Los Angeles has one of the deadest downtowns in the world, according to a new survey.

Out of 75 of the top cities around the world, L.A. ranked among the lowest for vibrancy in Gensler’s 2026 City Pulse report released this week.

Around 65% of those surveyed found DTLA vibrant compared to more than 80% vibrancy scores for New York, Chicago, Sydney and Shanghai.

The urban planning and consulting company surveyed 35,000 city residents on how they ranked their city for a variety of statements. Los Angeles ranked 20th-lowest globally and 11th-lowest among 34 U.S. cities in vibrancy.

Downtown Los Angeles needs more people to return to downtown to work, shop and eat if it wants to boost its scores, said Kelly Farrell, the managing director of Gensler’s L.A. office

“L.A.’s kind of central problem is that businesses have left L.A. We need them to bring the offices back in,” she said. “Bring the people back in so they’re staying after work and interacting with those businesses that are in the area.”

While there are pockets of downtown that are thriving and local residents say life is improving, Los Angeles’ downtown suffers from an image problem that is weighing on how it is perceived.

Gensler’s report highlights key factors that contribute to a thriving downtown area. Downtowns should have a blend of shops, offices, and housing, walkability, and a role as a cultural and entertainment hub.

Despite its status as the city’s historic seat of government, finance, arts and sports, downtown L.A. has experienced a trend of offices leaving post-pandemic, leading to fewer visitors and the remaining stores and restaurants struggling.

The Los Angeles Office of Finance showed that the number of businesses reporting leaving downtown has increased greatly over the last two years, following a lull post-pandemic. Similarly, downtown has accounted for a growing share of overall exits from the region in the last five years.

According to a Times data analysis, downtown has regularly accounted for the highest number of closures. Among the neighborhoods hit the hardest by closures, South Park, the Fashion District, Central City and Pico-Union had the highest number of closures from 2024 to 2025. Nearly 40% of the office space in the Financial District is functionally empty, and 30% of retail space is vacant, according to CBRE.

Another important factor is whether or not people linger there. Rather than the number of visitors, Gensler said in the report, the amount of time spent downtown matters more in cultivating a thriving downtown area.

L.A. has consistently struggled to get locals back into downtown in recent years.

Perceived safety issues downtown are one major reason businesses are leaving downtown, and locals won’t go there.

Vandalism, assaults and robberies downtown have driven businesses out, and a noticeable lack of police presence makes people reluctant to return. Still, Los Angeles Police Department Capt. Kelly Muniz said in April that crime is down 10% from last year.

Gensler’s L.A. director says that as people flood back into downtown, crime will continue to decline.

“One of the best things we can do for safety is have an abundance of population,” said Farrell. “You will see right now that we have a lot of great ground-floor retail that’s empty. As that gets fuller, we typically see that crime starts to go down with it.”

Farrell said results can change dramatically between each year of the survey, and as L.A. sees more offices return to downtown, perception of vibrancy will increase with it.

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“Real Housewives of Beverly Hills” star Kyle Richards has made it clear that she believes she is entitled to a significant chunk of estranged husband Mauricio Umansky’s real estate empire—telling her Bravo co-stars that she will fight to claim her half of the business that she says she helped to build should the couple end up filing for divorce.

Richards, 57, who separated from the 55-year-old real estate tycoon in July 2023, was questioned about why she and Umansky have yet to make their split legal during the second part of the “Real Housewives of Beverly Hills” Season 15 reunion, according to a sneak peek shared with E! News.

When asked by Andy Cohen whether she plans to file for divorce any time soon, the reality star, who shares daughters Farrah, 37, Alexia, 29, Sophia, 26, and Portia, 18, with The Agency founder, admitted that she is worried about how that might “change” their current dynamic, in which they are peacefully coexisting without any legal complications.

That’s not to say that Richards hasn’t thought about what demands she might make in the event that they do decide to go ahead with the divorce, emphasizing to Cohen and her co-stars that she considers The Agency to be a shared asset, noting that she and Umansky “built” their lives—and wealth—together.

