me later than he was a complete teetotaler and never got drunk! I saw people in his situation differently after that.

Can you share a story about the funniest mistake you made when you were first starting? Can you tell us what lesson you learned from that?

I moved to San Diego from Chicago where it is common to navigate according to where Lake Michigan is (on the east) so you know if the water is on your right you are going north. It’s funny how that directional sense gets ingrained in your subconscious. When I moved to San Diego the water was on the west and I was lost and late for meetings on more than one occasion thinking I was heading north (water on the right) when I was headed south for the Mexican border. I suppose the message was that a new job can turn your world upside down for a while.

None of us are able to achieve success without some help along the way. Is there a particular person who you are grateful towards who helped get you to where you are? Can you share a story about that?

I have been fortunate to have many mentors in my career. It would be difficult to name them all. So, I will name an important group in my professional development. Almost a decade ago I became part of a small leadership development group made up of nonprofit CEOs. Aware that often our job can be a lonely one, the safe space we created for sharing our joys and challenges — or peaches and pits, as we call them — has been a real gift. These 10 talented people are my trusted cohort to bounce ideas off, share frustrations and victories with, and just relax and have a good time. The trust and honesty we have shared has made my job easier and I have benefitted from their wisdom. It also makes me feel very optimistic to know that our community is filled with such good leaders. It is important to have a support system and a safe space to just let down.

In my work, I often talk about how to release and relieve stress. As a busy leader, what do you do to prepare your mind and body before a stressful or high stakes meeting, talk, or decision? Can you share a story or some examples?

Self-care is so very important if we are to be able to guide others. For me, good centering exercises to enhance focus and balance include walking, yoga, meditation, and spending time with friends. Sometimes just a simple breathing exercise is enough to refocus. Oh, and I love movies and theater and travel! So, the pandemic is making things harder. I have doubled up on the physical exercise and escaping with good books and podcasts. Just getting ‘outside my head’ is a good way to refresh my perspective.

As you know, the United States is currently facing a very important self-reckoning about race, diversity, equality and inclusion. This may be obvious to you, but it will be helpful to spell this out. Can you articulate to our readers a few reasons why it is so important for a business or organization to have a diverse executive team?

Early in my career, I was part of an executive leadership team where each of us participated in a tool known as the Whole Brain Test in which each person’s abilities and style are correlated to one part of the brain — frontal or basal and left or right. To our surprise — and delight — we discovered that each of the four of us operated primarily from a different quadrant. Each quadrant has its own strengths and weaknesses. That certainly explained our different approaches to various aspects of our organization. It turned out to also explain our strength. The lesson which we gained was that this diversity allowed us to be prepared for all different types of situations. There would be some member of the team fit for what was required. It also gave us permission to allow people to exercise their strengths and acknowledge their weaknesses in a constructive way. Having a “whole brain” is something an organization needs to reach its full potential. It is also important to have diverse experiences among the leadership. I believe that without this wholistic approach, an organization will be handicapped. This is especially important in an organization like Episcopal Community Services which serves such a variety of clients and the ‘lived experience’ of many of our staff are invaluable as we design the most effective programs and modalities.

As a business leader, can you please share a few steps we must take to truly create an inclusive, representative, and equitable society? Kindly share a story or example for each.

To have an inclusive, representative, and equitable society requires leveling the playing field for those who have not enjoyed the same advantages. This means access to high-quality education for everyone, safe housing, and the ability to have good healthcare. It also means acknowledging where these basic human needs have been missing and trying to mitigate the hardship that has caused them. As business leaders, we can contribute by, among other things, ensuring that our organizations provide equal access to the hiring process for all, equitable pay, a respectful and ethical workplace, access to good healthcare and other benefits, and opportunities for training and growth. I am proud that Episcopal Community Services values its workforce and shows it by doing these things — including an annual contribution to a 401k for our employees.

Ok, thank you for that. Let’s now jump to the primary focus of our interview. Most of our readers — in fact, most people — think they have a pretty good idea of what a CEO or executive does. But in just a few words can you explain what an executive does that is different from the responsibilities of the other leaders?

The CEO needs to have a comfort level with multi-tasking because we’re often simultaneously serving as ringmaster and juggler. It’s not unusual to be dealing with serious internal issues one minute and being the smiling accessible face of the agency at a community event the next or vice versa. It can mean celebrating a victory in one department and at the same time dealing with a tragedy in another. It took me a while to realize that the unexpected is as much a part of my job as are the carefully planned daily calendar appointments. The CEO lives in a fishbowl of sorts and is expected to always exemplify the values of the agency, even at times when you don’t feel up to it. It’s part of the job.

What are the “myths” that you would like to dispel about being a CEO or executive. Can you explain what you mean?

I suppose for many, being “the boss” sounds like a pretty cushy job and, to be honest, the job does come with advantages of authority and respect and higher compensation. What is not always understood is the near-constant stress and responsibility of always being where the buck stops and being in that fishbowl. The CEO is expected to have the answers and solve the problems. There are many different constituencies one must answer to — staff, board, clients, donors, contractors and funders, etc. It is not a 9 to 5 job and often the elation of great success is closely followed by the weight of the next problem. Emotionally the job can be a roller coaster.

In your opinion, what are the biggest challenges faced by women executives that aren’t typically faced by their male counterparts?

When I first started my career one of the differences was juggling a career and motherhood. While fathers take a more active role now than then, there are work/ life balance issues that are constantly surfacing and important to address. And there are still places where misogyny can be found, although I have been fortunate to have escaped much of that. Generally, women must try a little harder to earn respect and prove themselves able to stand up to the rigors of leadership. At some time or other we have all experienced “mansplaining”. We have learned when to develop a thick skin and ignore the small and petty things without losing our compassion and empathy.

What is the most striking difference between your actual job and how you thought the job would be?

I don’t think I had any expectations of what the job would be like. It has been an adventure from the beginning. In my previous world as a CPA my work life was much more predictable, and the excitement of a new challenge was part of what drew me to my current position.

Certainly, not everyone is cut out to be an executive. In your opinion, which specific traits increase the likelihood that a person will be a successful executive and what type of person should avoid aspiring to be an executive? Can you explain what you mean?

Flexibility, good self-care, a sense of humor, a belief in the work of your organization, and an acceptance that you are expected to be on duty more or less 24/7 helps.

But the most important thing is to have a north star. By that, I mean to understand what your ethical and moral principles are and what lines you won’t cross. You should not become a CEO if you need to be popular and have lots of affirmation because the truth is that you won’t get that a lot of the time. But if you can believe that you are being true to your principles and are acting in the best interest of your organization as well as maintaining your self-respect, you can handle the times when you disappoint people and are criticized, even though they hurt.

What advice would you give to other women leaders to help their team to thrive?

Try to let your actions speak louder than your words and do a lot of listening. This is hard for those of us who think we usually know the right answer. Admit when you don’t have the answer or when you were wrong. Hire good people, train them well, and then get out of the way and let them do their jobs. Trust but verify. You’re still where the buck stops but you can’t do it alone.

How have you used your success to make the world a better place?

I can only pray that that is true. Through the programs at ECS, serving people who are dealing with mental illness, addiction, poverty, homelessness and the impact of adverse life conditions, I believe that we have made it possible for many thousands of people to reach their potential and live healthier, happier lives. I have tried to do my part to make that happen, but I am well aware that I am but one part of a mighty team. It takes a village to change lives.

What are your “5 Things I Wish Someone Told Me Before I Started” and why?

To be a healthier, happier leader:

Pace yourself — it’s a marathon, not a sprint

Practice good self-care, you can’t help others if you don’t take care of yourself

Be patient and try to listen more than you talk, sometimes there is wisdom where you least expect it

Expect the unexpected

Create a safe support system where you can get honest feedback

You are a person of great influence. If you could inspire a movement that would bring the most amount of good for the greatest number of people, what would that be? You never know what your idea can trigger.

My BHAG would be to invest more in the future of our country by investing more in the children — making sure that they all have access to good housing, a high-quality education, good nutrition, good healthcare — both physical and emotional. We know that a huge number of children are impacted by Adverse Childhood Experiences (ACEs) — exposure to toxic stress — which has a lasting effect on health, well-being, and opportunity. The impact of ACEs can be passed from generation to generation without proper intervention. Creating and sustaining safe, nurturing relationships can prevent ACEs but we need to educate and advocate for programs and support to do that.

Can you please give us your favorite ”Life Lesson Quote”? Can you share how that was relevant to you in your life?

Frederick Buechner said, “our calling is where our deepest gladness and the world’s hunger meet.” When you find the place where those intersect, no matter how difficult the task, it is worth doing. I have been very blessed to have had an opportunity to work at that intersection.

We are very blessed that some very prominent names in Business, VC funding, Sports, and Entertainment read this column. Is there a person in the world, or in the US with whom you would love to have a private breakfast or lunch with, and why? He or she might just see this if we tag them

Michelle Obama. Her common sense, grace, intelligence, and real-world, down to earth practicality are admirable. Her dedication to making life healthier and more equitable, especially for children, is inspiring. I love the way she is a doer and relatable without her ego getting in the way.


Lesslie Keller of Episcopal Community Services: “Why you should admit when you don’t have the… was originally published in Authority Magazine on Medium, where people are continuing the conversation by highlighting and responding to this story.

Karen Styres of FM:Systems: “The biggest thing you are fighting is time; You need to learn how to…

Karen Styres of FM:Systems: “The biggest thing you are fighting is time; You need to learn how to be efficient”

A major truism that I learned is that in high-growth environments, the biggest thing you are fighting is time. Yes, there will be competitors around you because without that, there isn’t a market. But the most important thing is time. You need to learn how to be efficient and productive because you can’t buy time.

