Today we’d like to introduce you to Saadia Sheikh.
Saadia, let’s start with your story. We’d love to hear how you got started and how the journey has been so far.
I started with an internship while in college in the commercial real estate industry. From that internship, I knew I wanted to start a career as a commercial real estate advisor. I loved that every business needed real estate in different ways and that I could be a part of the strategy behind the decisions. Growing up with two deaf parents, I always was involved with interpreting situations that led to decisions. I also always kept gratitude in the back of my mind with how hard my parents had to work. After two internships in the industry, I met Emmitt Smith while at an airport and interpreted his conversation with two young deaf children. From there, we connected on my interest and passion to get into real estate. As he finished football and started a career in commercial real estate, he encouraged me to get into the industry when I graduated and offered to be a reference.
From graduating college, I worked for two firms before starting my own firm only to reconnect with Emmitt and E Smith Realty Partners. Shortly after, I joined ESRP and put my firm on hold to be a part of something I was wanting to build myself. I had great mentors from the very beginning who I still meet with today. I decided early on to start giving back where I would mentor younger girls wanting to get into the industry. I then decided to give back to the college that gave so much to me with funding the first endowed scholarship for entrepreneurship. Where I am today is a direct reflection of leadership and gratitude in my life which fuels my motivation. I am very thankful to continue to learn and grow around amazing people.
Overall, has it been relatively smooth? If not, what were some of the struggles along the way?
Being in a male-dominated field and in one of the most competitive markets in the country, there were struggles along the way. There were days that I had wins and many more that the answer was “No thanks, I already have a relationship” I had to stay focused and keep pushing past the losses to keep the big vision in mind that I needed to become an expert. Once I became the expert, the barriers I had labeled above, were not barriers at all, just hurdles I have to jump over. My advice for young women who are just starting is to think big. Envision where you want to be and nothing is too big. Also, be ok that your goals will change along the way as you gain experience, that’s the fun part! Connect with mentors in and out of your industry early on. When you have that advocate or person invested in you, they will become the sounding board that no other personal relationships will compare to.
What should we know about ESRP? What do you guys do best? What sets you apart from the competition?
I am a commercial real estate advisor. My expertise is to solve real estate problems for companies. I specialize in strategy and execution for companies and their office in Dallas Fort Worth and across the country. I work with companies early on to evaluate if their physical space works for their culture, brand, employees, customers, and financially. I am known for focused service and precise execution, which sets me apart from my client’s previous relationship or advisor. I am most proud of the team we have at ESRP. We have great talent and a collaborative culture, which is very rare in our industry. It allows us to focus on serving our clients instead of a closed door environment driven by fees.
Looking back on your childhood, what experiences do you feel played an important role in shaping the person you grew up to be?
My experience of growing up with deaf parents allowed me to grow up quickly and instilled humbleness. They both gave me the work ethic and motivation that I could do anything. I had a passion early on to serve and help them as I do other in my life today. Missing one of your senses taught me patience, love, and grit.
Contact Info:
- Website: esrp.com
- Phone: 972-658-6624
- Email: saadia.sheikh@esrp.com
- Twitter: @thesaadiasheikh
Image Credit:
NTCAR
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