When asked by Cohen: “Will you be asking for half of The Agency?” Richards was quick to respond: “Well it’s mine. Half of it is mine.”

Richards’ sister, Kathy Hilton, then chimed in to question whether Umansky is aware of his estranged wife’s feelings on the matter, asking: “Does he realize that?”

While Richards did not reveal whether she has discussed the matter with Umansky, she was quick to double down on her feelings about it, telling Hilton: “We built our lives together. He literally had two nickels when I married him.”

Her co-star Amanda Francis chimed in to back her up, noting that Richards’ reality TV fame had also helped to increase the prominence of The Agency, stating: “He also launched it on your show.”

Richards did note that any division of assets will have to be hashed out and agreed upon by herself and Umansky, who did not get a prenup before tying the knot in 1996, although she fired back at Sutton Stracke‘s warning that “money changes things, especially men.”

“It doesn’t change that half is mine,” she said. “Obviously, there’s no prenup. We didn’t have anything. We were in a two-bedroom apartment with three kids.”

Umansky founded The Agency alongside Billy Rose and Blair Chang in 2011, 15 years after he wed Richards—and by May 2022, the business had facilitated more than $57 billion worth of real estate sales, according to Forbes.

According to The Agency’s website, the company currently operates more than 145 offices that are spread across 14 countries, while Umansky’s bio notes that he has “achieved nearly $5 billion in real estate sales and holds the distinction of selling the most homes in the country priced above $20 million.”

“He has represented some of the world’s most noteworthy properties, including the Playboy Mansion—the first house in L.A. to sell above the $100 million mark—the Walt Disney Estate, and residences owned by Michael Jackson, Michael Jordan and Prince.”

Indeed, in the 15 years since it was founded, The Agency has built up a wealth of clients, working with the likes of Lady Gaga, LeBron James, and Ben Affleck.

While it’s unclear whether Richards would seek to be involved in the day-to-day running of the business that she hopes to claim a 50% share in, it’s likely that she could be in line for a hefty payout if Umansky wishes to keep The Agency to himself.

However, Richards noted that she isn’t quite ready to pull the plug on their marriage once and for all.

She told Cohen that there was a reason that she hadn’t filed for divorce just yet, admitting that she enjoys the relationship that they currently share, explaining that they are still very happily living together, despite ending their romance.

“I think it’s just not knowing what you want and I like the way it is,” she explained. “The way we can have dinner and he goes to his room, I go to my room. We wake up, have coffee in the morning, talk about what we’re gonna do, we go skiing.”

Richards previously denied speculation that she and Umansky were rekindling their romance, after reports began to surface at the start of the year that a reunion was blossoming between the two during one of those aforementioned ski trips.

Those rumors first started when Richards and Umansky were seen looking cozy during a family trip to Aspen, CO, over the holidays.

However, during an appearance on “Watch What Happens Live,” the “Real Housewives” star insisted that the outing was purely platonic—denying reports that the duo had been “canoodling” during the trip.

“It honestly was … someone just made that story up,” she said.

The reality TV star explained that she and Umansky did travel to Colorado on a trip “with the whole family,” noting that they stayed in a home owned by Goldie Hawn and Kurt Russell—but said that was the extent of the time they spent together.

“I don’t know where that story came from, he was kind of doing his own thing,” she said.

Still, she admitted when asked by Cohen if she and Umansky were any “closer” to officially filing for divorce that they have no plans to do so in the near future, explaining that conversations about a legal split are still ongoing.

“We have had conversations that we had not had during this season since then. We still haven’t filed, but we’ve had conversations since then about what it’s going to look like and all of that,” Richards said.

Richards previously opened up about her relationship following her separation with Umansky.

“Since separating from Mau, I was in a relationship, I was in a very vulnerable place in my life and I fell hard for this person. All the speculation and the gossip and the talking is what ultimately ended it,” she said during an episode of “Real Housewives of Beverly Hills,” noting that she wanted to make the person public, however, her partner at the time did not.

