Global Experiences for Real Estate Success

Darlene Streit, a top real estate broker with over $2.2 billion in career sales, discussed her background growing up in Toronto, Canada, and her extensive international experiences, including studying in Switzerland, Southeast Asia, London, New York, and Rome. She credits her diverse global experiences and education in economics and psychology for helping her understand different cultures and client needs in real estate. Jean and Darlene agreed that living in different countries and understanding diverse perspectives are crucial prerequisites for becoming a successful real estate agent.

Women's Success in Real Estate

Darlene shared her journey into real estate, starting as an investor in a new urbanist subdivision and learning the ropes with her husband, who is a developer. She highlighted the importance of a strong team, including her husband, a marketing director, and others, in managing her successful real estate operation. Jean noted the time-consuming nature of real estate and emphasized the significance of having a supportive partner, which she believes is crucial for women's success in the field.

Real Estate Agent Experiences

Darlene discussed her experience as a real estate agent, emphasizing her ability to assess whether a property is right for potential buyers. She expressed her preference for both listing and representing buyers, highlighting the importance of building relationships. Jean shared anecdotes about her experiences as an agent, including having her son assist her and dealing with buyers who bring their children along. They also discussed the management and ownership of Sotheby's and Corcoran Group, with Darlene praising Pam Liebman's leadership at Corcoran.

Darlene's Real Estate Passion

Darlene discussed her passion for real estate, which consumes much of her time, and shared her hobbies and interests outside of work, including golf, tennis, and biking. She emphasized the importance of helping all types of people and maintaining a broad understanding of humanity, which she believes has made her wiser over the years. Jean and Darlene agreed that success in real estate requires a deep commitment, love for the job, and a passion for helping people, qualities that Darlene possesses.

Darlene shared her websites, SantaFerealestateproperty.com and DarleneStreit.com, where people can learn about her and her team.

To learn more about Jean and the Be Joyful podcast visit www.bejoyful.love.

Vanda's Journey to Coaching

Vanda shares her background, including growing up in Colorado, becoming a CPA, transitioning from public accounting to consulting, and eventually finding her passion in mentoring and coaching.

Vanda shared her experience growing up in a resort community in Colorado, where she spent her childhood skiing and participating in sports. She discussed how this lifestyle shaped her independence and strength, and how sports played a crucial role in her development. Vanda's Accounting and Entrepreneur Journey

Vanda discussed her career path, starting with an accounting job at Arthur Anderson after graduating from the University of Denver, following in her father and grandfather's footsteps. She emphasized the importance of accounting as a foundation for understanding business, sharing her experience of applying these skills across various sectors.

She shared her journey of transitioning from a career in accounting to running her husband's successful commercial real estate appraisal company after they moved back to Denver. After her husband's motorcycle accident, she took over the business and eventually sold it in 2007 to an outside buyer. Vanda emphasized that while hard work is crucial (citing 80% importance), success also involves elements of luck, and achieving success requires focusing on small, incremental steps rather than aiming for large, immediate goals.

Vanda's Journey to Leadership Coaching

Vanda transitioned from a career in accounting to leadership coaching after realizing her passion for people-focused work, obtaining her coaching certifications and leveraging her extensive business experience. She explained that her coaching practice primarily helps women leaders, including a controller client who needed guidance on presenting data without taking criticism personally and an attorney who became a CEO and required weekly support. Vanda emphasized her preference for working with people rather than numbers, and highlighted that referrals have been her main source of business growth since restarting her consulting practice.

Women's Coaching and Career Transitions

Vanda discussed the importance of self-reflection and coaching for women to identify their own wants and values, particularly after significant life events like marriage or children. She emphasized the value of coaching as a supportive process distinct from therapy, and shared her website for potential consultations. www.vandadyson.com

To learn more about Jean and the Be Joyful podcast visit www.bejoyful.love.

Key takeaways

• Catherine Kondo Arkin successfully transitioned from working in film production to owning Upper Village Blooms flower shop in Croton on Hudson
• She comes from a multicultural background (Japanese father, Mexican mother) which influences her design aesthetic
• The flower shop focuses on serving the local community while maintaining a global design perspective
• Catherine emphasizes creating unique arrangements without using traditional fillers
• The business prioritizes retail operations over large events to maintain community focus
• Social media and word-of-mouth marketing have been key to business growth

Personal Background and Early Career

• Grew up in Los Angeles in a multicultural family
• Studied history and art history at UCLA
• Worked in film production in LA before moving to New York
• Transitioned to New York for a film production job in 1983

Transition to Entrepreneurship

• Started jewelry design after divorce while raising children
• Worked at local boutique in Croton selling her jewelry
• Took over the lease when the boutique closed in 2018
• Transformed the space into Upper Village Blooms despite limited floral experience

Floral Design Philosophy

• Emphasizes mixed varieties over single-flower arrangement
• Avoids traditional fillers like baby's breath and leather leaf ferns
• Promotes appreciation for undervalued flowers like carnation
• Offers different design styles including modern, tropical, and Japanese-inspired

Business Strategy

• Focuses on retail operations over large events
• Maintains independence from order gatherers like FTD
• Collaborates with local photographer Jill Pace for social media
• Aims to expand male customer base
• Develop strategies to attract more male customers
• Continue maintaining retail focus while selectively accepting events that fit schedule
• Continue building community relationships
• Maintain independence from traditional flower delivery networks

Advice to women seeking a change

• Sometimes, you are forced to make a change. You need to own it to get over the fence and move forward. The power of speaking about what you want and manifesting it goes a long way.
• Be grateful for the opportunity to change your life. It's a privilege.

To learn more about Jean and the Be Joyful podcast visit www.bejoyful.love.