2017 Women in Building Services: Kevin Renée Gilbert, Gilbert International

Name: Kevin Renée Gilbert

Title: CEO

Company Name: Gilbert International

Years in real estate: 22

What real estate associations or organizations are you a member of? CREW, IFMA, USBGC, LIREG

How have you navigated obstacles to achieve success in your career?

I have always been more proactive than reactive; most of my time is spent anticipating what is to come and preparing for it, seeking to foresee obstacles and searching for alternative routes before hitting them.

How do you play your strengths to your advantage in your career? 

I have a very developed ability to put myself in other people’s shoes, so I am always seeking to understand the others’ points of view before formulating a course of action or decision. This generally leads to finding the best outcome for all involved which, even if not the best outcome for me at the moment, does lead to stronger relationships and trust which ultimately lead to a good outcome for me.

What trends are you seeing so far this year?

Automation and big data will continue to drastically alter the way business is conducted. The sheer volume of information readily available, once organized by a user-friendly website, will lead to much more educated consumers, who will seek to have more input in their transactions as opposed to following the guidance of the “experts.”

What do you do for fun?

I cherish the time taking my daughter from soccer to piano to theater class, singing the Hamilton soundtrack on the way!