2024-08-29
Workspace is excited to introduce our newest Community Manager, Neha Montgomery, who will be leading our first North Shore location in Beverly, MA. Neha brings a unique international perspective and a robust background in real estate to our expanding team.
I had the pleasure of sitting down with Neha to discuss her impressive career journey and what inspired her transition into the flexible office industry.
1. Tell me about your professional background and what led you to pursue a career in the flexible office space industry.
My professional background is mainly in aviation. I was flying in Abu Dhabi, UAE for a number of years as a Food and Beverage Manager on board Etihad Airways. I was in charge of service for guests in First and Business class. We had Chefs and Butlers on board too to provide personalized service for premium guests. The Aviation Industry was hit hard during Covid and, due to that, my position as an F&B along with Chefs and Butlers was made redundant. After that, I was a Property Consultant for an International Real Estate company called Henry Wiltshire International in Abu Dhabi until we (my husband and I) decided to relocate back to Austria (he is from there and we have our house there) and then back to the US. Since I came back here, I've been with Cushman and Wakefield as a Leasing Consultant until a week ago. I wanted to explore the office space industry as this is new to me but it resonates with my background in Customer Service and also Real Estate and leasing. Remote work took off after Covid and I believe that remote office spaces are the future.
2. How do you like spending time when you're not in the office?
Outside of work, I have many interests. I am a Yoga Teacher (200 hrs YTT) and a Certified Pilates Instructor. Plus food is life for me. I have a genuine passion for cooking and different cuisines around the world. As I have traveled the world, I have always enjoyed authentic cuisines in their respective countries. I enjoy a good red wine. I do have a massive love for animals, I donate and help whenever I can for the greater good of all animals of all species. Travel is of course in my blood too.
3. What motivated you to apply for this position and join Workspace?
I applied to Workspace for the work and life balance. The part-time nature of this position allows me to maintain a healthy balance and spend more time with my family while still working and possibly making a significant impact in the role. Being able to manage a home and work at the same time, it's a dream come true. This position also aligned well with my background in customer service and leasing and managerial skills. After the interview with Justin, I was even more sure of this role as I could possibly be able to bring innovative ideas and grow professionally in the future.
4. Is there something specific about our company culture or values that resonated with you?
In all honesty, I have relocated back to the US after 10 years abroad so I was not really aware of the company or the remote working culture. However, after the phone call with Justin, I did a little digging as we all do, and was truly impressed with all the achievements Workspace and Justin have had since it opened. During the in-person interview, I was able to ask him questions about the leasing process and lease break process and the impression I got from the answers was kindness. I resonate with kindness and trust. 99% of my clients were due to personal referrals and that can only happen when there is trust. I believe that the Workspace team works towards gaining clients' trust and client retention which is how I operate.
5. As you start your journey with us, what are some of your short-term and long-term professional goals?
My goal for now is to learn everything I can to be able to work at my highest potential as I am new to this. However, in my Leasing Consultant position during my time with CushWake, I increased their occupied units to 100% and leased units to 99.25% before my departure. For now, I would like to aim to do similar work in Workspace’s new office in Beverly. As for my long-term goal, I would like to involve myself in other aspects of the Workspace team, too, and will wait to find out what they may be and what I may be able to offer.
6. Collaboration is key at Workspace. Can you share an experience from your past roles where you successfully worked as part of a team to achieve a common goal?
Collaboration is definitely key. As mentioned previously, most of my clients when I was a Realtor in Abu Dhabi were personal referrals. I rely highly on that. I will use my most recent examples here again of the previous property I worked in. It is Sofi at Salem Station. This is where I increased their occupied units rate to 100% and leased units rate to 99.25% with the help of my team. And if I use aviation as an example, every single successful and safe landing was achieved by teamwork. We were trained for teamwork and we couldn't have done our job without our team. So teamwork is definitely imperative.
Neha is sure to bring fresh insights and a unique skill set to Workspace! If you're looking for a private office in a vibrant and flexible environment, visit Workspace Beverly and meet Neha. She'll be delighted to show you around our new space.
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