Four women talk about their careers as brokers

When the National Association of Realtors® (NAR) was founded in 1908, every one of its 120 members were men. Small cracks formed in that glass ceiling in 1910 when Corrine Simpson, a broker in Seattle, was the first woman to become an NAR member. Since then, the numbers and influence of women brokers has steadily grown. Today 64% of the nation’s 1.5 million Realtors® are women. They also comprise more than half of all real estate brokers. In Minnesota, 27% of the state’s more than 3,000 brokers are women. To learn more about the challenges and rewards for women in real estate, we connected with four women across the state who run their own brokerages.

No. I’m not the receptionist.

When Karen Stang worked in banking, she helped entrepreneurs get loans from the Small Business Administration. Watching them chase their dreams and succeed, she thought: “Why not me?” Opportunities for ambitious women were more limited in the early 1990s—especially in banking.

“There was definitely a glass ceiling at that time,” Stang recalled. As she explored possibilities, real estate stood out as a place where women could get ahead. Obtaining her real estate license in 1994, she joined Carriage Realty, the Lake Elmo brokerage founded by her father, Richard Kosmalski. Despite the family connection, getting fair and equal treatment was not easy during the early years.

“Since it was a male-dominated industry and I was very young, I was often asked if I was the receptionist or an assistant,” Stang said. “I didn’t let that bother me. I used it to fuel my desire to succeed. My parents taught us kids that we could do anything, and it didn’t matter if we were male or female. ‘Get out there and work hard,’ they said. I did and it paid off.” When her father retired in 2000, Stang took on the responsibility of running Carriage Realty after only a relatively short time as a Realtor®. Since those early years running the brokerage, she notes that women have come a long way in their quest for equality and justice.

“I feel the playing field is fair for women in real estate, and we should focus on making opportunities for everyone—equally,” she said. “You never know what someone’s road has been like, and their sex, race, age, or religion shouldn’t matter.”

They thought any male would know more about farming than any female.

When Realtor® Diedre Nordin entered the real estate world more than 20 years ago, farming was considered a man’s work and life. So, when the family farm goes up for sale, the prevailing ethos was that it better be a male Realtor® handling the transaction.

“The mindset still exists, but less so today,” said Nordin, founder of Nordin Realty in Thief River Falls. “Initially, I found that customers and clients were less enthusiastic about working with a woman when buying or selling farms and farmland. I had the feeling that they thought any male would know more about farming than any female.”

Having grown up in Karlstad on a farm where here family grew small grains, potatoes and sugar beets in the rich earth of the Red River Valley, Nordin knew better. “I had more knowledge and practical experience than some of my male counterparts. This was quite annoying to me, but I tended to tread lightly. It took me a while to become bolder in that arena,” she said. Despite her success, Nordin says that old misconceptions are slow to shift.

“I can’t say that I have overcome that challenge. I have just learned to roll with it. I speak the rural language and if they choose me as their Realtor, I try my best to be proactive, do my homework on the property, and work hard to make my clients happy.”

Ultimately, Nordin says, success is not rooted in the perceptions of others, but in one’s self confidence and sense of worth. “We need to value the talents and expertise that we bring to one another, regardless of gender.”

For women Realtors® working in rural areas, she offers some hard-earned insight about proper attire. “You may be able to wear a dress and heels to work, but don’t forget to bring your pants, mud-runners, shovel, passion and compassion along. You will need all of those. Each day is an adventure.”

The quest for equality continues.

With a background in mortgage banking, and more than two decades experience in the real estate game, Vicky Biren brings a wealth of know-how to running her Elk River based brokerage. Despite her capabilities, she still encounters men who “didn’t get the memo” on women’s equality.

“They question my understanding of contracts, yell at me and make demands, or threaten to take legal action to gain the upper hand and expect me to do their job,” said Biren. Confident in her knowledge, she stands her ground and wins the day by providing outstanding service in every transaction. To achieve equality, she has discovered she needs to outshine her detractors.

“To better represent my clients and become a better agent, I needed to understand all facets of our industry,” Biren said, observing that operating a brokerage is an ideal way to achieve that. Her position also allows her to provide agents with the kind of mentorship and support that she wanted earlier in her career but did not receive.

“Find someone you trust who is willing to mentor you until you get enough experience to venture out on your own. Even if you have to share in the commission, it will be money well spent. When your clients win, you win – and that will be the best way to help build your business.”

Words can empower a new reality for women.

As a grade school teacher, mother, Realtor®, and owner of her own brokerage, Gina Fruncillo learned to be creative and resourceful. Even when life events led her to closing the business in 2017, she brought the same can-do, entrepreneurial spirit to her new role as an agent at Engel & Völkers in Minneapolis.

Although Fruncillo continues to thrive, she is occasionally surprised by the regressive attitudes of some men inside and outside of the industry. Despite her exacting knowledge about the mechanical workings of houses, plus abundant hands-on experience in renovating homes, Fruncillo says her expertise is often overlooked because of her gender.

“It’s amazing how at times an explanation of something will be directed only to the male present, completely overlooking me or any other women in the room,” Fruncillo said. “Change is hard and changing a mindset takes time,” she added, observing that the generation reaching adulthood now seems to have a more balanced perspective on gender. Still, there is much work to do on the road to a more just and equitable society.

“We need equal representation for women, but also people who are non-binary. After all, there are more than two ways to be in the world,” Fruncillo said. Acutely aware of the role language plays in shaping perceptions, she notes that even high-achieving, equity-minded women reinforce gender stereotypes with word choices.

“There are a million little things that women do and say that contribute to minimizing the idea of what we might achieve. I know a strong and independent woman who still uses the phrase ‘an of the family.’ Little humans need to stop hearing phrases like this if we are ever going to have true change and a more level playing field for all.

For women just entering the real estate industry, Fruncillo advises seeking out a strong female mentor and getting as much education and practical experience as possible. “Don’t be afraid to ask questions and ask for help. And always believe you can do it, because you can!”