Richards noted that she “could have weathered the storm, but this is not for everyone.”

At the time, she told co-star Erika Jayne that being in the spotlight made it difficult to find her forever person.

The couple announced that they were separating in July 2023, however, emphasized that they weren’t filing for divorce just yet.

“Any claims regarding us divorcing are untrue. However, yes, we have had a rough year, the most challenging one of our marriage. But we both love and respect each other tremendously. There has been no wrongdoing on anyone’s part,” the pair said in a joint statement.

They then asked fans to allow them to “work through our issues privately.

“While it may be entertaining to speculate, please do not create false stories to fit a further salacious narrative,” they added.

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In a world where everyone seems to be posting their highlight reel, it’s easy to believe that success in real estate comes from looking polished, perfect, and always in control. But what if seeking perfection is the very thing costing you momentum?

What if the key to building a thriving real estate business isn’t showing only the highlights, but showing the journey, warts and all? That idea isn’t new. In fact, it’s rooted in a timeless Japanese philosophy called wabi-sabi, the concept of embracing imperfection and finding beauty in the process of growth.

And when you apply that idea to your real estate business, it changes everything. Because the agents who are winning today aren’t the ones trying to look perfect. They’re the ones willing to be real.

The problem with the ‘highlight reel’ approach 

We’re living in a time where comparison is constant. Scroll social media long enough, and it feels like every agent is closing deals, listing homes, and building a business without a single struggle. But as most of us know, that’s not reality; it’s a curated version of it.

Early in my career, I remember thinking the same thing. I would look at others and wonder why it seemed like they had everything figured out while I was still trying to find my footing. Looking back now, those moments I once viewed as struggles have become what I now call the “good old days.” Because that’s where the real growth happened. And that’s the part most agents never show. 

Why people connect with your struggles, not your success

One of the biggest lessons I’ve learned over time is this: people relate to your struggles far more than they relate to your successes. That’s completely backwards from how most agents are taught to market themselves.

We’re told to showcase wins, highlight results and position ourselves as the expert. And while there’s value in that, it’s not what builds connection. Connection is built through relatability. That’s why one of the most powerful shifts you can make in your business is this: move from just documenting outcomes to sharing the journey.

Strategy 1: Share what you’re learning in real time

The simplest content strategy available to agents today is also the most overlooked. If you learn, you should share. Think about it. Every single week, you’re learning something:

• A new insight about your local market
• A better way to negotiate a deal
• A lesson from a transaction that didn’t go as planned
• A strategy that helped a client win

Instead of waiting until you’ve “mastered” something, start sharing it as you’re learning it. If you’re not sure how to structure it, use this:

1. Start with a relatable problem
2. Share what you discovered
3. Break it down into two to three key takeaways

For example:

“Early in my career, I thought selling a home was all about price. But after one specific listing, I realized there were actually three things that mattered more…”

Now you’ve pulled someone in, created curiosity, and positioned yourself as someone who learns and adapts. That’s what builds trust.

Why storytelling works better than information

Since the beginning of time, people have learned through stories. And today, that hasn’t changed; it’s just moved to platforms like Instagram, YouTube and TikTok.

When you tell a story:

• People see themselves in it
• They remember it longer
• They connect emotionally

That’s why the goal isn’t just to share information. It’s to frame your experiences in a way that others can relate to. And when you do that consistently, something powerful happens: people start following your journey.

Strategy 2: Let people come along for the journey

When you begin showing the real side of your business, the learning, the challenges and the progress, you invite people into something bigger than just a transaction. You invite them into your story. And people don’t just hire agents for expertise. They hire people they feel connected to.

This is where social media becomes a real business tool, not just a branding tool. Each platform is different, so this is a framework of how to use each:

• Instagram Stories to document your day
• TikTok to share quick lessons
• YouTube to go deeper into insights

The goal isn’t perfection. The goal is consistency and authenticity.

Strategy 3: Grow alongside other agents

There’s another part of this principle that’s often overlooked: growth accelerates when you don’t do it alone. In today’s market, collaboration is becoming more important than ever.