As a part of our series about strong women leaders, I had the pleasure of interviewing Karen Styres, Chief Marketing Officer at FM:Systems.

As Chief Marketing Officer for FM:Systems, a workplace management technology company that helps more than 1400 organizations manage over 3 billion square feet across 80 countries, Karen oversees all aspects of the global marketing and business development. She has been leading innovative marketing teams for over 25 years, with a focus on driving growth for emerging technology companies. Karen earned her MBA from UC Berkeley’s Haas School of Business and her BBA from University of Kentucky.

Thank you so much for doing this with us! Can you tell us a bit about your “backstory”? What led you to this particular career path?

I am one of seven children so I learned pretty quickly to make sure your voice is heard in a reasonable, pragmatic and harmonious way or “else you will get beat up by your brothers.” I also learned to be productive — a highly crucial skill for small companies.

Fast forward to while I was in graduate school, I interned at Clorox where I focused on consumer product background and grew more interested in strategic execution. After school, I was reeled into a tech startup working in the Bay Area that was eventually bought out by IBM. I discovered that for its size, the company was remarkably efficiently runand the processes were super integrated. Every single product launched had to be approved by 89 people around the world. That sounds like a crazy waste of time — but with such a big company, it’s key to make sure there are zero conflicts with sister divisions and that people around the world were aware of new products hitting the market. I learned so much about every element needed to scale an organization. IBM is also great at developing management skills that carry well at small companies where the main attribute is your people. By the time I left IBM, I was running marketing for the telecom applications division.

From there, I found myself in the first of numerous private high-growth startups companies, driving them to go public with a smart marketing strategy. With a running history of four IPOs and two acquisitions behind me, FM:Systems is the eighth company I am propelling forward. What I like about startups is that you can see the difference your team makes. A broad market perspective combined with cross-functional and cross-industry experience enables me to visualize prime go-to-market opportunities and strategies that accelerate repeatable and scalable growth. My leadership style has also been recognized for building highly effective, motivated teams upwards of more than 75 people across six different functional groups that produced extraordinary results. Most notably, my teams and I led four early-stage software companies that IPO’d as well as one company that was acquired by Dunn & Bradstreet and another acquired by Vignette (now OpenText). Recently, I led Global Field and Customer Marketing for OutSystems, a Lisbon-based application development platform vendor.

Can you share the most interesting story that happened to you since you began leading your company?

For me, this would be the entire COVID-19 situation. I was new to facilities management when I joined FM:Systems and was still getting up to speed as the coronavirus hit. The impact of working from home and safe return to the office has given me a greater appreciation for FM:Systems overall, as well as the importance facilities managers play in keeping the workforce healthy, safe and productive. Technology and best practices make a difference!

As a Marketing department leader, I needed to be able to go with the flow. Being a small high growth company, you never know what’s around the corner and need to be prepared for anything. I discovered throughout the course of my career, your biggest competitor is not another business but time.

Can you share a story about the funniest mistake you made when you were first starting? Can you tell us what lesson you learned from that?

The story that stands out is about my first CMO Board of Directors presentation early on in my career. I dressed professionally and carefully glanced at my notes while looking each person in the eye to make sure I correctly connected with them all individually. In the process, I tripped on a cord and almost fell into a senior Board member’s lap. After collecting myself and apologizing, I said something like: “I normally don’t go out of my way to make such a dramatic entrance, but now you really know who I am and you’re ready to hear what I’m presenting.” I learned the valuable lesson of being real and brushing things off with humor. Many months later, one of the Board members told me that he was impressed with how I handled the situation and it was a situation I used to further connect with them. So, while it wasn’t funny in the moment, it ended up working out for the best. And taught me to just be me.

Ok, thank you for that. Let’s now jump to the primary focus of our interview. What is it about the position of CEO or executive that most attracted you to it?

I like being in the CMO position because of the connection and impact on other C positions. I feel that this role has the broadest touch in the company. When I look around at my peers, I connect with more people and work with teams in sales, product and finance. Marketing is the bridge across the organization and allows me to understand what’s happening throughout the company. It has the most visibility and therefore the opportunity to have the most impact.

Most of our readers — in fact, most people — think they have a pretty good idea of what a CEO or executive does. But in just a few words can you explain what an executive does that is different from the responsibilities of the other leaders?

A CMO has to be a visionary. They must see what’s going on in the market and project where the market is going. You have to see where your buying audience is taking their business and be on top of it. It’s also vital to be comfortable in doing things that are new and first for the company. The ability to put yourself in the buyer’s shoes and translate that into words that product, sales, and partners understand. This is essentially translating the various value propositions of different personas effectively. You must perceive the needs of clients and project them in a meaningful way.

What is the one thing that you enjoy most about being an executive?

The one thing I enjoy most about my role is the people. When I look across the company, not just my team, I have the opportunity to interact with various individuals all with a two-way street of feedback. Marketing is relatable to everyone in the company and every team offers an open door conversation that allows me to learn something new. For example, engineers may speak to me regarding the technical insight of the product. With my marketing background, I help rewrite their jargon in a meaningful way for the end-users.

What are the downsides of being an executive?

The downside to being an executive is that everybody thinks they know how to do marketing. This becomes a double-edged sword.

I’ve heard everything from “I buy stuff” to “I know what people are buying” to “let’s just change the website to look like this”. I hear things like this a lot but marketing is an art and a science combined. To be successful, it’s very data-driven and that’s a side to the field that a lot of folks don’t understand.

What are the “myths” that you would like to dispel about being a CEO or executive. Can you explain what you mean?

One of the biggest myths is that people think that marketing is simply about creating pretty digital ads, cool-looking emails, and having nice trade show booths. Truly, successful marketing today is a data-driven combination of science and art. The consumer side has always been good about embracing this mix but it’s a newer concept for B2B. My undergrad degrees were a combination of marketing and statistics so I know the importance of data and how valuable it is to an effective marketing campaign.

In your opinion, what are the biggest challenges faced by women executives that aren’t typically faced by their male counterparts?

I had three brothers and an early career in the Bay Area so I would say I was pretty lucky dealing with male counterparts. I didn’t see males as “different” or maybe I knew how to bulldoze my way in. After having my first child, I had a manager who kept saying “someone else can travel for you” which is a big part of a marketing professional’s job. Was he trying to be nice and support a new parent? Maybe. Sure. But it felt as if he thought that with a child at home, I couldn’t do my job. At that time, I wasn’t seeing my male colleagues with children and having to face this same level of questioning. What I have learned over time is the importance of developing friendships as well as respect with your peers — personally and professionally — and getting to know your male colleagues as people to build a balanced relationship. It’s also important to remain factual and pragmatic with collaborative approachability. Fortunately, the world is evolving to be more accepting of women leaders.

What is the most striking difference between your actual job and how you thought the job would be?

When joining FM:Systems, I thought facility management technology would be intriguing and value add, but with COVID things have really escalated. The industry is much busier now and I’m giving more attention to people who are looking for answers about facility management solutions in our new world. These answers are less about the job and more about what’s happened in the marketplace to help ensure safe reentry to the workplace with technology and best practices. I’ve learned how to weave the workplace solutions importance into our plethora of marketing programs as I attempt to drive big leaps and move the industry forward.

Certainly, not everyone is cut out to be an executive. In your opinion, which specific traits increase the likelihood that a person will be a successful executive and what type of person should avoid aspiring to be an executive?

To be a successful executive, It all comes down to interpersonal leadership. That’s true of all C-suite, not just CMO. If you are good at motivating people and identifying and developing talent, you will be a winner.

What advice would you give to other female leaders to help their team to thrive?

I keep coming back to this, it’s all about the people. Help them thrive by building and maintaining an open environment that’s fully transparent. Respectful communication is key. Many want to move a company forward to meet business goals and be growth-driven, but you can’t do this without the right people. If people are successful, the company is successful. I have to be able to trust my people and make sure they have the tools to be successful. Fostering an environment where they can come to me with ideas and issues is key. But beware, it’s not micro-management — that can tremendously hinder company growth.

None of us are able to achieve success without some help along the way. Is there a particular person who you are grateful towards who helped get you to where you are? Can you share a story about that?

My mom, a mother of seven kids, was very driven intellectually and professionally. She went to college, raised my siblings and I while managing to cover part-time door-to-door sales. When my dad passed away in her early 50s, she went after and landed a job in noise analytics for the Air Force, identifying and analyzing flight and landing patterns. At a point in time when many of her peers were thinking about retirement, she learned a brand new skill, made a difference in her job and was proud of telling people that she got her last paycheck at 83. She passed on to me the mindset of “I can do it.”

How have you used your success to make the world a better place?

In my first job as part of an executive development program at a high tech company, I found out that the men in the program were getting paid 35 percent more than the females. At our year one review, I was ranked as the program’s top performer and naturally, this didn’t set well with me. Though I felt that I shouldn’t have had to say anything, I did and fortunately, the women’s pay was put on par with the men’s. This may not seem like a “world” problem, but it’s definitely an issue in the workplace world.

I also offer pro-bono work and volunteer with different university entrepreneur programs and local incubator programs, where I review business plans and provide business advice to help others grow their organizations.

What are your “5 Things I Wish Someone Told Me Before I Started” and why? (Please share a story or example for each.)

