Cresa employee spotlight: Jodi Mullins

Cresa is committed to building an inclusive workplace that encourages, supports, and celebrates the diverse voices of our employees. Our employee spotlight series gives our team members the opportunity to share their unique experience.

Jodi Mullins is an Operations Manager who has been with Cresa for 9 years and oversees operations for several of Cresa’s key offices, including Denver, Portland and Chicago.

Jodi and her family

How did you get into the industry?

I was hired as a replacement Business Manager for Cresa’s Denver office. I have a degree in accounting and business, as well as experience in construction cost accounting and managing small businesses. With my strong foundation in accounting and business processes, I was recently invited to participate in the Cresa Operations Task Force team, as a steppingstone for me to engage with other Managing Principals and Business Managers.

Why are you passionate about what you do?

I get true gratification from doing a job well and helping others succeed. I love seeing the spark in someone’s eyes when I see that I have made a connection and they have learned something new. I am also passionate about supporting other women in the workplace and firmly believe in assisting people to help them succeed. I am only as strong as the amazing people I surround myself with. I do not view anyone as competition. Instead, I see a united team that is only stronger because of our unique attributes.

How do you think we can better promote Diversity, Inclusion and Belonging (DIB) within the CRE industry?

The women at Cresa are strong, intelligent and have much to contribute. I am proud to be associated with each of them. We had a call recently with the “Women of Cresa” Employee Resource Group and it was inspiring to hear everyone’s viewpoints. I would like to see us come together and form a mentoring program. We all have something to give and to learn.

What are some challenges you have encountered during your career and how did you overcome them?

One major challenge is being partially deaf. Thankfully, I have a good sense of humor and am pretty good at reading lips, but it has, at times, caused some interesting conversations and responses from me. A funny moment I remember was when I was on a call and the person I was speaking to was named Melissa, but I heard “Mimosa.” I called her Mimosa the entire time and my assistant finally lost control and burst out laughing. We still laugh about this, and she will call me “Mimosa” sometimes. Once I make someone aware of my situation, most people are happy to accommodate. A major benefit of being deaf is that I have a keen sense of my physical surroundings and audience. That saying, “be careful of what my face says,” rings very true for me.

Is there anything else you would like to share?

After my divorce many years ago, I was, very seriously, five days away from being homeless. I had two kids, two dogs, no income, no family nearby and nowhere to go. I had zero credit and no job. Thankfully, my faith, determination and hard work brought some incredible miracles my way. I firmly believe that when failure is not an option, one will flourish, and I did. I am very proud of what I have been able to accomplish for myself and my children and I hope I have set a good example for not only my children, but for those I surround myself with. Where you are does not define where you will be, and the choices you make today impact the options you have available in the future. Often it is difficult to understand that concept when one is struggling to simply provide the essentials in the moment.