DISCLAIMER: This is the personal blog of Alexa L. Barnett and does not reflect any position of her employer.
Three years ago I entered the crazy world that is Commercial Property Management as the assistant commercial property manager for Baker Storey McDonald Properties, Inc.
Before that I had started fresh out of college with an entry level position at Holladay Properties as a third party commercial leasing administrator for one of their healthcare REIT clients, Healthpeak Properties (formerly HCP). Healthpeak decided to bring my department in-house and offered me my same position at their firm. I knew I wanted to advance into property management, but I wasn’t confident that I was ready.
I jumped in anyway.
I remember February 4, 2019 like it was yesterday. I was so nervous. I knew so little, especially compared to the woman I would be working for who had over 25 years experience and was an IREM Certified Property Manger.
But jumping in was not the hard part. It was everything that came after I took that first step. The first year was awful. I had no self-confidence and made so many mistakes. I was terrified someone would find out the truth, that I did not know what I was doing. It took some time, but once I learned how to ask for help and got comfortable admitting when I did not know how to do something, everything chance.
Since then, every day has been an adventure. Solving new problems. Asking a million and one questions. Leaning on my CRE615 network. I still make mistakes (we all do), but far less. And I "jump in" a lot quicker these days.
You will never feel 100% ready for a new role or promotion, but jump in anyway. Don't let opportunities pass you by. I am so excited to see what the next three years brings at Southern Land Company.
Alexa L. Barnett is the commercial property manager for Southern Land Company and co-founder of CRE615, a networking group for the Nashville's next generation of commercial real estate professionals.