  1. The importance of a work/life balance. It’s very easy in small companies to not have a stop time which can impact you personally. At one point in my career, I was traveling 75 percent of the time internationally and stopped working out. Shockingly, I had a heart attack. I learned the hard way that not having a work-life balance can be hard on you physically as well as your relationships. There are no “give backs” to past moments in your life but you can draw a line and find your balance. You’ll find that balance allows you to be more successful to your company and your team.
  2. It’s really easy to blame it on the company and company environment but boundaries are up to you. I worked long hours at small companies as well as at IBM. But, it wasn’t IBM telling me to put in this time or driving me to work on weekends, it was coming from ME — which means you have more control than you may think.
  3. It’s easy to find yourself in a place where you know that it’s not where you want it to be. You keep trying to change it when you know in your heart it’s not the right fit. When this happens, it’s time to leave and find a better fit somewhere else. I was at a SMB company when they changed investors and brought in a new CEO. The culture changed dramatically and I could not seem to find my fit. I tried to stay to be a positive voice for my team but it was too hard trying to force something. Stay true to yourself. It’s better for you and your company.
  4. A major truism that I learned is that in high-growth environments, the biggest thing you are fighting is time. Yes, there will be competitors around you because without that, there isn’t a market. But the most important thing is time. You need to learn how to be efficient and productive because you can’t buy time.
  5. Enjoy the people you work with. This is a two-way street. Be a respectful, caring person. It’s easy to blame others for a poor work experience but did you try? Make sure to have fun with your colleagues because you spend a lot of time at work, even with good work/life balance!

You are a person of great influence. If you could inspire a movement that would bring the most amount of good for the greatest number of people, what would that be? You never know what your idea can trigger.

In the days of COVID, can I say world peace? Hah. I am a big, firm believer in hiring the right people for the job and providing equal opportunities to have wonderful professional experiences. It would make the world a better place by empowering people to build and support successful companies — bringing in whoever is the best from wherever — overall creating a better world for everyone.

Can you please give us your favorite “Life Lesson Quote”? Can you share how that was relevant to you in your life?

As the sixth of seven children, I was taught early in my life to work hard, be part of the team and pull my share or more. However, leadership is more than just being excellent at your job or having deep experience. Leadership is all about your team and helping those individuals be the best they can be so that the organization, in turn, can be the best it can be.

“The greatest leader is not necessarily the one who does the greatest things. He is the one that gets people to do the greatest things.” — Ronald Regan

“A leader is one who knows the way, goes the way, and shows the way.” — John C. Maxwell

“Management is doing things right; leadership is doing the right things.” — Peter Drucker

We are very blessed that some very prominent names in Business, VC funding, Sports, and Entertainment read this column. Is there a person in the world, or in the US with whom you would love to have a private breakfast or lunch with, and why? He or she might just see this if we tag them

Elon Musk. His ideas and the way he executes fearlessly are game-changing. I can’t imagine how he comes up with some of the ideas he comes up with.

Thank you for these fantastic insights. We greatly appreciate the time you spent on this.


Karen Styres of FM:Systems: “The biggest thing you are fighting is time; You need to learn how to… was originally published in Authority Magazine on Medium, where people are continuing the conversation by highlighting and responding to this story.

Diana Viera of ITALKRAFT: 5 Things You Can Do To Help Your Living Space Spark More Joy

Select the right materials — When creating a space that sparks joy, it’s important to select decor and materials that are warm and comforting, and to avoid creating a space where everything is the same color. Monotone is very “in” right now, but even in monotone spaces, it’s important to have a tonal contrast. Natural materials like stone and wood are also great to incorporate and this can easily be done with wooden frames or decorative surface objects.

As part of my series on the “5 Things You Can Do To Help Your Living Space Spark More Joy”, I had the pleasure of interviewing Diana Viera.

A native of Cuba, Diana Viera moved to the United States with her parents at age seven and quickly fell in love with architecture through a very close relationship with her mother, a talented architect. Their shared love of the craft inspired Diana to pursue a career in architecture and led her to become managing partner of ITALKRAFT at just 29 years old. Diana attended Florida International University and received her Master of Architecture degree in 2014. While at FIU, she had the opportunity to study abroad in multiple different countries like Italy, Brazil and the Netherlands and hone in on her expertise.

In 2012, Diana joined ITALKRAFT as a design intern when the company had been established for just one year. She was mentored closely by Founder Alex Xakoustis and accompanied him to all meetings in order to gain first-hand experience of how business was conducted, projects were presented and problems were solved. Being mentored by Alex left a lasting impression on Diana and inspired her to carry on the legacy of his hands-on training and commitment to developing young talent. Throughout the last eight years, Diana has been an integral part of ITALKRAFT’s growth as the company expanded to operate four showrooms in South Florida and 10 locations worldwide.

Thank you so much for joining us in this series! Before we dive in, our readers would love to learn a bit more about you. Can you tell us a story about what brought you to this specific career path?

I had the privilege of being exposed to the design and architecture industry at a very young age. It’s almost like I was never “brought” to this career path, but that I was here all along and destined to study the craft. I was born in Cuba and came to the United States with my parents when I was seven years old after they won a lottery and were awarded tickets to the United States. My mother is a very talented architect so I grew up watching her work and immediately fell in love with architecture and design. I knew that I wanted to pursue a career in the industry and went on to graduate from Florida International University with a Master of Architecture degree in 2014. I started interning for ITALKRAFT in 2012 and returned to the firm after graduating to continue my work there. Since then, I have been an intern, sales coordinator, designer, sales manager and now, managing partner. It’s been an incredible journey and being able to grow alongside and within the company has been an invaluable learning experience.

Can you share the most interesting story that happened to you since you started this career?

The most interesting experiences I’ve had in this industry were while I was still in school working to obtain my master’s degree. My college has wonderful study abroad programs and during my time in school I had the opportunities to study in Brazil, Italy and the Netherlands. I studied abroad in Italy for six months and it completely changed my perspective on architecture and redefined what skills I believed were important. Everything was very focused on sketching and being able to capture depth and measurements through sketches. Sketching isn’t as common in architecture and design today because so much of our tools have become digital but in my opinion, it’s still one of the most important skills to have. Sometimes a client can’t visually grasp what I’m explaining during a conversation about their design and, due to my training in Italy, I’m able to draft a three-point perspective of their kitchen right in front of them and make any alterations they’d like. My experiences studying abroad taught me the importance of being able to create a model of what you want to design using only a pencil and paper. It’s a skill that I know I will continue to use throughout my career and one I believe all architects and designers should master.

Can you share a story about the funniest mistake you made when you were first starting? Can you tell us what lesson you learned from that?

Ironically, when I began my education in architecture, I brushed off interior design and didn’t think it was important. Even when it came to selecting classes at FIU, I never wanted to take interior design and always chose architecture and structure-based classes instead because I didn’t understand how important and difficult interior design really is. It wasn’t until I began working alongside trained interior designers that I learned how essential it is. It’s impossible to even fathom how much attention to detail goes into designing the interiors of a space and how to make the space function well. Most architects fail to realize the importance of interior design and automatically believe architecture is more important because it relates to the physical structure. Now I look back and laugh at how oblivious I was. Looking back at all of the challenges we face in designing so many different spaces, I can’t believe I once thought interior design wasn’t as important as architecture!

What are some of the most interesting or exciting projects you are working on now? How do you think that might help people?

As our company has grown, we’ve continued to get more challenging projects that allow us to test new designs and conceptualize completely new ideas. We recently finished a few stunning residences in Miami — 580 Sabal Palm Road and a private residence on Star Island that were incredibly unique and exciting to be involved in. We’re also designing the kitchens, bathrooms and closets at Natiivo Miami in Downtown Miami. It’s a project unlike anything we’ve ever created so I’m looking forward to seeing it come to life. At ITALKRAFT, each kitchen, bathroom and closet that we create is completely custom made so we’re able to deliver a space that meets the exact expectations of each client. No design is the same and our team consists of some of the most creative and determined designers I know. We make it our mission to create a design that fulfills our clients needs, no matter how wild or impossible the design may seem, because we understand how important the home is. We want our clients to love their design and love being in their homes.

Can you please give us your favorite “Life Lesson Quote”? Can you share how that was relevant to you in your life?

Aside from dedication and working hard, I think the biggest life lesson I’ve learned is the importance of communication. Communicating with the client is the best thing any designer can do. I make a point to have an in depth discussion with the client before I begin to design the project. By forming a relationship and aligning goals and expectations before beginning, I can avoid miscommunications and unsatisfied clients. I also enjoy entering the design process having already established a relationship with the client because then I’m able to involve them in the design process and get to know their taste and style. It seems like such a simple piece of advice, but I look back on my experiences and realize that so many obstacles could’ve been easily solved by transparency and communication. This is a lesson that can be applied to any career or part of life and is such an easy thing to do. When I have a project idea or concern, I make sure to share it with my team or with the client immediately, and its made the process much smoother for everyone involved.

None of us are able to achieve success without some help along the way. Is there a particular person who you are grateful towards who helped get you to where you are? Can you share a story about that?

Two people instantly come to mind. The first is my mother and from the beginning, she has always encouraged my love for architecture and shared her passion for her work with me. She entertained my childhood interest in the industry and then, as I grew older, supported and nurtured my journey to pursue a master’s in architecture and build a career in interior design. I owe everything to my mother and am constantly grateful for her guidance and encouragement. I’ve even had the opportunity to design several kitchens alongside my mother, and collaborating with her professionally has been one of my favorite experiences and cherished memories.

The second person that comes to mind is Alex Xakoustis, president of ITALKRAFT and my personal mentor. Alex has also been incredibly instrumental to my success. From the first day I began at the company in 2012, Alex has taught me everything about industry, the company and ins and outs of interior design. He took a very hands-on approach to my learning and brought me with him to all meetings to show me how proper business was conducted, projects were presented and problems were solved. If there was ever an obstacle or something that needed to be done, Alex would let me problem solve first and then provide feedback and correct any mistakes. He continued to mentor me as I advanced through different roles at the company and continues to be an important figure in my career today.