I believe that by 2030, over 75 percent of transactions will involve some type of referral, whether from platforms, relocation companies or other agents.

So the question becomes: if you agree with me that referral business will increase in the future, how do you position yourself to receive those opportunities? The answer is simple. You build relationships with other agents who are also growing. Here are a few ways to position yourself for these increased referral opportunities:

• Join or create a mastermind group
• Attend live events and stay connected with agents from other markets afterward
• Set up monthly calls with agents in other markets

If you don’t have access to a mastermind group, create one.

I’ve seen agents build powerful networks simply by bringing together a small group of peers in other markets to share:

• What’s working
• What’s not
• What they’re learning

That environment sharpens everyone involved and leads to more referrals.

Strategy 4: Build an ‘agent audience’

Here’s one of the most underutilized strategies in real estate right now: Start building an audience of agents. Just like you would farm a geographic neighborhood, you can “farm” a group of agents across the country.

One simple way to do this is with a weekly email. Here is an example of what one of these emails could look like:

Subject: What I learned in real estate this week

Inside that email, share:

• A strategy you tested
• A piece of content that worked
• A lesson from a deal

When you become a consistent source of value for other agents, three things happen:

1. They start sharing ideas back with you
2. They begin to trust your expertise
3. They send referrals your way

And not just them, their entire office starts to recognize your name as the agents share with other agents in their office what they are learning from you.

The real goal of your content

At the end of the day, the goal isn’t to impress people. It’s to build familiarity. When someone in your community, or in another market, hears a conversation about real estate, you want your name to come to mind.

That doesn’t happen from one perfect post. It happens from consistently showing up, sharing what you’re learning and allowing people to see your growth over time.

We live in a world that rewards perfection on the surface. But real success in real estate comes from authenticity beneath it. So instead of trying to look like you have it all figured out, lean into the journey:

• Share what you’re learning
• Tell better stories
• Build relationships along the way

Because when you do, people don’t just watch from a distance. They come along for the ride. And that’s where the real business growth happens.

If you work in mortgage banking long enough, you learn to watch the signals.

Rates move.
Consumers react.
The agencies adjust.
And the industry pivots.

We watch these indicators because they tell us where the market is going.

But there’s one signal the industry often overlooks — and ironically, it might be the most predictable one of all.

Policy.

From the business side, policy isn’t just politics. It’s strategy. And when you start viewing it that way, the entire conversation around advocacy changes.

Advocacy isn’t what most people think

Advocacy is a funny word.

For some people it brings up images of protest signs, megaphones, and someone passionately chanting in front of a government building. If you’re from my generation or earlier, you might even flash back to history lessons about civil rights movements and advocacy campaigns where people marched loudly for what they believed in.

That kind of advocacy absolutely has its place.

But in our industry — mortgage banking — the advocacy that truly moves the needle looks very different.

In fact, when done correctly, advocacy becomes far less about politics and far more about strategy.

Because the most effective advocacy isn’t about arguing with lawmakers.

It’s about educating them.

Educating them about how proposed legislation affects lenders.
How it affects operations.
How it affects capital markets.
And ultimately, how it affects the consumer.

And when industry professionals participate in that process, something interesting happens.

They become more informed themselves.

Which means advocacy doesn’t just educate policymakers — it empowers the industry.

The regulatory landscape is a market indicator

In mortgage banking we are constantly watching the market.

We track interest rates.
We track consumer sentiment.
We watch housing inventory.
We monitor agency guidance.

Why?

Because those signals help us understand what’s coming next so we can prepare our businesses.

But here’s a thought that doesn’t get discussed nearly enough.

Policy is a market indicator too.

Regulation is constant. It evolves. It changes. And it quietly shapes the environment we operate in just as much as interest rates or housing supply.

Understanding that regulatory landscape early allows lenders to adjust workflows, refine strategy, and position themselves for what’s coming.

Or said another way — it allows you to run your business with foresight instead of reaction.

And that’s where advocacy becomes incredibly powerful.

