Lisa Moghul

I attribute my success to good mentorship. I don't know that it - you know, that's really a big part of your success, if you can find someone who has been doing what you're doing a long time and can guide you through the trenches of when it's really stressful or there's a lot of pressure, and you're not sure how to manage either personalities or deadlines. Having someone to help lead you through that, I think, is very important. It's about finding people who can help you navigate the challenges and pressures of this industry.

I would say, try to find a mentor. Join local organizations that are female-driven - find the women that are successful at it. It's all about networking, organizations, anything that you can have visibility with other women doing the same thing. I think it's really important because it's easy to be overlooked in commercial real estate, and it is typically a male-dominated industry. You have to work twice as hard for that chance. So I would suggest that you find someone who can guide you along the way. Know what you want, know what your goal is, and then find the help along the way to help you get there. Be courageous - don't be afraid to stand out. Don't play small. Take up space in the room. It's okay to ask questions that you don't want to appear not to have all the answers for, but it's okay to be inquisitive. That's how you learn, and that's also how you show interest. Everyone else in the room might be thinking it but are afraid to ask it, so be courageous.

The biggest challenges in commercial real estate right now are that it's an interest rate market - it's very competitive and unpredictable. You really have to be able to adapt to a changing situation. It's not like a project management position where you have a deadline and you just need to make sure the project moves in time with the deadline. You have to be able to adjust timing at any moment's notice because if interest rates drop, we have to be able to adjust and move quickly. So it's really a lot of pressure. You have to be able to handle pressure, be very detail-oriented, very thorough, and be able to manage a lot of big personalities. Commercial real estate is big personalities - it's borrowers with a lot of capital and equity, and you have to be able to manage that.

My core values in my professional life are inclusivity and empowerment. I make sure I lead more than I manage. I really encourage, even for myself and for younger women, to find their voice. It's okay to ask a question - you don't want to appear to not have all the answers, but it's okay to be inquisitive. That's how you learn, and that's also how you show interest. Everyone else in the room might be thinking it but are afraid to ask it, so be courageous. Don't be afraid to stand out. Don't play small. Take up space in the room. You have to be your own advocate, whether it's professionally, medically, personally - you have to find your own voice, find someone to help you through it, and you can get through it.