Thank you for that. Here is the main question of our discussion. What are your “5 Things You Can Do To Help Your Living Space Spark More Joy” and why. Please share a story or example for each.

Select the right materials — When creating a space that sparks joy, it’s important to select decor and materials that are warm and comforting, and to avoid creating a space where everything is the same color. Monotone is very “in” right now, but even in monotone spaces, it’s important to have a tonal contrast. Natural materials like stone and wood are also great to incorporate and this can easily be done with wooden frames or decorative surface objects.

Bring in your favorite scents — I love elevating a space with something simple like a candle or diffuser. Filling a room with your favorite scent is an easy way to automatically feel happy when you enter the room. There are so many studies that prove our bodies react to certain smells and how these scents can affect our emotions. Find whatever scent works for you or what smell reminds you of “joy!”

Keep your space tidy and organized — Simply put, an organized, minimal living space brings people joy. This tip actually involves getting rid of things as opposed to bringing them into a space. Clutter creates stress and negative energy so everything in your living space should have a designated place where it can be stored. Each day, spending a few minutes tidying up and putting everything in its place can make all of the difference in how that space feels.

Use natural light — Natural light is something that can be incorporated so easily but is something that is so often overlooked. The sun is naturally good for us and promotes positive energy so an easy way to transform your space is to open your windows and let in the natural light and fresh air when possible. It fills the space with a softer light that cannot be achieved by artificial light and gives you a portal to the outside world. I open doors and windows whenever I can and it immediately makes me feel happier.

Decorate with plants and greenery — In addition to natural light, plants are another trick to spark joy in your living space. This is especially useful in rooms or spaces that don’t have windows or access to a lot of natural light. When designing a home I always factor in creating a connection with nature. Bringing plants into your space forms this connection instantly and is a great trick for decorating bathrooms or other rooms that feel small.

You are a person of great influence. If you could start a movement that would bring the most amount of good to the most amount of people, what would that be? You never know what your idea can trigger.

If I could achieve anything and have unlimited resources, I would build houses for low income individuals or those living in impoverished countries. That has always been a passion of mine and I’ve been involved with several charitable organizations to try and give back to these communities. I’ve worked with Habitat for Humanity multiple times to build homes in the U.S. and it’s one of my favorite organizations. In high school I was also involved with UP LAB and developed a pilot program focused on the land tenure in Latin America. The goal was to enhance the role of architects in the process by combining strategies with micro financing best practices. I’d love to be able to start a huge movement similar to that around the world.

We are very blessed that some of the biggest names in Business, VC funding, Sports, and Entertainment read this column. Is there a person in the world, or in the US whom you would love to have a private breakfast or lunch with, and why? He or she might see this, especially if we tag them.

My dream breakfast partner is actually from the 19th century! I would love to share a meal with Le Corbusier, the pioneer of modern architecture. He lived so long ago but created such meaningful work that still has a strong impact on the design world today. He created the open floor plan model we see in so many homes today among other great achievements. I’d love to be able to have a conversation with him and ask him what he was thinking when he was designing some of the structures. After I completed my study abroad program in Italy, I went on a two week backpacking trip all over Europe to visit different buildings that he designed. We traveled to Switzerland, Germany and multiple cities in Southern France including Ronchamp and Leon just to experience his work. So many architects have a spark inside of them that motivates their creativity, and I think my spark is from learning about and admiring Le Corbusier.

How can our readers follow you on social media?

https://www.italkraft.com/ — Website

https://www.instagram.com/italkraft/ — Instagram

https://www.instagram.com/dianavieradesigner/ — Instagram

https://www.linkedin.com/company/italkraft-llc/ — LinkedIn


Diana Viera of ITALKRAFT: 5 Things You Can Do To Help Your Living Space Spark More Joy was originally published in Authority Magazine on Medium, where people are continuing the conversation by highlighting and responding to this story.

Denada Ramnishta of Lendio: “Leadership is not the position, it is the disposition”

Leadership is not the position, it is the disposition. To be an effective leader, you need to authentically connect with your team, with your partners, with your customers and with your mission.

As a part of our series about strong women leaders, I had the pleasure of interviewing Denada Ramnista.

Denada Ramnishta is SVP of Partner & Lender Strategy at Lendio, the largest small business financing marketplace in the U.S. As a fintech executive, Denada has led strategic partnerships with U.S. and international corporations, executing business strategies across borders and under challenging market conditions. A native of Albania, Denada received an MBA from Columbia Business School, is a resident of New York and a proud mother of two.

Thank you so much for doing this with us! Before we dig in, our readers would like to get to know you a bit more. Can you tell us a bit about your “backstory”? What led you to this particular career path?

I come from the very small country of Albania. Growing up in Albania, I was exposed to a lot of change as that country fought to overthrow communism and went through the stages of a transitional democracy. I then went through another big change when I moved to the United States as a teenager to pursue my education. Having to adapt so often from an early age, I was always drawn to a career in strategy, carving the path to an open end. I’ve always had this affinity for careers and positions that require that adaptability. I started my career in biopharma, honing in on turn-around management and strategically improving the state of the business. Eventually, as I pursued business school, I developed the desire to dabble in the world of entrepreneurship. There is no better place than entrepreneurship to carve out a strategy, taking a business from A-Z. I co-founded a business, and when it was time to exit, I pivoted and led strategic partnerships at American Express. The interesting this about my career journey is while most people enjoy the satisfaction of achieving final results, I enjoy the process of getting there. Stemming from my early life experiences and my ability to absorb challenging and changing situations, I am driven by this quest to drive results. I easily translate this into the work that I do and thrive in those high-growth, demanding situations. Financial technology is ever-changing and evolving. It always requires innovation and out-of-the-box thinking. When I discovered Lendio, it was a perfect combination of all of my passions, my drive for innovation and change and a great company leadership and culture. Now in my current position at Lendio, I continue to challenge myself and my team to think of different avenues, to seek discomfort, to constantly pursue the unknown and to push the envelope.

Can you share the most interesting story that happened to you since you began leading your company?

Lendio recently faced the challenge of pivoting to support small business with PPP loans. My team was responsible for the onboarding of lender partners within our platform while simultaneously account managing the ongoing success of those partners. We worked tirelessly to engage and onboard multiple financial institutions to support these small businesses through PPP loans. As a result, we had to build new teams and processes around servicing these financial institutions. One early evening, we decided as a C-team that we needed to build a brand-new team of 20 people and launch the team the following day. I was faced with the challenge of managing my own worries about if this could work and if we could execute while communicating confidence and assurance to this new team in a positive and motivating fashion. I needed everyone on the team to be all-in and to believe in the ultimate end. It was interesting for me to be consciously aware that I was managing my own doubts, yet more importantly, conveying the right message to this newly-constructed team that we could quickly create processes, get up to speed and execute within 24 hours. I recall this experience because I had this moment of awareness with myself as a leader. I acknowledged internally the uncertainty and pieces of doubt that I was experiencing, yet I had to focus on the importance of communicating certainty and assurance for my team’s sake and for the sake of execution. I’m grateful that we successfully got through that stressful experience, but I especially appreciate that moment of being able to articulate my internal awareness around my managing uncertainty and communicating clarity nevertheless.

Can you share a story about the funniest mistake you made when you were first starting? Can you tell us what lesson you learned from that?

Early in my career, I gave a presentation to the executives of a top-tier regional hospital. It was a large group of about 20 people and it had taken about six months to arrange. I gave my presentation on a specific therapeutic issue and was about 20 minutes in when I was told that I was giving a presentation on an area that had nothing to do with and couldn’t be further from what they were there to hear. It was very embarrassing because we had waited for months for this moment and I messed up on the simplest of elements: the topic. I immediately apologized; I did not make excuses. I acknowledged what had occurred and assured that my next presentation would be on the correct topic. I ended up tying my mistake into the message I was giving and kind of made fun of myself in an effort to humanize the moment. Again, this was the top hospital leadership, so there was a burden around wasting their time, but because of that humanization, the feedback that I got was that it was an interesting topic nonetheless. It taught me how important it is to recognize the human side both to ourselves and to those we interact with.

None of us are able to achieve success without some help along the way. Is there a particular person who you are grateful towards who helped get you to where you are? Can you share a story about that?

To achieve true professional success where you genuinely enjoy your work, you have to feel success in other parts of your life as you develop as a person. I consider myself very fortunate in this department. There have been really pivotal people throughout my life that have supported my journey in all aspects of my life. You know when they talk about it taking a village to raise a child? The same applies for adults. Everybody who is successful has a village of support around them and fosters it. It starts early in life. I attribute a lot of who I am today to my parents who raised and supported me, to my host family that welcomed me into the United States and very importantly, to the leaders I’ve had throughout my career. The leaders that I’ve had in my career have taught, pushed and challenged me along the way, and many continue to be mentors to me today. Without these people, I would not be here in my career, nor would I have succeeded in the journey of becoming a full, content person. The other half of my growth journey was to not only recognize those that have given to me, but also to learn about myself by supporting others. Many of my biggest lessons have come from supporting and coaching those that are junior to me in my career. In an important way, these people have been a great support to me as I’ve learned about myself.

In my work, I often talk about how to release and relieve stress. As a busy leader, what do you do to prepare your mind and body before a stressful or high-stakes meeting, talk, or decision? Can you share a story or some examples?

It took me some time to recognize the importance of stress-relief and how to listen to my body. In my current position at Lendio, stress-relief is especially essential because there is a lot at stake. Before COVID, I would relieve that stress and tension by taking a yoga class. Now, I have had to adjust and have taken up running. Although I don’t enjoy running as much as yoga, I have learned that it is critical to have movement in my life. Luckily, with Central Park nearby, I’m able to hopefully become an avid runner, but no matter the activity, I always leave room for movement to quiet my mind. I also don’t have a day go by where I don’t listen to music. Music is another important part of my life that helps me focus and relieve stress.

