In this week’s episode of Women Influencers, I spoke with Phoebe Van Tran, co-founder and CEO of Infinity Capital Lending. She is also the coauthor of the #1 Amazon best selling book, “Powerful Female Immigrants.”  We discussed her immigration to America at the age of 18, her passion for fostering relationships, and the many hats she wears in a variety of organizations helping investors in Asia deploy capital and bridge the gap between generations. Phoebe also told me how she believes global cross collaboration has the most potential in the future for economic growth, and how she is at th ..read more

This week, for the first time, I invited a man to join the Women Influencers in Business & CRE Podcast. It was a fantastic opportunity to reconnect with one of my Mentors, Robin Webb, who has been a staunch advocate for Women in Commercial Real Estate.  We discussed how he grew up poor between Georgia and Florida, left home at just 14 years old, and worked his way through High School and College. After finding an opportunity to work in the sales side of the Hotel business, Robin remained in the Hospitality industry for 13 years running 28 hotels across the Southeastern US. At 32, he d ..read more

For this week's episode we compiled some of the amazing questions my guests have asked me. I am so honored to have had the opportunity to make podcast episodes with these amazing women, and it is always an honor to consider and respond to insightful inquiries. D'Etta Costa De Leon, CCIM asked me why I chose to do this podcast. Flavia Kanyago asked what I consider the proudest moment of my career. Pinky Yee asked what legacy I want to leave behind. Watch to find out how I answered! #womeninbusiness #CRE #commercialrealestate #businesspodcast #realestatepodcast #commericalbroker #entrepreneur ..read more

In this week’s episode, Chere recounts her illustrious career, starting as a Central Florida “ragamuffin” - her words, not mine! - to now having founded and run Nicole & Hudson Realty Corp for over 50 years. She shared how she was denied the opportunity to take engineering classes in college on account of being a woman and chose to pursue Architecture instead. After working with a Real Estate investment trust, she decided to get her Real Estate license in 1971. We discussed her views on leadership, the importance of being active in your community, and dealing with the challenges of being a ..read more

Lezlie Tram Le’s family escaped Vietnam by boat then lived in a Malaysian refugee camp for 7 years. She felt like she spent her childhood years in jail, despite having committed no crime. Around the time she turned 13, United Nations forces invaded the camp and forced the refugees out with tear gas and bullets. Despite being shot during this incident, Lezlie feels what was most important is that through this trauma she learned how to keep moving forward no matter what. Lezlie’s family was allowed to immigrate into the U.S. when she was 17. Although she was not fully an adult, yet, she was task ..read more

Gail Collins: From CCIM Customer Service to CCIM Deputy CEO In this episode, Gail Collins shares her story of growing up in the South Suburbs of Chicago, joining CCIM as a Customer Service Representative in 1990, and growing into her current role as CCIM Institute’s Deputy CEO. Gail was awarded an honorary CCIM Designation in 2023. Below are the key takeaways from this episode: Gail’s upbringing was happy and surrounded by her extended family. Her young parents ensured the village was present to aid in her and her two sisters’ upbringing. Gail started at CCIM in 1990 as a Customer Service Rep ..read more

In this episode, Vicki Stecher shares her inspiring journey from growing up in Hawaii to founding her successful furniture design business in Indonesia, all while raising a family of 8. Tune in for a raw and honest conversation about family, creativity, and entrepreneurship in the world of commercial real estate. Vicki Stecher's life was profoundly shaped by her father, an individual who left a complex legacy. A man of multiple talents, he was an artist and entrepreneur, infusing their home with beauty through his paintings and handmade additions like playhouses and patios. His creativity wasn ..read more

In this episode, Vicky Stecher shares her inspiring journey from growing up in Hawaii to founding her successful furniture design business in Indonesia, all while raising a family of 8. Tune in for a raw and honest conversation about family, creativity, and entrepreneurship in the world of commercial real estate. Vicky Stecher's life was profoundly shaped by her father, an individual who left a complex legacy. A man of multiple talents, he was an artist and entrepreneur, infusing their home with beauty through his paintings and handmade additions like playhouses and patios. His creativity wasn ..read more

In this episode, Cece Lassiter shares her remarkable journey from backpacking through South and Central America to becoming a sought-after redevelopment incentives attorney, proving that perseverance through challenges can lead to unexpected opportunities. Cece Lassiter is a Texan with a diverse cultural background, stemming from her mother's Belizean and Mexican roots and her father's German and Dutch heritage. She graduated from the University of Texas with a degree in linguistics, along with minors in French and Spanish. Her sense of adventure led her to study abroad in Madrid, Spain, and a ..read more

In this episode, Jazmen Johnson shares her inspiring journey from being the first in her family to attend college to becoming the Vice President of Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion at ICSC, and how she's making a significant impact in the commercial real estate industry. You won't want to miss the powerful insights and advice she has to offer. Jazmen Johnson grew up in a single-parent home, raised by her hardworking mother who held three jobs to make sure Jazmen could attend college. From the age of 10, Jazmen was determined to pursue higher education, inspired by her mother's sacrifices. Toda ..read more