We recognize and celebrate brave female leaders. The women featured in our Brave Women Leaders blog demonstrate resiliency, bravery, and the ability to radiate their light brightly. They have gifts, experience, and strengths to share with the world and they do so bravely.
Layla Vera is a Senior Associate and Marcus & Millichap. We met many years ago through our mutual love of spin and recently reconnected. I have been inspired by the courageous path she continues to blaze and how she embraces bravery in both her life and leadership.
What does bravery mean to you?
To me, bravery means not shying away from challenges or the pursuit of what makes you happy even if that means stepping out of your comfort zone. Bravery is taking action in the pursuit of being true to your core values even when faced with the uncertainty of an outcome, or confronted with doubt (be it self-doubt or external doubts). Having the courage to show up when faced with challenge and discomfort.
What is one of the bravest things you have ever done?
One of the bravest things I’ve done was pursuing the career I have today. There weren’t many women in commercial real estate working as brokers and this caused me to have a lot of self-doubt and question if I should even pursue it for myself. Instead of listening to my own inner critic, I jumped at an opportunity to join a company that was prepared to support my growth and ambition. Tuning out the “noise” and not being influenced to make a decision based on self-doubt but rather trusting and believing in my own work ethic, intelligence and drive is one of the bravest things I’ve done. It was a very empowering moment, and I tap into this experience often whenever I experience self-doubt professionally.
What benefits have come from leaning into bravery?
The biggest benefit that has come from leaning into my own bravery has been a greater sense of self. Taking on challenges and pursuing passions that align with who I am and the life I want to create, has created more self-confidence in me. It’s an empowering feeling to stop listening to my own self-doubt and listen to the now louder voice that says, “hell yes you can” and “what if you succeed?”