As you know, the United States is currently facing a very important self-reckoning about race, diversity, equality and inclusion. This may be obvious to you, but it will be helpful to spell this out. Can you articulate to our readers a few reasons why it is so important for a business or organization to have a diverse executive team?

I look at diversity in leadership through two lenses: One, it is just the right thing to do. We are a diverse world, and companies, governments and other organizations need to represent that. Two, not only is it the right thing to do, it is the smart thing to do. For organizations, diversity isn’t an optic, diversity directly affects organizations’ bottom lines in order to survive. If you think about what nurtures better decision making, it is diversity of thought and perspective. When you incorporate, optimize and maximize that diversity of thought by diversifying across walks of life, the more ability you have to challenge a process and determine the best outcome. You optimize for the best outcome by creating and fostering diversity. Essentially, diversity is an organization’s secret weapon to success and survival.

As a business leader, can you please share a few steps we must take to truly create an inclusive, representative, and equitable society? Kindly share a story or example for each.

This is such a great question, and not one that can be easily solved with one single approach. I call this a ‘surround sound’ approach where we literally need to surround this issue with many different approaches to tackle it. However, I would say our upbringing — the exposure and experiences we have early in life — has a great effect on the way we see the world. Programs that allow children to see, experience and appreciate the inclusiveness and diversity of people from an early age are paramount. But again, we can’t stop there. It is also the responsibility of parents to take a deliberate approach in exposing their children to different experiences and people from various walks of life. This takes time because in order for parents to take such action, they need to understand the importance that having an open, inclusive mindset will ultimately have for their children. So it’s the chicken and the egg to some degree. As adults, we need to recognize and understand the effects of inclusiveness, then we can teach our children. We need to see that equality and representation are important, not simply because it is the right thing to do, but also because it allows us to live a happier, more creative, freer life guided by a lot less bias. Once parents recognize and are able to wrap their minds around it, I believe they would support their own children to live a more inclusive life. Although this is ultimately an individual responsibility, we need programs and products that support parents in their quest for deliberate representation.

Ok, thank you for that. Let’s now jump to the primary focus of our interview. Most of our readers — in fact, most people — think they have a pretty good idea of what a CEO or executive does. But in just a few words can you explain what an executive does that is different from the responsibilities of the other leaders?

As an executive, one of the primary differences from other leaders within the company is how much effort and energy one spends on execution vs strategy. Although every leadership position requires a combination of the two, as you move along the spectrum of leadership onto being an executive, the weight changes. As a leader, you spend a certain amount of time on strategy, but you’re primarily focused on execution. In an executive responsibility, strategy and developing vision takes a larger chunk than execution.

What are the “myths” that you would like to dispel about being a CEO or executive. Can you explain what you mean?

There is a myth out there that executives only think about the ultimate goal and don’t care about the people. Executives are just people and I’m sure there are some executives that only care about the goal, but generally executives do care about the people. Good leaders and executives are those that care about the whole journey — the people involved in the journey, the customers and the process of ultimately achieving the goal.

There is also a perception that in order to be an executive, you have to compromise your values. Frankly, it is quite the opposite. It is the ability to recognize strong values that you live by that really support one to become an executive. What I appreciate about Lendio is that it is a mission-driven company, but it is a value-living company at the same time.

In your opinion, what are the biggest challenges faced by women executives that aren’t typically faced by their male counterparts?

I could say a lot about this subject. There are many perception issues that are problematic for female executives as well as a lot of challenges as it relates to the male-female dynamic. But first, let me say that we can personally affect some of these challenges and some we can’t. There are plenty of problems that are outward-facing or that others can change to create a more inclusive environment for female executives. However, when I consider this question, I would rather tackle this from the perspective of what is definitely within our control as women and what we can change as female leaders. While I recognize that this could be a controversial perspective to some, I would be remiss not to share what I coach myself to focus on.

When I consider this issue as a female executive, I choose to look at it introspectively, to ask myself what can I personally affect? From my perspective, some of our biggest challenges come from our own obstacles we place for ourselves. As women, we have this desire to manage how we are perceived and we need to let it go. We often allow our own fears and concerns with how we come across or if we are positioning ourselves correctly get in the way of showing our true selves, which is a burden I believe we put more on ourselves than our male counterparts. As a leader, it is imperative that we free ourselves from those fears and concerns and let go of the added weight that we as female leaders often carry. We need to believe and show that we are equal. We need to believe and show that we belong. We need to believe and show that we are there for the right reasons. We need to do these things because we are equal, we do belong, we are there for the right reasons.

From my experience, it is how you step in that matters because you can control it. There are plenty of other problems that others have control of, but I prefer to tackle this from the perspective of what I can do for myself, and what I can do is step in with the right foot and not worry how I am perceived. That is the first step.

What is the most striking difference between your actual job and how you thought the job would be?

I have been fortunate in my career because I’ve always loved what I’ve done. When I joined my current position at Lendio, I thought I would really love the job and would have fun, but I stayed open minded because I knew that I didn’t know everything and would be faced with many surprises. Thank goodness I entered with that flexible mindset because that sure has come to fruition. Many things have changed since I began — the job, level of responsibility and our focus has changed. I have to say though, while I knew that I would love it and I knew I would have fun, I was caught off guard at the amount of fun, happiness and fulfillment I would have. Trust me, this job has pressure, it has stress, but to be able to positively affect people’s lives on a daily basis, it is rare.

Certainly, not everyone is cut out to be an executive. In your opinion, which specific traits increase the likelihood that a person will be a successful executive and what type of person should avoid aspiring to be an executive? Can you explain what you mean?

The most important trait an effective, sustainable executive can have is their ability to understand, work with and motivate people. Notice I did not say they need to know how to direct or order people. Instead, it is one’s ability to empathize with other people that allows them to understand the customer, the partners, the market and ultimately the employees that you work with. If you cannot empathize with others, your success as a leader is limited. To be an effective executive, your ability to persuade, to rally people around a cause and to execute on your behalf is paramount. Unless you are able to work well with people, you cannot stay in touch with your customers, with your partners or with your employees and will not be happy or effective in your role.

What advice would you give to other women leaders to help their team to thrive?

My number one piece of advice to my female counterparts is this: you are where you are for a very good reason. Do not lose sight of the value that your authenticity brings to your team. Do not shy away from being your true, authentic self. Less pretense, more being.

How have you used your success to make the world a better place?

In believing that we all come into this world as participants of that village I noted earlier, I strive in small and large ways to make a difference for those around me. From a professional angle, my contribution to that village is actively supporting younger professionals in their career journeys. I act as a mentor in a young professional organization and I also strive to be a mentor to anyone who seeks that kind of support from me. Mentorship was a gift that was given to me by other leaders when I started my career and it is only right that I continue to pay it forward. Another thing that I strive to do as a leader is to allow people to not be afraid to fail. It is one thing to support people through success, but it is another thing to support people on the possibility of failure. I feel that many people fail to reach their full potential because they are afraid to stretch themselves or take risks. I also believe that the world would be a better place if everyone pushed themselves and were allowed to discover their potential. As a mentor, it’s important to me to support people on the possibility of failure because it allows people to grow.

What are your “5 Things I Wish Someone Told Me Before I Started” and why? (Please share a story or example for each.)

  1. Just be you. Although I always heard from my mom to be myself, I wish I had believed her from the beginning. The turning point for me in my career was when I decided to truly be myself. I became a better contributor and I actually participated with my genuine perspective that was different than others.
  2. Happiness is not something that you seek, it is something that you live. I really believe it. I’ve learned from a young age how to be adaptable and have a good perspective in every circumstance. I think part of the reason I’ve always been happy in my career is because happiness is a matter of perspective. You don’t try to be happy, you choose to be happy.
  3. Regardless of what you do, you will have success and failure in life, so get comfortable with it. I spoke before about the importance of pushing yourself. True growth only happens in times of discomfort, so if you don’t fail some of the time, you’re not pushing yourself hard enough.
  4. Leadership is not the position, it is the disposition. To be an effective leader, you need to authentically connect with your team, with your partners, with your customers and with your mission.
  5. Learning optimizes your leadership, authenticity maximizes it. Early in my career, I applied business school strategies, thoughts and processes, but they weren’t of incremental value. The incremental value of my contributions came from my authenticity. I had a more creative strategy and was more creative in execution. Could I have been a leader without authenticity? Yes. Would I have been as good of a leader as I hope to be? No.

You are a person of great influence. If you could inspire a movement that would bring the most amount of good for the greatest number of people, what would that be? You never know what your idea can trigger.

I believe the most tangible, impactful movement for people around the world is financial literacy. Financial literacy is an imperative solution to nearly every other cause that I can think of, especially the causes closest to my heart including poverty and social inequality. It is the foundation to addressing all of the issues we face as a society. It is the movement that I aspire to contribute to, influence and drive forward in the world.

Can you please give us your favorite “Life Lesson Quote”? Can you share how that was relevant to you in your life?

My favorite quote is by Nelson Mandela: “The greatest glory in living lies not in never falling, but in rising every time we fall.” I feel that this is extremely applicable to my life. In every change I have faced in my life, I have had the opportunity to decide whether I’m going to rise or stay on the ground, so to speak. Each one of us will fall in life, but we are strongest when we choose to rise.

