Sally Maier-Yip - 11K Consulting

Founder and Managing Director

Public Relations

Why do you think it is important to celebrate International Women’s Day?

It is a day to remind us (both men and women) all that we are all equal, regardless of our gender.

It is a day to remind us to celebrate our successes as a woman.

It is still much needed as a meaningful platform to educate and inspire the younger female generation about fulfilling their full potential.

Have you faced any challenges in your career as a woman and if so, how did you overcome them?

I have been doing PR in Asia and the UK for almost the past two decades. I did meet challenges in my career; but I would say those challenges were less about being a woman, but was more about our confidence. In general, women, especially those from Asia/China, may not come across as confident as men, and hence we might miss out some valuable opportunities in business – for example, for a promotion, for a salary increase or winning a new business.

Therefore, speaking from my own humble experience, building the confidence we need to excel in our profession is a common challenge for most women across different industries. To overcome this perception (that women may be less confident than their male counterparts) and to help build our confidence as a woman, I think it’d help when/if we all understand that achieving success in our career is all about having right capabilities and building meaningful relationship and trust with relevant people in our industry over time, regardless of our gender. By changing our mindset may thus help us to build up our own confidence and self-image.

Is there another woman on whom you would like to shine a light, in the luxury property industry and why?

I would love to shine a light on Priya Rawal, Founder and CEO of Luxury Property Forum!

I truly admire what Priya has achieved and built through LPF during the peaks of the pandemic over the last 18 months. It has been a real privilege to be part of the LPF – which is the official, go-to platform for like-minded professions in the luxury property world - to meet together, to share knowledge and insights, and to inspire each other to do better in our job. In vulnerable times like Covid-19, we did yearn for a trusted platform, a like-minded community like the LPF.

Without the LPF, I would never have known so many real experts and made new inspiring friends in the luxury property industry in the UK. Thank you Priya for your great leadership and contribution to the LPF community!

How can we encourage more women to pursue entrepreneurship or senior leadership roles in the luxury property industry?

I think providing platforms, such as the LPF, for sharing real stories, lessons, ups and downs and challenges of other female (and also male) entrepreneurs and senior leaders in the luxury property industry could help encourage and inspire more women to join the force. I think it is very important that we also include male leaders and entrepreneurs in the conversations, as the reality is that we are working with both men and women. To excel, we have to embrace diversity and inclusion.

What is the best advice you have been given?

What doesn’t kill you makes you stronger.

(It’s so true!)

At The Luxury Property Forum we truly believe in “you cannot be what you cannot see”.

In celebration of International Women’s Day, throughout March we are shining a light on our wonderfully inspiring female members who are all leaders in luxury property. If you are an LPF Member and would like to celebrate a senior female member of the your team, please get in touch at marketing@theluxurypropertyforum.com

Sally Maier-Yip - 11K Consulting - Women in Luxury Property