This is an expanded version of an article that ran in the July/August 2013 issue of Real Estate Forum. To see the original story, click here.  

When one thinks of New York City retail space, the first name that comes to mind is Faith Hope Consolo.Not only a retail broker with Douglas Elliman, she's a brand unto herself, complete with her own motto. Yet things weren't always this way; she was an anomaly when she entered the business. Hard work and a strong will—not to mention her signature pink flair—helped her climb to the top of a traditionally male-dominated field and become the go-to agent in the retail community.

Her colleague and friend, Karen Dome, came up in a similar environment. Representing Japanese ownership in New York's office market, she had to play on the same field as some of the most cutthroat commercial brokers in the city. She rose in the ranks to her current role as a senior associate with Marcus & Millichap, handling sales in a variety of property sectors. She also makes sure to pay her success forward; a past president of NYCREW, she is active in many industry and nonprofit organizations.

Both Consolo and Dome not only survived the tough world of New York City brokerage, but they thrived.They also give back through mentorship and charity work in the community. Real Estate Forum sat down with the brokers to discuss their careers, how they handled challenges they encountered, their friendship and where they see the business going.

SULE AYGOREN: Talk about how you got your start in the business.

FAITH HOPE CONSOLO: When I got divorced and moved back from California to New York, and my attorney said to me, “Faith, you have to get a real job.” He suggested I do real estate. I really didn't know anything, so I investigated the various aspects. I decided I didn't want to do residential, but I didn't want to do office either. I was in Florida, at a party in Palm Beach and met someone who just happened to be the best-looking guy in the room. I walked up to him and asked him what he did. He told me he owned a company and he does retail real estate. I said, “What is that?”  He said, “Well, I find stores for retailers.” And I thought, this is great. I go shopping all the time. I'm a world-class shopper! I can tell you the rest of it, but really, what I did was took a habit and I turned it into a career. 

So when I came back to New York I found out this gentleman had an office a couple of blocks from my house. So I decided I'd give it a try. It was a small firm. I stayed there almost two years and learned a lot. He not only taught me the business, but also helped me really find my niche. I love what I do—in good times, bad times, all times. 

KAREN DOME: I also was what they call a “pioneer” of women in real estate.  There weren't many when I started back in the 1980s. I worked for a Japanese company, Sumitomo Realty and Development, handling their class A office portfolio in Manhattan. It was several million square feet, and each challenge was also a learning opportunity.

AYGOREN: Did you encounter any challenges you think would be primarily attributed to your gender? How'd you overcome them?

CONSOLO: See, I turned that on its head. I decided I was going to make it like a game. When I went to my first meeting, the Retail Committee at the Real Estate Board of New York, I was the only woman. There were about a dozen men.  I walked into the room and one of the guys came over and asked me what I was doing there. I said, “What do you mean? Am I in the wrong room? Is this not the Retail Committee?” They said, “Yes, but why are you here?” I said this is what I do, and he told me I should be doing residential and I didn't belong there. ” I told him, “I just thought it would be fun to hang out with you guys.”

It's funny now, but it was very difficult. They gave me all the grunt jobs that nobody wants to do. I was the maid, I did the check-ins, even coat checks. I turned it into an opportunity; I did anything to meet people. It's like anything else—you prove yourself. I started to make deals, and they didn't totally accept me, but they tolerated me. You just have to own your stripes, no matter what it is. And this was at the time when women wore the broad-shouldered suits, doing the whole feminist thing, but I didn't take that route. I just felt that I would rather make them allies, and I worked very hard at that.

I joined all the organizations. I immersed myself in the business. I became involved, I volunteered, I organized. What I did was I made myself an asset. I made it my business to know people, and for them to know me. I went to NYU's School of Real Estate to get my degree. I got to know the major building owners in the city, became friendly with their daughters, who entered the family business and are now working with me. It became a snowball effect. Even today, it's a work in progress, because there are new tenants, new developers, new players—and many more women wanting to come into the business.  Of course, I tell them, you want to be a broker? You have to have nerves of steel.

DOME: I think my struggle was a little bit different because I represented male owners and had to deal with them all the time. They needed me to be part of their teams. I made sure that I was with all of the associations that were active in New York, and I was recognized because I was the only woman in the room. In some ways, that made it easier. I took it as an opportunity to be recognized. And then had to work twice as hard.

You have to push yourself to pursue your passions. And in the corporate world, which I was very immersed in, it's all about work, and more work. I learned my work ethic from the Japanese, working for them.

AYGOREN: You've both mentioned the lack of women in your early support system. Does that, combined with the challenges you faced when you entered the industry, drive your decisions to give back?

DOME: It's absolutely a requirement to help women in real estate. I had absolutely no women mentors, and that was one of the reasons I felt the need to join NYCREW, which was late in life. It's the first organization of women that I actually joined and said, “The sole reason why I'm doing this is to mentor young women.” Then I got some of the top leaders of our industry, such as Faith, involved in the program and sign up to be mentors.

CONSOLO:  I had nothing else to do (laughing). Really though, we keep growing and divesting, and keep reaching for the stars, but it's time to nurture other people. When I came in, there were virtually no women in commercial real estate brokerage, and certainly none at the top. Women talk about helping women, about nurturing, but I think the important thing is not to be judgmental and have a trust factor. This is what the boys do. You just have to put your arm around someone and say, 'You know what, let's try this out together,' or, 'I'll help you.' With no judgments or questions. Karen did that for me years ago, and was very big to me.

DOME: One reason we're in the game so long is our relationships. With NYCREW, which I was president of from 2011-12, our mission is achieving parity for women in commercial real estate through power, influence and opportunity. We also believe we need to offer then opportunities to succeed. All of these organizations are critical. Mentoring and giving back has always been very important to me.

AYGOREN: What's the biggest piece of advice you'd give to any young person in this business, particularly women?

DOME: Continue to dream, continue to work hard, don't give up, take the challenges and make them the opportunity of a lifetime, and follow that passion.

CONSOLO:  Have resolve. You have to draw a lot of inner strength and gather as much knowledge, because that's where the power lies. I came into the business not knowing anything, but I not only learned through work experience, I made sure to go back to school and get my degree in real estate.

DOME: Education is so critical.

CONSOLO: I also run an intern program year-round. I have interns at my office, anywhere from six to a dozen, working year-round. Right now, I have three women interns and three men. I take them from all different schools. It's important; we take them six months at a time and teach them the business. I speak as a parent does. We lecture, and they ask us to come and share stories. I tell them the experiences, good and bad, because maybe there's something that they'll hear that will help them.

FAST FACTS

All-time favorite movie?
CONSOLO: The Wizard of Oz, that's all. I'm very childlike. Karen likes Casablanca, because she's a big romantic.

Food you never get sick of?
DOME:  I'd have pasta. All. The. Time.
CONSOLO: I'd eat anything as long as it's in London at the Canard Hotel. With champagne.

Favorite downtime activity?
DOME: To be with my kids. I have three-year-old twins and a nine-year-old.
CONSOLO: Believe it or not, I just like to be quiet and read!