14C — October 26 - November 8, 2018 — Women in Business — M id A tlantic
Real Estate Journal
www.marejournal.com
Women in Business
Vicky Fajardo, Cushman & Wakefield “Be brave, be strong and be you. It’s not gender that defines you.”
ell us howandwhen you began your ca- reer in the profession you are in: I joined Cushman & Wake- field in February 2016 as the human resources manager of the New Jersey region with 18 years of human resources industry experience. At that time, the New Jersey region was in a state of transition, having just promoted the op- erations director to manag- ing principal. I was tasked immediately to help secure a new operations director. After conducting numerous internal and external interviews, senior management recognized that I was already entrenched in most of the company’s opera- tional efforts and was optimal for the role. Gaining the trust of leadership, the fee earner population and peers alike, I was able to elevate my position in the company with fortitude and aspiration. I assumed the role of operations director in May 2017. What is your current po- sition? Operations Director, New Jersey Region. What was your greatest professional accomplish- ment in 2018? I believe in nurturing talent. The opportu- nity to create, drive and be an integral part of the first Associ- ate Broker Training Program in the New Jersey Region is what I am most proud of this year. Historically, training and development in the industry has been unfocused, but with new resources, the support of senior leadership and a desire from the business, I was able to aide in the development of this program, which is com- prised of 16 associate brokers that have from 0 to 5 years in the business. This nine- month program has forged not only traditional training techniques, but collaborative relationships among our three New Jersey offices, as well as created as a sense of “We are the future of Cushman & Wakefield.” The commitment from participants, internal and external trainers, and leadership, has proven to me that this program is a success story. It has brought senior fee earners to a new level, being tasked as true mentors; and associate fee earners to a place where they can feel supported and equipped for success. We have opened doors for, what we consider to be, the up and T
aide individuals to dig deep to make impactful changes; and support and cultivate success. My connection with people is not something I create, it is something that just “is.” I take pride in getting to know the people I work with, so I can bet- ter understand how to support them. I spend time developing deep, lasting relationships that are open and honest. I have no agenda and I know that comes across to those I encounter every day, both personally and professionally. My compassion and respect for others has made me a strong successful leader. You must hear to understand and you have to understand to make change. That change is what makes people grow and businesses succeed. What challenges and or obstacles do you feel you needed to overcome to be- come as successful as you are today? Not to sound cliché, but as a woman, it has always been more challenging to prove professional worth. I have had to work extraordinarily hard to forge relationships, and have felt the need to go above and beyond to prove value. I have taken on large roles, with little to no experience with the hope of getting a “seat at the table.” I have worked in other male-dominated organizations, similar to commercial real es- tate, where most of the decision makers were not women and have been told that, it is a “boys club.” Early on in my career, that was intimidating, but as I wove my way through the noise, proving my value time and time again, I felt steadfast in my capabilities, despite gen- der. This took strong will, per- severance, fortitude, and when defeated, the ability to get back up again. These experiences have molded and shaped who I am today. While some women may see being a woman is an obstacle in the workplace, I see it as a chance to honor who we are and emerge successfully. Do you feel being a wom- an is an advantage, disad- vantage or no advantage in today’s business world? Why? Why not? Although there has historically been, for me at least, an uphill battle in some regards to promote, brand, and gain credibility as an authoritative woman in business, I ultimately say, in my experience, it’s an ad- vantage. I can bring newness in attitude, thought process,
vision and leadership style to my role and to an organization. I also find that more women today are in decision making and business partnership roles and organizations are more readily promoting diversity in the workplace. My ability to assimilate with like minds to drive business gives me an advantage to make change happen. Tell us a little about your family. I have beenmarried for 10 years and have five-year-old twins (a boy and a girl) as well as a seven-year-old daughter. We live in Rutherford, a very family-oriented town, which fits in line with who we are. We have strong family roots and believe that family comes first. We strive to keep traditions alive, both on the Filipino and Italian sides of our families, in hopes that our children do the same, generation after generation. We love to travel extensively and learn about new cultures; this year we took a family trip to Hawaii. We are firm believers in healthy lifestyles. With my passion for yoga and my husband’s for Brazilian Jiu Jitsu, both of us bring more than 20 years of practice to our children, as we teach them discipline and healthy living. We are involved in giving back to community. I am a board member of the Rutherford Education Founda- tion, and raise money to fund our local school grants. Our children all participate in the Boy/Girl Scouts and continue to learn how to give back in many ways. We are so fortunate, and instill daily, the value of giving back. In our down time, you will find us lighting a fire in our fire pit in the yard, going to the beach or a park, doing arts and crafts, taking family walks and just spending as much quality time together as we can. What outside activities do you enjoy during you free time? I enjoy running, walk- ing, swimming in the ocean, hiking, exploring new cities on foot, going to the park with my children and gardening. What inspiring word of advice would you give to a young woman about to go into the field of commercial real estate or your allied field? Be brave, be strong and be you. It’s not gender that defines you; it’s your courage, commit- ment, and strong work ethic that will lead you to success.
Vicky Fajardo Operations Director, New Jersey Region Cushman & Wakefield Years with company/firm: 2.5 years Years in field: 18 Years in real estate industry: 2.5 years
comers at Cushman & Wake- field and have exposed them to resources, both internally and externally that they otherwise would not have known were available or accessible. This has helped pave their way to be the future success stories of the firm. How do you manage the work/life balance? As a mother and wife with three small children, including five- year-old twins and a seven- year old, I strive every day to make an impact on my personal and professional life. Before having children, I spent most of my career working in New York City. It was only after becoming a mother that I realized to be the best “me” personally and professionally, I needed to seek employment opportunities closer to home. I strategically aligned myself with a job near to my home to create a better work-life bal- ance. This enables me to take my children to school in the mornings, attend their after- school activities, do homework with them and tuck them in at night. These are the moments my children will remember as I aide in their journey in life, and shows them that, even though I work, I am always there for them, something that is invaluable to me. As a family unit, we also make the time to take vacations, where we can spend valuable time together and reset from our day to day. At the same time, and in a similar fashion, my other pri- ority is tending to the needs of my population and their profes- sional journeys. My focus at work is making sure as many goals and objectives are met daily to push business forward. When opportunities arise, I also try to intertwine the two, hosting “Take Your Daughters and Sons to Work Day” and charitable events, in which our children participate. “Home” has more than one meaning to me, it is both a personal and
professional space. When I am in either space I am focused on supporting, nurturing and growing the heart and soul of my home. I want my children to see that I can, and therefore, they can, be professionally accomplished while involved wholeheartedly at home, and for the business to know my interest lies in aiding in their success. Who or what has been the strongest influence on your career? I have always been a self-motivator. When I feel strongly about anything in life, inclusive of career de- cisions, I jump in with both feet and commit fully. While the decision to always aim for success in whatever I do is in- nate, it wasn’t until I became a mother, that my focus became clearer. Every professional de- cision I made from that point on -- the culture and people I surrounded myself with, and the roles I took on -- all had a direct impact on my children. That impact must be driven in a positive way by me, show- ing my children how a mother can be successful, maintain a healthy work life balance and be a financial contributor for the family. The values that I instill in my children when I talk about what I do at work, and how I help people and drive business, will help set the stage for them as they are creating their future career paths. Par- enting is a powerful privilege, and for me the driving force to continued success. What unique qualities and or personality trait do you feel makes you most suc- cessful in your profession? At the root of who I am, I have always known that my purpose in life is to help others. With a degree in psychology, and a foundational understanding of people, my best attribute is understanding individuals and innately connecting with them. This allows me to solve issues; elevate professional growth;
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