Anne Chang, Founder & Principal of JadeStone Real Estate Consulting, believes that experience-sharing and support for others are essential to growth professionally and personally. It is also a leader’s responsibility. Thus, Anne has been a pivotal part of the growth of her team members and her company. Armed with a passion for approaching every situation with positive energy, harmony, and strength, Anne has built a great company culture.

She has been empowering, enriching, and enhancing people, whether within the company or with others outside the company. “My way of being supportive is via open-minded sharing about my vision, knowledge and experience, network, resources, so that other business owners can have a more efficient and effective way of establishing their paths and success,” she says.

“I believe that we need to be the leader to our inner self first before we can be the lead of others. Hence how we see ourselves and build ourselves is the basic and very essentially important step. I ask ‘How would you like people or your colleagues and business associates to think of you?’ ‘How will they describe you?’, then you focus on those qualities and build your qualities.”

Anne encourages her team members to focus on fundamental values and long-term vision. She strongly advises leaders always to keep the role of an advisor in the profession, focusing on listening, analyzing, communicating, problem-solving and solution-oriented thinking. “Be willing to share your growth and success, especially to give back to the community, whether big or small. What matters is your constantly connecting yourself with the community and see yourself a part of the community,” she states.

In her more than two decades in the real estate industry, Anne has thoroughly enjoyed what she does and has given and received constant support from her circle of influence. “The business opportunities of servicing the clients are constant, even throughout the crises we went through in 9/11, financial crisis, and COVID,” explains Anne. “I would define that I had success along each role I have played, and that success really came from the support I’ve received from so many, including the colleagues and the clients.” What the steadfast leader can reflect on this and share with others, especially those in her industry, is embracing one’s profession or what they do with passion and doing it with all their passion.

“Let that positive energy shine as you grow. And the way to earn the others is through your complete package of passion, energy, knowledge, how you communicate, and efforts you are willing to put in to achieve the results,” Anne advises every leader. “Give back to your community. As we believe in our role of connecting with our community, we make efforts to organize seminars and events that bring our colleagues, network, and community together for good causes.

We collaborate with non-profit organizations, real estate developers, and community business leaders to utilize the resources together and bring maximum results with minimal costs to achieve the desired outcomes.” For example, JadeStone’s annual Halloween Party for a Good Cause is one of the traditions. Through the gatherings, they build a sense of togetherness with a common goal, give back and help the ones in need.

For the days to come, Anne wants to work more systematically with which she can share her personal and professional journeys. “Your Trusted Team for New York Properties” has been the role JadeStone defines itself, and Anne will continue to be able to take the company to new heights and have more agents who believe in this vision to join the JadeStone team as they grow. “I’d like to continue building and maintaining my core happiness in positive energy, activities, and causes I believe in. In a more systematic way, I will make it easier to share with others about my personal journey,” elucidates Anne. “JadeStone will continue its role of being “Your Trusted Team for New York Properties” as well as its role in the community. Furthermore, we’d like to be a key part of our real estate industry professional networking in sharing to empower, enrich and enhance each other.” WL

Dr. Vivyonne Ewing is a powerful force for getting things done and positively impacting the business sector and the community. She leads an organization that is 140 years old and changes the lives of vulnerable children and families daily. Children’s Square serves 1,000 children and families a day through life-changing programs and services, which include an early learning childcare center, special needs school for children, youth psychiatric residential treatment facility, foster care, children’s emergency shelter, integrated health services, behavior health intervention services, children and adolescent outpatient mental and behavioral health services, and aftercare program for youth who have aged out of the foster care system.

Dr. Vivyonne is a native of Omaha, Nebraska. She is a powerhouse business executive, community leader, author, results-oriented consultant, and sought-after motivational public speaker. She attended the University of Nebraska at Omaha for her Bachelor’s Degree in Public Administration and a Master’s Degree in Urban Studies. Because she is an overachiever, Dr. Vivyonne earned her Ph.D. from the University of Nebraska at Lincoln in three years.

The pioneering leader is the founder and president of The Ewing Group, a company she started to catapult companies, individuals, and women to success, assist individuals in becoming small business owners, and provide consulting for corporations, universities, and community organizations. She also serves as an executive coach and mentor.

