Name: Tami Hausman
Title: President
Company Name: Hausman LLC
List up to three associations or organizations that you are presently a member of:
- American Institute of Architects,
- Fire Island Pines Property Owners Association (board member),
- Urban Design Forum (board member)
What recent project, transaction or accomplishment are you most proud of?
In mid-April, I moderated a panel that focused on storytelling and outreach during the COVID-19 crisis. There was general agreement among the panelists that design and real estate firms need to be sensitive in terms of the content they are sending out; it can’t be tone deaf. There was a need for industry colleagues to connect by sharing stories of struggles and successes with one another. There was also a sense that people are looking for as much normalcy as they can find right now, while acknowledging the tragedy.
What is one characteristic that you believe every woman in business should possess?
Everyone should have passion for what they do. Passion has driven me forward—and I’ve picked up the rest as I’ve gone along. For example, I didn’t have a background in business, but I had a passion for helping design firms communicate more strategically and effectively. So I created a business built around the things that I liked to do, and that I did well. Clients can sense if you really care about the work that you do for them. If you love what you do, it will push you do your best work every day. And it will show.
What was your favorite job and what did you learn from it?
My favorite job was my first job. I worked in marketing at an architecture firm in New York (Kohn Pedersen Fox). Most of all, I was glad that they paid me to learn about the business! I got to work with many different people, so every day had its own cadence and challenges. I was fortunate to collaborate with almost everyone in the office, from the partners to my peers. I realized very early on that if you have confidence and drive, you can make anything happen in your career, even in a tough city like New York.