Graham of CPEX: You need a mentor for proper guidance

Name: Louisa Graham Title: Marketing Associate Company Name: CPEX Real Estate What year did you start your career in commercial real estate: 3 years Real Estate Associations/Organizations: ICSC What recent project or transaction are you most proud of? For the second time this year, CPEX participated at the ICSC RECon show in Las Vegas. Having planned events on numerous occasions in the past, I was happy and excited to make all of the preparations and arrangements for this year's ICSC RECon. This year, we had more people from our teams attend the show, which meant planning and coordinating travel, stay, and assisting any one of our team members with further preparations for the show. I am thrilled that our exhibit booth turned out to be as great as it did and that we saw as many people to attend/visit our booth as we did. What has been your experience with having a mentor or being a mentor yourself? I strongly believe that you need a mentor who can provide proper guidance in order to progress and thrive in your profession. Most of us have goals we hope to achieve, but we don't always know how to reach them. Greg Roberts, CPEX's chief operating officer, has been my mentor for just about three years now. He gave me the opportunity to explore different areas of the business by giving me various responsibilities, while keeping me focused and on track through his guidance. I am convinced that I wouldn't feel as confident about who I am and what I do if it wasn't for my mentor. Who or what has been the strongest influence on your career and why? I would say that my current boss has been the strongest influence on my career. He has provided me with the necessary resources and proper guidance to work and succeed in my projects and tasks. What is the first thing you do when you arrive in the office in the morning? I check my emails and have a cup of coffee. What time management strategies do you find to be the most effective for you? I categorize and prioritize my projects and tasks on time sheet and set myself calendar reminders. What is the best advice you have received and who was it from? "Try your best and don't be afraid to fail. Failure is a bruise, not a tattoo." -My father, David Graham List 3 women that you would like to have drinks / dinner with and where would you go? Eleanor Roosevelt - Oyster Bar Angela Merkel - The Brooklyn Bowl Marilyn Monroe - Small coffee shop What is your favorite quote? "Live as though you die today and dream as though you live forever." -James Dean What did you want to be when you grew up? Marine Biologist