How to succeed in (real estate) business
Author: Anne Benge
Gina Champion-Cain, a well-known San Diego real estate developer, investor and restauranteur, surprised the audience at a recent Commercial Real Estate Women (CREW) San Diego presentation by admitting to being a strong introvert. Who better than someone who finds "working a room" to be out of her comfort zone to advise others about a winning formula for business success?
As CEO of American National Investments, a retail, office and hospitality development firm, and owner of LuvSurf, a multi-faceted real estate, hospitality and branded merchandise company, Champion-Cain has created significant commercial and residential buildings as well as signature restaurants, a vacation rental business, a coffee roasting company, an apparel brand and more.
As the featured speaker at the CREW Legacy Member-exclusive event, Champion-Cain focused on the role of creativity as a pillar of her success. The mental exercises she experienced through her philosophy major at University of Michigan, she said, as well as with her studies in law school, has been far more useful to her in business than her MBA. Creative and critical thinking has helped her recognize what an opportunity could be rather than just taking it at face value.
Having a diverse educational background, or even one that's just different from many of your peers, can be leveraged as an advantage. She challenges those who work for her to come with solutions, not problems, and advised the audience to "start off the conversation with 'I have a solution' before you even say there is a problem."
Champion-Cain also recommended letting go of fear -- particularly -- the fear of failing. She told the audience that she always knew she would be able to make money, whether that required waitressing or developing a building. Confidence is there for the taking, and she said that self-confidence has been her most important asset in business. Don't succumb to peer pressure or self-doubt, she advised.
Seeking out the right mentors can also bolster your confidence and help gain a new perspective. When Champion-Cain once asked one of her mentors about leadership, he confided that the secret to his success was surrounding himself with people smarter than him.
He also told her to lead with what she knows. For example, his strength was in relationships rather than financials, sales or other aspects of business. Accordingly, he made sure to leverage his interpersonal skills to achieve the goals he had for the company.
For Champion-Cain, leveraging her creativity and curiosity has served her well and guided many business decisions. She wants to be excited about her investments, and knowing and caring about her business ventures has led to making sound investment decisions as well as gaining more control over her money than she might have through a conventional retirement account. "Know where your money is," she recommended.
Another part of her winning formula for business success? Hard work. "I've worked like a dog," she said. Her hard work has been well recognized with many achievement awards and even a "Gina Champion-Cain Day" reserved by a former San Diego mayor. CREW San Diego, along with many others San Diegans, is excited to see what Champion-Cain has in store for the future.
Anne Benge is CEO of Cultura and a CREW San Diego Legacy member.