March is a celebration of Women’s History Month and a national opportunity to highlight women and their roles in all different types of industry. For Brock Built Homes Sales Consultant Makeda McCray, CHLMS having self-confidence is a great way to stand out in the male-dominated homebuilding industry. Read more about how Makeda is impacting our company, culture and industry. What piece of advice would you give to any woman in the homebuilding industry? Self-confidence is key as a woman in the homebuilding industry. You are surrounded by knowledgeable construction teams speaking construction lingo, a multitude of processes that get you from point of sale to closing, and not to mention dealing with a myriad of buyer personalities and needs. This can be extremely intimidating and overwhelming so don’t be afraid to ask for help. Asking for help requires strength and is a pertinent part of your learning and growth in this industry. ORGANIZE. My daily and weekly spreadsheet updates keep me sane! To be successful in this business you have to be able to manage a neighborhood, sell homes, keep updated paperwork, schedule appointments and address a host of other tasks. Organization not only helps you keep up with day-to-day duties but also shows professionalism that will propel you to the next level. What brought you into the homebuilding industry? In 2016, I made the wild decision to quit my full-time job and pursue a career in general real estate. After 6 months of productivity coaching and hundreds of FSBO calls later I knew that although I loved the industry, I definitely wanted to experience it in a different capacity. I was familiar with a particular home builder during this time and decided to apply. I knew that it was extremely competitive, and most companies were not interested in hiring a real estate agent with little to no experience, but I had faith it would work out. About a week after I applied, I was invited to interview with the VP of Sales and the rest is history. I’ve been super devoted and dedicated to being best agent since. What does it mean to you be a woman in real estate/homebuilding industry? To be a woman in the home building industry is to be an underrepresented leader making a significant impact and progressive change to what New Construction typically looks like. Being a woman in this industry makes me feel strong and accomplished because I bring forth a unique skill set that is worthy to be shared and can impact every path that can be taken in this industry. A number of studies and articles state that women make up less than 10% of the home building industry so there is definitely room for more bold, fearless and confident women. 
Words of advice to young girls who want to be in real estate/homebuilding? My advice for young girls who want to be in real estate/ homebuilding would be to learn about this side of the industry. Real estate in this capacity is a little harder to break into because there are some amazing agents who work in home building so it can be especially competitive. The next piece of advice is one that not a lot of people will tell you so here it is: once you join a home building company, BE PATIENT. The income may not come immediately but do not give up. I sat at my first ever neighborhood for an entire year without a closing, but my mentor and good friend told me to keep pushing. She was confident that I was built for this business and that the financial success I was seeking was on the way. Another thing no one won’t tell you, you may not even be placed at the neighborhood of your choice, but if you put all that you have into making connections and learning everything about your neighborhood from buyer profiles to why buyers choose the competition you will be successful. After all, you were built for this. What advice would you give to your 18-year-old self? My advice would be to enjoy the journey. Don’t forget to celebrate the small milestones and goals achieved. Take breaks! You are going to love what you do so much that it will often not seem like work at all but self-care without feeling guilty is a discipline that will not come easily to you. It will get hard, you will fail, you will be lonely moving from city to city working to achieve huge goals but do not doubt that you are on the path that was created for you. What advice would you give to young girls about fulfilling their dreams? Do not give up! If you wake up in the morning excited and filled with joy about the dreams you have laid out, strive for them. Do one thing every day that will get you closer to your dreams, no matter how small because any forward movement towards your dreams is a step in the right direction. Do not allow ANYTHING to get in the way of achieving the dreams you cannot go a day without thinking about. Harness, embrace and become an expert in your craft because people recognize an expert. I’ve learned that being an expert in your craft creates a heightened level of self-confidence which is the key in offsetting any fear or reluctance you may experience on the hard days. Last but certainly not least, GET STARTED! Starting is the hardest part however I believe that if you were given the vision, then you were given everything that you need to accomplish the goal.