Thriving As A Woman In a Male-Dominated Industry: Nicole Beauchamp of Engel & Volkers On The Five Things You Need To Thrive and Succeed as a Woman In a Male Dominated Industry
An Interview With Ming Zhao
Comparison can be the thief of joy. Focus on knowing your strengths and what that brings to the table at any organization. Have confidence in your work and don’t be afraid to share and collaborate when it’s the right time.
In the United States in 2022, fields such as Aircraft piloting, Agriculture, Architecture, Construction, Finance, and Information technology, are still male-dominated industries. For a woman who is working in a male-dominated environment, what exactly does it take to thrive and succeed? In this interview series, we are talking to successful women who work in a Male-Dominated Industry who can share their stories and experiences about navigating work and life as strong women in a male-dominated industry. As a part of this series, we had the distinct pleasure of interviewing Nicole Beauchamp.
Nicole Beauchamp is a multi-lingual luxury global real estate advisor who is known for her expert command of the New York City real estate market and understanding its intricate intersection with the national and international real estate markets. Nicole is trusted and respected globally by clients and peers as an expert in data and financial analysis, negotiation, marketing and technology. Nicole is frequently quoted in media outlets such as the New York Times, Inman, Brick Underground, CBS, NBC and more!
Thank you so much for doing this with us! Before we dig in, our readers would like to get to know you a bit more. Can you tell us a bit about your childhood “backstory”?
I was born and raised in New York City. I attended NYC public schools, and went to university and graduate school in New York. I am one of three children (daughters), my parents wanted us to be practical and self-sufficient. One of my earliest passions was music. I started piano at the age of about 4 or 5, and picked up a second instrument in middle school, but was encouraged to do what I love. Also was taught to be sure I could stand on my own two feet without needing to rely on a significant other/spouse.
Can you tell us the story about what led you to this particular career path?
As I mentioned, one of my great passions was music, but I was similarly intrigued and good with language and mathematics, so while I was a serious conservatory bound classical musician, I put just as much energy into being in honors and advanced classes. I skipped one grade in elementary school. It would have been more but there was concern about social adjustment. So it was natural for me to study economics and philosophy (and later statistics). I was able to bring that set of skills to a successful career in finance . I pivoted from finance to real estate, initially as a referral revenue stream and then later decided to become a full time selling agent.
Can you share the most interesting story that happened to you since you began your career?
I remember working in finance and technology, at a time, when the few women in the offices were usually support staff, not in executive track positions. I was routinely mistaken for the assistants of individuals, who in fact often reported to me, and not vice versa. I was once reviewing a proposal, and a potential vendor came in, insisting they needed to talk to the executive in charge of giving the green light. We let them give the presentation and were not amongst the chosen finalists. When they asked for feedback, they were told that aside from not being the right fit, their approach in working, or rather disregarding an executive because they were a woman, was not going to be conducive to a productive working relationship.
You are a successful business leader. Which three character traits do you think were most instrumental to your success? Can you please share a story or example for each?
I believe in the power of collaboration and teamwork. Understanding human dynamics, and knowing that naturally some people will not be as outspoken in some environments as others. So as a leader, it is my job to cultivate and nurture relationships and future leaders to think of succession planning. There is a great deal of work and communication that goes on in between the calendared gatherings with chair boards, committees or meetings. These days alot of it can be conducted via zoom or other digital means, but I am still a fan of touching base over coffee, a walk or even a workout class.
Ok, thank you for that. Let’s now jump to the primary focus of our interview. Can you help articulate a few of the biggest obstacles or challenges you’ve had to overcome while working in a male-dominated industry?
Being a person of color in a male dominated industry was exhausting. Keeping a keen awareness of stereotypes, and positioning during every interaction as to not fall into common tropes. It means working multiples times harder to prove that you belong and deserve a seat at the table, on your own merit, not because of any initiatives.
Can you share a few of the things you have done to gain acceptance among your male peers and the general work community? What did your female co-workers do? Can you share some stories or examples?
Having impeccable knowledge and skill sets. Truly being a master of your subject matter/craft and even then its possible to be seen as less than, but when you can, as they say “hold your own”.
My leadership style is one of quiet confidence and transparency while being inherently collaborative. I feel everyone contributes and brings value to an organization.
What do you think male-oriented organizations can do to enhance their recruiting efforts to attract more women?
Get everyone involved. Even though there may be some who aren’t as enthusiastic, it’s important to make sure the space is appropriate and feels comfortable for women to step into. Create female-friendly work benefits and demonstrate that you support women in your organization. Open up leadership opportunities to women.
Ok thank you for all of that. Here is the main question of our interview. Based on your opinion and experience, what are the “Five Things You Need To Thrive and Succeed as a Woman In a Male-Dominated Industry?” (Please share a story or example for each.)
- Having a mentor is critical. It’s always good to have someone with you along the way to help coach you and be able to answer any questions you may have.
- Comparison can be the thief of joy. Focus on knowing your strengths and what that brings to the table at any organization. Have confidence in your work and don’t be afraid to share and collaborate when it’s the right time.
- There is still not only a gender gap but the pay disparity between men and women. Understanding what your salary angles are and be more proactive in negotiating on your behalf. Don’t be afraid to ask for what you deserve.
If you had a close woman friend who came to you with a choice of entering a field that is male-dominated or female-dominated, what would you advise her? Would you advise a woman friend to start a career in a field or industry that’s traditionally been mostly men? Can you explain what you mean?
I would strongly suggest that they examine the company and if possible try to connect with them to find out more about the working environment. There will be a plethora of microaggressions, no matter how inclusive an environment is. Some of these will be intentional, and others will be unintentional. Be prepared to stand up for yourself and what you need at the workplace. Balancing that with your responsibilities, as they may exist outside of the workplace can also be complicated. Be the subject matter expert, without dispute, in your field and bring your voice to the table.
Have you seen things change for women working in male-dominated industries, over the past ten years? How do you anticipate that it might improve in the future? Can you please explain what you mean?
I have seen more women in my previous fields and have even mentored many. It has been great to see more women pursuing typically male dominated fields of study, getting advanced degrees in these fields and entering the workforce in those industries. Women expressing more confidence and with the advent of many of these social media platforms, there is less of the shying away from one’s accomplishments. Your work will speak for itself, but you need to speak and advocate for yourself, your brand and your subject matter expertise as well.
We are very blessed that some very prominent names in Business, VC funding, Sports, and Entertainment read this column. Is there a person in the world, or in the US with whom you would love to have a private breakfast or lunch with, and why? He or she might just see this if we tag them.
I would really enjoy a meeting with Arlan Hamilton. I think I initially discovered Arlan in my social feeds because of posts that literally had ZERO to do with VC/Business but led me to admire (from afar) her approach and accomplishments, while remaining unapologetically true to who she is.
Thank you for these fantastic insights. We greatly appreciate the time you spent on this.
