Part 2 of 4 In celebration of Women's History Month, we sat down with a few of the strong, smart, and ambitious women of JLL. Part two in a four part series includes: Jackie Hines, VP and group manager of property management in Phoenix; Julie Kilpatrick, VP of project and development services in San Diego; Mahnaz Sadri, project manager of project and development services in Los Angeles; Lea Sandoval, SVP and Southwest regional operations manager for property management; Nancy Soo, project manager of project and development services in Orange County, CA. GlobeSt.com: How did you get into commercial real estate? Julie Kilpatrick: Like a lot of people in our industry, I fell into commercial real estate through another avenue. I went to school for business and architecture and somehow knew I never wanted to work in an architecture firm. I enjoyed design and the financial side of the equation, so I found a career mixing the two. Lea Sandoval: Like most people I know, I fell into it. I decided law wasn't my thing and studied business. I answered an open position with JLL as a Tenant Services Coordinator and, voila, here I am 18 years later. Soo: It was not planned. I majored in Architecture at UC Berkeley, worked for a San Francisco architecture firm in and was the project architect for a retail center in Irvine, commuting down to Orange County weekly for five+ years. I was offered a job opportunity in development and construction management, so I moved to Orange County and made a career change. GlobeSt.com: What was the best advice you've ever received? Hines: Work hard and treat others with respect. Kilpatrick: If you are five minutes early, then you are already late. Sadri: Professional advice would be about understanding the goals and vision of your organization and ensuring that your efforts on any level are aligned with them. Sandoval: Learn the lesson every situation presents before you move on. Soo: There is always more than one way to solve a problem GlobeSt.com: How has JLL and the industry supported you as a women in business? Hines: There are so many very successful woman at JLL and in the industry that serve in very prestigious, powerful positions. I've always felt that if you have the ambition and dedication to succeed, JLL will support you in whatever you try to do, woman or man. Sadri: I joined JLL a little over two years ago in Toronto. At the time I was going four years strong in my long distance relationship with my boyfriend Saeed, who moved out to LA in 2014. We had both agreed that this was our time to keep focused on our careers and didn't want to jeopardize our opportunities by moving to another city/country. What I didn't know at the time was the real possibility of moving to LA, without having to compromise any of my career goals or opportunities, which is exactly what JLL helped me to do. With JLL's support, I was able to relocate to LA in June of 2017, to join our PDS markets team here, and continue to do what I love to do while being able to advance my personal goals further as well. Sandoval: JLL doesn't just talk the talk, the firm walks the walk in measurable ways. I'm proud to be part of an organization that openly supports women through networks such as the WBN. I'm also a part of the Diversity and Inclusion committee and my primary focus is equality for women. JLL has not only provided the platform, but has given many women, myself included, the chance to have a voice that will be heard. As we say on the D&I team, it's not about counting the heads, it's making the heads count. GlobeSt.com: What advice would you give to young women to succeed in the workplace? Hines: Be willing to work hard, be willing to listen to those that have done it before, and have fun in whatever you do. Kilpatrick: Find your passion, always stay curious, and seek out mentors; both informally and formally. Sadri: Passion, perseverance and patience. I believe finding your passion takes work and commitment, and investing your time and effort in identifying what really drives you will certainly pay off in the long run. Soo: Be yourself, be honest, strive to do the best you can, invest in relationships and be a team player.