Part I: Inspiring Women to Invest in Commercial Real Estate
By Roger Porter and Olga Brandeis
Have you ever had a dream that won’t seem to go away? Years may pass and yet you come back to it in your mind through little reminders along your path. “Life happens” as they say and the dream becomes long-deferred, put off for the right time or the right moment. But your dream – whether to start a company, travel extensively or invest in commercial real estate – is the key to a creative life. Creativity is the conduit to soul connection, a feeling of purpose and meaning. “A creative life is an amplified life,” writes Elizabeth Gilbert, celebrated author of Big Magic. “It’s a bigger life, a happier life, an expanded life, and a hell of a lot more interesting life.”
For me, creative inspiration is especially important for women to harness its power and implement in their daily lives. Though my main line of work is in commercial real estate finance, I work creativity into my routine starting with my morning practice. I complete my meditation, write an intention for the day in my journal and read from one of my favorite personal development books. My creativity is constantly expressed through my love for commercial real estate and the ways I craft the interior design of my home and work space, how I grow my business, and even write this blog! The key is to make it a practice, realizing that I do have time to make creativity a daily part of my life. It’s how I operate and bring such ease and joy into my workflow and deal makings.
I’ve seen how too many of us sit on long-deferred dreams and let the creative flame blow out. “Let me list for you some of the many ways in which you might be afraid to live a more creative life,” writes Gilbert. “You’re afraid you have no talent. You’re afraid you’ll be rejected or criticized or ridiculed or misunderstood or—worst of all—ignored. You’re afraid you’re too old to start. You’re afraid you’re too young to start.” How do you grapple with your fear? “It seems to me that the less I fight my fear, the less it fights back. If I can relax, fear relaxes, too.”
As a broker for over 20 years in commercial real estate finance, I started my firm, Brand Capital, Inc., with one of my visions to form partnerships, educate and lift up women to succeed in all areas of their business. Specifically, I focus on ways for women to invest in income-generating commercial properties. How do I help them pursue a creative life and transform that creativity into real estate investment? I guide women investors and women-owned businesses with my knowledge and expertise of my industry, and provide a collaborative environment for women to succeed in their real estate endeavors and live their creative lives!
One way I advise women to invest in commercial real estate properties is to share my knowledge.
I first learned how the business works when I was a young girl growing up in the San Fernando Valley. My mom – an aspiring real estate agent at the time – took me to various properties and showed me the ins and outs. This foundational knowledge led to years of practice in this business, developing the way I work with clients, analyze the numbers and negotiate for the best deal. I’ve learned a great deal about the process of what works and what doesn’t – all in service of progress not perfection. “It’s a simple and generous rule of life that whatever you practice, you will improve at,” writes Gilbert.
With my firm Brand Capital, I share my expertise with colleagues and friends, and particularly women who are learning with their own commercial investment properties. Why? My answer is twofold: sharing knowledge and skills with women in this business encourages more to invest and stay involved. Secondly, knowledge sharing fosters community. I stand beside my closest friends and colleagues in commercial real estate finance and together we weather the storms, face market challenges, and celebrate each others’ wins. As I’ve said before, this is a business of relationships and camaraderie with fellow women in business empowers and strengthens us all.
Mindfulness Tip: Write down your dreams and ideas in your favorite journal. When we plant seeds, the universe works to grow them.
Another way women grow in commercial real estate is to learn from other key players in the industry.
The way to always learn is to get curious. How did so-and-so grow their business four-fold when mine stayed the same? Rather than rooting into frustration or self doubt, reach for curiosity. Ask questions. Take classes. Go to conferences to network and meet others in the industry and talk shop over hors d’oeuvres at cocktail hour. “Living a life that is driven more strongly by curiosity than by fear,” says Gilbert, “...can clear out whatever obstacles are preventing you from living your most creative life.” And when you ignite your creative fire, watch out, because the universe conspires to align your stars with your dreams and you will truly flourish.
Mindfulness Tip: Let your curiosity lead you to like-minded people. Seek local mortgage brokers, real estate brokers, lenders and professional networking groups that you feel connected with and start conversations.
Finally, we simply must start.
The enemy of starting is perfectionism, a destructive trait that cloaks itself in virtue. The beginning of women investing in real estate “starts by forgetting about perfect,” writes Gilbert. “We don’t have time for perfect. In any event, perfection is unachievable: It’s a myth and a trap and a hamster wheel that will run you to death.”
Instead, return to that big, bold dream that started the whole idea. With the momentum of this positive energy, let that thrust you into simply starting. Once you start, the momentum will increase and the inertia will propel you forward – through sharing and learning and growing. It may be messy but it will be yours. “A good-enough novel written now is better than a perfect novel meticulously written never.” So the next time you drive by a property for sale that catches your eye: Snap a photo of the For Sale sign and give them a call. It plants the seed, gets you over the hump of doubt and puts you on a path toward a future investment.
Mindfulness Tip: Emotions like fear and doubt simply pass through us. Find a quiet space and create a cozy moment of reflection for yourself. Let this become a morning or evening routine. This process allows you to sit with your emotions, feel them and process. Soon, you’ll return to your original confidence and inspiration to get started.
I emphatically and unabashedly encourage women of all backgrounds to pursue their dreams and live a creative life. One way to do so is with commercial real estate investment. Are you curious about how to obtain a commercial real estate loan for a multifamily or commercial property but don’t know where to start? Check out my website and feel free to reach out. And don’t forget to read Elizabeth Gilbert’s Big Magic, a bold declaration to live a creative life!