Dr. Vivyonne exceeds expectations and helps others do the same. She is dedicated to helping organizations and individuals make positive changes to reach their potential. She conducts seminars focused on: Leadership, Organizational Development, Communications, Change Management, Succession Planning, Career Development, Healthy Living, and Spiritual Growth. Her motivational book Yes, You Can Have Your Cake and Eat It Too is available through major book outlets and retailers.

Her dedication to the community has made a significant impact. Dr. Vivyonne’s present and past community leadership includes service to many organizations, including the Chair Salvation Army Board, the University of Nebraska Medical Center Board of Councilors, the University of Nebraska at Omaha Alumni Board, the College of Public Affairs Advisory Council, the University of Nebraska at Omaha Chancellor’s Diversity Committee, President Omaha Alumnae Chapter of Delta Sigma Theta Sorority Inc., Past President National Council of Negro Women, Coalition of 100 Black Women, College of Saint Mary Board of Directors, President of the Literacy Center Board, President of the Hope Center for Kids Guild, President of the Human Resources Association of Midlands. Governor’s Judicial Selection Committee, Salvation Army Board of Directors, Rotary Club Membership Co-Chair, Rotary of Omaha Foundation, Vice Chair Immanuel Pathways Participant Advisory Committee, Publicity Chairperson for the Aksarben Women’s Ball Committee, American Red Cross Board of Directors.

As a servant leader, Dr. Vivyonne believes it is essential to strengthen families, children, and the community. She also supports female business owners by providing input and recommendations for their business strategy and marketing, helping them to make strategic connections and networking, and serving as a role model and mentor. “I serve as a support system by mentoring business owners, assisting with creating business plans, reviewing corporate strategy, a leadership development. and providing insight on hiring decisions and human resources planning,” says Dr. Vivyonne. “I provide strategic planning guidance. For nonprofit businesses owners, I provide fundraising strategy, provide guidance on nonprofit business management strategy, and provide board management advice.”

Dr. Vivyonne empowers her team to become great leaders by supporting leadership development opportunities, encouraging team members to be leaders in community organizations, and providing leadership opportunities internally, such as leading a committee, presenting to the board, and leading special projects. She believes in developing leaders and inspiring others to strive for higher goals. She has vast leadership experience in the business sector and has created numerous executive leadership development programs. This includes launching an internal leadership development initiative at Children’s Square called Children’s Square Ambassador Leadership Development Program.

“In order to keep growing and developing, it is important to be a life-long learner and keep setting and achieving goals. Currently, I am working on two personal goals,” elucidates Dr. Vivyonne. “One is of serving on a national board. Two is expanding my consulting and public speaking business called The Ewing Group. I continually look for ways to maintain excellence, make a lasting impact, and helping female leaders and others do the same.”

Christa Peterson has over 16 years of specialized transportation and commercial experience in Claims, Litigation, Safety, Risk Management, and Compliance. Her valuable understanding of the insurance, legal, and motor carrier sectors brings a unique and versatile perspective as President of Risk Management at The Paladin Group.

“Christa possesses a wealth of knowledge that comes from years of experience in handling claims. She is very knowledgeable about the entire claims process and is driven by client satisfaction. Christa is always wanting and willing to learn more to ensure our clients are getting the best coverage, best price, and best possible experience each and every day,” says Corey Schatz, President & CEO of The Paladin Group.

The pioneering leader outshines at managing and mentoring teams to reach high-level results. Christa provides extensive experience in numerous lines of business with a focus on Operations, CX, and Project Management. She is highly skilled in leveraging technology, managing claims operations, and developing process improvements and training while achieving measurable cost savings through a team-oriented approach.

“The most fantastic thing about Christa is that she has always put others before herself. In doing so, she will always ensure those who do the frontlines work to receive the recognition they deserve at the cost of her not receiving any. On top of that, she is a powerhouse of knowledge that is always excited to share what she knows.

She contains vast professional knowledge of all sides of the industry and niche experiences that allow for fantastic insight and ideas. Her team loves working with her because it is always an uplifting experience, and we consistently achieve our goals comforted by the fact that she thought of every angle of approach to whatever we are faced with,” adds Jack Mann, Director of ICS at The Paladin Group.

