What led you to your current profession? I had thoughts of going to law school but discovered during my experience as a corporate paralegal at a Boston law firm in my 1st job out of college that a career in law was not for me. I began brainstorming what industries and professions excited me. I thought of how interested I was in reading about new real estate development projects in The Boston Globe, etc. The development process fascinated me – there were so many aspects to it – architecture, engineering, construction, law, finance, politics, just to name a few.
Who or what inspires you? My family inspires me first and foremost. I am also inspired by my profession and how I can work on projects that provide tenants with beautiful, fun, and functional places to live, work, and play. The projects I work on also help transform neighborhoods and communities for the better, which is rewarding. My colleagues at The Procopio Cos. also inspire me, as they share my love for the real estate development business, tackle challenges head on, work hard, and have fun building great projects.
What advice can you offer to someone who is interested in a career in your industry? You need to be persistent and passionate about this business, first to break into it, and second to stay in it. This is not an easy industry to break into, but if you have a passion for it, be persistent and don’t give up! Network, keep up to date on industry trends, take in-person or online real estate classes, etc. Once you break into the real estate development industry, persistence and passion continue to be necessary. It is a complicated business, and every project has multiple challenges, but successful developers have persistence and passion for their projects to make them happen.