To celebrate International Women’s Day, Lapp Realty wants to showcase strong and empowered women in Central Alberta that make this community a better place every day.
We caught up with Nicole Safron, President & CEO in an oil and gas male-dominated industry, and our very own Hannah Hauser, a mom to a toddler in a very busy real estate industry.
Read how they thrive in their chosen field, reject gender-biased norms, and pursue to live the life they believe they deserve.
Nicole Safron, 37
President & CEO Terrafirma Resources
15 years in the industry
What does the idea of being empowered mean to you?
Being empowered to me means staying committed to becoming a better version of myself daily. It means staying committed to building resilience in my system.
It means understanding that life has ups and downs and creating a toolbox of tools to navigate them.
It means celebrating wins and overcoming challenges.
It means learning from my mistakes and admitting when I could have done better, or been more understanding.
Empowerment for me starts on a foundation of personal sovereignty, where I am solely responsible for my life, my feelings and my choices.
Empowerment for me starts internally - it starts with self-love and self-responsibility.
“When I started out in Oil and Gas at a young age, I had several barriers. I was taken less seriously and often criticized...
I was questioned on the reasoning for what career path I took and the industry I was part of.
I chose to build a strong and resilient internal landscape to overcome the external pressures telling me that I was not good enough and questioning my morals.”
What did you dream of doing when you were a little girl?
When I was little, I wanted to be a vet and help animals. As I matured, I wanted to be an environmentalist and help the earth.
I always felt a strong connection to the earth and animals.
I also had an artistic side and loved sewing, creating, and writing.
I had dreams that were very opposite of each other, both academic and artistic.
During your free time, where can we catch you?
I love the outdoors, so any activity that involves being outside - running, mountain biking, horseback riding, skiing and exploring.
I also love reading and learning, yoga and other movement practices.
I have a strong meditation practice and daily ritual that helps keep me aligned, clear and energized.
I spend a lot of time with the kids at sports and cooking meals and treats at home with the family.
I love being around other empowered women. I find myself participating in masterminds for personal growth and alignment.
Have you faced any barriers in your career due to being a woman? If so, how did you overcome them?
When I started out in Oil and Gas at a young age, I had several barriers. I was taken less seriously and often criticized on the phone or in person for my knowledge and skills with the task I was dealing with.
I was questioned on the reasoning for what career path I took and the industry I was part of.
I chose to build a strong and resilient internal landscape to overcome the external pressures telling me that I was not good enough and questioning my morals.
Coupled with how I was raised to have a strong sense of who I am, and a lot of confidence and trust in my abilities, I chose to stay in my lane and focus on my goals.
I chose to stay committed to my why and the life I desired to live.
I also chose to learn as much as I could about everything that was relevant to my industry and roles within a business.
I learned so I could speak intelligently about all topics and understand how the internal workings of the business worked.
For me, it was about building confidence in myself. I surrounded myself with smart people who I could learn from and lean on when needed.
How can we encourage more women to pursue a career like yours?
Follow your heart and lean in.
Understand that obstacles are not personal, they are simply there to see how badly you want your goal.
Start by understanding how you want to feel, and what kind of life you want to live. From there follow the breadcrumbs of the opportunities that present themselves.
As you navigate your career, use discernment to understand what is in alignment for you or not.
Know that you can do anything that you set your mind to, the path to success is attained through dedication.
Whatever you dream can become a reality.
Your biggest job in creating success in your career is maintaining your personal power and resolve and maintaining an empowered internal landscape.
If you could have dinner with an inspirational woman, dead or alive, who would they be and why?
Queen Elizabeth II would be who I would love to have dinner with.
She was the youngest monarch in history and now the longest-standing monarch of all time.
I would love to understand her resilience and what keeps her motivated. How she has tended to her own heart while impacting so many people and holding power for so long.
I would love to understand how her brain works and what helps her make decisions, how she chooses to work closely with and how she continues to cultivate trust in her role.
I would love to understand how she balances her responsibilities with family and how that changed for her over time.
On International Women’s Day, what is the most important message you want to send out to young women thinking about their careers?
You can do anything you set your mind to. Get good at pivoting and never take challenges as a dead end.
Understand that opportunities present themselves to those who are willing to put themselves out there.
Commit to personal growth and opportunities will continue to magnetize you.
Think of the long game, the long term and understand that there will be ebbs and flow of the process, no matter what path you choose. The only thing you will ever regret is giving up on yourself.
Hannah Hauser, 40
Real Estate Agent at Lapp Realty for more than 2 years
What does the idea of being empowered mean to you?
The freedom to pursue my goals and create the desired life for myself and my family. It is having the support and guidance of trusted friends and family while achieving those goals.
What did you dream of doing when you were a little girl?
I wanted to be a Police Officer. I grew up admiring my dad in that field and felt that it was something I could do. As I grew older, I knew it wasn’t fit for me. I found that choosing a career in Paramedicine was something I was better suited to.
As a working mom, how do you balance your time for your family and for your job?
It’s been a learning curve. I take pride in being a stay-at-home mommy to Willa. However, that comes with sacrificing focus on my business and focusing on my business comes with sacrificing time with Willa.
I’m getting better at managing my time and asking for help with Willa. I’ve learned that it is ok to not be everything to everyone and that in certain seasons of life it's ok to say no to things in order to focus on what is a priority at that time.
Have you faced any barriers in your career due to being a woman? If so, how did you overcome them?
I don’t feel that I have faced any more barriers than anyone else. Possibly barriers that are different because I’m a woman.
I choose to look at the strengths that I have to offer instead of the things that may hold me back.
Choosing a mindset of success and determination is more valuable to me than allowing a perceived obstacle to determine my accomplishments.
How can we encourage more women to pursue a career in real estate?
I would say, there’s room for you!
There’s a place for your talents and skills. Just take those first steps.
It is a challenge and is equally rewarding.
“Find a team that invests in you. A team that understands that the success of the Team is just as important as the success of the individual. Find a team that celebrates the wins, even the small ones. ”
Find a team that invests in you. A team that understands that the success of the team is just as important as the success of the individual.
Find a team that celebrates the wins, even the small ones.
If you could have dinner with an inspirational woman, dead or alive, who would they be and why?
I’d love to sit down with Queen Elizabeth. I feel she is one of the last leaders of her time that can speak on almost any topic relevant to leadership.
She has met the world's most powerful leaders, she has consulted with them, learned from them and even led them herself. She would be a wealth of information, insight and encouragement to women in leadership.
On International Women’s Day, what is the most important message you want to send out to young women thinking about their careers in real estate?
Your success depends on you.
Real Estate is what you put into it. There are infinite resources available to you that will help you build your brand and your business. Make the most of that.
Also, know that being content with the season of life you are in is important.
Set out your priorities and goals and find a way to go after them.
Building a business in Real Estate is a grind but it is achievable and the amazing women I have met as a result are proof of that!