As a female who has worked in the insurance and trucking industries for a long time, Christa has learned that it is incredibly beneficial and rewarding to leverage her experience and network to mentor those who are up and coming in their careers. “I get tremendous energy from paying it forward by advocating for women and cheering on their successes,” says Christa. “If I had any advice from my journey, which I’m still in the middle of at this point, it’s imperative to stay hungry and learn as much as possible. You never know what the total of that education and experience will look like when an opportunity presents itself down the road.”

“Christa holds her direct reports to the highest standard. In doing so, she challenges them to be better than the last. Knowing the influence the team has on the projects, she encourages her staff to expand their skills outside their current role to continue to grow and overall, build a team that has a diverse skill set and motivated members,” elucidates Corey.

Currently, Christa’s goals are to create an environment that encourages diversity and inclusiveness while promoting innovation and growth. “I want to ensure that The Paladin Group is providing the best possible services to its customers, while also creating an atmosphere of safety, fairness, and respect as an organization,” she explains. “To achieve this, I continue to strive to create a culture of collaboration, where colleagues of all genders, cultures, and backgrounds are encouraged to contribute their ideas, opinions, and experiences. I also ensure that our agency stays ahead of new industry trends and technology.”

Ultimately, Christa’s goal is to ensure that The Paladin Group is where everyone can thrive and succeed. “In addition, I’m stepping away from my Young Professionals Committee Chair position at the Trucking Industry Defense Association (TIDA) to move into other supportive roles where I can provide value,” elucidates the steadfast leader. “This opens opportunities for others to step up and lead a fun and exciting group of individuals! After several years of work and collaboration to grow the group and its visibility, it’s one of the things I’m most proud of in my career.”

The Paladin Group is driven and moving into 2023 with exciting service and tech developments that will continue to take their service offerings to the next level. WL

In today’s society, women have to lead the way in changing how workplaces are structured. This shouldn’t be done by “outdoing” men in terms of success but should be accomplished by taking time to “lean back” and be themselves to advance. Getting enough sleep, taking care of oneself, and listening to their intuition can help women find their voice to empower themselves and others in the workplace.

Stacie O’Brien, Vice President, Resnick & Louis PC, has been a true inspiration for female entrepreneurs. She has always lent them a helping hand, guiding them while they establish their business, but Stacie also advocates in many diversity and inclusion committees and leadership committees across the nation. She believes that female business owners innately know what they want and how to get there and need guidance on time management. “As women, we are so busy with our work lives, kids lives, personal lives and trying to be not only a good business owner but a good mother, wife, and friend,” says Stacie.

Stacie also encourages autonomy and self-starting because people will always fail, but it is how you get back up and try to figure the solution, the skill to fight again. She encourages her team to lead by example and train each other instead of her being the go-to person; she wants them to lean on one another as leaders.

The qualities that the steadfast leader possesses which has transformed the company is the ability to adjust and be creative in the approach to clients. “There have been many instances in which I have thought “you probably shouldn’t say that” but in the end I believe that people buy into people and if we are not our authentic selves when we approach clients then we are doing ourselves our company a disservice. I have always also hired people smarter than me or with skills I lack, which creates a well-rounded team.” This attitude is what Stacie thanks for her success.

But it took Stacie 3 years and a great company to achieve that success. “The only advice I would give is to never give up and always work harder than the hardest person. I put many hours, nights, and weekends into my work but in the end, it was to get to a level where I could see others on my team get to that point,” she elucidates. “I would also say that the moment you stop loving who you work around is when you should make a change. I don’t wake up everyday and love to work, but I wake up everyday and love the people I work with.” Armed with this brilliant ideology, Stacie has been taking the company to new heights.

It’s pertinent to mention that Stacie is still working on achieving the goal of contributing as much of her time at work and leading her team as she does and volunteering for organizations and giving her time and skills to organizations that might need them. “I have learned that on occasion people might listen to your ideas less and your voice might have to be a little louder than the man across from you, but persistence and tenacity will always prevail,” she explains. “We need to stand up for opinions. We have to make noise so the people who have underestimated you can finally acknowledge your great work.”

