2016 Women in Real Estate: Anita Skara

Anita Skara, MGE Unified Technologies Corp.

Name: Anita Skara

Title: Principal

Company Name: MGE Unified Technologies, Corp.

Email: [email protected]

Years in real estate: 15 years

Year Founded: 2000

URL: http://www.mgeutc.com/

Telephone: 212-531-8404

What recent project or transaction are you most proud of?

70 Pine Street is an Art Deco landmark office building converted to a mixed use property with an extended stay hotel, high end residences and retail spaces

What recent honor, achievement or recognition has meant the most to you and why?

Recently, I became a partner of the firm, which has opened doors to challenge myself in a strategic leadership role. My philosophy over the past 15 years has been treating everyone with respect along with continually self-analyzing and self-improving, which will lead to success in life and in business.

What have been some of the benefits of being a mentor or having a mentor?

As a volunteer in my community, I teach young adults and children the Croatian language and culture. It was interesting how difficult it was to teach the language without knowing about the culture. Some of the students were exposed to the culture which also allowed them to learn the language with more ease. The experience of taking something you are familiar with and sharing that knowledge is very rewarding.

Who or what has been the strongest influence on your career and why?

Evolving technology and the challenge to meet our client’s needs have been the two strongest influences on my career. The experiences I have had and the talented professionals I have met from project inception, to the design and build out, to the client move in have all contributed to my personal growth in this industry.

What time management strategies do you find to be the most effective for you?

I find having clear goals and a detailed plan to achieve them works best. The world in which we live and work is a very fluid and dynamic environment that sometimes requires prompt action to achieve the stated goals.

What is the best advice you have received and who was it from?

My friend, Alma Delija lives by this motto, “Approach your challenges without fear and with a positive attitude.” I always remind myself of this when faced with a challenge.

When you launched your business what were some challenges that you experienced?

I was lucky enough to become a partner of a business that I have grown with since almost its inception. New York City has many options and is very competitive. The key is to offer a different service and/or unique approach with a fresh perspective.

How did you overcome them?

I treat every new project as a new experience. With every new project there is always one or another challenges that makes you perform above your abilities and brings you to that next level.

What was a significant milestone or achievement for your company?

The development of technology has brought our company to the forefront in the real estate industry. Technology is no longer an amenity but a necessary foundation for every property. Telephones were the main technology item and were often considered as an afterthought. Now technology covers an array of critical items from voice, network, premise security, audio visual, and connectivity.

What advice would you give to a woman who is planning to launch her own business?

I would recommend that she sets goals for the company and try to approach and achieve those goals in new and innovated ways.

How do you empower other women in your workplace?

I try to encourage, support and learn from all of my co-workers. We spend many hours together at work and we try to make it as enjoyable as possible for each other. This empowers everyone to do well and grow within our company.