Suzy Hershman’s journey from learning to leadership

 

In this guest blog to celebrate International Women’s Day on 8 March, Suzy Hershman, Resolution Department Lead at mydeposits, shares her career journey – from embarking on a law degree in her 40s to becoming a leader in adjudication, resolution and education, Suzy’s story highlights the importance of self-belief, the power of mentorship, and how women are carving out successful careers in property through resilience, adaptability, and a passion for helping others.

 

Breaking into property later in life

I decided that 42 was a good age to study for a degree and chose law –  why keep it simple! Little did I know that once I finished this, it would lead to me considering my options during the 2008 recession – a period marked by a scarcity of job opportunities in the legal sector. But this turned out to be an opportunity, and the option I chose took me on a path to being the first of an adjudication team at mydeposits, just one year after the scheme started. The journey has had its challenges, but building self-confidence and self-belief was probably the steepest learning curve, while working in what was initially a very male orientated industry.

What 17 years has taught me is that a strong work ethic, good networking and communication skills, and a smile, go a long way.

 

Developing skills and becoming recognised as a potential leader

Learning the art of decision-making early in my career opened doors to mentorship opportunities and helped me recognise and develop other skills that led to training. First it was others following in my ‘adjudicator’ footsteps, and at least half of the original team I interviewed were women. Being recognised as a potential leader was not a given and I had to provide a robust business case and presentation to fill a gap in the leadership team for myself.

 

Stepping outside my comfort zone

What followed was the need to challenge myself and develop wider training and presentation skills. This involved making a huge leap on to the stage, outside my comfort zone, to educate the industry on best practice and how to avoid end of tenancy issues. Being 5’ 2” tall and a woman, even with the benefit of being on a stage, was another challenge I had to overcome when dealing with people who had been in the industry for years, thought they knew it all and were louder than me! It is these external training experiences that have been the steepest and had the biggest impact on my journey.

 

The power of the pause

Another big lesson was the power of the pause … staying silent when presenting, makes everyone stop and pay attention before hearing your next message and then giving others the opportunity to have their say. 

Taking leadership roles, first as an adjudication lead, then as an educational lead with my current passion of ‘plain and simple English across the ‘content piste’, for both mydeposits and Property Redress, allows me to bring all the skills together and mentor others. I’m pleased to say that I have seen a huge shift in the gender balance during my time working in the property industry.

 

Advice for women starting their careers in property

Building a career requires strength, perseverance, resilience and character. Doing a job well in this industry involves working and learning as you go, building a network and being confident that you can achieve, with the right skills. I would encourage any woman interested in working in property to remember Michelle Obama’s words, “Am I good enough? Yes, I am.”

Not everyone has the dependability of living in a secure property, whether through renting or owning, which makes the contributions of those within this industry even more significant. I have found the women I’ve met or worked with in this sector, whether through networking or direct collaboration, to be incredibly inspiring. It’s so important that women are represented across all areas of the industry, so when opportunities come up, be confident and go for it!

My experience has been a great one, my current team are mostly women from all backgrounds, who really inspire me. I am constantly in awe of their ability to deal with difficult people – could the reason be that they are more empathetic, patient and maybe less adversarial? We can leave that for the next debate…I left my boxing gloves at home.

 

For more insights from successful women in property, listen to recent episodes of The LandlordZONE podcast:

For other relevant reading from Total Property, see industry speaker and advisor at Landlord Action, Victoria Valentine’s article about her journey from frustrated landlord to award-winning estate agency owner. You can also read Total Landlord’s blog, ‘International Women’s Day: Celebrating the progress of women in property’.

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