In the future, Stacie wants to empower her team members to enhance themselves and reach great heights. She also wants to incorporate her own marketing firm for law firms nationwide. “I get asked all the time to assist other firms with developing clients or even ad creation, and I would like to take my team with me,” she says. “That even though we are women and think we might need to dress a certain way in the work force to prohibit behaviors by men I believe in being exactly who you are and dressing the way you feel best makes you feel powerful. Don’t change who you are to fit in to a mold, make the mold fit to you.” WL

In addition to the standard characteristics often found in outstanding female leaders, Rosalind Lockyer brings an exceptional blend of qualities that are the foundation for her award-winning leadership style. As a successful social entrepreneur, Rosalind has harnessed her passion and drive into a National organization that supports diverse women across Canada.

With humble roots in a small office on the corner of May and Victoria streets in Thunder Bay, Ontario, Rosalind’s remarkable leadership qualities lead to the growth of North America’s largest Peer Lending network and PARO Centre for Women’s Enterprise as a leading women-centered economic development organization.

As a leader, Rosalind has a unique ability to listen to women and transform that information into meaningful systems that support diverse women and their families exactly where they are, whether geographically or on their business journey. Driven by compassion and the understanding that all women experience life in diverse ways, Rosalind blends empathy and pragmatism to achieve incredible success, ignited by a uniquely genuine desire to lift all women and support them in reaching their dreams in their businesses and personal lives. This approach is anchored in a strong belief that helping women, both on a large scale and small scale, generates and sustains a significant impact.

Rosalind’s leadership of the PARO Centre has been recognized and celebrated internationally since 1995. Her exemplary leadership qualities have earned her a reputation as a visionary and systemic disruptor with impressive wisdom and strategic thinking abilities. Rosalind understands and actionizes the absolute truth that strong stakeholder relationships are vital to organizational and individual success. Rosalind’s ability to organize and foster support ecosystems for her organization translates into a strong and diverse ecosystem for PARO women. As a natural innovator, Rosalind can observe and analyze current political and cultural landscapes and anticipate trends, keeping PARO and PARO women one step ahead. This quality allows for developing a resilient and sustainable organization positioned to adapt to challenges, experience countless triumphs, and provide exemplary service to enterprising women.

PARO was founded on the idea that the best support for women is each other. PARO’s “women supporting women” strategy is the core foundational value that inspires all PARO programs and services. At PARO, we support women entrepreneurs through the whole lifecycle of their businesses. From start-up to growth and scale-up, PARO’s support strategy is intersectional and diverse and meets women where they are. PARO’s inspiration is the stories of the women themselves. Each program and support system is designed to fill gaps in service for women entrepreneurs, evaluated for effectiveness, and adjusted, if necessary. A significant aspect of this strategy features women’s empowerment and celebration of successes.

As a brilliant strategist, Rosalind puts her heart and soul into everything she does, mentoring and guiding her high-performing and passionate team. As is also true for PARO more broadly, Rosalind believes that empowering her team to achieve their dreams is the best way to mentor, inspire and encourage her team resulting in excellent client support for PARO women. Rosalind is a gifted people person; she naturally carries a warmth that is supported by a solid logical strategy, rendering the organization and the supporting team an extraordinary force.

“The advice I would like to share from my journey is that you can only be as strong as the people around you. The development of PARO has been largely focused on rallying a positive network with people who are empowering, rather than those who bring you down. It’s important to be respectful and kind to people who experience life in negative ways, but you must surround yourself with positive and empowered people. I believe this is the key to success. It is PARO’s strong team, ecosystem of support, network, and positive partnerships that have allowed us to achieve our goals as an organization that supports incredibly diverse women from many diverse backgrounds and geographic regions,” says Rosalind. “While PARO always has goals, the future is wide open. I like the way Garth Brooks said it, ‘and now, I’m glad I didn’t know, the way it all would end, the way it all would go. Our lives are better left to chance. I could have missed the pain, but I’da had to miss the dance.’ What he’s saying here is that the dance is the best part, and I believe that is true in my (and PARO’s) journey of life, as well.’” WL

For Yesenia Ferreras, President of ASGC Printing, being in a male-dominated industry since 1999 has had challenges. But that did not deter Yesenia from achieving success and expanding the company with the best solutions and services. She continues to drive constant growth by staying innovative and present in the industry. Yesenia and her team are currently working on restructuring their marketing strategy to reach the fast growing online audience. Making research and development a priority has been vital while always striving to perfect her craft. ASGC, Inc. is a commercial, business-to-business printing company, and she believes in the company keeping products consistent in quality customers.

