In 2017, Sara Sutachan, Leslie Appleton Young (and later Debra Trappen) launched red line collective) launched the California Association of Realtors (CAR) initiative WomanUP! The goal is to help more women enter leadership roles in the brokerage industry.
Their motivation? They found that while 60% of CAR’s members are women, only 16% of California’s top brokerage firms are led by women.
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In 2023, WomanUP! as shown by data Number of women in senior leadership positions in California reject increased from 21% in 2019 Only fifteen percent. As Sutachan shared on stage at this year’s conference: real trend data Equally disturbing, 19 The top 20 real estate agencies are still run by men. Minnesota-based RE/MAX Results CEO Brenda Tushaus ranked No. 20.
The decline underscores the ongoing challenges women face in advancing to senior corporate executive positions.
“We know we need these men, but this is not a zero-sum game,” Sutachan said on WomanUP! 2024. “Countless studies have shown that Women in leadership positions Lead to smarter decisions and generate more ROI.
2024: The Year of WomanUP! Vision becomes reality
In 2023, CAR leadership appointed a task force to create a broader, more comprehensive vision for WomanUP!
“This is not just about brokerage ownership. This is about helping women advance and have their voices heard in the real estate industry,” Sutachan said. “We designed this year’s conference around that mission.”
With Debra Ferrier serving as the first female CEO in CAR’s history, Melanie Barker as president, and a leadership team dominated by women, the vision of WomanUP! by 2024 finally becomes a reality for CAR
Ferrier was appointed CAR Interim CEO The timing couldn’t be better. Given her 37 years with CAR, where she represents the association as CEO of Real Estate Business Services, LLC (CAR’s money-making arm), her strong legal background, her multiple legal roles as general counsel, in addition to her indomitable I believe she is the best person to meet the challenges CAR is currently facing.
Let’s roar together
During her tenure with WomanUP! Debra Trappen created the ROAR acronym, which she has referenced in several keynotes.
In 2018, Trappon first coined the metaphor of the lioness, who is part of the pride and works together to support each other. This metaphor has permeated WomanUP! The culture has been passed down ever since.
In her 2020 keynote “Together We ROAR,” Trappen used “ROAR” as an acronym to describe the following key principles of WomanUP!
- right – Stand up with arms outstretched
- oxygen – Overcome difficulties and obstacles
- A – You will reach new heights when you finally admit that you are not alone
- right – Look to the future while celebrating how far you’ve come
Trappen ended her keynote with the roar of a lioness, saying, “Let’s roar together!”
2024: The Year of WomanUP! roar
This year’s WomanUP! is packed with fierce lionesses like the ones above, leading the way with their own pride. Their impact on the community is profound.
2024 is indeed the year of WomanUP! Lives up to its potential and the women it serves truly rejoice! Here are my top takeaways from WomanUP! 2024
Ginger Wilcox, CEO, Better Homes & Gardens Real Estate
Ginger Wilcox (left) and Sara Sutachan (right) | Courtesy of WomanUP!
“Make sure your team has the right goals. At BH&G, our company has three core goals, and those goals haven’t changed. It’s important to write down your goals and have a plan,” Wilcox told attendees.
This program is the “fitness” part of it. Track how you spend your time. Are you focused on your goals or diverting your energy elsewhere? It’s important to continually measure how successful you are in achieving your goals. What you measure ultimately makes it easier for you to achieve or change your goals if necessary.
Mindset is very important. Wilcox explained how her early career was devoted to work rather than taking care of herself personally. In 2023, she decided to commit to 300 days of yoga and 300 days of meditation.
“Not only did I achieve this goal, but it literally changed my ability to handle challenging situations, including closing the office, my house flooding, divorce, my father becoming terminally ill, and then becoming president of Better Homes and Gardens,” Wilcox said. “I can tell you that 2023 feels like a success, and I attribute that to having the right mindset and really focusing on what’s important in my life.”
Camar Burton
Camar Burton | Provided by WomanUP!
After battling an abusive marriage and depression, Burton founded a nonprofit in 2018 with the goal of instilling self-love, self-worth, and self-awareness to help young girls avoid making the same mistakes she made.
