Robin Kencel
As part of Women’s History Month, we love to highlight the importance and the magnitude of success and impact that women have on society. The grit and the ambition that it takes to make it big in a “man’s world” is a feat for many, but these women have proven themselves to have gone above and beyond. We’re showcasing their story and how they’ve gotten to where they are. We’ve gathered mementos and personal anecdotes from some of the most successful real estate agents in the New York City area. Here are a few of many exceptional women we’ve interviewed how they’ve overcome business challenges and biggest accomplishments. They are: Laura Rozos, Laurie Karpowich, Laurie Karpowich, Robin Kencel,
Shelley Tretter Lynch, Kelly Robinson, Kim Krueger, Victoria Shtainer, Maria Ryan, Deb Bondy, Kristen Jock, Amanda Young, and Cindy Scholz.
Some careers are far more male-dominated than others. It is the way they have always been, it’s the way they are, but women in every sector are making sure they aren’t in the future. Architecture, engineering, law, technology, science, and finance are all overwhelmingly male-dominated. Fortunately, the gap is closing in both female and male dominated fields, creating a far more equal environment. And future.
Here are just a few of the responses these women held.
Q: What is the greatest challenge in your business you have had to overcome?
Jock: As a young woman in business, it could be difficult to get people to take you seriously, acknowledge your ideas and not dismiss your accomplishments; however, I have found it could be even more difficult to give yourself credit. I have heard similar rhetoric from prominent, intelligent, seemingly confident women across many industries, who have spoken of this feeling of being a fraud.
Shtainer: Overall, Real Estate is a very male-dominated industry, especially when you look at positions of power at the largest Developers, Brokerages, etc. There has been an inherent challenge to prove myself as a woman in this field - a woman that is respected for her knowledge of the industry and skill of the trade. We have all read stories and have heard from the industry where people often look to women in this industry for the wrong reasons.
Krueger: Being a woman of color in the business world is one factor for me that will never change- and I'm ok with that! There are often preconceived notions of what women of color are capable of achieving, and I am here to show with results, not just words, that they are wrong. My race and gender do not limit me, they empower me to be better, because I often have to be twice as good, just to be considered.
Apart from their challenges, women dominating in their careers are often negatively stereotyped as cold, too ambitious, work-obsessed, and not family-oriented enough – that’s all part of another tactic to wear away the path women have created for themselves. Work-life balance is always a concern when it comes to women with careers, and although no one should have to defend why they do or don’t work, these women are here to prove that it’s not an impediment to be a woman while being successful in the workforce. There’s no need to give up one aspect of your life to keep another.
Q: Outside of your success in the real estate industry, what are some fun facts about yourself?
Young: I was seriously into ice skating when I was a kid—so much so that my coach wanted to me to train for international competition—my dad used to make an ice-skating rink with garbage bags and hose in our 94th Street backyard.
Scholz: I am extremely passionate about improving financial literacy, particularly for women. When I am not selling homes, you can find me chatting with the top wealth advisors to get a pulse on the market. Also, I enjoy traveling the world attending conferences that bring a unique perspective on global finance. I always understand how my clients NYC assets are performing against other assets.
Kencel: I have had seven careers since business school: marketing management, strategic planning, author, interior designer, owner’s representative for luxury home construction and historic renovation, real estate broker. My most cherished titles, however, are wife and mother.
Q: Career Highlight
Krueger: After I obtained my real estate license, I spent a few years at a corporate and real estate law firm before I decided to enter real estate again full time. Being in the corporate world was disappointing to me because I missed connecting with clients in a purposeful way. Becoming a salesperson again full time was a definite career highlight for me because I was able to reclaim my ability to make personal connections and be a part of my clients lives in a helpful, credible and meaningful way.
Kencel: Building a reputation that I am proud of.
Powerful women aren’t just the ones that make history. They’re taking care of you when you’re sick, they sell you your home, save your life, give you your life, give you and education, and so much more. They are everywhere and they always have been. They are strong, powerful, and leave a mark on everyone they come into contact with. Let us never forget how important women are to people everywhere. In the past, present, and the future.
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