UpClose With Truss’ Vanessa Anderson

In 2017, Vanessa Anderson joined Truss, a real estate technology company that created an online marketplace for commercial real estate leasing, to manage the supply side of the market. As VP of Operations, she has spearheaded the creation of a modernized, automated, and comprehensive commercial real estate listing database in 10 major US markets. She used innovative techniques and cutting-edge technology to gather and maintain the listing data in the challenging CRE data environment.

GlobeSt.com is choosing Anderson as one of our people to watch this year. As part of the executive leadership team at the company, her input has helped guide Truss’s go-to-market, product, and growth strategies enabling the company to expand from two to 10 cities and 15 to 50 employees in just 18 months.

She is a strategic thinker, has a strong entrepreneurial spirit, and has been instrumental in making Truss an award-winning successful startup. During her tenure, the company has garnered several awards including a B2B winner in 50 on Fire (2017), the CRETech RETAS (Real Estate Tech Awards) winner for Overall Best Real Estate Tech Site (2017), a Chicago Innovation Award (2018), and the Disruptor Daily Future of Real Estate Award, Tech-Enabled Brokerage and Listing Marketplace (2018).  Vanessa is respected for her technical knowledge, her CRE analytical prowess, and her superb leadership skills. She enjoys the deep respect and appreciation of everyone at Truss.

In addition to her recent technology related roles, Vanessa previously had a successful career in commercial real estate investing as part of the investment teams at GEM Realty Capital and Landmark Partners. She executed over $300 millionof acquisitions during her tenure. This experience and knowledge of the CRE market has allowed her to bring subject matter expertise to the PropTech industry to aid in the disruption and modernization of the industry.

With a Bachelor of Science from the Wharton School at the University of Pennsylvania and an MBA from the MIT Sloan School of Management, while in school, she served as the President of the MIT Sloan Entrepreneurship & Innovation Club and Co-Chair of the MIT Venture Capital Conference. While in undergrad she was a member of the Wharton Real Estate Club, a writer for the Linneman Letter, and was president and captain of the Penn Women’s Rugby Team.

When asked about how young professionals are changing the industry in terms of approach to business or deal making, Anderson says that as a PropTech firm, they are keenly aware of who is adopting their and other providers’ services. “We have observed that younger brokers are more accustomed to using different technologies, as they place a high premium on productivity. The result has been that the long tenure that brokers traditionally had to serve to be successful has been shortened: with regards our platform, several junior brokers have quickly built a book of business with small and medium-sized tenants that older, successful brokers would not have pursued.”

For those considering a career in CRE, she suggests that they learn about the data and services that are available to them. “It could make or break their careers.” She also notes that it is very important to stay abreast of market fundamentals. “All the large CRE firms publish their research and frequently provide it at no charge.” Anderson is also on the Scholar Leadership Development Committee for the Goldie B. Wolfe Miller Women Leaders in Real Estate Initiative (“The Goldie Initiative”). Its mission is to prepare women for senior leadership roles in all sectors of commercial real estate. The Goldie Initiative does this by providing scholarship support for graduate study, mentorship and networking opportunities to women with high potential who are committed to becoming the leaders in the real estate industry.

GlobeSt.com’s first ever “People to Watch” series is highlighting individuals across all disciplines of commercial real estate who have and are continuing to make an impact on the industry. Stay tuned for many more profiles from tomorrow’s leaders.

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