Here’s the irony.

The mortgage industry spends enormous energy trying to forecast the future — watching rates, inventory, consumer sentiment, and agency guidance.

Yet one of the clearest indicators of where this industry is headed rarely shows up in those forecasts.

Policy.

When you understand policy early, you’re not scrambling to adjust your business when the rules change.

You’re already prepared.

Because advocacy isn’t about politics.

It’s about knowing the future operating manual for your business before it’s printed.

Regulation doesn’t just change markets — It creates them

One of the most fascinating dynamics in financial services is that regulation doesn’t simply constrain industries.

Often, it creates entirely new ones.

Consider DocMagic, a company built around automating compliant mortgage documents and disclosures. As regulatory complexity increased — from RESPA and TILA to TRID — lenders suddenly needed technology capable of managing compliant documentation and disclosure processes at scale.

The regulatory environment created the need. Innovation followed.

Or take the non-QM market.

When Dodd-Frank introduced the Ability-to-Repay and Qualified Mortgage rules, traditional lending standards tightened significantly. Many borrowers who didn’t neatly fit inside agency guidelines suddenly found themselves without viable options.

The market responded.

A new lending ecosystem emerged.

Companies like Deephaven Mortgage, Angel Oak, Verus Mortgage Capital, Athas Capital, and Acra Lending built entire platforms designed to responsibly serve borrowers outside the traditional QM box.

Regulation didn’t eliminate lending opportunity.

It created a new market segment.

In many ways, regulation has been one of the most powerful innovation engines our industry has ever seen.

What this looks like in the real world

You don’t have to look far to see how this dynamic plays out.

Take California’s proposed expansion of the Community Reinvestment Act through AB 801. From a policymaker’s perspective, the goal is expanding access to credit in underserved communities.

From the business side, lenders immediately start asking operational questions: How will compliance be measured? What reporting expectations might emerge? How will independent mortgage banks be evaluated compared to traditional banks?

Those questions aren’t political — they’re strategic. They influence staffing, compliance infrastructure, and long-term planning.

Another example is wildfire disaster recovery legislation such as AB 238, which expanded mortgage forbearance protections for borrowers affected by California wildfires.

The policy provides relief for homeowners navigating catastrophic loss — an important and necessary step. But it also highlights a broader opportunity for the industry: building better systems that help communities rebuild housing faster after disasters occur.

And that’s where advocacy becomes more than engagement with regulation.

It becomes innovation strategy.

A new lens for advocacy

So perhaps it’s time for the mortgage industry to start looking at advocacy through a slightly different lens.

Put the wooden protest signs down.

Set the paint brushes aside.

And pick up something else instead.

Your business plan.

Because advocacy, when viewed strategically, isn’t about fighting regulation.

It’s about understanding it.

It’s about educating lawmakers, so policy works in the real world.

It’s about positioning your organization to adapt, innovate, and grow as the regulatory environment evolves.

The mortgage industry doesn’t need more spectators when it comes to policy.

It needs participants.

Because the companies that understand the regulatory landscape early don’t just survive change.

They help shape what comes next.

Paul Gigliotti is the CEO of California MBA.

This column does not necessarily reflect the opinion of HousingWire’s editorial department and its owners. To contact the editor responsible for this piece: [email protected].

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As much of downtown L.A. continues to feel dark and deserted, local businesses want the city to steal San Francisco’s secret for firing up foot traffic.

The tech mecca has slowly begun to emerge from one of the country’s deepest declines in downtown retail, in part through a program that peppered the city with subsidized pop-up shops.

The Vacant to Vibrant program turned abandoned spaces into bakeries, bookstores, cafes, chocolateries, galleries and other things.

Local entrepreneurs were given grants and support from the city and charities, as well as months of free rent to set up shop. The idea is to leverage empty storefronts to build buzz and entice more shoppers to city sidewalks.

While San Francisco is still far from its pre-pandemic peaks, backers say the program has brightened struggling retail areas.

