Episode 018: Faith Hope Consolo

Introduction:


It is time my friends to channel one of the many great songs by
Billy Joel – namely that of “Keeping the Faith” – as today we are
lucky to have with us none other than the “Queen of Retail”
herself, a woman whose passion, skill set, leadership and
relentless and not-so-shy nature has helped play a significant
role in the revitalization of Times Square and Penn Station, as
well as that of Fifth Avenue and Madison Avenue ... yes, the one
and only “Ya Gotta’ Have” Faith Hope Consolo! As Chairman of the
Douglas Elliman Retail Group, given her vast global and national
retail knowledge, experience and business savvy, Faith continues
to make a difference and be a driving force in the retail sector.


 


Episode Notes:


At 1:58, Faith Hope Consolo shares being one of a handful of
women in the commercial real estate industry back when she first
started her career in real estate. At 3:07, Faith notes the
importance of getting involved in organizations because they can
be stepping stones in a multitude of ways. At 4:00, she talks
about going back to school at NYU, and getting a degree in real
estate. At 5:40, Faith tell us about her initial training in
architecture and interior design, and how this background has
helped her in the retail space. At 6:43, she said, “I sat at the
knee and listened” (to her senior mentors during her training
years). At 8:40, Faith discusses one’s work ethic, along with the
different mindsets of individuals in this industry. At 9:12, she
mentions, “I get up every day likes it is the first day, no
matter what happened the day before.” At 10:09, Faith dives into
being a deal junkie, and why she must make the deal no matter the
size and/or if it pro bono. At 12:16, she enlightens us as to how
she brings unity to the communities she leases space in. At 14:35
and 15:49 respectively, Faith believes that there is enough
business to go around, and if one is strong (and you know what
kind of person you are), you will prevail. At 16:20, she shares
that she is a ferocious reader, who likes to obtain her news in
both print and online. At 17:38, Faith talks about everyone
wanting to hit the homerun deal, and suggests alternatively, also
to try and hit a few singles. At 19:59, she discusses women
having a voice, and investing in one self. At 22:52, Faith
suggests that listening skills have to be acquired. At 23:50, she
notes that the industry is changing all the time, and how one
must embrace all available channels (even if you dislike social
media). At 27:48, Faith said, “The market moves, and we move with
the market.” At 29:55, she informs that she doesn’t dwell on or
beat herself up on the mistakes she has made in the past. At
33:11, Faith closes the door on the podcast with advice for those
starting their careers (including the topic of putting your ego
aside).