The Future’s So Bright...

Any 80s music buffs out there? Here’s one for you: There’s a little known band that won a Grammy in 1987 for a song titled “The Future’s so Bright, I Gotta Wear Shades." Any idea who the band was? 

I’ll give you a clue: They were a one hit wonder—a husband and wife team...

The band was Timbuk 3. They weren’t exactly a household name—but the slogan became very popular. I thought about the song title while reflecting on recent trends we’ve seen here at CREW Network, as well as global trends around finding and keeping talent. 

While things may have slowed the past two years, we have been experiencing new member growth recently, as well as skyrocketing numbers of first-time attendees at our in-person events. Our efforts to hold extensive virtual events during the pandemic enabled us to reach members who may not have participated in the past, and now that we are back IRL, they are gathering in great numbers. 

At our Winter Leadership Summit, we had more than 130 first-time attendees. With spring just around the corner, we are experiencing a rebirth here at CREW Network. We have more young members engaging than ever before and an increased focus on mentoring and sponsorship. Both seasoned executives and their younger counterparts see the value and recognize the importance of being connected through our robust business network.

There is no doubt that CREW Network’s future is bright—with young talent gaining the skills and abilities to create a bright future for our real estate companies as well. We are building the talent pipeline with our college scholarships (applications due April 15!) and up-skilling young professionals through our Emerging Leaders Retreat—leadership training specifically designed to elevate young professionals and future leaders in our industry. Who can your company invest in by sending them to this program? 

While there may be a “great resignation,” there is also great opportunity for you and your company to focus on building the next generation of female leaders. Through mentoring, sponsorship and investing in training and development, you build your workforce. CREW Network can help. Take advantage of our leadership development programs and help grow high-quality leaders that we need to make the future of our industry bright. 

 

Wendy Mann is the chief executive officer of Commercial Real Estate Women (CREW) Network and president of the CREW Network Foundation.

Twitter: @crew_wendym