“We’re creating a window on what downtown could look like,” said Simon Bertrang, executive director of SF New Deal, the nonprofit behind Vacant to Vibrant. The hollowing-out created by COVID-19 could be an opportunity to turn downtown San Francisco into a “mixed-use neighborhood with a lot of small businesses and maybe more residential,” he said.

While San Francisco is still far from its pre-pandemic peaks, backers of Vacant to Vibrant say the program has brightened struggling retail areas.

(Justin Sullivan / Getty Images)

Both L.A. and S.F. have grappled with keeping stores and restaurants in their business districts since the pandemic emptied office buildings. While most employees are working from the office again, a significant number are still working from home, and many aren’t coming in every weekday. The diminished presence of workers continues to make it hard on the lunch spots, bars and shops that rely on them to survive.

Though it is difficult to compare how businesses are doing in each downtown, there are some indicators that San Francisco has been growing more in the last year.

Reservation platform OpenTable said online reservations in the Northern Californian city shot up more than 20% compared with most months last year. Reservation growth in L.A. was capped below 10% for most of the same period.

Downtowns across the country need to find solutions, experts warn, as dark storefronts can lead to a downward spiral, with companies hesitant to lease office space in vacant areas.

Looking down Broadway from its intersection with 7th Street in downtown in Los Angeles.

Retailers are already opting out of downtown L.A. due to its slow recovery from the pandemic shutdown, said real estate broker Derrick Moore of CBRE, who helps arrange commercial property leases.

“A lot of operators are just electing to skip over downtown,” he said. “They’re leasing spaces elsewhere, where they feel they have a greater chance at higher sales.”

Brands have headed to more vibrant, nearby neighborhoods such as Echo Park and Silver Lake because of downtown’s weaker business.

Downtown Los Angeles residents, businesses and other city boosters want to try to prime the pump, using a program like San Francisco’s to help small businesses take over vacant storefronts and turn the lights back on, said Cassy Horton, co-founder of the Downtown Residents Assn.

A pedestrian walks past a building for lease on Broadway in downtown Los Angeles.

(Etienne Laurent / For The Times)

Surveys by the group have found that what residents love most about downtown is its walkability, restaurants, bars and coffee shops, she said.

“I love being able to live a lifestyle where I can run all of my core errands within a couple blocks,” Horton said. “I don’t have a car.”

Retail property vacancy downtown could be as high as 40%, Moore said, with some neighborhoods, such as the Historic Core, suffering more than others. Nike recently closed its store on Broadway.

A worker removes a banner on Broadway. Retailers are already opting out of downtown L.A. due to its slow recovery from the pandemic shutdown, a broker said.

(Etienne Laurent / For The Times)

“Downtown’s commercial vacancy crisis is visible on every block,” a recent report by the residents’ group said.

The report called for a “safe sidewalks” public safety campaign to work in tandem with a plan to bring back retail tenants.

In San Francisco, participating businesses can get their feet wet with a three-month pop-up to test the waters in a high-traffic location with low financial overhead and technical support from SF New Deal and the mayor’s office.

Businesses are offered grants to operate, help with lease negotiations, assistance with obtaining city permits, insurance, marketing support, business mentoring, and three to six months of free rent.

The intention is to transition many of the pop-ups into long-term leases, creating permanent fixtures in the downtown landscape. So far, more than 10 of the 40 small businesses that started as pop-ups have moved on to multiyear leases with their landlords.

A boarded-up storefront on Broadway. “Downtown’s commercial vacancy crisis is visible on every block,” a recent report by the Downtown Residents Assn. said.

(Etienne Laurent / For The Times)

Property owners with storefronts they need to fill receive funding to cover the cost of preparing the space for tenants and other property expenses, help with city permits and other support.

San Francisco launched the program in 2023 with $700,000 and contracted with SF New Deal, which focuses on supporting small businesses in the city.

The program is also supported by corporate philanthropy from Wells Fargo, JPMorgan Chase, Visa, Gap and others.