Today, Burton’s organization served more than 150 girls last school year and plans to expand from seven to 10 school districts. The goal is to empower 500 to 700 girls each year, developing their self-esteem and self-awareness while building their resilience.
Burton’s nonprofit was also named “Nonprofit of the Year” by California Assemblyman Dr. Cory Jackson.
“If we’re going to sell the community, we have to give back to the community and earn the trust of the community,” Burton said. “These awards help the girls get more exposure, which helps them get more donations. As trusted real estate professionals, it goes hand in hand. When we ask for permission to give money, we also have to give it back, So that we can make our community better and help it grow.
Candace Dobie
Candace Dobie | Provided by WomanUP!
In a session called “Own Your Own Talent,” Candace Dobie suggests asking yourself the following questions when you have the opportunity to speak but don’t feel comfortable doing so.
- Do you have a choice?
- Do I accept that I must maintain external harmony, or do I respect myself?
- Do I respect my uniqueness?
- What are the risks?
- What are the risks of not taking this action?
- What are the risks of doing something different than what everyone else is doing?
Jennifer Branchini, 2023 CAR President
Jennifer Branchini | Provided by WomanUP!
“The whole reason we’re in any leadership position is it’s not about you,” Jennifer Branchini said.
“Trust comes from people watching you, following you, or walking alongside you. Because you bring them with you, and you do it for the right reasons, not for titles or glory.
Valerie Torelli
Valerie Torelli (left) | Courtesy of WomanUP!
Since Torelli first founded Torelli Realty in Costa Mesa more than 30 years ago, she has been Costa Mesa’s most prolific agent and her company has been the number one brokerage. This is a huge accomplishment considering the stiff competition from large national firms and the fact that she typically has 10 to 15 agents.
Torelli’s business model puts community service front and center. She dresses up as the Easter Bunny for the annual egg hunt, brings ice so local children can experience “snow” during the holidays, and continues to provide numerous grants to local schools.
The core of Torelli’s business is based on Miguel Ruiz’s book, four agreements. Torelli said she has shared more than 2,000 copies of the book with others.
Today, Torelli has sold her brokerage but still makes some deals. Her real passion now is working with drug addicts and newly released prisoners, helping them get their lives back on the right track. In almost every meeting, they four agreements. Torelli said, this is The most important and valuable work she has ever done.
Anita Heritage Blue
Anita Heritage Blue | Offered by WomanUP!
Anita Legacy Blue shares the story of how she was first recruited into the United States Air Force and served for 35 years. However, when Blue retired from the Army, she was just getting started.
Today, Blue is a real estate agent, motivational speaker, and two-time best-selling author Our dark history and breakthrough success. She too The 2024 President of the National LGBTQ+ Real Estate Alliance and Director of Millennial Membership in Houston, she is also a board member of LEAD Preparatory Academy in Houston.
“I am a servant leader and my goal is to educate and coach others on how to be a successful leader through commitment, courage, clarity, passion and humility, no matter what life throws at you. Be the leader you want to see , let faith lead!
Melanie Barker, 2024 CAR President
Melanie Barker | Provided by WomanUP!
Like Blue, Melanie Buck served in the Navy as a navigator. After leaving her job, she became a broker and owner of Summit Real Estate.
Barker explains how the navigator’s role is to see what is “beyond the horizon.” Today, Buck’s experience is put to good use as he and Ferrier chart the way forward for CAR’s 195,000 members.
What shocked me most, however, was that Barker went off script and impassioned a plea to get out of the vote. I was surprised by what she said.
Buck said outright that she doesn’t care who you vote for for president or even which senator you vote for. Instead, she encouraged everyone here to get involved at the local level and elect strong, capable leaders to our school boards, city councils, and boards of supervisors.
When we elect “idiots” to these offices, they often find their way into state legislatures, where they negatively impact homeownership, affordability, and property rights across the state, not just locally.
These women are just a few of the speakers making 2024 a WomanUP! growled.
Bernice Ross, President and CEO of BrokerageUP and RealEstateCoach.com and founder of RealEstateWealthForWomen.com, is a national speaker, author and trainer with more than 1,500 published articles.