Being a woman, Yesenia strongly believes that it is important to use her innate skills to her full advantage. “I am not to be anything other than the woman that I am. I am an empath, I am kind, I am nurturing, I believe in humanity, I believe in the willingness to learn, I am a natural teacher, I am resilient and patient and most importantly I trust my intuition,” explains Yesenia. “I use all of these qualities to lead not only my company but also my team and everyone who comes to me for advice or guidance.”

Yesenia is a great support system for women entrepreneurs trying hard to establish themselves. As a female leader, for Yesenia, it is crucial to inspire and motivate other women to achieve their goals and dreams. “Over the years, I have been able to overcome the challenges of being in a male dominated industry. I hope that through that success, I can be a motivator and an example to other women,” explains Yesenia. “It is still true, in the present time, that women hold a far smaller share of leadership roles in various industries than men. It is my goal to lead in closing that gap globally.”

The steadfast leader has inspired and empowered team members to become great leaders of tomorrow by treating them with respect and value. Yesenia believes that she holds a huge responsibility in being the primary example of leading a strong team. She wants her team to be in a professional and healthy work environment. Yesenia appreciates what each person on her team brings to the table. She strives to bring out the best in every employee that is part of ASGC, Inc. and believes that empathy and consideration of humanity are behind leading a strong team. “The most important leadership life lesson is to always have an open-door policy for employees to come to me with ideas, suggestions, or constructive criticism,” says Yesenia. “This not only allows for the individuals to be heard, but it will also allow for company growth.” Armed with this great determination, Yesenia has been taking her company and employees to great heights.

ASGC Printing is a family-owned company established in 1975 in the USA. ASGC Printing specializes in manufacturing stickers, silkscreen posters, water-applied decals, DTG printing, name plating, labels, solution-applied decals, pressure-sensitive decals, and customizing the perfect product for clients’ decorating needs. The company works with organizations like Fender Musical Instruments, Live Nation, Quicksilver, G & L Guitars, ROXY, Taylor Guitars, and Hoonigan, to name a few. “Our company strives to give our customers the best prices with superior service and quality. Our biggest achievements are and always have been creating customized products for manufacturers. Our research and development team will engineer a product that will be compatible with our customer’s manufacturing process,” elucidates Yesenia. “I would like ASGC, Inc. to be a strong leader in the printing industry, able to provide employees with stability and structure for their personal growth within the company. As for me, I will always strive to continue to learn and grow as a person. Personal growth for myself and my employees is important for future growth.” WL

Kristen Anderson co-founded Drake’s Organic Spirits with her husband, Mark Anderson, in 2017. By that time, she had lived in North Dakota, Montana, and Minnesota and had a deep understanding of farming, including the chemicals that far too often sneak their way into the food and eco-system. “Mark, having grown up on a farm, knew firsthand what goes into mass-produced field crops, and we both wanted to offer consumers something that was ‘better for you, better for the planet,’ so much that we even trademarked that phrase,” says Kristen.

Kristen adds, “If you’ll pardon the pun, we went against the grain to create a company that offers the most natural beverage alcohol we can, based on organic sugarcane rather than GMO grain.” This allows Drake’s Organic Spirits to reduce soil erosion, chemicals, pesticides, and carbon emissions for many reasons. First, sugarcane can be harvested twice a year for four years, creating 8 crops, before the ground must be tilled and replanted; on the other hand, corn must be tilled and replanted every year, just producing one crop before both depleting the soil and disrupting it with tilling. In addition, GMO crops are engineered to repel toxic herbicides and pesticides, so are sprayed with even more chemicals to aid fast growth, thus contaminating the air, ground, and water when they run off from fields. All of this is counter to the mission of Drake’s Organic Spirits.

Taking it even further, Kristen and her husband were the first – and are still the only – spirits producer to be certified in all five sustainability and organic classifications: all of their products are USDA Organic, Non-GMO Project Verified, OU Kosher, Vegan per Vegan.org, and Gluten-Free per the Gluten-Free Organization. Each of these certifications is achieved by rigorous inspection from the respective certifying body and requires consistent management and regular re-inspection to maintain. While this is a costly annual process, Drake’s makes this investment because although the duo knows their farms and factories follow proper protocol, they want the consumer to have absolute certainty that the claims are valid. “A recent survey of 2,000 Americans and Canadians found that 41% are more likely to buy USDA Organic and 36% saying the same for Non-GMO Project Verified,” explains Kristen. “We continue to see those percentages rise as the larger population begins to embrace and value sustainability, and as a result, Drake’s Organic Spirits has enjoyed an accordingly rapid growth trajectory.”

