Klinger of SCG Retail is invested/committed to client

During the last 10 years of your career, which professional accomplishment, honor or achievement was most meaningful to you and why? I was an integral part of growing our firm over the last decade, not simply in volume, but as a strategic business partner with all the clients we work with. This has allowed us to dovetail into the firm's most significant accomplishment which is our recent merger with The Shopping Center Group out of Atlanta, as well as the creation of a new division based in Manhattan called SCG Retail. Which project, deal or transaction was the 'game changer' in the advancement of your career during the last 10 years? Getting the opportunity to work on major national roll outs. I started in the real estate business working on the restoration of Grand Central and then I transitioned into brokerage. It was a lot harder in brokerage to set yourself apart from everyone else especially after working on such a hugely significant project, but I was given the opportunity to work on the roll out in '03/'04 of Jamba Juice in NYC. The roll-out was success and it established my reputation within the NYC real estate community...it gave me the street creed I needed. How do you contribute to your company and / or the industry? Regardless of how small or large my tenants are, I run my business with the same level of personal involvement, investment and commitment to the client. The same goes for the size of deal, whether it's a 1,000 s/f in the suburbs or a 40,000 s/f Whole Foods deal, I keep on top of things. What advice would you give to women just starting out in commercial real estate? Be smart and confident. Don't be afraid to say you don't know something when you don't and surround yourself with great people that will look out for you. Treat everyone well. As a woman, I feel a special responsibility to support other women in the industry and not doing so is a sign of insecurity and ultimately, bad karma. How do you manage the work/life balance? It has never been a problem for me. I am from NYC so most of my friends and family are here. I know the landscape so well and New York is just a part of who I am. It is really a family affair: my husband loves the constant action of my job and keeps up with all of my deals; my brother is a chef, so we talk about restaurants and retail all the time; my sister refers business to me; my mother calls me for everything from when a store closes in her neighborhood to whenever there is a light out in the Starbucks sign in her building. Who or what has been the strongest influence on your career and why? David Firestein. He has been a huge advocate on my behalf throughout the years and I consider him one of my closest friends. How are you using social media to promote yourself, your products and / or your firm? : Although I didn't grow up in the world of tweets, I am an information junkie. To be successful in this business, I think you have to be - social media is a way for me to stay in touch when I'm on the road. I get twitter, LinkedIn and Facebook feeds on my iPhone. I must confess, I follow much more than I Tweet - I'm about getting info and using it to my advantage - I like to fly under the radar, so you aren't going to hear me sharing a lot of inside street talk. Where would you like to be 10 years from today? : I would like to significantly grow my client base and keep my reputation exactly where it is.