The world of real estate is transforming every day. New solutions have solved many traditional challenges, permanently raising the bar when it comes to project quality and speed. That means client expectations are sky-high, and today’s leaders can’t afford to get stuck in the past.
To successfully chart a course, real estate leaders need to have a clear vision, not just for the organization and operations ahead but for future challenges and opportunities within the industry. Good leaders are masters of anticipation: they see problems before they become problems and they plan accordingly.
Any team feeds off its leader’s passion and expectations. Under a strong leader, workers understand their responsibilities and their role in overall operations. When employees are contributing to the cause of a leader they believe in, they work efficiently and diligently. That’s how great leaders drive results and morale at the same time.
Thriving with such exceptional traits, Diana Magariu, CEO of Key One Realty Group, is driving transformations in the dynamic real estate industry. Under her staunch leadership, Key One Realty Group excels as the premier real estate solution provider of high-quality services tailored to its client’s specific requirements.
In an interview with Insights Success, Diana shares valuable facts highlighting her professional tenure and her journey in the real estate niche.
Below are the excerpts from the interview:
Brief us about your career path as a staunch woman leader up until your current position.
I first started in the banking industry in Italy and then decided to take the opportunity to travel to Dubai to explore different career options. I worked in the powerboat racing industry and after some time transferred to work in F&B in sales. That’s where I discovered my talent for sales.
During that time, Dubai real estate was starting to boom, and as a curious person, I studied the ins and outs of the industry and began selling until I started to see great success and decided to do it full-time. I started a small brokerage company with few skilled agents, and now we have 4 divisions under Key One Realty Group operating in the industry for 16 years.
What challenges did you face along the way?
During the course of our business, we faced 2 major world crises that put a lot of companies out of business.
But we always found the opportunity in the midst of these challenges and have been able to come out on top. I find that the tough times had given us more blessings and we are able to build back stronger.
Enlighten us on how you have impacted the Real Estate industry through your expertise in the niche.
When I established my company in 2007, I ensured that Key One was built on a solid structure. We had a proper business model with strong control and planning on our financial resources.
During that time, there were a lot of companies that opened for the purpose of making “fast money,” where they reinvested whatever profit or commission they got into a new property in the hopes of selling it in the next 2 weeks for more. This became a cycle, so when the market collapsed in 2009, their funds got stuck, and they did not have enough liquid assets to support them.
Since Key One had the right foundations in place, we could navigate these circumstances—not only allowing us to overcome the crisis successfully but also helping our clients reduce the damages to their investment portfolios. We provided continuous support that led to strong business relationships and produced loyal clients who are still with us.
My story has also inspired women in the industry and those who want to join the industry. The fact that I have established my place successfully proves that women can do anything they set their minds on as long as they have a clear vision and work hard towards it.
Tell us about Key One Realty group and its foundation pillar.
Vision
We strive towards a common organizational objective that is geared towards providing the highest level of customer service and achieving excellent business outcomes while doing so.
People and culture
We believe in diversity and respect, and we aim to make our employees’ time with us fulfilling and purposeful.
Practices and values
We provide the highest level of customer service with full transparency and integrity every step of the way.
Experience and expertise
Our team of professionals are experts in their own rights in their roles at Key One. We continuously learn from the market and empower ourselves with new information, trends, and knowledge to provide our customers with the most accurate and timely information they will need in their real estate journey.
Goals and benchmarks
We have internal and external benchmarks and goals towards achieving customer satisfaction and business outcomes.
Sustainability and Innovation
We believe in incorporating new and innovative product offerings, techniques, and ideas to ensure that our products and services are competitive and beneficial to the customers and the company.
What strategies do you implement to promote gender diversity for various positions at Key One Realty group?
Gender has no merit in Key One. What we look at are the capabilities of the person and their skills and potential. In fact, our company is open to anyone, whether they have experience or not.
If you take a closer look, we have a lot of young people working in the front and back end. A lot of them did not have any previous experience, but we saw their eagerness to learn so we provided them with a place to thrive and prove themselves.
That is actually one of the reasons why we started “Key One Academy.” We launched a training and development workshop with the vision of upskilling real estate agents – both new and experienced.
What is your take on technology’s importance, and how are you leveraging it?
Buying and selling properties, as well as managing them has never been easier. Technology has truly advanced the real estate sector, and Key One is using its full potential to make the lives of our clients and our employees easier.
Because of technology, we have increased efficiency and integrity with our clients. We have managed to expand into markets we have never been to because of its unlimited reach. And we have negated the hassle and inconvenience of having to leave your house just to invest.
What are your goals in the upcoming future?
We want to expand into more markets outside of the UAE. So far, we have managed to tap into Russia, Italy, Lebanon, France, Saudi Arabia, Qatar, and Oman. But this year, we want to focus on Belgium, Austria, and Romania.
What advice would you give to the next generation of women leaders willing to venture into the modern business arena?
Never let your gender or age stop you from exploring your career or business options. At the end of the day, you have to do what is best for your future and listening to the limitations or what people are saying about what you can and can’t do will only hinder you from reaching your potential and goals.
Always have the courage to pursue your passion and work hard towards your goals.
