Melissa Alexander is Vice President for Foundry Commercial in Nashville, TN. and focuses on the leasing, sale, and development of industrial properties.

Melissa Alexander, Courtesy photo.

What has been your biggest challenge in the commercial real estate industry and how have you overcome those obstacles? When I started in the industry, I was on the marketing/research side. I was not aware of the potential to move into a brokerage role. As I became more client-facing, I found that I enjoyed the brokerage side of the business. Most of the time, this is a very difficult transition as a woman to move from an administrative position to producer. However, I have been fortunate to be surrounded by family, mentors, and colleagues that have believed in me and my potential along the way. This support from others (both women and men) has been encouraging and allowed me to grow within the industry.