Episode 008: Jillian Mariutti

Introduction:


Jillian Mariutti is a woman who in every sense of the word is
truly on a mission to make a difference. Raised from modest roots
in South Philadelphia with a great family, Jillian laid the
foundation for becoming the real estate rock star that she is as
a mathematics major at the University of Pennsylvania.
Thereafter, Jillian’s primary role after graduation was to sell
derivative products designed to mitigate a developer’s or owner’s
interest rate risk on floating rate products. During her career,
she has parlayed her quantitative abilities and relationship
building skills to help owners and developers secure debt and/or
capital to help them realize their dreams and visions. In the
winter of 2017, Jillian made like LeBron James and took her
talents to Mission Capital, where she continues to be a leader in
the world of commercial real estate finance.


Episode Notes:


At 3:27, Jillian Mariutti discusses being a visual learner,
learning from her colleagues, and how Mission Capital’s open
office format provides for idea generation and collaboration. At
5:21, she mentions the importance of knowing your strengths, and
also notes that she enjoys working with people and numbers. At
6:10, Jillian advises that she is continually fine tuning and
mastering her craft by leveraging the expertise of individuals
who have been in the industry for 30 to 40 years. At 7:22, she
explains that planning, structure and organization are all
crucial to her success. At 8:51, Jillian describes her morning
routine, which starts with waking up at 5:30 AM and soon
thereafter strengthening her mind and body through meditation and
exercise. At 9:26, she talks about the importance of working
hard, and at 9:49, Jillian dives into her recipe for success -
intense focus, commitment, massive action and a little bit of
luck. At 10:42, Jillian provides insight into networking,
creating and building relationships. At 11:34, she conveys that
her parents made education a priority, and how they sacrificed a
great deal to send her to an all-girl private high school.
Jillian also discusses graduating with top honors from the
University of Pennsylvania, and spending 10 years at Wachovia on
the derivatives desk. At 13:17, she discusses her passion to help
others, her goal to create a scholarship fund to send one girl
from South Philly every year to the private high school she
attended, and being a member of the Red Hook Initiative where she
tutors high schools students for the SAT and math. At 15:58,
Jillian notes that people like working with people who they not
only like, but also respect and who are passionate about what
they’re doing. At 17:02, she speaks about being a woman in a male
dominated industry, and how her former managing directors were
gender blind and treated her well (as long as she was producing).
At 19:23, Jillian provides us with some advice she received from
one of her mentors, and that there is only a glass ceiling if you
look for it. At 20:10, she describes how she dares to be
different, by bringing a unique layer and perspective to the
table and knowing the product better than anyone else. At 21:26,
Jillian advocates on behalf of Mission Capital’s work
environment, and talks about mentoring a young lady at Yeshiva
University. At 23:55, she notes that the first step to her
solving problems is by listening to her clients objectives, and
then seeking a solution. At 25:19, Jillian discusses how failing
and adversity is not always negative, and how it could lead to
good if handled correctly. At 28:32, she gives us her definition
of risk, and at 30:08 Jillian shares her “happy place” - the one
street in Philadelphia that her whole family lives on.