Linda O'Neil is the vice president of administration at Pyramid Brokerage Co. Her responsibilities include: I'm responsible for local operations in the Rochester office, including administrative and financial processes as well as sales training. I also work with the COO of the company in sales training, coordination of Pyramid administrative personnel and collateral marketing materials company-wide. I am also the Pyramid liaison with the corporate Cushman & Wakefield Alliance program coordinator. What makes you an innovator? I was originally given the challenge of creating or changing internal organizational procedures to make them more efficient and effective. I developed Pyramid Brokerage Co. marketing materials, which were ultimately incorporated into all Pyramid offices. I originated Pyramid's original transaction tracking processes, administrative procedures and guidelines, initially for the local office and then globally for all offices. I developed and began implementing sales agent training courses for new agents into Pyramid. What obstacles have you overcome to get where you are today? Feeling confident about what I know in the real estate business took some time. The market, market conditions and product change so often, and with the constantly moving technology and the information available, it's a challenge to keep up. What motivates you to succeed? I hate to fail; I hate to disappoint, and I truly am motivated by wanting processes, procedures and returns to improve. How do you stay ahead of the curve? I listen, I read, and I interact with as many individuals in the marketplace as I can. Who/what has been the strongest influence on your career and why? John Manilla, president of Pyramid Brokerage Co., was the individual who convinced me in 1991 that I could make this a career. I'm not sure I would have left teaching to pursue commercial real estate on my own, but it's been a very interesting "ride." I appreciate his faith in my ability early on and since. What impact has social networking had on your success? Joining the Rochester Rotary Club in 2004 has been incredible in terms of my growth, as an individual in the Rochester community and as an important connection for the company. How has the need to create a more sustainable environment influenced the way you do business? Clearly the "green" movement is beginning to affect the way that commercial real estate works in the marketplace. It has created new opportunities and at the same time created challenges that require new expertise. What excites you most about this industry? It's "never the same day twice." It's always moving, always changing, always interesting. It gives us the opportunity to make a difference in the community and sometimes actually changes the face of the community. My goals for the future are... To increase my involvement in the community, to make a difference on an individual level, and to continue to promote Pyramid Brokerage Co. and continue to improve its inner workings. The biggest challenge facing the real estate industry in 2010 is... Finding the opportunity. I think it's easy to think that the economy has paused activity; actually, there is a lot of activity in the marketplace; it's just a matter of assessing true need. The "silver lining" in the cloud of the current economy is... Opportunity, oppportunity, opportunity. Linda O'Neil is the vice president of administration at Pyramid Brokerage Co., Fairport, N.Y.