DiBella of TerraCRG | Comm'l. Rlty. discusses her career and influences

Name: Melissa DiBella Title: Vice President, Sales & Marketing Company/firm: TerraCRG | Commercial Realty Group Years with company/firm: 2 (founding member) Years in field: 4 Years in real estate industry: 4 Address: 592 Pacific St., Suite B, Brooklyn, NY 11217 Telephone: 718-768-6888 Email: [email protected] URL: www.terracrg.com Responsibilities include: Founding member of TerraCRG, actively handles sales & leasing transactions for the company while overseeing operations, marketing & advertising, and business development. What single event professional or personal has most significantly impacted your career? The move to assist Ofer Cohen with the creation of TerraCRG, a boutique commercial real estate sale firm specializing in the Brooklyn market has been a very significant decision. Over the last two years I have helped in every aspect of growing a company while continuing to successfully conclude commercial sale and lease transactions. I have helped to build a strong foundation for an expanding company. Who has been the strongest influence on your career and why? My father has been the strongest influence on my life and career. As an entrepreneur with his own retail operation I have had the opportunity to watch and learn from him. No one could teach better negotiating skills than my father, he has prepared me with sales experience that a textbook or classroom can not. What advice would you give to a woman just starting a career in your field? I would advice any woman to always be strong mentally or at least to display an outer façade of confidence and strength even at your weakest points. There is a lot of rejection in this industry, you will hear a lot of "no" before you hear "yes," be ready for it. Expect to be creative at deal-making especially in today's tough economic environment, as difficult as it is there are plenty of opportunities. Be positive but be realistic, clients value the truth.