MacAffer of CBRE-Albany learns strengths by mentoring

Name: Ann MacAffer Title: CCIM, Associate Broker Company Name: CBRE-Albany Years in Commercial Real Estate: 30 What were your biggest fears when you started out in your profession? My biggest roadblock was that women were typecast as "residential" and I realized that women were not readily accepted on the commercial side of the business. It has taken time and I enjoy working with younger women who want to be in this business. Last year, I was selected as a mentor/coach through the CBRE Women's Network. Through that process, I learned a lot about my own strengths and saw what I do that is transferable and teachable to others. It was highly rewarding personally, and my mentee came to realize she was happier working in a corporate services role in the company rather than brokerage. What was your first job and what did you learn from it? Babysitting taught me anything can happen and things change in a second...and some of those kids are now my clients. I can also call some of those parents and depend on them for networking and business connections years later. What are you doing differently in 2014 that has had positive impact on your career? I read & and participated in a women's discussion group about a book called the Dream Map by Danielle La Porte, so I have started to look more carefully at those clients and projects which satisfy my core desires.