Day one of the 2020 CREW Network Convention kicked off on Tuesday with CREW Network President Christine Gorham welcoming attendees to the (virtual) convention, which brought together more than 1,200 commercial real estate leaders for deal making, business networking, industry education and leadership development.
The strictly online format was not how CREW first envisioned its conference when it began planning it a year ago and indeed they are hardly alone. But in its opening hours CREW has not shied away from the pandemic and the lessons it has brought home. During her opening keynote session, Wendy Mann, CAE, chief executive officer of CREW Network, encouraged the audience to look back and reflect on the past six months. "There may be 'ah ha' moments for you…What lessons can you take from this as you go back to living forward? What are the hard lessons and silver linings that you can embrace?"
Wendy Mann during the virtual 2020 CREW Network Convention CREW, though, like so many other organizations and associations, have shifted to the new normal without missing a beat and its first day offerings of speakers are telling compelling stories.
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One example is Revathi Roy, a serial entrepreneur who has been working towards empowering urban poor women since 2007. Roy pioneered Asia's first all-women taxi service, Forsche and recently founded India's first all-women instant parcel delivery service, Hey Deedee.
Roy talked about aiming to empower underprivileged women by skilling them in two-wheeler riding and soft skills, and guaranteeing them a job on her platform. Her vision, she says, is to create the world's largest last mile delivery service logistics platform done only by women.
Revathi Roy
"I have been driving for the past 42 years and it gives me the greatest pleasure of my life and I just had an idea that this business of women cab service was just what I was supposed to do," she tells CREW attendees. "I had to start somewhere. I was new to the concept of 'angel investor' but I had one who said they would help me set up my company."
Women should be empowered, she said. "There is a full life ahead of you. You never need to jump into anything to prove something to anyone. My advice to a lot of youngsters is to take your time. Give yourself time and don't push yourself too hard."
Check back in the next day or so for more coverage from the event.
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Natalie Dolce, editor-in-chief of GlobeSt.com, is responsible for working with editorial staff, freelancers and senior management to help plan the overarching vision that encompasses GlobeSt.com, including short-term and long-term goals for the website, how content integrates through the company’s other product lines and the overall quality of content. Previously she served as national executive editor and editor of the West Coast region for GlobeSt.com and Real Estate Forum, and was responsible for coverage of news and information pertaining to that vital real estate region. Prior to moving out to the Southern California office, she was Northeast bureau chief, covering New York City for GlobeSt.com. Her background includes a stint at InStyle Magazine, and as managing editor with New York Press, an alternative weekly New York City paper. In her career, she has also covered a variety of beats for M magazine, Arthur Frommer's Budget Travel, FashionLedge.com, and Co-Ed magazine. Dolce has also freelanced for a number of publications, including MSNBC.com and Museums New York magazine.