We are very blessed that some very prominent names in Business, VC funding, Sports, and Entertainment read this column. Is there a person in the world, or in the US with whom you would love to have a private breakfast or lunch with, and why? He or she might just see this if we tag them

The woman that I would love to have any level of interaction with, is Ruth Bader Ginsberg. RBG has inspired me, not because she is smart, witty, determined, brave, courageous, stylish or well-spoken, but she does it all with such resolve. She does it in a way that is personal and authentic, not just with what she stands for, but by the way she goes about it as well. So this is an easy one — RBG all the way.

Thank you for these fantastic insights. We greatly appreciate the time you spent on this.


Denada Ramnishta of Lendio: “Leadership is not the position, it is the disposition” was originally published in Authority Magazine on Medium, where people are continuing the conversation by highlighting and responding to this story.

Stacey Jones of Sentinel Property Group: Why It’s So Important For A Leader To Be Relatable

Be relatable — if your team feel they can relate to you and you are vulnerable with them (when appropriate) they are far more likely to be loyal and dedicated because they can see themselves in your shoes.

As a part of our series about strong women leaders, I had the pleasure of interviewing Stacey Jones of of Sentinel Property Group.

Stacey Jon has never suffered fools; a modus operandi serving to work in her favour. As newly appointed CEO (promoted from COO) of Sentinel Property Group — one of Australia’s leading commercial property investment firms — originally started by her father, Stacey’s authoritative manner addresses any whispers of nepotism, suitability or possibility of ‘wavering’ in the presence of the traditional property investment ‘boys’ club’. She’s 37, commanding and capable.

Thank you so much for doing this with us! Before we dig in, our readers would like to get to know you a bit more. Can you tell us a bit about your “backstory”? What led you to this particular career path?

I originally planned on being a vet but was completely disengaged from the science component, so following a contemplative break from university, I ended up in law, after acknowledging my talents in ‘legal studies’ in high school. During my first semester of study I was offered a position in a private practice in Brisbane (Connor O’Meara) as a Law Clerk, which I accepted and continued with past the completion of my degree, ultimately being there for almost 8 years.

My father had been asking me to join his commercial property investment company (Sentinel Property Group) for a while but I was concerned there wasn’t enough legal work to keep me busy. However, this soon changed, and I subsequently made the decision to take up a role in the family business and commenced as Sentinel’s first and only in-house lawyer (role of General Counsel). Following Sentinel Property Group’s fifth acquisition, I was involved in every legal matter for the group and for the vast majority, I did all the work myself. As the portfolio grew, it became an almost overwhelming workload (particularly after having had my first child), which often saw me still working into the wee hours of the morning. This led to my decision to hire my first teammate — a freshly graduated lawyer, who commenced on 31 March 2014, and is still with me today.

I showed a flare (but not necessarily an interest) for the management side of the business — specifically; a natural way on the HR side of things and a commercial approach that seemed to be second nature. I took more and more on and when the then current COO left in December 2016, it was a logical transition for me to take on the (COO) role. By that stage the in-house legal team had grown to a size and capability that I was confident it could continue to service the group without my dedicated focus.

Following completion of a practice management course with the Queensland Law Society, I established my own Incorporated Legal Practice — Sentinel Law. The existing legal staff from the Sentinel Property Group joined Sentinel Law. The team now has nine staff, including me as Legal Practitioner Director, and services all the property law needs of the group. Then, having been COO for almost 4 years, as part of the succession planning for the business, I have taken on the role of CEO.

Can you share the most interesting story that happened to you since you began leading your company?

‘Interesting’ is subjective, but I certainly have enjoyed the industry’s whispers regarding my ‘femaleness’. Separately, my father and I have very different management styles, of which I was always aware. I expected there to be a slight adjustment period (when I took over), however the response to my style has been immediate and positive. My focus is to ensure the team wants to follow me into ‘battle’ willingly.

Can you share a story about the funniest mistake you made when you were first starting? Can you tell us what lesson you learned from that?

This mistake wasn’t made in relation to my current employer — it actually happened just before I started working here but I learned from it and I tell the story quite often. At the time, I was working crazy hours with tremendous responsibility, I was Rodeo Queen of the National Rodeo Association, an Executive Director and Barrel Racing Director with the NRA and was the President of the National Barrel Horse Association of Australia (NBHA) — spreading myself very thin! I had made a bunch of necessary changes to the NBHA and was copping a bit of flack for some of them. I received this long email from a lady who signed her email off with “well done!” I was exhausted and used to criticism from all angles, so I read her “well done!” with a sarcastic tone and responded accordingly. Fortunately for me, the lady was very understanding and emailed back explaining that I must have misunderstood her as she genuinely appreciated what I was doing and meant the words “well done” to be complimentary. I felt 2 inches tall. That taught me that my feelings, and therefore the feelings of others, can heavily influence the way in which something is received. Just because someone has a specific intention when communicating something, it does not mean the recipient will receive that communication in the intended way. I have told that story countless times to make people consider the role their own emotions and perceptions are playing and often think of it to remind myself of the same.

None of us are able to achieve success without some help along the way. Is there a particular person who you are grateful towards who helped get you to where you are? Can you share a story about that?

My father; he started Sentinel Property Group, which ultimately saw me spread my wings into more corporate areas instead of just law. What I learned led me to start my own businesses, which are part of the Group — Sentinel Law and Sentinel Portfolio Management (a company that provides leasing, property management, accounting and other services to properties and trusts in the group to name a few).

While I certainly believe I was capable of achieving these things without his help, it made life easier, particularly as a woman, to not have to fight as hard to have doors open to me. Let me be very clear though; Dad would never have anyone in the roles I have occupied who was not 100% competent, daughter or not.

I have also learned a tremendous deal from him. When I was born, he was a taxi driver and prior to that, hadn’t even finished grade 10. His own story is a very inspiring one and it has taught me many things. A few off the top of my head:

1. In many instances, hard work (coupled with common sense) is more important than a good education. Someone who puts in the hours and does the work will typically have more doors open to them and have more ‘luck’ than someone who has a certificate on the wall but doesn’t back it up. You can achieve more from hard work and learn more from real life experiences than you can from sitting in a lecture theatre. I am yet to see a single person we have employed over the years who can process and retain detail at the level Dad can, and as I said, he didn’t even finish year 10. To be clear, I am not saying that a good education isn’t important. I have had one and I am grateful for it. However, a good education alone is not enough and is not necessarily a good predictor for future success.

2. The only wrong decision is not making a decision (yes, I realise not making a decision is in itself a decision). Consider the facts and make a call. If you get down the path and realise you have made the wrong decision, change it but don’t just sit back and do nothing.

3. Don’t get too caught up in making plans. Know generally what you want to achieve but don’t labour on mapping out every step you need to achieve in order to get there. If something doesn’t work out, your whole plan gets thrown out. Work as hard as you can to take advantage of all opportunities available to you each day and you will end up in the best possible place you can be. In doing that, it is extremely likely that you will in fact far exceed your original goal.

4. Don’t let insignificant details get in the way of a deal — if it’s unlikely to happen and the consequences won’t be fatal to the deal, and you can’t agree on changing it — move on.

In my work, I often talk about how to release and relieve stress. As a busy leader, what do you do to prepare your mind and body before a stressful or high stakes meeting, talk, or decision? Can you share a story or some examples?

To be honest, not much and mostly nothing. Ours is a fast-paced business where important decisions need to be made constantly. I have learned over the years to process and assess available information quickly and make a decision where needed. I also have a young family — so am well versed in the value of time management and the pitfalls of analysis paralysis.

As you know, the United States is currently facing a very important self-reckoning about race, diversity, equality and inclusion. This may be obvious to you, but it will be helpful to spell this out. Can you articulate to our readers a few reasons why it is so important for a business or organization to have a diverse executive team?

Diversity brings different perspectives — and having a diverse team helps ensure that a wider range of issues are considered and addressed. From the management perspective — similar to how some kids respond better to different teaching methods, I find some employees respond better to different management styles. While I appreciate that people of different race (for example) can have the same or similar management style, typically they don’t. Just as men and women often have different approaches.

As a business leader, can you please share a few steps we must take to truly create an inclusive, representative, and equitable society? Kindly share a story or example for each.

To be entirely honest (and indeed unpopular, and politically incorrect) I think far too much importance is placed on being inclusive and ensuring fair representation, etc. I think the best way to create an equitable society is for decisions to be merit-based.

I’m very cut-and-dry about this, but; don’t try and fill quotas. Don’t concern yourself with how something may look. If it is the right decision, the best deal, the most suitable person, then that is the equitable thing to do. I think this is particularly the case when it comes to staff. The ONLY way to be equitable is to base decisions on merit. The best person for the job is the best person for the job irrespective of sex or race. Simple. Any other decision creates inequality and continues to foster a view in society that you don’t have to work hard to achieve, and that’s garbage.

Ok, thank you for that. Let’s now jump to the primary focus of our interview. Most of our readers — in fact, most people — think they have a pretty good idea of what a CEO or executive does. But in just a few words can you explain what an executive does that is different from the responsibilities of the other leaders?

They (executives) are ultimately responsible for ALL decisions. The buck must stop with them. Other people ‘below’ them may have made the particular decision in question, but as there is a hierarchy and a chain of responsibility, the executives sit at the top and are (or should be) responsible, always.

What are the “myths” that you would like to dispel about being a CEO or executive. Can you explain what you mean?

The one that springs to mind, at least in my case, is that executives are “too busy” or “unapproachable”. While I am always busy, I am never too busy to make time. It may not be now, but I will make the time. As for being unapproachable — we are really no more or less important than anyone else. At the end of the day, it is a job. We all have jobs to do and ALL of those jobs contribute to the success. Further, a business cannot succeed without its people, therefore the growth of those people is a very high priority.

