Pay It Forward: "Strategy is Important, But it is All About Execution"
"I believe in making things happen, taking risks, and embracing failure. Strategy is important, but it is all about execution," says Maureen Waters, partner at MetaProp.
Maureen Waters, partner at MetaProp, Seattle
As a partner at MetaProp, Waters utilizes her PropTech expertise and relationships to extend our global reach and in-house capabilities with strategic partners and portfolio companies. Waters leads the growth of innovation services, focused on helping MetaProp’s limited partners build out their PropTech ecosystems and she also oversees the firm’s marketing.
What has been your biggest challenge in your particular role/? Deploying technology and PropTech adoption overall is the greatest challenge. Our team makes introductions to startups and helps assess, demo, and deploy the technology. Still, the change management and execution within the organizations and their portfolios are the most challenging. Adoption is always the area that is hardest to ensure.
What about your current role at the company are you most happy with? The digital transformation of real estate is my passion. I have the unique opportunity to be at the center of the transformation through my work with MetaProp and its strategic limited partners, introducing them to our vast startup ecosystem and ensuring technology is appropriately integrated and deployed. I also help our Investment Team and startups understand investors’ pain points and work with them to develop growth plans that help them scale their businesses. Being at the center of innovation and industry never ceases to excite me, as it means I can live out my dream of creating a more tech-enabled future for real estate.
What is the best piece of advice you have received that has helped you succeed in your industry? The best advice that I’ve received is to be a good listener. There’s a reason we have two ears and one mouth. It is to listen twice as much as you speak. Understanding and being present in conversations is fundamental.
Do you have any advice specifically for the next generation? In terms of my advice for the next generation of commercial real estate professionals: don’t be afraid to ask for help and mentorship. I have had great mentors throughout my career, who each significantly impacted me and my growth within this industry. They taught me to have a “Just Do It” mentality and not give up even when there were many roadblocks.
What would you advise a younger person who is beginning a career in CRE? If I were to advise someone who wanted to start a career in CRE now, I would tell them that it’s vital to recognize that the industry has developed a diversity and inclusion mindset overall. Therefore, they should feel encouraged to take the leap now more than ever. CRE has come a long way in terms of representation, and because of this, we are seeing more women in C-Suite positions, which is incredibly promising for this evolving space. I would also recommend for young women, specifically those interested in starting a career in CRE, that it’s essential to have a female mentor within the organization, if possible, to help guide you through all the potential roadblocks and provide feedback and support.
Please share an initiative that you are working on that you are most proud of. An initiative that I’m working on that I’m most proud of is what we’re calling the Innovation Think Tank, which brings together innovation leaders within MetaProp’s LP base to create a space for thinking futuristically about the digital transformation of CRE, especially within ESG and initiatives focused on decarbonization. Just as I’m passionate about the digital transformation of real estate, I am also incredibly passionate about making the world a better place to live by deploying climate technology; this Think Tank has allowed me to merge the two.
In your opinion, what takeaways did we learn from the COVID-19 crisis? The biggest takeaway from the COVID crisis has been the acceleration of technology within CRE. Before the pandemic, the adoption and deployment of tech had been relatively slow, but it has now become table stakes for businesses to thrive in this post-pandemic world. Additionally, we’ve learned that buildings need to be healthier and more flexible in terms of utilizing the space in a hybrid working environment and will continue to be so for the foreseeable future.
How would you describe your work mindset? Just do it! It has always been my mantra as I believe in making things happen, taking risks, and embracing failure. Strategy is important, but it is all about execution.
