Corenet’s New York Mentor Program is now eight years old. With eight cohorts of mentors and mentees, we have worked with 140 members who have joined forces to help each other navigate the exciting world of corporate real estate. By learning and working together to make our industry just a bit more intimate, our participants share experiences, insight and expertise. We all end up wiser.
I sat down with one of CoreNet’s mentor/mentee pairs: Larry Charlip, VP at Take2 Software, and Shayna Isenberg, Strategic Occupancy Planner at Jones Lang LaSalle, to learn more about their views of the program.
Interviewees:
Larry Charlip, Vice President of Facilities Management and Corporate Real Estate at Take-Two Interactive Software
Shayna Isenberg, Strategic Occupancy Planner at JLL
What drew you to the mentorship program?
Shayna: Being still “fresh” in my career, I can use all the networking, help and guidance assistance I can get. I have had a mentor before through an earlier employer, CBRE, and she was instrumental in shaping my career. I also had role models in college, and that helps.
Larry:Because of the way I came up through the industry, I never thought of myself as a mentor, but instead always sought out mentors. It is essentially how I built my career and thought this was a great opportunity to give back.
Side note: Larry previously described his corporate path as “falling up the ladder.”
What were your expectations of the program?
Larry: I had no expectations of the mentoring program. I didn’t even read the documents you provided, I wanted to enter with no preconceived notions, and I wanted to be open to what Shayna needed. I believe that being a great mentor requires building a great friendship.
Shayna: As Larry said, I had no expectations also. I wanted to build up my New York circle as I was new to the city. Having Larry as a mentor allowed me to open up and share some challenges I was facing. The craziness of each of our schedules made our check-ins random and informal. As a result, they were perfectly effective. Knowing Larry was always there and only a phone call, chime or Zoom away definitely helped.
Larry: It is really easy to have a conversation with Shayna.
Shayna: Admittedly I was struggling to build a niche in New York, especially as Covid-19 impacted everyone else’s plans. But having Larry in my corner empowered me to know my value and plant my flag. As a result, I got a new job.
Larry: It was obvious to me she needed to move to grow, but I didn’t think it would have been valuable to say that directly. Instead, I helped her come to that decision herself.
Shayna: I had to figure it out by myself, and Larry empowered me.
What Advice Can You Offer?
Larry: Don’t have strict expectations as a mentor. The mentee should have an idea of what they want.
Shayna: Don’t have preconceived notions, and don’t be afraid to reach out. Your mentor is there to help and guide you.
The CoreNet NY Mentoring Program is designed to make our New York real estate professional community just a little bit tighter and smaller and provide the in-depth connections and expertise that come from a shared goal. The program kicks off with an introductory session every September and culminates with graduation in June. Monthly happy hours have included invitations to everyone involved in the program throughout its inception, and have historically been held at local watering hole, but have become virtual this year – while the group gathers three times a year as a whole, providing opportunities for networking and learning. Join us! Applications are due early August and our program begins in September.
