Voyager Suite
Virtuoso
Investment Suite
RentCafe Suite
REACH by RentCafe
CommercialCafe Suite
Elevate Suite
Procure to Pay Suite
Aspire
Yardi Kube Suite
Yardi Corom
On May 6, our Paris office welcomed a morning of open discussion, shared insights, and connection as we hosted our second in-person W@Y to RISE with ALLIES event in Europe.
What is W@Y to RISE with ALLIES?
W@Y to RISE (Women at Yardi to Recognise, Inspire, Showcase and Empower) launched in 2025 as a global initiative bringing together women across Yardi through shared learning and community. The With ALLIES element reflects something we believe deeply: that the conversations we’re having are relevant to everyone. This session was open to all, with colleagues from across the Paris office joining us alongside Yardi teams from other regions.
Fireside Chat: Building Confidence in Real Estate
The heart of the event was a fireside chat hosted by Sonia Brahimi, solutions consultant at Yardi, with special guest Kirsty Shearer, operational excellence director at Agilité and UK board chair at CREW – a global organisation of 14,000 members dedicated to advancing women in commercial real estate.
Kirsty shared her own winding career path, from aspiring lawyer to developer, to her current role spanning 13 countries, and the thread running through it was a consistent willingness to say ‘yes’ to opportunities before knowing all the answers. Her advice was that confidence doesn’t grow overnight – it builds through small, repeated actions. Whether that’s asking a question in a meeting or raising your hand when you don’t understand something – it’s about putting yourself in a room and making your presence count.
Another key point that resonated widely is that you don’t have to be the loudest voice in the room. Contributing once, thoughtfully, is enough to start building your credibility and your own sense of belonging.
The conversation naturally expanded beyond the individual. Colleagues reflected on the barriers women can face in the industry in reaching senior leadership, the impact of generational and cultural differences across careers, and the importance of normalising honest conversations – whether about career pauses, workload pressures, or simply learning to say no without guilt.
Our allies in the room added a valuable perspective too, acknowledging that challenges around confidence, speaking up, and navigating workplace dynamics are not exclusive to women. Both men and women face challenges in the industry, whether it’s when you’re just starting your career, you don’t have the confidence to speak up, or the experience to go after your goals, or even the company culture isn’t a match. Another key point was that times have changed, and office cultures are vastly different today than they were 10 or 20 years ago – there is more support for people today, and companies like Yardi work more as a team, with every level of seniority working together toward a common goal.
Nevertheless, the consensus was that change can happen faster when everyone is in the conversation.
W@Y to RISE Roundtable
Following the fireside chat, W@Y to RISE members gathered for a more focused roundtable discussion. The theme of confidence ran through every topic, from practical day-to-day challenges to long-term development.
Key themes included:
- Prioritisation and expectations – learning to distinguish between urgent and important, and communicating timelines clearly rather than overcommitting
- Recognising your own wins – celebrating achievements in the present, rather than immediately pivoting to the next goal
- Feedback as a confidence tool – seeking it proactively and reframing it as a perspective, not a verdict
- Individuality as a strength – diverse personalities and approaches make teams stronger, not less consistent
- Networking and mentoring – the value of both internal and external mentors, and the reminder that you don’t have to attend events alone
Kirsty closed with a set of practical takeaways: publicly credit the contributions of others; make a conscious effort to contribute in meetings, even briefly; and seek out mentoring opportunities in both directions. Her phrase that stayed with the room: “Make your seat at the table count.”
Want to learn more about Yardi RISE? Check out our previous posts or follow the hashtag #RiseWithYardi on socials.
