"For one to thrive in this market, you have to build the proper networks and as well be trustworthy. Property owners like working with honest people. There are no shortcuts when it comes to matters of integrity here. At the same time, one needs patience and resilience as well as utmost professionalism. There are very good people in the business but once in a while, you can come across fraudsters and quarks who can destroy your reputation and mess up your business. You should have a big heart," Nelly, a married mother of three says.
Nelly encourages more women to get into property investment, saying that more trust can be placed in female property agents than in their male counterparts. She says that when it comes to finances, women are better managers as she notes that the days when this business was left to male dominance are gone.
"I know that the women in this business are like a drop in the ocean. I think in the entire Coast, we are like three satisfied real estate women agents. Now the irony here is that we have more women investing in property. A study has it that 50 per cent of the people investing in property on the Coast are women while 20 per cent are couples. Even in times where a couple makes come invest together, the women will possibly come back alone as a return client investing as a sole client," says Nelly.
"I have had male business partnerships that went south and left me depressed. But I didn't stop moving on nor did I stop seeking business partnerships. I keep investing and expanding because that should be the nature of business. I am cutting my niche as an all-round luxury property investment guru offering real solutions and so for the local and international market," she says.
More gregarious and modest, Nelly advises women to be goal-oriented if they want to succeed in business. She says women should push for their rightful place in jobs that have traditionally been labelled as men's jobs. She also says that women should not become complacent with 'compromise' career offers, but rather strive to grow to the highest level possible in their given careers.
"I always advise those I mentor to know the value of their networks, which by association determines their net worth. I empower them on financial literacy and bookkeeping as well as table banking, which I am good at. For me, it is not really about telling my hardship story but rather offering practical solutions they can use to meet their dreams. We should all keep on learning and gaining skills through enrolling in programs that make us better in our fields too," says Nelly.
Nelly says that even as more demand comes with her Tajiri Luxury Properties business growth, she still strives to maintain work and family balance as "family comes first among those in your support system".
"The real estate business is alive and thriving on the Coast. We are seeing many new and return clients as well a lot of investors from the diaspora. I haven't met some of those many clients from the diaspora that I have been serving. The truth is being an entrepreneur is not easy and one should be ready to pay the price. But this does not mean you don't make time for yourself, your family and your loved ones. Always create a balance and enjoy the little treasures life offers. Besides, I have made my adventure travels into business. It is the literal meaning of turning passion into business and mixing business with pleasure," says Nelly.