20A — October 2023 — M id A tlantic Real Estate Journal
www.marej.com
M id A tlantic R eal E state J ournal
Marcy Gross, SGR
continued from page 4A Kathy Anderson, Progress Capital
to welcome constructive criti - cism to facilitate personal and career growth. Do you feel being a woman is an advantage, disadvan- tage or no advantage in today’s business world? Why? Why not? No advantage. Success is all about human relations skill development and exceeding personal and company perfor - mance goals. Getting results for clients is what matters. Do you feel there are any differences in the way that men and women develop business relationships and if so, what activities or ven- ues do you participate in? My opinion is it is more about continued from page 13A I listened to him talking about running a commercial real estate agency, and eventually I went to work for him as an administrative assistant. But it never actually occurred to me that he’d see me as a leader … until he entrusted me with our agency’s property
temperament and skill set. I see women as good lis - teners, solution oriented, organized and typically have strong follow-up and problem identification. What outside activities do you enjoy during you free time? Travel, golf, pickleball and hiking What inspiring word of advice would you give to a young woman about to go into the field of com- mercial real estate or your allied field? Working hard and staying humble enough to listen and learn. Be confident, genuine and your own style. Don’t imitate, create! MAREJ management department. That meant I was dealing with inves - tors and some very prestigious buildings, and my confidence soared. Working side-by-side with my father was wonder- ful –he instilled in me an un - derstanding that regardless of the problem, there’s a solution; you just need to find it. MAREJ
gratitude to my intelligent and loyal clients over the years. Working alongside them as they evaluated, constructed, renovated and purchased commercial real estate has enabled me to hone in on my skills and thrive in this field. What outside activities do you enjoy during your free time? Whether it’s a day at the beach or a simple dinner gath - ering, I love making memories with my 3 grandsons – who are all under the age of three. What encouraging words would you share with a young woman considering a career in commercial real estate or a related field? I’d advise her to step through every door of oppor- tunity without overthinking it. The mortgage brokerage industry isn’t something you can learn from textbooks. There’s no set formula for suc - cess in this field. It’s a blend of financial expertise, negotia - tion skills, and sheer persis - tence. I’ve noticed that there are still relatively few women who opt for this profession, and I’d love to see more of them enter the industry. It’s been a rewarding journey for me, providing both a success- ful career and the flexibility to raise a family while being actively present. MAREJ
these changes impact all sides. In the past year, we’ve excelled at helping clients secure financing to smartly leverage their assets. No one can be certain of what lies ahead, but it’s our job to stay current, informed and anticipate upcoming market conditions and trends. Is being a woman an ad- vantage, disadvantage, or neither in today’s business world? Why or why not? Personally, I’ve found that being a woman in the com- mercial real estate financing sector often comes with its advantages, particularly when attending conferences and networking events. It’s uplift - ing to see women gaining more recognition in what was once a male-dominated industry. Hon - estly, I am just as comfortable sitting in a room filled with men or women. At the end of day, we all just want to work together quickly and efficiently. Who have been your mentors or influencers throughout your career? I’ve been fortunate to have several influencers in my jour - ney. Len Green stands out as a fantastic mentor when I first began my career. I’ll forever appreciate him for recognizing my capabilities and giving me the opportunity to prove my- self. Additionally, I owe much
believe contribute to your success in your profession? They say you can see the true character of a person in times of crisis. Let’s rewind to 2008, when the financial crisis posed a significant test for me as the lending markets froze and banks were collapsing. I didn’t know what was going to hap - pen to my company. But, after many sleepless nights and grueling 12-hour workdays, Progress Capital (and I) came through stronger having sur- vived this very difficult time. My clients, who I fought for during those tough years, appreciated my tenacity and many of them are still with me today. These experiences have helped me to navigate through subsequent dysfunc- tional times brought by the Co - vid-19 pandemic and today’s interest rate environment, which feels similar to 2008. What daily challenges do you encounter in your profession and how do you effectively address them? Most of my professional challenges have been market driven. We all know the com - mercial real estate lending rules are changing, but we are on it. Thanks to our long - standing relationships with both clients and lenders, we are immediately aware of how
continued from page 8A Janet Bortz, Kislak
Julie Gralla, Kislak
Tell us a little about your family. My mother, as I mentioned, works at Kislak with me and my brother also works in real estate but for a New York- based real estate hedge fund. I have two sons: one is almost 6 and the other is now almost 3 ½ years old. My oldest already told me that in addition to a scientist and astronaut, he wants to be “a buyer [of real estate] because they have a lot of money.” What outside activities do continued from page 8A
you enjoy during you free time? I’m Peloton (bike) obsessed. Recently I was on a Hannah Corbin live ride and got a shout out for both my husband and I! Every so often, I try to play tennis on beautiful days and on rainy days, I try to get out of the house and go to a work - out class. I discovered SLT in the past year and per doctor’s orders, I’ve been trying to in - corporate more yoga into my workout. I find being regularly physically active to be abso - lutely necessary for me. MAREJ
Jessica Trifiro, CREW New Jersey
What outside activities do you enjoy during you free time? One of my favorite activities is fostering fur babies, which I started doing early on in CO - VID. I had found eight stray kittens near my yard one day. A shout out for help on social media connected me with K’s Kitten Rescue, and the rest is history. It’s bittersweet saying goodbye when they get adopted but finding them good homes far outweighs the heartbreak of saying goodbye. My therapeutic activities in- clude going out for walks and hikes, and quiet time garden - ing. Then there is dancing continued from page 6A
more personal tasks done dur - ing the week, freeing up more personal time on the weekends. Do you feel there are any differences in the way that men and women develop business relationships and if so, what activities or ven- ues do you participate in? Yes. I feel that women tend to develop more personal re - lationships while building business relationships. I pre - fer attending smaller events that allow me to have longer conversations with people and also enjoy participating in philanthropic activities where you are meeting and interact- ing with people on a more casual level. MAREJ that a mistake or failure is the end of the world – admit them and see them as an opportunity for learning. Be real and au - thentic; differentiate yourself. I also believe that maintaining healthy lifestyle and fitness is linked to work productivity.
(salsa, swing, cha cha, ba - chata), especially to live music. I reconnected recently with a former dance partner, and it’s been a lot of fun getting back in the swing of things. How do you manage the work/life balance? It has taken quite some time to get this balance, which can still be challenging at times. COVID opened my eyes to the realiza - tion of how important it is that I make the time to take care of myself and be more present for my family and friends. Working from home has been a blessing, and even a hybrid schedule is immensely helpful. Removing hours of commuting each week has allowed me the time to get Be proud who you are; be proud to be a young professional woman entering the field of commercial real estate. Dream big, determine your goals, and execute; and always keep try - ing. Maintain growth mindset, learn new skills. Do not feel
Joni Sweetwood, Kislak
done deal after deal with know that I will get better results. After all these years, these Owners have become my friends, not somebody I’m afraid of. MAREJ
continued from page 8A ever, this is just a line and not really the advantage they would like you to believe. I know my market better than them and the Owners I have
continued from page 10A Alicia Mynarska, senior manager at Withum
Michelle Lynn, NAI Summit
influences how effective I am at competing in the design and marketing field. If you have the knowledge, asser - tiveness, and vision, anyone can be a powerhouse in the marketing industry. continued from page 14A
What inspiring word of advice would you give to a young woman looking to a career in commercial real estate? Go for it! There are lots of different ways for individuals to create a fulfilling career in commercial real estate. MAREJ
What inspiring word of advice would you give to a young woman about to go into the field of com- mercial real estate or your allied field? My advice would include:
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