International Women’s Day is an important day where we can celebrate the incredible achievements of women all around the world. We are excited to honor this day and take the time to feature our women brokers and staff! We’re proud to have a so many amazing women at our office in all types of roles that inspire us daily. To acknowledge them, we have some insight and advice along with what has motivated them to be the successful women they are today.

What advice do you have for women new to the real estate industry?

Amy Gilson: Be honest and transparent with your clients and treat all parties to any transaction with respect and good will.

Kate Baldwin-Wenzel: Find a strong, smart, and kind female mentor. Someone with experience is invaluable in helping you feel more comfortable in the industry. Also don’t be afraid of getting to know other agents and working together! This industry needs more collaboration, so be that person that helps others…it will come back in spades.

Kristina Samuelson: I work on the marketing side of real estate, so my advice would be to take advantage of creating and promoting your brand on social media. There are so many opportunities to differentiate yourself from the crowd and gain exposure by building a relationship with viewers on social media. Getting on TikTok (or IG Reels) can give you a big advantage given that the real estate presence on the platform isn’t hugely saturated yet.

Krissy Blackband: Network, ask a ton of questions, and take this time to get your procedures and plans set up! You’re fortunate to be at this point in your career where you can create and implement important processes that will later become habit, so take advantage of that and get set on the right foot. Then down the line, you won’t need to scramble to add pieces into your business that could have been there from the beginning.

What is your favorite quote or words you live by?

Amy: “Treat others as you would have them treat you.”

Kate: “There’s no such thing as failure; we either win or we learn.”

Kristina: It may seem simple, but some daily words that are always in the back of my head: “always do the next best thing”. Breaking down big goals into small daily actions is so impactful/manageable and helps me avoid procrastination. Whenever things get stressful, I always just do the next best thing that I can at that moment and keep moving forward. After practicing that simple motto for a while, it’s made a huge impact in my life.

What is your proudest accomplishment?

Amy: My two boys, both 18 and both kind human beings.

Kristina: Overcoming different hardships in life and coming out stronger because of it.

Krissy: Going for scary or intimidating things that I’ve had a desire to do, like moving to a different country and changing my career path completely. I have second guessed myself every time, but I know I have to live my life without regrets and go for it. It’s always been worth it!

Who is a woman you greatly admire, and why?

Amy: Diana Gabaldon. The author of one of my favorite book/tv series, Outlander, which I started reading in 1991 (30+ years ago 😱). I love her books but am also inspired by her life. She holds three degrees in science: Zoology, Marine Biology, and a Ph.D. in Quantitative Behavioral Ecology, and spent a dozen years as a university professor with an expertise in scientific computation before beginning to write fiction. She has written scientific articles and textbooks, worked as a contributing editor on the MacMillan ENCYCLOPEDIA OF COMPUTERS, founded the scientific-computation journal SCIENCE SOFTWARE QUARTERLY, and has written numerous comic-book scripts for Walt Disney. To have both a scientific mind and the ability to create engaging and enduring fictional characters is awe inspiring.

Kristina: My Mom – she’s one of the most hardworking, kindest, strongest people that I know and I deeply admire the way she has tackled life and never gave up early in her career in a heavily male-dominant industry. She’s always been so passionate about what she does and never let that aspect of the job stand in her way. Her grit and tenacity have always inspired me!

Krissy: I really admire Savannah Guthrie and the balance of everything she can handle. From joking around with celebrities to leading presidential debates and asking hard-hitting questions to world leaders, she handles it all with confidence and grace.

What words of wisdom did your mother / grandmothers / aunts share with you?

Amy: Never leave the house without putting on lipstick. I failed miserably.

Kate: Everything will be ok.

Krissy: Have empathy for others.

What inspires you?

Amy: Creative minds. Authors especially.

Kate: Learning and being better…whether is in my job, as a mom, a wife, or for myself, continuing to grow and always striving to learn more and be better keeps me motivated.

Kristina: My vision/goals for my future.

Krissy: My kids. Their outlook on life and their way of getting excited about every little new thing grounds me and makes me remember how lucky we are to be here and that there is so much in life we can be thankful for.