Name: Sandra Johnson
Title: Vice President and Director, Business Development-Domestic & International
Company/Firm: MetroHartford Alliance
Years with company: October - 15 years
Years in the field: 20+
Years in Real Estate industry: 20+
Address: 31 Pratt Street, Hartford, CT
Telephone: 860.728.2281
Email: sjohnson@metrohartford.com
URL: www.metrohartford.com
Real estate organizations/affiliations: Board Director-CoreNet (CT/Westchester Chapter); Board Director (Past President 2012), CEDAS (Connecticut Economic Development Association) REFA, ICSC; CREW/Real Estate Exchange, other affiliations: President- HABE (Hartford Area Business Economists) Board Director, Connecticut Women's Council, Steering Committee, Hartford-Springfield Economic Partnership, U.S Department of Commerce(District Export Council), World Affairs Council of Connecticut, Northeastern Economic Development Association (NEDA)
During the last 10 years of your career, which professional accomplishment, honor or achievement has meant the most to you and why?
Of course there are individual accomplishments, but it has been the wonderful thank you letters, notes, flowers and other personal acknowledgements that I have received from clients, business people and others with whom I interface that inspire me and give me a sense that I am in sync with what I believe is my value proposition. Who has time these days? When someone gives you their valuable "gift of time" to sit down and write a letter and copy my president and their own management team or board, what could be a more meaningful honor!
What advice would you give to women just starting out in commercial real estate?
For women starting in the real estate or any field, there are two points that are always top-of-mind for me. When I am meeting people or working with people remember - "What's in it for them?" and "How does it make them feel?" At the end. someone may not know what you did for them but they will remember you for how you made them feel. Before you know it, you will have developed a solid "warm" network that is so key to getting anything accomplished.