2022 Women in Commercial Real Estate: Tara Travis, DPS Group

In the past year, what project, transaction or accomplishment are you most proud of? This year I have honed my time management skills by working full-time while pursuing a master’s degree in engineering management. Balancing work and school has improved my ability to plan and manage time, ask for help when needed, and work smarter, not harder. It has also allowed me to apply lessons learned from the classroom to my work and vice versa. I was also selected for DPS’ HiPo program, a program to develop and fast-track high-potential individuals into the next steps of their DPS careers. Personally, I am most proud of qualifying for the Boston Marathon, which I ran in April 2022.

What advice would you offer to women getting into the CRE industry? The advice that I would offer is that confidence matters and to trust in your abilities. At the beginning of your career, it can be easy to underestimate yourself despite being qualified and prepared. In my current role, I’m surrounded by a pool of incredibly smart and talented people who support the development of their teams and encourage collaboration. Having the support of DPS’ subject matter experts encourages me to share ideas, even if they aren’t fully realized, and ask questions.

Through these actions, I’ve expanded my knowledge base, conveyed a willingness to learn, and have confidence that I provide value.

What has been your biggest challenge and how have you faced it? One of the biggest challenges I have faced was my first job out of college. I was green and was involved in a project with a team of seasoned colleagues, many of whom had over 30 years of industry experience. I worked hard to learn the project inside and out, absorbed knowledge from the people around me, translated that knowledge into on-the-job improvements, and demonstrated my abilities to get things accomplished. By consistently following through, taking responsibility, and communicating clearly, I successfully built solid working relationships with my colleagues and peers.