WHER Chat: Veteran-Owned & Women-Owned Businesses

WHER Chat: Veteran-Owned & Women-Owned Businesses

In honor of V-J Day, commemorating the end of World War II and the bravery of our veteran soldiers, NDILC member Erica Courtney, President of 2020vet and Zulu Time, U.S. Army Aviation, Major NATO Gender Advisor, highlights serious resource shortfalls for America’s women veterans face as entrepreneurs that the nation must be prepared to face in the near future in our 2020 NAWRB WHER, Volume III: Business Ownership.

Veteran women entrepreneurs possess traits that make them ideal business owners. Due to military training and knowledge, veterans are dependable, conditioned to make hard decisions, have integrity, take initiative and can adapt easily to challenging and evolving situations—all characteristics of a successful business owner. These women may see entrepreneurship as a means to prosper on their own terms by being their own boss.

This is a great time to be a woman veteran entrepreneur as we are the fastest-growing segment within the entrepreneurship community increasing by an astonishing 296 percent since 2007. Some of the reasons include a slight increase in women veterans; they are building businesses out of necessity; 40 percent of veterans are going into business for themselves as compared to the 10 percent Vietnam era entrepreneurs; more veterans have disability ratings than in wars past due to technology and better equipment; recent positive legislative changes; demand for third party corporate certification; and more available resources in terms of capital, education, and counseling.

It is important to note that despite the hurdles, veteran business owners have proven to be twice as successful in terms of revenue and business longevity, are twice as likely to hire other veterans, and contribute over $1.14T in sales receipts, $195B in annual payroll and employ over 5.03M employees. In 2012, veteran women-owned businesses were responsible for nearly 20 billion in receipts – an increase of 26.3 percent since 2007.

Veteran women continue to serve the United States by reinvesting and devoting themselves to the future, not through military service but through entrepreneurship. They are no stranger to hurdles and overcoming barriers as many dealt with this routinely while serving in a male-dominated profession. They are strong, smart, and driven, but we must understand specific challenges they face so we can help them be successful. 

Through entrepreneurship, many of the issues the community faces subside. Instead of masking the problem through medication prescribed at record rates, healthcare systems trying to keep up with a new demographic, and job placement programs in which the majority of veterans quit by year two, let’s put our efforts towards something that is working. It is not only a moral imperative that we take care of them but an economic one as well.

Find out more about NAWRB and how you can get involved and be a partner here!

About 2020 NAWRB WHER

The NAWRB Women Housing Ecosystem Report (WHER), our annual research report, provides the vision to revitalize communication and partnerships between industries as we work together to form mindful strategic solutions for social impact with a gender lens achievement. The 2020 NAWRB WHER includes the most diverse coverage of the Housing Ecosystem with almost eighty resources in six volumes: Diversity, Equity & Inclusion; Real Estate; Business Ownership; STEM; Access to Capital; and Aging Population. While waiting for the release of 2020 WHER, order a copy of the 2019 NAWRB WHER here!

 

WHER Chat: Imperatives of the Commercial Real Estate Industry During COVID-19

 

In 2020 NAWRB WHER, Volume II: Real Estate, we explore how the real estate industry is navigating COVID-19 challenges and utilizing technology as a solution. The industry must accomplish crucial initiatives during the pandemic to ensure the commercial real estate sector’s sustainability and reliability in the future.

1. Earning the respect, trust, and loyalty of customers and employees: In this time of uncertainty, leading operators are learning the importance of communicating to the point of overcommunication to make sure they are fully understanding and attending to their tenants’ needs at this moment and helping to protect everyone in their ecosystem. This may make communication as a company-level brand, rather than a property-level brand, more common, thereby speeding up an existing market trend.

In B2B environments, such as offices and retail stores, CEOs, and management teams are finding it helpful to asset managers and property managers by engaging directly with tenants. By interacting with the tenants directly, they not only address their needs more efficiently but also create a more trusting relationship with tenants who feel like they are being heard and valued.

2. Centralizing cash management: Prior to COVID-19, the McKinsey report notes that real estate was highly decentralized as important decisions regarding cash flow were made at the property level. However, due to the duration and depth of this crisis, which seems to have no end in sight in the United States, top management is now taking the initiative of centralized direction on property-level cash management in addition to company-level balance-sheet decisions and credit lines. As stated by the report, “All levels of management—including those at the property level and company level—are beginning to identify efficiency levers and when to pull them based on the underlying performance of properties and the business as a whole.”

3. Making tailored and informed decisions: Even within a single asset, needs will vary among tenants, particularly in commercial lease concessions. Real estate leaders are utilizing available behavioral data to generate fact-based insights that can help them make more informed decisions tailored to the needs of their diverse tenants (rather than a “one-size-fits-all” decision approach). They have data on local epidemiological and economic scenarios, competitive assets around a property, and the impact of the crisis on individual tenants.

4. Taking the digital leap: As we mentioned earlier, professionals in residential real estate have already taken the leap in digital sales and leasing processes, such as using virtual open houses and showings (sometimes augmented and virtual reality), as well omnichannel, targeted, and personalized sales. All of these tools are also available to the commercial real estate market in allowing their prospective tenants to find the right space for themselves.

