Membership Spotlight October 2022
Wednesday, Oct 5, 2022
Membership Spotlight | Meaghan Tullis
Meaghan Tullis is the Executive Vice President, Income Producing Properties at SHAPE. Meaghan also sits on the CREW Vancouver Board of Directors as the Stakeholder Relations Director and holds a CPA, CA designation.
Meaghan, thank you for being our Member Spotlight! What originally drew you to join the CREW network, and further, the BOD? What are your key initiatives as Director of Stakeholder Relations?
I was attracted to how CREW brings women together in the real estate industry in a meaningful way. CREW is not just a networking organization – it supports education, scholarships, fundraising and initiatives that make a difference in both our industry and our communities.
As the Director of Stakeholder Relations, I lead the IDEA committee which covers all aspects of inclusion, diversity, equity and allyship. In addition to formalizing and announcing the committee this year, we have put plans in place to ensure that these values are applied to everything CREW engages in.
My other key initiative is connecting our board internally and with other chapters across Canada. By staying connected, we can collaborate, celebrate each other’s wins and learn from each other’s challenges. As a result, we’re more strategic, more efficient and better equipped to perform in our chapter. Lastly, it expands our network across the country, which is advantageous both personally and as an organization.
You have had a very successful career at SHAPE Properties with continuous growth within the company, what originally drew you to this sector/ what elements of your job excite you the most?
As someone who has lived in every province from Ontario westward, I was naturally drawn to real estate. As my family moved across the country, I was fascinated at a young age by the variety of homes, shopping centres and communities. Within real estate, I was drawn to finance because it enabled me to see everything from the ground up. At SHAPE, we’ve had the opportunity to take a tangible asset through every stage of the real estate cycle, from development and construction to occupancy and seeing these communities thrive. It’s a full cycle experience that is exciting, challenging and rewarding to be a part of.
I’ve been at SHAPE for over 10 years and what excites me the most is the continuous growth and trajectory we’re on as an organization. When I started, we had around 40 people and half of a floor in our office at Bentall. Now, we have 200+ people with a growing portfolio of assets across the country. Everything we do is constantly changing. We’re always pushing the boundaries and conquering new territory – from development to marketing to customer service – we always want to be better than the last thing we did. The people I work with inspire me every day, and we get excited together about all of the possibilities we have in front of us.
What advice do you have for other professionals looking to grow within their organization?
My advice is to never be afraid to asks questions. Always be curious about what’s happening around you, beyond the scope of your current role. By asking questions and putting your hand up, your presence will quickly become known within your company and your knowledge base will expand exponentially.
As a leader, you can take this one step forward and encourage your team to do the same. I think about one of our team members who started about a year and a half ago. He has continually put his hand up, learned about the business and taken on responsibilities beyond his initial job description - and his growth has been unbelievable. It’s incredibly rewarding to take what has worked and share it with others so they can grow and thrive as well.
What is a work or personal accomplishment that you are most proud of?
One of my proudest professional accomplishments has been bringing SHAPE’s residential rental platform to life. Previously, we did not have a rental management component to the business. A few years ago, we built this function from the ground up, including staffing, technology, brand and operations. Now, we’re recognized by our partners and the market as a respected residential manager. This was a significant accomplishment because, like many things we do at SHAPE, there was no handbook and no precedent. Instead, we created the handbook ourselves. We’re empowered to step outside the box, explore and learn. While this is riskier than following in the footsteps of others, there’s a built-in trust in our team that we will create something best-in-class.
On a personal note, I am proudest to have my family of two kids and a wonderful husband. It’s a major accomplishment to find the balance between a demanding career and your family at home. It isn’t easy, but if you can take a step back and create those special moments with the people you love, I truly believe you can live a life that maximizes your accomplishments both personally and professionally.
Outside of work, what are some of your hobbies/passions?
Outside of work, my time is spent with my family – that includes dance, soccer, gymnastics, skiing, hikes on the North Shore where we live and tons of other activities! Personally, I’ve been passionate about horseback riding and horses. My kids have ridden ponies, and I can’t wait to get them on horses when they’re a little older.