In your opinion, what are the biggest challenges faced by women executives that aren’t typically faced by their male counterparts?

Some industries are almost equal when it comes to men and women, so my comments are based solely off my two worlds — legal (commercial property in particular) and property.

  1. The statistics are clear; there are far fewer women executives in these industries and they are typically paid less than their male equivalents. It has always been my opinion that women have to work harder for the same reward. Whether this comes down to something as simple as sexism, or, a natural and unavoidable extension of that being that women have the babies and therefore have time out from their careers (or a combination of both) I am not sure, but I do not accept that it has anything to do with ability to do the job.
  2. Assumptions; I have walked into meetings and had the men from the other side speak to my junior male lawyers as though they were the boss. An automatic assumption on their part that was quickly dispelled when I started speaking, but an assumption, nonetheless. This side of things gets better and better as time goes by; however, it exists.
  3. Owning their style i.e. not changing to appease — whether they’re considered ‘ballbusters’ or ‘soft-touches’ — be yourself.
  4. AND lastly; the obvious one — EVERYTHING else that comes with being a mum and CEO of a household, as well as CEO of a company.

What is the most striking difference between your actual job and how you thought the job would be?

That I don’t get to do much ‘work’. This too was the case when I was COO, so it’s not a new adjustment. When I looked after only the legal work, I had very specific task lists I worked at methodically to ensure things got done. I got to the end of the day and had a real sense of achievement because I could point to very specific tasks I had completed. Now, my door is revolving for advice, approvals, signatures etc. My calendar is full of meeting after meeting. My directions are often more general in nature, therefore immediate effects can’t always be felt. It can take significant time to see if a decision that has been made or task done has the desired outcome.

Certainly, not everyone is cut out to be an executive. In your opinion, which specific traits increase the likelihood that a person will be a successful executive and what type of person should avoid aspiring to be an executive? Can you explain what you mean?

Traits consistent with success:

  • Creative and critical thinking — as Marie Forleo says, “Everything is figure-outable” and that is entirely true, but sometimes it takes a very creative approach to achieve the desired outcome.
  • The ability to consider the facts, make a decision and move on — quickly.
  • The ability to put the good of the stakeholder before your personal feelings. Good business decisions are not always the ones that feel the best. Some are bloody hard to make and even harder to execute, but that’s the job
  • Resilience. Resilience. Resilience.
  • The ability to see mistakes as a learning opportunity and move on.
  • Confidence — in themselves and in the business.
  • Good communication — this one is probably the most important (even though the most boring). You can be all the other things but if you can’t communicate well, you can’t lead.
  • Willingness to take perceived ‘risks’, the road less travelled/unpopular approach etc.

If you can’t relate to all of these — there’s a good chance an executive title will not sit well.

What advice would you give to other women leaders to help their team to thrive?

– Be genuine — the majority of people know when someone is faking it.

– Be relatable — if your team feel they can relate to you and you are vulnerable with them (when appropriate) they are far more likely to be loyal and dedicated because they can see themselves in your shoes.

– Be available — you can’t lead if you can’t inspire and if you aren’t ever available, how do you inspire?

How have you used your success to make the world a better place?

We have established a charitable fund and have made significant donations to our key charities, which at present are Zephyr Education Inc, The Salvation Army and the RSPCA. We also encourage staff to get involved and provide assistance via the properties where appropriate (collection points for donated goods, etc). We invite Zephyr to come to our investor functions and speak and collect donations in person.

What are your “5 Things I Wish Someone Told Me Before I Started” and why? (Please share a story or example for each.)

  • You cannot be all things to all people. No real story or example because even though it has taken me a lifetime (my lifetime) to figure this out, it is apparently self-realizing.
  • The right decision does not always make you feel good and that is okay. Example — letting staff go. If someone isn’t performing then clearly it is the right decision for the business but if they are otherwise a good person, the decision can make you feel pretty shit. However, the truth is that keeping someone around in a position where they aren’t thriving isn’t the best thing for them either.
  • Don’t sweat the small stuff. Cliché I know, but I have spent a lot of time worrying about things that turned out to either not happen or not matter.
  • What some perceive as your weaknesses (or in some cases tell you!) can actually be your strengths. I think this is particularly relevant for working mums. There is a perception, I believe, that having a family waiting for you means that you are less committed and/or less hard working. More often than not, that is very far from the truth. Working mums know their time is precious. They get in, get the work done in the most efficient way possible because they have to, and they have the skills to know how = strength! Not five, but I’m succinct!

You are a person of great influence. If you could inspire a movement that would bring the most amount of good for the greatest number of people, what would that be? You never know what your idea can trigger.

Violence against children (and animals) is something I feel very strongly about. So, something bold; I feel there needs to be mandatory education as to what raising a child actually involves — beyond just birthing it. An unusual tangent, but parenting is the most important job of all — and, just like nurses and personal trainers need to maintain their industry knowledge/professional currency — parents should also. Who knows who’d be responsible for the curriculum (obviously all longitudinal evidence-based), but we need prescribed mandatory parenting skills and the resources to access them. Cycles of neglect and abuse need to stop. The ripple effect of doing nothing and thus doing something — is irrefutable.

Can you please give us your favorite “Life Lesson Quote”? Can you share how that was relevant to you in your life?

“The cowards never started and the weak died along the way. That leaves us, ladies and gentlemen. Us.” (Phil Knight). A cracker. This is one I have really been feeling lately. It really speaks to the difficulty of having to make certain decisions.

We are very blessed that some very prominent names in Business, VC funding, Sports, and Entertainment read this column. Is there a person in the world, or in the US with whom you would love to have a private breakfast or lunch with, and why? He or she might just see this if we tag them.

Julie Bishop. I had the pleasure of attending a ‘Business Chicks’ breakfast where Julie was guest speaker. I had of course seen and heard of her before but hadn’t really paid too much attention (my error) prior to that. My goodness that woman is impressive. So charismatic, eloquent and intelligent. An absolute inspiration for what it means to be a woman in power. Australia suffered a great loss in not having her as our Prime Minister. She would have shown New Zealand a thing or two…

Thank you for these fantastic insights. We greatly appreciate the time you spent on this.


Stacey Jones of Sentinel Property Group: Why It’s So Important For A Leader To Be Relatable was originally published in Authority Magazine on Medium, where people are continuing the conversation by highlighting and responding to this story.

Zahra Bahari of The Powell Companies Real (TPCR): Why We Must Ensure That More Women Hold Board…

Zahra Bahari of The Powell Companies Real (TPCR): Why We Must Ensure That More Women Hold Board Seats

Ensure that more women hold board seats. The US has one of the lowest percentages of women who hold board seats. In 2019, the percentage of female board members in the US was only 26.1%, while France had a total of 44%. There are numerous studies further outlining this point, and one of the most comprehensive is Credit’s Suisse study in 2012 which cites, “We find clear evidence that companies with a higher proportion of women in decision-making roles continue to generate higher returns on equity, while running more conservative balance sheets. In fact, where women account for the majority in the top management, the businesses show superior sales growth, high cash flow returns on investments and lower leverage.” This further shows that having more female board members, and overall equality within leadership teams, is a win-win for all. Why not make it 50%?

As a part of our series about strong women leaders, I had the pleasure of interviewing Zahra Bahari. Bahari is a proven fashion industry veteran and CEO of The Powell Companies Real (TPCR), the leading diversified designer, manufacturer and distributor bringing fashion brands to life with its resources and experienced executive team of industry leaders.

Through her decades in the industry, she has repeatedly demonstrated her ability to create, and is on the front lines of establishing successful celebrity clothing lines, and repeatedly advancing them beyond the $100M level.

Thank you so much for doing this with us! Before we dig in, our readers would like to get to know you a bit more. Can you tell us a bit about your “backstory”? What led you to this particular career path?

My mom was a maven in the business. She started a design house back in Iran in the 70’s and brought the business to the US in the 80’s. Her company took off and was one of the leading moderate dress manufacturers in the US. I always looked up to her and was inspired by her love of design and the business of the fashion industry, not just the creative aspects, so I followed in her footsteps. Coming right out of Parsons in the late 90’s, I joined my family business. After they sold their businesses and retired, my husband and I spun off into The Powell Companies Real, where we are today, and love every second of it.

Can you share the most interesting story that happened to you since you began leading your company?

Meeting the inspiring business partner behind our newly launched activewear brand, PSK Collective, was the most interesting story that happened to me by far — Phaidra Knight. We were at a dinner when we first met Phaidra, who is an incredibly fascinating and warm woman who can kick anyone’s butt. Not only is she an attorney, social activist and philanthropist, but she’s also a legendary athlete who is in the Rugby Hall of Fame. I mean, come on! As accomplished as she is, she always talks about giving back to others and how many people we can help. It was an interesting notion to me that this inspiring overachiever with a type ‘A’ personality, is mostly involved so that she can give back, rather than personal ambition or gain. It is very rare to have that level of authenticity.

Can you share a story about the funniest mistake you made when you were first starting? Can you tell us what lesson you learned from that?

I saved Beyoncé’s Balenciaga dress from being given away. She left it in our showroom for a fitting for a big event, like The Grammy’s, who knows, and put it in a sample giveaway pile. She and her family are the salt of the earth, genuinely the kindest people you will ever meet and would not have even cared. Thankfully we caught it in time and returned it without any issue. What I learned from this experience was that in a very fast-paced environment like a fashion showroom, organization is KEY! From that day on, all items were catalogued and labeled as they should have been!

None of us are able to achieve success without some help along the way. Is there a particular person who you are grateful towards who helped get you to where you are? Can you share a story about that?

