Her Story
About Carolyn
Carolyn Pistone owns and operates a commercial real estate services firm based in Petaluma, her hometown. The company, which she started 12 years ago after a varied career, focuses on large-scale property management for big corporations and government entities. It is the only firm of its kind that is a certified green business, certified woman-owned business, certified small business, and B Corp. Prior to real estate, Pistone worked in the entertainment industry with a master's degree in directing for theater, film, and television. She held positions in operations, visual effects, and ran a movie studio, later moving into consulting for recruiting and relocations during the internet boom. She was recruited by Cushman and Wakefield to run Southern California operations and later managed properties for CBRE in the Bay Area before founding her own firm with her team. Pistone is a member of several organizations including Weebank, National Association of Women Business Owners, We the Change, Chamber of Commerce, Real Leaders, and Sonoma Green Business. She is a past Top Impact Company award winner. She has written books on joy and positive impact and emphasizes values like kindness, collaboration, and making the world a better place.
Her Interview
Ten minutes with Carolyn
01What do you attribute your success to?
I like to think it's by never wavering from my mission and values. However, I attribute all my failure to exactly the same thing. I think success comes from really digging deep into your authentic self, and making sure that's what you're bringing to every endeavor. And I think that's one of the joys of being a mature woman. Once you hit a certain age, you start to really dig deeper into your unique value to bring to the world.
02What’s the best career advice you’ve ever received?
The best advice was from a boss who said the best thing that you bring to any role is yourself. And you're gonna take that with you wherever you go. All this other stuff is just a security blanket, a crutch to make you feel better. Trust yourself and bring your whole self.
03What advice would you give to young women entering your industry?
Come work for me. I'm all about giving women opportunities. You can learn from the men in your industry without becoming the man in your industry. I saw that most of these men had incredible competent talented women working for them. If you can find an opportunity to turn around and start doing that for yourself, go for it.
04What are the biggest challenges or opportunities in your field right now?
The biggest challenge in any industry is the tremendous struggle between good and evil that is going on on this planet. There's plenty for everybody. The Earth is such a special and beautiful unique place with diversity of life and resources. Money and power are not real things. Kindness, love, wisdom, collaboration, sharing, lifting us all up, joy, reverence - those are real things.
05What values are most important to you in your work and personal life?
I want the world to be a better place because I'm in it. Your values in your personal life or at work should be the same. If your values are different at work than in your real life, then you might be working in the wrong place.
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