Jenna McKay
Ending our week at #ArchNative with some major motivation vibes in the form of Women Who Inspire Us.
#GirlsWhoBuild, Meet Jenna McKay.
Jenna has been in the real estate industry for three years now as a licensed real estate salesperson for the Modica Team at Compass. She is a trailblazer in the field, where she brings a combination of years of marketing experience and a keen eye for design.
Jenna, what drew you to the industry and how did you get your start?
JM: After working in the corporate sales/business development world for nine years where I successfully launched US beauty brands in Europe, S.E. Asia and Canada, I realized that my passion for the business was gone, and that I needed to pivot to a new industry. I went through a long, soul-searching process to figure out how to marry my skills with something that I loved. I am obsessed with architecture and interior design, so real estate was a natural choice. I moved quickly, sold all of my possessions in Santa Monica, got a one-way ticket to JFK and booked an Airbnb in Chinatown for three days. In those three days, I took the real estate test, found a brokerage firm to work for and started hustling rentals all over Manhattan and Brooklyn. It was a whirlwind and looking back, I don’t know how I got the nerve to just pick up and leave.
What has been the biggest challenge?
JM: The biggest challenge has been building my network on the East Coast. I am a California transplant with most of my friends and family out West, so it’s been hard having to start from scratch.
What does a day in the office look like?
JM: My days vary every day. Typically, I wake up at 5:45 and take about an hour to myself. I meditate, make my nespresso almond latte, read real estate headlines, catch up on my emails and check my calendar. I will then head out on appointments with clients or to preview properties for clients that don’t live in the city. I often attend new development tours during the lunch hour because knowing inventory is an important part of my job. In real estate, there are broker tours and new development launches happening almost daily, so this part of my day is a constant. Once I am done with appointments and previews, I will head back to the office to catch up on projects, meet with my marketing associate to review whatever campaign we are working on at the time, and then usually I will also meet with my team about the listings we are working on. In the late afternoon / early evening, I will usually have a networking event on the books, or a dinner with a friend/client/business associate. I try to fill my days to the max every day!
What is your favorite neighborhood in NYC and why?
JM: My favorite neighborhood is West Village. I fell in love with the architecture and the history of the neighborhood in a class that I took at the Greenwich Village Preservation Society. Beyond the architecture, I think WV has the best restaurants in the city and a perfect blend of energetic yet relaxed vibe about it. To me, it feels like quintessential New York City.