Sampson Curley of VVA, LLC analyzes her career, work/life balance

Name: Kim Sampson Curley Title: Associate Company/firm: VVA, LLC Years with Company/firm: 6 Years in field: 11 Years in real estate industry: 11 Address: 117 East 31st St, NY, NY 10016 Telephone: 212-576-8400 Email: [email protected] URL: www.vvallc.com Real estate organizations/affiliations: Corenet Which project, deal or transaction was the 'game changer' in the advancement of your career during the last 10 years? For New York Law School I managed a 207,000 s/f new building project, which was not only a meaningful professional accomplishment for me, but was also a segue into managing a building out of the ground. My career in the years prior was primarily focused on interiors construction, so this was my first opportunity to work on a new building project from start to finish. I have been fortunate enough to continue working on new building projects ever since. How do you contribute to your company and / or the industry? One aspect of the industry that can be challenging yet also refreshing is that you continue to learn every day as building codes change and new issues arise that you may not have previously experienced. One way I contribute to my company is to share as many of my experiences as possible to help my fellow associates be successful. What advice would you give to women just starting out in commercial real estate? To be a valuable team member, you need to be fully knowledgeable about the project, have insight as to where issues may arise, and proactively solve problems. How do you manage the work/life balance? Balancing a career with a family that includes two very active daughters can be a complicated task. We all have to accept the fact that I won't be at every game, but I take solace in knowing that I am teaching both of them responsibility, strength and independence. Where would you like to be 10 years from today? I hope to be managing a new building project out of the ground.