Mentorship Spotlight February 2021
Monday, Feb 1, 2021
Vera Liu & Kristine Liu
The CREW Vancouver Mentorship Program (VMP) is designed to support and encourage an exchange of ideas, experiences, and friendships among commercial real estate professionals in our local network.
We match CREW Vancouver members (mentees) with experienced professionals with 10+ years in the industry. Our goal is to develop meaningful relationships between mentors and mentees that will last beyond the timeline of the program.
No one can better inform you of the unique features and benefits of the VMP than current mentors and mentees. That’s why we asked mentor Vera Liu (Director, Investments at KingSett Capital) and mentee Kristine Liu (Development Manager at Mosaic) to provide our members with the inside scoop.
Q: Vera/Kristine, before diving into how the CREW Vancouver Mentorship Program (VMP) has benefitted you and how it works, can you each tell us a bit about your jobs and your roll as mentor/ mentee and how long you have been apart of the program?
Vera: I have held a variety of real estate investment roles in my 13 years in the industry. I am currently Director, Investments with KingSett Capital, overseeing investment activity in the West Coast. This is my first year as a mentor with CREW and I am paired with the very bright Kristine.
Kristine: I’ve been in the industry working in development roles for about 7 years and have been a member with CREW for 4 years. This is my second year participating in CREW’s Vancouver Mentorship Program and I’m thrilled to have been paired with Vera.
Q: For those new to the VMP and wondering how it works - how did you get paired and how often do you meet?
Kristine: As part of the regular newsletter, CREW sends out an application form in the spring for those interested in becoming a mentee. It’s such a great program and it’s one of the benefits of being a CREW member. As part of the application, you are asked a series of questions, which then informs which mentor you are paired with. The program runs for 12 consecutive months, and during those 12 months, I am responsible for setting up a regular schedule for check-ins.
Q: What drove you to sign up for the VMP and so far, what have been your biggest takeaways? Why would you recommend joining?
Vera: I never had an official mentor throughout my career, but I have had many educational conversations, insights, and learnings from many different individuals. There are so many great young women in our industry right now and I would like to share my experiences in hopes it may provide some helpful insight for their career journeys.
Kristine: I really value the personal, one-on-one time that I get with Vera – that is the most valuable thing for me. I appreciate how I’m able to speak candidly with her and ask for advice based on her extensive previous experiences. Vera is a great listener and has done a fantastic job in guiding my thinking or pushing me to go outside of my comfort zone. Especially during these timeswhen it’s hard to meet new people, I’m glad that I am able to participate in the program.
Q: Covid-19 has really impacted the way we interact and connect, how have you adapted as mentor/mentee with this changing landscape, and what are some techniques or methods you have used to stay in contact?
Vera: Luckily, we were able to meet in person for our first meet up, but thereafter has been Zoom or phone. Although having the option of technology has been great, I very much look forward to meeting Kristine in person again when it’s safer to do so.
Kristine: We’ve mostly connected via video or phone calls. Unfortunately, we are not able to get together in person more often, but the video conferencing has worked well for us. I’m really glad that video conferencing technology has advanced so far and has allowed us to adapt!
Thank you, Vera & Kristine for your insight into the CREW Vancouver Mentorship Program.
Interested in becoming a mentor or mentee?
Help make sure the future of CRE is female.
Learn more about CREW Vancouver's mentorship program.