When Kristen was gaining her footing as an entrepreneur, she was lucky to receive support and encouragement from many other women: it started with her mother alongside several women in the business world who helped her along the way. “In turn, I now try to mentor anyone who seems to be seeking that kind of support. It started at home where I did my best to raise strong, independent daughters,” elucidates Kristen. “I am also active in female-focused professional groups, such as Women of the Vine & Spirits and the WSWA Women’s Leadership Council.”

There is a lot of innovation that Kristen admires in the beverage alcohol space, but what she has noticed is that often this innovation comes with a setback. For example, there is innovation in flavors, yet the compromise is an increasingly unhealthy product. There is innovation in product packaging while environmental responsibility is ignored. It’s a double-edged sword as our responsibility toward the planet seems to take two steps back with every step forward. “Of course, this is not to discount the countless brands and products that are moving toward being more sustainable; rather, it’s a comment on the demand of mass consumerism that companies are rushing to meet,” says the pioneering leader. “Despite this, I would say consumer awareness of sustainable practices has greatly pushed the spirits industry towards more responsible production means, and Drake’s was founded on just that! From a consumer perspective, I am constantly seeking out products that are organic and non-GMO, so it was a no-brainer when founding Drake’s.”

The newest initiative from Drake’s Organic Spirits is selling its organic cane spirit B2B, offering a portion of its annual 12 million proof gallons of organic cane alcohol to distillers, copackers, blenders, flavor houses, extract manufacturers, and other companies seeking high-quality, sustainable organic alcohol. “We are also always marketing in new ways: our latest push is via LinkedIn. This year we were proud to win our first Growth Brands ‘Rising Star’ award from Beverage Dynamics, as well as debut on the Inc. 5000 list; now we are going after some ‘female founders’ awards. Also, on the B2B front we are exploring new trade associations and directories. And all of that is just the tip of the iceberg!” adds Kristen.

Christa Peterson has over 16 years of specialized transportation and commercial experience in Claims, Litigation, Safety, Risk Management, and Compliance. Her valuable understanding of the insurance, legal, and motor carrier sectors brings a unique and versatile perspective as President of Risk Management at The Paladin Group.

“Christa possesses a wealth of knowledge that comes from years of experience in handling claims. She is very knowledgeable about the entire claims process and is driven by client satisfaction. Christa is always wanting and willing to learn more to ensure our clients are getting the best coverage, best price, and best possible experience each and every day,” says Corey Schatz, President & CEO of The Paladin Group.

The pioneering leader outshines at managing and mentoring teams to reach high-level results. Christa provides extensive experience in numerous lines of business with a focus on Operations, CX, and Project Management. She is highly skilled in leveraging technology, managing claims operations, and developing process improvements and training while achieving measurable cost savings through a team-oriented approach.

“The most fantastic thing about Christa is that she has always put others before herself. In doing so, she will always ensure those who do the frontlines work to receive the recognition they deserve at the cost of her not receiving any. On top of that, she is a powerhouse of knowledge that is always excited to share what she knows.

She contains vast professional knowledge of all sides of the industry and niche experiences that allow for fantastic insight and ideas. Her team loves working with her because it is always an uplifting experience, and we consistently achieve our goals comforted by the fact that she thought of every angle of approach to whatever we are faced with,” adds Jack Mann, Director of ICS at The Paladin Group.

As a female who has worked in the insurance and trucking industries for a long time, Christa has learned that it is incredibly beneficial and rewarding to leverage her experience and network to mentor those who are up and coming in their careers. “I get tremendous energy from paying it forward by advocating for women and cheering on their successes,” says Christa. “If I had any advice from my journey, which I’m still in the middle of at this point, it’s imperative to stay hungry and learn as much as possible. You never know what the total of that education and experience will look like when an opportunity presents itself down the road.”

“Christa holds her direct reports to the highest standard. In doing so, she challenges them to be better than the last. Knowing the influence the team has on the projects, she encourages her staff to expand their skills outside their current role to continue to grow and overall, build a team that has a diverse skill set and motivated members,” elucidates Corey.

