She was told she was too ambitious. She resigned, and went on to run CREW Network.
In this episode of CRE Unplugged, Ryan Elazari sits down with Alison Beddard, CEO of CREW Network, the global business network advancing women in commercial real estate. Alison did not start in the industry. She was a Delta flight attendant who ran a nightclub and a property management company before entering commercial brokerage at 29. She made $6,000 her first year.
She walks through the career that followed, including the day she became the first woman to lead a major brokerage and professional services firm in her state. Twelve brokers left within 30 days, and she was later reported for being too ambitious and favoring women. She resigned, took 60 days to reset, and rebuilt in the Pacific Northwest.
Alison also responds to a viral LinkedIn post arguing women-only industry events send the wrong message, explains why her network still matters, and shares advice for women starting out: talk to real people, know your why, and make three real connections at every event. For operators, brokers, and leaders, this is a direct look at what it costs to lead in a male-dominated industry and what actually helps.
Show Notes:
00:00: Welcome to CRE Unplugged
02:27: Coffee, sailing, and daily rituals
08:23: From flight attendant to commercial real estate
13:25: The first year in brokerage
21:45: Building a leadership career
37:55: What CREW Network is building
41:51: Are women-only industry events the answer?
48:22: Leading as a woman and LGBTQ CEO
55:42: Advice for women starting out
1:02:03: Where to find Alison and CREW Network
1:04:43: Ryan's recap
ABOUT THE GUEST
Alison Beddard is CEO of CREW Network, a global business network with more than 14,000 members in 86 markets across the U.S., Canada, and Europe. A former Delta flight attendant, she spent 20 years in commercial real estate, served as CREW Network Global President in 2017, and became CEO a year ago.
CONNECT WITH ALISON
LinkedIn: linkedin.com/in/alison-beddard-40264327
CREW Network: crewnetwork.org
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🏢 ABOUT CRE UNPLUGGED
Real, unfiltered conversations about where commercial real estate is actually going. Covering AI, innovation, and the human side of the industry that nobody else is talking about. Hosted by Ryan Elazari.
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