IWD’21: Carolyn Lim, a fighter who overcame all odds

For International Women’s Day 2021, 99.co sat down with four inspiring women in the Real Estate industry. These women have shown us the endless possibilities of what it means to be a woman- and all have their own unique story of inspiration. This is part of a four-part series; you can read the other stories here, here and here.

It has been fifteen years since Real Estate agent Carolyn Lim got struck by lightning while windsurfing with friends in the waters off East Coast.

Today, she is an Associate Sales Director at SRI, and specialises in high value properties, including landed homes worth more than $10million in central areas.

Her road to recovery has been paved with highs and lows, but it has been the love of her friends and family that kept her going. 

We spoke to her to find out more about what it means to be female in male-dominated property industry.

• How has your experience been as a female in the industry?

Whether female or male, being a leader in this industry entails a lot. Passion and hard work are a given, especially since this industry is so competitive. In my opinion, the differentiating factor that sets us, females, from our male counterparts would be our perspective and the way we approach our work.

Women tend to find it easier to build rapport with people as we are a lot more social as a whole- although there are many men out there that do a good job at it too. This also means women can tend to be more empathetic as we find it easier to understand people and situations from different perspectives- thus allowing us to better put ourselves in the shoes of our clients and teammates, and better serve and support them.

To me, every day is a blessing. I am immensely grateful and humbled to be able to be on this journey and for this second chance in life.

• Can you share a female figure who has inspired you, and why?

There isn’t a single person that I draw inspiration from. Rather, I’m inspired by the many inspiring women around me, all in different ways. The career women, the super-mums, those who juggle both work and family and many more. It amazes me how many hats a woman can wear- and excel at all of them at the same time! This really shows how huge a capacity women have, and I believe there is something in every woman that we can learn from.

• Based on your experience, what advice would you give to female agents in the industry?

Life is a marathon, not a sprint. When things go wrong, learn from it and dust yourself off and move on. Never stop learning, never stop thinking and always, always stay true to yourself.

While some may think females have it easier in certain industries, in Real Estate genuine capability shows. There is no way you can fake your way to success. 

In my field of work, I see so many outstanding female realtors. Their dedication and perseverance, knowledge and understanding of real estate is unparalleled, which leads to the accomplishment they have today.

This has been an amazing journey, and I hope you enjoy your Real Estate journey as much as I do.