One obstacle Stemen has had to overcome is the sometimes-outdated perception of marketing.

“The value of marketing is often underestimated. In today's market climate, marketing should be viewed as an integral component of any successful operation,” says Stemen. “I have strategically overcome these perceptions by negotiating an expansion in my title to more accurately reflect the business development side of my role. By moving to senior vice president, I am able to oversee and drive forward both marketing and business development objectives.”

Stemen has also served on various executive boards within industry organizations, including Commercial Real Estate Women (CREW), National Multifamily Housing Council (NMHC), and International Council of Shopping Centers (ICSC). Holding titles such as president of CREW Orange County has further communicated her value beyond 'just' a marketing person, Stemen tells GlobeSt.com.

“While there are some instances in this industry of pay inequity—due to misconceptions surrounding the value of certain roles, unfounded biases, and other factors—I've realized that the key to both professional and personal development is to make the conscious choice to not become caught up in comparisons,” explains Stemen.

“Rather, there is power in learning, understanding, and accepting your worth and building on your own role to reflect this.”

According to Stemen, commercial real estate professionals can sometimes get caught up in the numbers, and what is happening in the market at this very moment. They often forget it is really the habits, thoughts, ambitions, and situations of average people that are the true indicators of what is to come.

Stemen gets the most value, and helps her firm stay ahead of the curve, by speaking with friends, family, and community members—most of whom work in other industries—to help discern where the market is headed. After listening to the everyday perspectives of consumers, residents, small business owners, etc., she asks questions, such as: Is our retail space appealing to consumers and retailers? How can we ensure that our multifamily investment strategy is in line with today's resident demands?

For example, in the multifamily industry, baby boomers are always looking to downsize upon retirement, in addition to the younger generations renting for a longer period of time. While those demographics certainly make up a large part of the renter cohort, most recently, Stemen observed more business professionals needed to rent apartments due to job relocation, all while keeping their primary residence.

As a result, over the past few years, Passco has been able to successfully acquire many suburban communities that meet the requirements of these residents, by recognizing this demand driver ahead of many others in the industry.

“I am in the role I am today, and continue to grow, through diving in and becoming integrally involved in my firm as well as industry organizations, and I'm consistently taking on tasks that have gone beyond my normal role or defined title,” says Stemen. “The first step was letting go of any fear related to stepping outside of my comfort zone and generating ideas that push the envelope in commercial real estate. My CEO always says “Energy Follows Focus” and I am a firm believer in that statement.”