2020 Women in RE: Shallini Mehra, Meridian Investment Sales

Name: Shallini Mehra

Title: Managing Director

Company Name: Meridian Investment Sales 

List up to three associations or organizations that you are presently a member of:

• CHIP,
• YMWREA,
• REBNY

What was your favorite job and what did you learn from it?
My favorite job is my current job selling investment properties, which I’ve been doing for 18 years. It’s transactional and I love meeting and working with all different types of investors. Each deal has its own story and the range of learning is ongoing and vast, covering a variety of topics including the bricks and mechanics, regulatory tenant rules, as well as creative development and redevelopment potential, among others. Many of my previous jobs taught me valuable lessons that help me succeed today. Investment banking taught me about finance and perseverance. In public accounting, I learned about financial statements and auditing, which are critical during the due diligence phase of our deals. My high school job working in a music store instilled the importance of customer service and lending a helping hand.

What is one characteristic that you believe every woman in business should possess?
Perseverance helps anyone move past and go further than where they currently are. We all get stuck, but it’s important to keep going and to remember it may take multiple attempts to get across the finish line. Difficult situations help build our experience–our war chest–as well as our knowledge and overall confidence. In these instances, we may not always know what the next move or right step will be. It’s important to keep in mind that with tenacity and dedication, even small steps forward and small improvements will yield results.