Currently, Christa’s goals are to create an environment that encourages diversity and inclusiveness while promoting innovation and growth. “I want to ensure that The Paladin Group is providing the best possible services to its customers, while also creating an atmosphere of safety, fairness, and respect as an organization,” she explains. “To achieve this, I continue to strive to create a culture of collaboration, where colleagues of all genders, cultures, and backgrounds are encouraged to contribute their ideas, opinions, and experiences. I also ensure that our agency stays ahead of new industry trends and technology.”

Ultimately, Christa’s goal is to ensure that The Paladin Group is where everyone can thrive and succeed. “In addition, I’m stepping away from my Young Professionals Committee Chair position at the Trucking Industry Defense Association (TIDA) to move into other supportive roles where I can provide value,” elucidates the steadfast leader. “This opens opportunities for others to step up and lead a fun and exciting group of individuals! After several years of work and collaboration to grow the group and its visibility, it’s one of the things I’m most proud of in my career.”

The Paladin Group is driven and moving into 2023 with exciting service and tech developments that will continue to take their service offerings to the next level. WL

Jane Lee is a successful business owner who has transformed her company through her strong leadership skills and strategic thinking. She is an excellent communicator and can motivate and inspire her team. Jane is highly organized and able to effectively manage her time and resources, allowing her to achieve her goals efficiently. She is also resilient, able to persevere through challenges and setbacks, and adaptable, able to pivot her business strategy as needed. In addition, Jane stays up-to-date on industry trends and best practices, making her highly knowledgeable about her field. Overall, Jane is a driven and committed business owner dedicated to making her business a success.

As a woman business owner, Jane is a positive role model for other women in the business world. She has successfully navigated the challenges and obstacles that often face women in leadership roles and has proven that anything is possible with hard work and determination. She is also highly respected in her industry and is a role model for other women who aspire to be successful in their careers. “As a minority woman, I’m proud to be where I am in my career and that I’ve been able to make a name for myself. I’ve worked hard and dedicated so much time to perfecting what my team and I do,” says Jane. “As a woman in the real estate business, sometimes it’s easy to get intimidated by men. But as my team leader, I need to be tough and knowledgeable and prove that I can overcome any obstacle. I want to show my team that success is possible, not only for me but for them as well.”

The pioneering leader constantly pushes her team to be the best they can be and encourages her agents to continue learning real estate insights by hosting weekly meetings in which agents watch seminars on various topics. She also hosts weekly meetings with her admin team, shares encouraging words, and reiterates our goals and what we can do to accomplish them.

Jane is one of the most successful agents in the United States. She has achieved #1 status in the Northern Illinois region and continues to dominate the market with her superior selling skills. As President of the Jane Lee Team, Jane has amassed a team of real estate experts who handle a sales volume between $150 – $207 million yearly.

Jane has also been presented with a collection of prestigious awards, including The Diamond Club, Platinum Club, the Circle of Legends Award, a RE/MAX Lifetime Achievement Award, and a Luminary of Distinction Award. In 2006, she was also featured in the Wall Street Journal as one of the top 50 Real Estate Brokers in the United States – since then, she has only continued to climb.

Despite her busy schedule, Jane is also active in the community. She is a leader and mentor to Chinese-American students and is an active supporter and fundraiser for the Children’s Miracle Network. This sense of charity has led to the Jane Lee Team sponsoring local community events, including parades, festivals, and fundraisers.

As the leader of the Jane Lee Team, Jane has taken her success, energy, and dynamic approach to real estate and has influenced everyone she meets into joining her – whether that’s working for or working with her. “My biggest accomplishment is building and perfecting our team. We are a well-oiled machine that strives to provide the perfect transaction for our clients,” explains Jane. “For 2023 my team and I have established a goal of $350 mil in transactions as a team, $180 mil as my personal goal, and my admin team’s goal is to get me 45 transactions, 40 listings, 30 under contract homes, and 25 sold homes a month. I have a solid foundation with the people on my agent team and admin team, so I feel that we will definitely meet our goals in the next 2023 year.”

In the future, Jane and her team want to be ranked as the #1 team in Illinois. “I also want to continue to grow in the Northbrook area, and potentially expand to another location in the future. In addition to that, I want to continue building the Jane Lee brand and team,” she adds. WL