{"id":57250,"date":"2026-06-04T03:36:01","date_gmt":"2026-06-04T10:36:01","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.yardi.com\/blog\/?p=57250"},"modified":"2026-06-04T03:36:03","modified_gmt":"2026-06-04T10:36:03","slug":"connection-confidence-and-conversation-wy-to-rise-with-allies-in-paris","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.yardi.com\/blog\/en-gb\/connection-confidence-and-conversation-wy-to-rise-with-allies-in-paris\/","title":{"rendered":"Connection, Confidence, and Conversation: W@Y to RISE with ALLIES in Paris"},"content":{"rendered":"\n

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.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

What is W@Y to RISE with ALLIES?<\/h2>\n\n\n\n

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.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Fireside Chat: Building Confidence in Real Estate<\/h2>\n\n\n\n

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 Agilit\u00e9<\/a> and UK board chair at CREW<\/a> \u2013 a global organisation of 14,000 members dedicated to advancing women in commercial real estate.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

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 \u2018yes\u2019 to opportunities before knowing all the answers. Her advice was that confidence doesn’t grow overnight \u2013 it builds through small, repeated actions. Whether that\u2019s asking a question in a meeting or raising your hand when you don’t understand something \u2013 it\u2019s about putting yourself in a room and making your presence count.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

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.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

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 \u2013 whether about career pauses, workload pressures, or simply learning to say no without guilt.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

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\u2019s when you\u2019re just starting your career, you don\u2019t have the confidence to speak up, or the experience to go after your goals, or even the company culture isn\u2019t 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 \u2013 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.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Nevertheless, the consensus was that change can happen faster when everyone is in the conversation.<\/p>\n\n\n

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\"Connection,<\/figure><\/div>\n\n\n

W@Y to RISE Roundtable<\/h2>\n\n\n\n

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.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Key themes included:<\/h3>\n\n\n\n