Pay It Forward: 'I Formed A Company That I Am Proud Of'

PARK CITY, UT–Carolyn Pistone is the president and managing director at Clear Blue Commercial, a consultancy that enables landlord clients, vendors, team members, and the planet to thrive. Clear Blue provides property owners with sustainable, profitable, and environmentally conscious solutions for facilities. We caught up with her in person last week at the GlobeSt. ELITE Woman of Influence event in Park City, UT to hear more of her story.

GlobeSt.com: What has been your biggest challenge or obstacle as a woman in your particular role and how have you overcome those obstacles? 

Carolyn Pistone: I think that being a woman of maturity in a leadership role is a double-edged sword. On one hand, we are less vulnerable to predatory/exploitative behavior by males. On the other hand, for decades our income is frequently set by males and we are victims of unconscious bias directly related to our attractiveness which wanes with age in this society. I don’t think I have really overcome this obstacle but have mitigated it by becoming the ultimate decision-maker in my own company and wherever possible doing business with other women leaders who have done the same.

GlobeSt.com: Commercial real estate has historically been a challenging industry for women. Little by little that is changing, but where would you say commercial real estate needs to improve for women? 

Pistone: Historically men have had a distinct advantage in having a subservient female workforce as assistants and secretaries and have succeeded by not promoting or creating career paths for those women. They have given the career path to “junior brokers”, usually male, who get the opportunity to share in the increased income potential and benefit from the support of a largely female administrative workforce. One way to improve this is to merge the administrative and junior broker roles so that we create more opportunities for both men and women and eliminate the creation of dead-end jobs.

GlobeSt.com: How can women better position themselves for success? 

Pistone: As Goethe said “Be bold and mighty forces will come to your aid.” We have to think and behave as if we already have the expertise, power, and influence that we deserve and desire, and trust our own unique abilities and resourcefulness to rise to every occasion. Men have been doing this for centuries. Women have a distinct advantage in our abilities to multi-task, to find solutions outside the box, our attention to detail, and our innate sense of accountability and responsibility. My grandmothers came to this country with nothing – no money, no education, no status, and no power – not even the ability to read and write. They were able to raise families, find work, buy homes, and build lives without the help of men or the support of an existing community. I would hire either one of them over an ivy league fraternity man any day of the week. In fact, I really wish I could.

GlobeSt.com: What is the best piece of advice you have received that has helped you succeed in your industry? 

Pistone: Be bold and mighty forces will come to your aid.

GlobeSt.com: Would you advise your daughter or any younger person to begin a career in CRE? 

Pistone: Yes. Commercial real estate is at the heart of every other industry in the world. CRE provides a window into every other kind of human endeavor. The opportunity to learn, grow, and have an impact is almost limitless. Take a job. Take any job. You will learn from every experience from every company you work for and you get to take yourself and all that knowledge with you when you move on.

Keep in mind that the most valuable tool you have is yourself and you take that with you wherever you go. Do not be afraid to fire yourself, your bosses, or your clients if they are not serving you and your aspirations. If you don’t like a decision you have made, then make a different one and keep moving forward. Do not allow yourself to be undervalued or disrespected. If you ever are, learn from it and move on quickly. Start doing business the way you think it should be done and never compromise your values for any company or job.

GlobeSt.com: Please share with us the best lessons learned from your unique journey.

Pistone: After decades of not taking my own advice above, I have formed a company that I am truly proud of where I and my team can bring our best selves to work every day and lift each other up, lift the communities in which we work, and positively impact our clients, vendors, teammates, and the planet.

GlobeSt.com: In your opinion what take-a-ways did we learn from the COVID crisis.

Pistone: The main thing I learned is that none of us are as important as we think we are and the world will not come crashing down if we don’t put on stilettos and go into an office every day. In many ways it leveled the playing field to what we can actually accomplish when the typical trappings are stripped away.