2025 Women in CRE: Roxanne Donovan, Great Ink

What skill or quality do you believe is essential for success in your field today?

In MY field (media relations) it’s important to be a real consumer of news in the CRE and business worlds in order to understand the landscape of media and options for story-telling. Journalists are under extreme deadlines and pressure to put out important and compelling stories, so it’s a disservice to pitch reporters stories that have little value to their readers. Reading the outlets that cover the CRE industry and talking with reporters about the types of stories their readers want to see helps me and my team do a better job at securing media coverage for our clients’ important news.

What advice would you give to a woman considering a career in commercial real estate?

I’d tell her to get ready for a fascinating ride, develop a very thick skin and inability to hear the word “no,” be prepared to work twice as hard as everyone else, and be good to everyone you meet along the way -- especially other women coming up alongside you.