PARK CITY—UT—"If you are doing something today the same way you did them five or 10 years ago, you are doing something wrong." So said Carmen Perkins, president of Civitas Commercial Real Estate Services, speaking at a session about digital transformation at the GlobeSt.com Women of Influence Conference last week. Perkins moderated a panel on proptech and AI at the national event.
The Women of Influence conference had a wealth of topics for attendees, some of which distilled entire notepads of information and some came down to bullet points of easily digestible information. We have written volumes on the former; today we are presenting the latter.
The Best Part About AI Learning
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Panelist Courtney Ettus, chief marketing officer at Crexi, said that things have really shifted into people making more and more of their own choices now. "Over time, we went from $4 catalogs in the mail to digital marketing…there has been a massive shift to people self-selecting what they want and what they need. And it is being done in a way where they are leaving a digital footprint behind."
She explained that back in the day, people used to find out about a product or a service by a TV commercial, but we are on a digital transformation journey. "The best part about AI learning is that it is putting the right information out there for people. Data is daunting so also being able to know where to look and what you should pay attention to is also daunting so being able to simplify that is key."
Her suggestion when looking at data is to do it in bits and pieces and in a way that you are comfortable with. "It doesn't have to be the fire hydrant coming at you."
What You are Putting Out
Panelist Alissa Degreef, product marketing manager for Dwelo, notes that there is still a lot of room for growth in certain property types, like multifamily, but reminds the audience that it isn't a "one size fits all solution. You have to deliver on what is wanted and what makes people comfortable."
Understanding how things connect on the back end is important when looking at digital transformation and data. "You have to understand what you are bringing in and what you are putting out and you still cannot do that without people."
Raising Standards
Panelist Tonya Brandon, senior managing director of CBRE: We can advocate for each other and we must. It is about coming together and assembling women together to discuss things impacting you …you have to lean in and do that. You have to have a safe space and just share. Advocate for each other. Another thing that is so important is that the presence of women raises the standards of an organization so we must be in high positions to make those impacts.
What To Do With the Power
Panelist Amber Anderson, president of Holland Residential: We have the power to actually ask for what we want in order to create environments for those coming behind us. Even if it isn't important to us, we have to make sure we do it because it is important for those coming up behind us.
Panelist Deena Zimmerman, VP and national retail council co-chair at SVN: We have to ask for higher positions, but we have a responsibility. I all of the sudden got a boldness that is beyond me. It is the young women in my life that I want to do better for even when I don't want to do better for myself.
Check out other stories from the event below that you might have missed.
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Natalie Dolce
Natalie Dolce, editor-in-chief of GlobeSt.com, is responsible for working with editorial staff, freelancers and senior management to help plan the overarching vision that encompasses GlobeSt.com, including short-term and long-term goals for the website, how content integrates through the company’s other product lines and the overall quality of content. Previously she served as national executive editor and editor of the West Coast region for GlobeSt.com and Real Estate Forum, and was responsible for coverage of news and information pertaining to that vital real estate region. Prior to moving out to the Southern California office, she was Northeast bureau chief, covering New York City for GlobeSt.com. Her background includes a stint at InStyle Magazine, and as managing editor with New York Press, an alternative weekly New York City paper. In her career, she has also covered a variety of beats for M magazine, Arthur Frommer's Budget Travel, FashionLedge.com, and Co-Ed magazine. Dolce has also freelanced for a number of publications, including MSNBC.com and Museums New York magazine.