5. Rethinking the future of real estate: Some landlords and lenders in the commercial real estate sector are looking ahead and preparing for how a business will change after the crisis is over. However, professionals are broadening their resources to include psychologists, sociologists, futurists, and technologists in addition to traditional economic or customer-survey-driven approaches. Some of the questions real estate professionals will have to ask include: “Will employees demand larger and more enclosed workspaces? Will people decide not to live in condominiums for fear of having to ride elevators?” By extending their research to include interdisciplinary resources and experts, business leaders will possibly find creative, informed solutions to these unprecedented challenges facing the industry.

About 2020 NAWRB WHER

The NAWRB Women Housing Ecosystem Report (WHER), our annual research report, provides the vision to revitalize communication and partnerships between industries as we work together to form mindful strategic solutions for social impact with a gender lens achievement. The 2020 NAWRB WHER includes the most diverse coverage of the Housing Ecosystem with almost eighty resources in six volumes: Diversity, Equity & Inclusion; Real Estate; Business Ownership; STEM; Access to Capital; and Aging Population. While waiting for the release of 2020 WHER, order a copy of the 2019 NAWRB WHER here!

FDIC Names Five New Members to Its Systemic Resolution Advisory Committee

As it is quite well known, the Great Depression that started in 1929 had a devastating toll on the American economy, people, and spirit. Because of this, Franklin D. Roosevelt signed the 1933 Glass-Seagall Act which created the Federal Deposit Insurance Corporation. Through this, a new government agency was born to maintain stability and foster public confidence in national banks by insuring depositors in the case of bank failures. Eighty-seven years later, the FDIC still strives to protect depositors by insuring $250,000 per individual.

In 2011, the FDIC created the Systemic Resolution Advisory Committee (SRAC) in order to provide the FDIC with resources and solutions to a variety of financial issues and companies. With 16 members, the SRAC strives to analyze how the FDIC’s authority under the Dodd-Frank Act of 2010 can impact covered individuals and more.

On July 23rd, the FDIC named five new members to the committee. In addition to the current eleven members of the SRAC, the five new members are Dr. Ben S. Bernanke, Gary Cohn, Hon. Robert Drain, Timothy J. Mayopoulos, and Sandie O’Conner. Committee members are chosen based on their wide range of experience in managing complex firms; administering bankruptcies; and working in the legal system, accounting field, and academia.

Click here to view the press release!

Planet Ocean

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Covering over 70% of the earth’s surface, the ocean impacts every human being on the planet, but she means something different to everyone. 

The ocean fills the spirit of many, bringing peace and wonder with its meditative waves and unending mystery below the surface. She is life sustaining, providing oxygen for every other breath we take. She drives an economy, employing thousands through the fishing, transportation, hospitality, and restaurant industries. She shields us against climate change, absorbing 30% of carbon dioxide and regulating global weather patterns. And she offers promise to health and medical fields with compounds found in corals and sponges for treatments in cancer, arthritis, Alzheimer’s and other diseases. There are scores of books written about the human-water connection, or as Walter J Nichols calls it, the “Blue Mind”. Take a moment to consider what the ocean means to you. 

When you have an opportunity to take a good, long look at the ocean along the California coast, you will very likely see surfers and dolphins riding waves, whale spouts or breaches, and ships on the horizon. What you do not see are the fish and deep sea corals that are the very foundation of a healthy ocean, and feeding ground for the whales, dolphins and sea birds. Nor do you see the towering kelp forests off the coast that are home to over 1,000 species of animals and plants, and rocky reefs that explode with marine critters from elusive sharks to the endangered black sea bass. 

These deep sea ecosystems have been battling many threats over the past fifty years, including irresponsible and destructive fishing practices, invasive species, and climate change. Such threats have taken a toll on the parts of the ocean you cannot see. The great news is that with California’s Marine Protected Area program, we have the policy, technology and the tools to help her recover. When you can see a problem you can solve a problem. You may not be able to dive to 300 meters, but Marine Research & Exploration (MARE) can! With our specialized robotic submarines, MARE brings that deep sea to you, as well as to those responsible for making the rules about how we use our ocean through MPAs, our blue parks. 

Marine Protected Areas are similar to national parks and forests; they are designated areas in the ocean that are monitored and managed to protect fish and invertebrates like octopus and lobster, and restore valuable habitats, like corals. With minimal human disruption through limited or restricted activity, such as fishing, marine life and habitat living in the MPAs are expected to revive and thrive. We know they are successful when we see a rebound in fish abundance and other marine critters both inside the MPA boundaries, and especially beyond the invisible boundary lines. Many recent scientific studies show that MPAs are working, and we are increasingly seeing more, and bigger, fish. For instance, a 2012 study off the coast of Santa Barbara found that lobsters were more abundant and larger within the designated refuge. In another study, MARE was able to show a 270% increase in fish inside the reserve over a decade of protection; this increase was seen outside of the MPA, as well, which made the fishing community very happy.

