Takeaways: 2017 Summit for Women in Real Estate Finance

November 2, 2017

Melanie Taliaferro

I recently visited beautiful Denver for MBA's Summit for Women in Real Estate Finance & thought I would share a few of my favorite things. It was great to have so many smart, empowered ladies together in one spot. If you did not make it this year, I highly recommend you check it out!

Ideas Are Cool.

In a finance industry, it's easy to toss out the importance of ideas and creativity. I've always tried to harness my creative energy in a thoughtful, productive way, but sometimes felt like it led me to a dead end. What I loved about this conference, is that I felt like I was supported by fellow female leaders who were not only at the forefront of an community that is not always thought of as "creative," but were highlighting their own strides. From publishing to social media, it was truly inspiring to see how each of these women had used their inspiration to move their own businesses forward and motivate themselves to be better.

Support Your Fellow Women

More than anything, it was incredible to see so many fellow women out supporting each other. It's hard to accurately describe the mortgage industry, but it is not easy to make it in this business as a woman without the guts to speak up. I am happy to have witnessed some incredibly smart people who acknowledge that women need to support each other to change not only the conversation, but also the landscape of what we do.

Fearlessness

It's easy to doubt ourselves in our work, our ideas, and things that seem unconventional. Creating a support network provides a platform for risk and structured support that we all need in this business.

Invite Male Allies

When attending female only events, it's easy to think about how a work place or environment has been influenced by men. I've worked with many inspirational male colleagues, some that were more difficult, and others who simply were not informed. After this event, I think more male colleagues in the industry would want nothing more than to improve the mortgage industry, think forward, and be part of the conversation in the best way.