2019 Women in Real Estate: Mindy Stern, Schwartz Sladkus Reich Greenberg Atlas, LLP

Name: Mindy Stern

Title: Partner

Company Name: Schwartz Sladkus Reich Greenberg Atlas, LLP (SSRGA)

What is your favorite motivational quote?
“If they don’t give you a seat at the table, bring a folding chair” ~ Shirley Chisolm.

How do you hold your own in a negotiation?
Everyone must walk away with something. Sometimes it’s win/win, other times no lose/no lose. But neither side can walk away feeling like they’ve lost. So how do I find, and then satisfy, each side’s hot buttons? By listening to what’s not being said as much as what’s being said, figuring out what the other side really needs, knowing what my client needs, and using that to get to yes.

What was one of your biggest accomplishments in the last 12 months?
Last year I trekked 120 miles in 11 days in Nepal, reaching a height of 17,769 ft. above sea level at the Thorong La Pass, almost 200 ft. above sea level higher than the Mt. Everest base camp. As someone who grew up in the city where we did (and I still do) plenty of walking but mostly at or near sea level, this was particularly rewarding.

What books, blogs, podcasts, resources or influencers would you recommend to women?
Two must-reads: “The President’s Club” by Michael Duffy and Nancy Gibbs – a fascinating study of leadership and, just as important, the transition of leadership; and “Becoming” by Michelle Obama. Michelle’s story, told in her distinctive voice, of how a young girl from the South Side of Chicago wound up in the White House, and how she kept her moral compass, her decency, her desire to help others, her sanity and her good humor along the way, is very inspiring. Last but certainly not least, the notorious RBG is a force of nature.

Who inspired you to join the CRE Industry?
My law school professor, who taught real estate law with such enthusiasm, it was infectious. I have never regretted my decision. Helping for profit and not-for-profit entities and individuals buy, sell, finance and lease real estate is enormously rewarding and great fun.

What is the best advice you have received, and who was it from?
It is all too easy to fall into the trap of thinking you’re not as good as the next person–not as smart, not as accomplished, or the converse–that you are entitled to have a swelled head and be disrespectful to others. One of the best pieces of advice I received long ago from my father, who remains a touchstone for me, is that, “We all put our pants on one leg at a time.”

What recent project or transaction are you most proud of?
A multi-million dollar acquisition and financing involving the laws of three states and a 1031 exchange deadline that had to (and did) close in three weeks.