“People protect what they love, they love what they understand and they understand what they are taught.” – Jacques-Yves Cousteau

California’s blue parks are a powerful solution to bring our ocean back to her previous health. A recent study in the journal, Nature, indicates “MPAs represent a necessary and powerful recovery wedge across multiple components of the ocean ecosystem.” This idea is catching on: in 2000, only 0.9% of the ocean was protected, but MPAs now cover 7.4%. Scientists recommend that 30% protected by 2030 are the magic numbers to aim for in order to sustain our ocean’s health. With the current rate of protections like MPAs year over year, this is an achievable goal.

MPAs are just one tool in the toolbox to protect our ocean. Anyone and everyone can help ocean conservation. A dump truck’s worth of plastic enters the ocean each minute, 8 million tons annually. Researchers have predicted there will be more plastic than fish on the ocean by 2050. On the consumer side, we can all bring more intention to eliminating the need for single use plastics that end up in the ocean. There is an opportunity on the innovation side to develop more sustainable alternatives, too. Purchasing power extends to food choices. With over 3 billion people depending on the ocean for their primary source of protein, the ocean’s food security is neither infinite nor invincible. The global “we” can and are depleting [it: 90 percent of the largest ocean fish, like Atlantic salmon, tuna, halibut, and swordfish are gone. Apps and sites like www.seafoodwatch.org help all of us make more informed seafood choices.

No matter how you personally use the ocean – to swim, to fish, to dive, to deliver your favorite seafood dish – a healthy ocean benefits everyone. So breathe deeply. Close your eyes and let the sound of the waves wash over you. And know that you have a vital role to play in her renaissance. 

About MARE

As an earlier adopter of the MPA strategy, California has been a leader in ocean health solutions and is decades ahead of many coastal governments. Marine Research & Exploration (MARE) has been working with the state for over 16 years to monitor and document ocean health. Using proprietary marine technology, MARE brings critical information and imagery to those who govern our state waters, so that they know what to protect and why. We also show, with pictures, video and data, that MPAs have been effective in California, which benefits everyone in the state.  During these unprecedented times, we appreciate all donations of time, treasure and talent to assist in the intelligent management of our oceans.  To learn more, tune into our discussion on Know the Rules of the Game podcast. Thank you in advance!

ERIN O’TooleDirector of Development at Marine, Applied Research & Exploration (MARE)

 

Kellie Aamodt, Board Member of Marine Applied Research & Exploration (MARE), and Former UPS, VP of Corporate Inside Sales 

* See this Article and many more in it’s original publication at https://issuu.com/nawrb/docs/nawrb_mag_vol9_issue1 

Unemployment Rate Hits 50-Year Low in September

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The unemployment rate, or the jobless rate, dropped 0.2 percentage points to 3.5 percent in September 2019, marking the lowest rate since December 1969, according to the Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS). When discouraged workers and the underemployed are factored in, the rate has still declined 0.3 percentage points to 6.9 percent, matching its lowest in almost 19 years and near the all-time low of 6.8 percent. 

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NAWRB Introduces Weekly WHER Chat Series

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In honor of the release of the 2019 NAWRB Women Housing Ecosystem Report (WHER), NAWRB invites the housing and real estate community to participate in the WHER Chat series to discuss key topics and themes in the report. Each week, we will post a “WHER Chat” blog with a different topic for public discussion. Professionals and industry experts are encouraged to bring their unique perspective and overlooked problems or issues to create an informative and engaging dialogue regarding the dynamic ecosystem.

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NAWRB Brought Together Senior Leadership Executives from Most Diverse Array of Industries in the Housing Ecosystem with a Gender Lens

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The 2019 NAWRB 10th Anniversary Conference, Redefining Leadership, has passed, but for all the senior executive and industry expert participants, this is just the beginning of newfound relationships and forward-thinking dialogues that were formed during this informative and invigorating professional mastermind event.  NAWRB would like to thank Veronica Miracle of ABC7 Eyewitness News, Tami Bonnell of Exit Realty International, and Erica Courtney of ZuluTime for serving as Master of Ceremonies.

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Advertising Deadline for NAWRB Magazine Special Edition, Redefining Leadership: Sept. 10th, 2019

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The 2019 NAWRB 10th Anniversary Conference, Redefining Leadership, brought together industry leaders and senior executives from across many industries in the economic ecosystem earlier this month. The upcoming NAWRB Magazine Special Edition: Redefining Leadership will recapture the synergy and eye-opening conversations with exclusive coverage of our professional mastermind event. Companies who want to be a part of this incredible issue must submit their advertisements by September 10th, 2019. 

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Government Panel: Consumer & Business Opportunities – News Channel Speakers

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There are hundreds of thousands of individuals working in the government, and NAWRB is bringing together government officials representing five different industries and oversight agencies for endless collaboration opportunities during the Government Panel at the upcoming 2019 NAWRB Conference, Redefining Leadership, on August 4th-6th in Pasadena, CA. 

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California’s Cooling Housing Market to Continue into 2020

The latest UCLA Anderson Forecast of California’s economic and housing market reports that housing will continue to cool into the year 2020 despite current job growth and strong economy. The economists attribute the weakening to falling home prices in major markets and decreased demand.

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