2017 Women in Professional Services: Laura Brady of Concierge Auctions

Name: Laura Brady

Title: Founder and President

Company Name: Concierge Auctions                 

Years in real estate: 15

What real estate associations or organizations are you a member of? NAA, YPO

How have you navigated obstacles to achieve success in your career? I view every struggle as a character-builder; every obstacle as an opportunity to learn. After all, if we don’t have hard times, then how will we know how wonderful the good times are? As an entrepreneur and mother, I’ve had to learn to be comfortable with the uncomfortable. My obstacles have been widespread — from on-the-job training to grow a global company, to financial ups and downs, to personal health issues and losses. These varied obstacles have helped me relate better to those around me, as I can sympathize with others’ personal experiences that parallel mine.

How do you play your strengths to your advantage in your career? We all have different God-given abilities, and I believe it’s our responsibility to “respond” to those “abilities” in a way that betters the world. And, in turn, we will move further because we are capitalizing on our differentiators. I’ve been aware of my greatest abilities since I was a child — motherhood and leadership. Sure, I have some academic skills that are better than others, but these have always been overriding themes. I’m a caretaker, an organizer, and a motivator. I have a knack for connecting with people on an emotional level, which serves me well in business leadership and negotiation.

What trends are you seeing so far this year? One trend we’re watching closely is the polarization of Days on Market in the luxury sector. High-end properties either sell quickly, for a high percentage of list price, or they sit on the market for a prolonged period of time and ultimately sell for a much lower price. There isn’t much in-between. We’ve analyzed this trait in 27 of the country’s hottest luxury real estate markets, and the story is the same. Our growth at Concierge Auctions continues to be a sign that sellers and forward-thinking real estate professionals are looking to compress the timeline in order to maximize value.