Pay It Forward: "An Aligned Team Is A High-Performing Team"
Alexandra Eichner's focus is all things relating to the end-consumer experience.
Alexandra Eichner, 35, Continuum Co. in Miami, FL
At Continuum, Eichner’s focus is all things relating to the end-consumer experience, including consumer-based market analytics, demographics analysis, amenities program development, unit mix analysis, design, branding, project management and sales oversight.
Job title: President of Continuum Florida
Area of expertise or focus: Residential Real Estate
What has been your biggest challenge in your particular role/? How have you overcome those obstacles? My role has given me the opportunity to overcome a multitude of challenges that have helped me to better myself, professionally. As a company, we pride ourselves on delivering a series of “firsts.” In all our projects, we attempt to accomplish something that has never been done before – we want our buyers to be inspired and excited about what we are delivering. In doing so, a big challenge in my role is being comfortable in the uncomfortable. I’m always out of my comfort zone, looking to find a solution for a problem I have no prior experience solving. To overcome this challenge is to simply realize that magical things happen outside your comfort zone.
Additionally, since joining the Continuum Co., I have managed to accomplish great success when faced with challenging decisions. In my time leading the company’s South Florida development portfolio I’ve had to overcome having to draw conclusions when my team of experts can’t agree on the best path forward. As the consultants we hire are the best in their field and have many years of experience, it can be challenging to decipher which way to move forward as the decisions I make grow increasingly difficult. I continue to overcome this obstacle by reminding myself that while our consultants are experts in the vertical they are in – it is my job to see the whole picture and keep the vision for our projects top of mind. This allows me to find clarity in the unknown.
What about your current role/position at the company are you most happy with? I absolutely LOVE my team. We are small, but mighty. Everyone shows up to work and gives 100% effort every single day. They are my inspiration. There is no “office politics”, no fighting. We are a small team, working on massive projects so everyone feels the weight of what we are trying to achieve. The energy is magnetic. Plus, I get to show up to work with my mom and dad. My father has built a pretty incredible company and I’m lucky to be a part of it.
Secondly, I love feeling a true sense of purpose. Being a real estate developer means showing up to work and doing something that impacts people’s lives; everyone has a home, and most people care deeply about the place they call home. It’s where people create some of their most precious memories; it’s where your kids grow up, where you move in with the love of your life, where you dream of your next trip. Getting to build these spaces is an honor and a privilege.
What is the best piece of advice you have received that has helped you succeed in your industry? Best piece of advice I ever received: “An aligned team is a high-performing team.” Stick to your guns and don’t lose sight of your vision. In my business, everyone has an opinion about the best path forward at any given time – and most of the people I work with have been in the business longer, and “know” more than I do. My father always said “It’s not your job to be the smartest person in the room; it’s your job to have a clear vision for where you’re leading the team and why. Communicate that vision over and over again so the team is always clicked into the same gear.”
Do you have any advice specifically for the next generation? My advice for the next generation – Let people undervalue you. I have a very high-pitched voice, I’m generally the only woman in the room, particularly when the topic is construction, acquisition, or finance, I ask a lot of questions and I’m quite a smiley person – which means I’m used to people forming opinions of me just from the way I look and carry myself. I say, “Go ahead and form whatever opinions you want. I’m happy to prove you wrong.”
Would you advise any younger person to begin a career in CRE? Absolute YES. Best thing to do is find a small shop where you have direct access to executives and will have exposure to all sides of the business. You’ll work harder, and likely get paid less, but you’ll learn so much more as a result. Be willing to do the dirty work.
Please share an initiative that you are working on that you are most proud of. The best decision I ever made (and therefore the best lesson) was to set my sights on Florida. We hadn’t built in the Florida market in over 20 years – since Continuum South Beach. I offered to be the “boots on the ground” in Florida – lead the charge of getting us back in the game. I was very bullish on Florida post covid, and I knew that being in Florida would give me a little space in the industry to find my footing and make a name for myself, beyond just Bruce’s daughter.
It’s been 3 years, we are now building 3 buildings, and we will be opening a Florida office in 2023 – all stemming from a decision I made 2 years ago to set my sights on Florida. I couldn’t be prouder.
In your opinion, what takeaways did we learn from the COVID-19 crisis?
- Where people live matters – always has, always will.
- Showing up at an office and getting to collaborate in-person is a privilege, not a punishment.
- No matter how much I think I’ll be able to predict what’s going to happen over the life of a development – I will likely be wrong. So, my new strategy is PLAN as best you can, and be ready to think on your feet and adapt as situations evolve.
What three words, phrases, statements or mantras would you use to describe your work mindset?
- Always strive to be comfortably uncomfortable.
- Hand me the ball – When the stakes are high and the going gets tough, be the one to walk through the fire.
- Don’t just point out problems, come up with solutions.