I am fortunate to say that my family helped me start out and taught me everything in this business, so they are the obvious ones. However, my biggest Oscar’s-themed thank you goes to my husband, Steven Powell. He took on a big change with our business, The Powell Companies Real. Coming from Wall Street and being the founder of the world’s largest patent research online community, he is used to very sure-thing, analytic businesses, and fashion is definitely not that. However, he took a leap with me to start our business and I am so grateful he did.

In my work, I often talk about how to release and relieve stress. As a busy leader, what do you do to prepare your mind and body before a stressful or high stakes meeting, talk, or decision? Can you share a story or some examples?

My number one stress reliever is exercise. Nothing helps me focus or mentally unwind like a good run or Peloton class. I have run three NYC marathons and I mostly do it because that’s the only time where I get a full day and night all to myself with my favorite person cheering me on and fawning all over me. What could be better? However, when I have a big meeting, I sometimes go for a brisk 15-minute walk around the block to clear my head, which helps me focus.

As you know, the United States is currently facing a very important self-reckoning about race, diversity, equality and inclusion. This may be obvious to you, but it will be helpful to spell this out. Can you articulate to our readers a few reasons why it is so important for a business or organization to have a diverse executive team?

Not only is inclusivity important from a values and social justice standpoint, but plays a factor into overall success. Diverse companies are proven to attract the best candidates, and 67% of all candidates prefer a diverse work environment (Glassdoor). What’s more, is that inclusive companies enjoy a 2.3x higher cash flow than those that aren’t, and 70% of inclusive companies are more likely to capture new markets (Harvard Business Review). This information further drives the point that businesses must prioritize diversity and maintain an inclusive work environment and team.

Now more than ever, it is important for organizations to have a diverse executive team. Here at TPCR, we’ve always valued diversity and inclusion both within our team as well as across our client portfolio. We’re blessed to be working with a diverse range of designers, manufacturers, executives and partners that come from a variety of inspiring backgrounds.

We recently launched PSK Collective, the inclusive activewear brand created by World Rugby Hall of Famer and trail-blazing black female athlete Phaidra Knight, to further bring recognition to female athletes around the world. Partnering with Phaidra was a way for us to further carry out our mission of creating inspiring and meaningful designs that bring well-deserved recognition to women in both sports and life. The PSK Collective is a fusion of activewear and streetwear designed to push the boundaries of today’s fashion offerings, combining top trends with functional details to empower, inspire and unleash the inner athlete, as well as shift existing attitudes surrounding fashion, expression and equality. To further bring exposure and much needed recognition to female athletes around the world, the collection was launched in beneficiary partnership with the Women’s Sports Foundation.

As a business leader, can you please share a few steps we must take to truly create an inclusive, representative, and equitable society? Kindly share a story or example for each.

We have to start from the top down to set the examples.

1 . Ensure that more women hold board seats.

The US has one of the lowest percentages of women who hold board seats. In 2019, the percentage of female board members in the US was only 26.1%, while France had a total of 44%. There are numerous studies further outlining this point, and one of the most comprehensive is Credit’s Suisse study in 2012 which cites, “We find clear evidence that companies with a higher proportion of women in decision-making roles continue to generate higher returns on equity, while running more conservative balance sheets. In fact, where women account for the majority in the top management, the businesses show superior sales growth, high cash flow returns on investments and lower leverage.” This further shows that having more female board members, and overall equality within leadership teams, is a win-win for all. Why not make it 50%?

2. Encourage companies to hire diverse candidates. Include minorities into the WOTC program and extend it to make it very lucrative for companies to hire.

3. The Work Opportunity Tax Credit (WOTC) is a federal tax credit available to employers who hire and retain individuals from target groups with significant employment barriers (e.g., veterans, ex-felons, etc.). Employers can claim about $9,600 per employee in tax credits per year under the WOTC program.

4. American businesses and our way of life is built on credit and the ability to borrow funds. Currently, minorities are very discriminated against when it comes to lending funds and mortgages, and there has to be a better way of modeling a lending structure that allows more minorities to build businesses, buy homes, get the education they want and truly be able to compete and thrive in an inclusive society.

Ok, thank you for that. Let’s now jump to the primary focus of our interview. Most of our readers — in fact, most people — think they have a pretty good idea of what a CEO or executive does. But in just a few words can you explain what an executive does that is different from the responsibilities of the other leaders?

A CEO is the person who shoulders all responsibility. If anything fails, even from the most remote position, it will have the CEO’s name stamped on it.

I personally believe the most important part of my job is building the right team. A CEO should build a team of leaders and leaders build team of doers. That’s the most succinct way to describe what I do.

My day-to-day responsibilities include setting strategies, creating and approving budgets and meeting with leadership members to ensure the total company is achieving its plans and goals. I like to ensure we have a little fun here and there, too.

What are the “myths” that you would like to dispel about being a CEO or executive. Can you explain what you mean?

The first myth is that a CEO doesn’t have anyone to answer to. In reality, CEO’s actually have to answer to everyone! From investors, to the board, to the chairman, the list goes on and on.

Next is that a CEO doesn’t need to know everyone in her company. I think one on one interaction is the most important and building that bond and connection.

Lastly and most importantly is the misconception that CEO’s know everything — that’s why they are the CEO, right? That is so not true. I learn every day, whether it be from my team or our clients, and many days I get hit with the thoughts of “What am I doing? I don’t know what I’m doing here.”

In your opinion, what are the biggest challenges faced by women executives that aren’t typically faced by their male counterparts?

The biggest challenge is that any emotion displayed can be misinterpreted. From my experience, female executives tend to be much less emotive due to common misconceptions, and often can come across as inauthentic.

Other challenges include work life balance. I fortunately don’t have that issue since my husband and I work together, but a woman with a family working long hours is much more of a taboo than a man doing so. This feeling of guilt can lead to many strong capable women to take themselves out of the workforce.

What is the most striking difference between your actual job and how you thought the job would be?

I thought that after working so long and hard all these years, there would be more vacations now that I am a CEO!

In all seriousness, the one thing I wasn’t counting on was how many people I, and our company, could actually help if we do our job right. Suddenly, you’re not just trying to make a better life for your family. When you take on social causes, you are up late at night coming up with strategies to strengthen the company, all for the people who your achievements will help. I wasn’t counting on that, or how good that would actually feel!

Certainly, not everyone is cut out to be an executive. In your opinion, which specific traits increase the likelihood that a person will be a successful executive and what type of person should avoid aspiring to be an executive? Can you explain what you mean?

Specific traits include patience, skill, compassion and the ability to put yourself in others’ shoes.

I think that everyone can and should strive to be an executive, if that’s what they want. In one of Stanford’s mathematics classes, they teach the fact that people inaccurately believe that some are ‘math people’ while others aren’t. This was proven to be false, as anyone can in fact be a ‘math person.’ It comes down to their ability and diligence to problem solve, which makes them better at math. I believe this theory can apply to anything. Managing and leading comes from learned skills, and anyone who wants to can learn those skills.

What advice would you give to other women leaders to help their team to thrive?

Allow leaders to lead. Allow them to have a voice, opinion and clear path to doing things their way. If you allow your team to strategize the work you hired them to perform, they will actually be more productive than simply laying out a plan and asking them to implement it.

How have you used your success to make the world a better place?

I think PSK Collective is the best example of how we will make the world a better place. We give back, with 15% of our profit benefiting the Women’s Sports Foundation. We will bring global attention to unequal pay when it comes to athletics, as well as help young women thrive and grow in all aspect of their lives. We will help make the world a more inclusive place, starting with women in sports.

What are your “5 Things I Wish Someone Told Me Before I Started” and why? (Please share a story or example for each.)

  1. Don’t think of clients as clients — think of them as partners. Your success and their success is intertwined. Make them feel that.
  2. Be prepared for anything and everything. Expect the very worst case scenario and build your business around it. Consider anything, like a major tariff war, a global pandemic, and then civil unrest… you never know.
  3. Prepare your family to know that sometimes work will be priority. If you say otherwise, you are lying to both them and yourself. Explain all of the good things that can come from it as well as the cycles of your work, so that there is no surprise if you have to miss a play or two during market week.
  4. Surround yourself with likeminded individuals. If they are sympatico, it won’t work, no matter how good they are.
  5. Don’t make decisions on lack of sleep.

You are a person of great influence. If you could inspire a movement that would bring the most amount of good for the greatest number of people, what would that be? You never know what your idea can trigger.

My husband and I are very strong supporters of gender equality in the workforce. We are dedicating the rest of our career to help right this wrong and start with equal number of men and women in the workforce, with equal pay and the same opportunities offered for all. This is our greatest passion and we are working toward this goal. PSK Collective will have a big hand in this movement as we are building the female powered Nike or Under Armour. We will focus our goal on equality.

Can you please give us your favorite “Life Lesson Quote”? Can you share how that was relevant to you in your life?

“I am easily satisfied with the very best.” –Winston Churchill

I didn’t say I wasn’t a perfectionist.

We are very blessed that some very prominent names in Business, VC funding, Sports, and Entertainment read this column. Is there a person in the world, or in the US with whom you would love to have a private breakfast or lunch with, and why?

I can name two: Melinda Gates and MacKenzie Scott for sure. They just started a drive for a $30 million grant for non-profit groups who foster gender equality. I would love to bring PSK Collective to their attention and talk about how we can expand that initiative to reach for profit organizations as well.

I also believe they have stepped out of the roles of being someone’s significant other to achieving strong personal successes and growth that helps millions of people.

Thank you for these fantastic insights. We greatly appreciate the time you spent on this.


Zahra Bahari of The Powell Companies Real (TPCR): Why We Must Ensure That More Women Hold Board… was originally published in Authority Magazine on Medium, where people are continuing the conversation by highlighting and responding to this story.