Part III: How Women Investors Can Capitalize On Opportunities for Commercial Real Estate Finance
By Roger Porter and Olga Brandeis
In Part II of my three part series about encouraging women to invest in commercial real estate through creativity, mindfulness and good old fashioned hard work, I explored how turning inward was a practice of preparation. Together, we uncovered the process of planning, discipline and patience to build a foundation for long term success. A few thoughtful metaphors from David Goggins and his brilliant take on his time in the military in Can’t Hurt Me gave us a roadmap for conquering the mental aspect of high achievement. “Your mind is the most powerful weapon you have,” Goggins concluded his book with, “Train it well.” I hear those words in the murmur of my heart when I’m on the cusp of a great new challenge.
But for Part III, we are ready to do the work.
This part is where we dive into the deep end, prepared to take action. Backed by inspired and orchestrated action, I call on women investors to leverage their actions toward commercial real estate investment through concise daily efforts, consideration of your environment and a cultivated understanding of your mission. We can do this with the help of some inspired words from a book I recently finished that has me feeling confident and energized to take on the life I want for myself. In Anita Phillips’ tender foray into the inner contours of our being, The Garden Within, she shows us that our emotional world within is a sacred garden, one that must be tended to with loving care and kindness. I responded so strongly to her book because it makes a bold claim about our rich emotional interior, and how taking intentional steps, even small ones, have a significant impact, and can produce a clear pathway to our goals.
“Emotions are consistently cast as the opposition in a war that never seems to end. The scorched earth of your heart bears the scars, but your heart was never meant to be a battlefield,” writes Phillips. “Your heart is a garden.” The soul of her book is that when we tend to our garden, we see it flourish with astonishing power. This applies to women taking action with real estate investments – and the fullness of life – because our action always comes from within. In essence, a nurtured garden, our inner being, reflects a wondrous life in the physical world.
The first step of action is to develop daily habits that cultivate our inner world.
Phillips refers to this as tending to your garden: pulling weeds, cutting dead leaves, adding nutrients to the soil. We are the stewards of our gardens and it is up to us to create the kinds of habits that bring care to them. For my commercial real estate finance firm, I run financial models to generate accurate quotes, maintain updates with my clients, colleagues, lenders and send care packages after a closing. These are just a few of the many daily habits I implement to nourish the garden that is my business. And for my inner being, I follow a guided meditation on my phone, practice daily stretching, hike nearby trails and drink plenty of water. When I’m at my best, I do my best for friends and family, clients, colleagues and acquaintances.
Mindfulness tip: Set one new routine that you’d like to incorporate in your life and visualize it. See yourself as the person who does this new habit/routine with ease. Then immediately implement it the next day. Remember Goggins’ 40% rule.
The second step is about our environment.
Phillips, in her book, uses the metaphor of soil in your garden to illustrate how our environment dictates the results of our efforts. She explains that thorny or stony soil makes for a harsh environment to grow beautiful plants and flowers. It doesn’t matter how much water, sunshine or care we give to our garden, if the soil is rough, it will produce pitiful results.
Just as the soil in our garden must be nutrient rich, fresh and absorbent, the environment in which we take action to achieve our goals must be abundant in love and care. We must be selective in the people we surround ourselves with and the work environments we engage in. It is our responsibility to filter our social media diets and be conscientious about the words and images we take in through regular interactions. I challenge women investors (myself included) to be mindful of our environment to create a culture that is like a thriving garden – wholesome, loving and productive.
Mindfulness tip: Being mindful and aware of where any self-doubt is actually coming from is crucial to pulling out that weed and taking inspired action towards your goals.
The last step toward orchestrated action is to unearth our ‘why.’
What do I mean? Your why is about purpose and mission – the reason you get out of bed each day and take on the world with zeal and dedication. When we cultivate our why – a commitment to making it our north star – we derive meaning from our lessons and learnings, triumphs and failures. It gives us purpose for every step we take.
But understanding our why also harvests our gardens within, connecting with the rich flavor of life and relishing in its sweet emotions. Phillips puts it succinctly: “When we are emotionally healthy, we position ourselves to be more powerful spiritually.” We can then put this power to use in overcoming our greatest challenges. Discover your why, put it at the center of your focus, and watch the actions you take build with intense momentum toward the life you want for yourself.
Mindfulness tip: Try giving yourself quiet time for this exercise and practice. Whether it’s a moment in your prayer closet, meditation area, on the beach, in a park, take a moment to sit. A pretty vista is inspiring, but truly it’s the silence and stillness found in these moments that allows our visions and purpose to flow in.
With Parts I, II, and III of this series, women investors have the tools to pursue their dreams of commercial real estate investment.
Whether it's your first property or tenth, these steps can guide you in preparing and executing on the deal. But more than succeeding at commercial real estate investment, these concepts show us how to create the life we want and can be applied to every aspect of our daily lives. If you think commercial real estate investment is right for you or you want to learn more, feel free to reach me in the Contact Form or call my office listed in the website footer below. I started my firm, Brand Capital, with a mission to empower women investors in commercial real estate. I am here to guide you in the loan process to help you find success.