Among the first stores to open through the program was Devil’s Teeth Baking Co., a popular bakery in the Outer Sunset neighborhood that established an outpost in the moribund Financial District and brought followers with it.

“Suddenly, there are lines out the door on the weekend” of people waiting for breakfast sandwiches, Bertrang said.

The bakery now has a long-term lease, as do other graduates of the program, including Mello flower shop, arts-and-crafts studio Craftivity and Whack Donuts.

A pedestrian walks past shuttered stores on Broadway in Los Angeles.

(Etienne Laurent / For The Times)

San Francisco’s business centers were particularly hard-hit by the pandemic as its technology companies quickly adapted to remote work and kept at it even as the crisis eased, triggering widespread office and retail vacancies.

“San Francisco had the worst return-to-work situation in the nation,” Bertrang said. “It was the most extreme version of what L.A., New York and other cities in our country are dealing with.”

Representatives of nearly 40 organizations in cities across the country have reached out to him for advice on how similar programs might work in their stricken neighborhoods.

Among them was downtown L.A. business advocacy group Central City Assn., which has called for L.A. to subsidize retailers’ rents to help fill vacant storefronts in key corridors. It is working with city officials, looking into a program like Vacant to Vibrant for Los Angeles.

Adding businesses to the streets while improving public safety would help halt the “downward spiral and turn it into more of a virtuous cycle,” said Nella McOsker, president of the association.

“San Francisco has demonstrated this larger ripple effect of success,” she said. “This is really, really doable in targeted pockets of downtown,” she said.

Nick Griffin of the business improvement district DTLA Alliance said activating storefronts is a worthy goal as long as the city first makes the streets both safe and pleasant for pedestrians.

The city needs to provide clean sidewalks, street lighting and graffiti removal before consumers and businesses return, he said.

“San Francisco was the poster child for the doom loop and has pivoted to downtown recovery,” he said. “ We are building that story right now.”

I have built an entire company on being able to relationship. Yes, I said it like that on purpose.

According to Google, a relationship is “the way in which two or more concepts, or people are connected, or the state of being connected.” And while the industry is currently obsessed with AI ( I mean total obsession) on how Artificial Intelligence is going to be utilized to streamline processes, scale production, and help us grow, I’m going to tell you something that may sound old school…. Relationships are still the #1 driver of growth and sales revenue. AI can help you create the strategy. It can help you draft the outline. It can even help you write the follow-up email. But it will never solely close the deal. That part is entirely on you.

I’ve been blessed with a God-given talent to connect, and I use that strength to solve problems across marketing, social media, video, and even recruiting. Because at the end of the day, in this industry, people don’t just buy services. They buy trust. They buy confidence and they buy connection. So let me counsel you a little on how to leverage relationships to not only grow yourself, but grow your organization too.

“Show me your friends, and I’ll show you who you are.” 

My grandmother used to tell me this all the time (of course in Spanish) and boy was she right. Having the right relationships in your life, both personally and professionally, can elevate you to the next level. Most people love to show off who they’re aligned with. Whether it’s snapping a picture and posting it on social media, or dropping someone’s name when trying to make an introduction. But trust and believe, who you associate with matters in business. This is a relationship based industry. Your name, your reputation, and your character will travel into rooms before you do. And the people watching you? They’re not always who you think.

Trust is the #1 factor you need in sales. People will not do business with you, and they definitely won’t refer business to you, if they don’t trust you. So how do you gain trust? You show up, time after time. You stay consistent. And you give first. Be a giver!  Yes, you’re going to have to extend the olive branch first sometimes. Especially if you’re trying to work with high level people who already have options. Giving first shows you believe in yourself and your product. It also signals you’re not just there to take.

Let’s talk about “showing up,” because a lot of people get this wrong. Showing up doesn’t mean attending the conference and sitting in the room quietly. It also includes how you are dressed, how you present yourself, how you move, and even how you speak. Your energy introduces you before your business card does. How you speak to the wait and hotel staff at a conference will say a lot about you. The words you choose. The way you treat people who “can’t do anything for you.” All of it matters. People notice, and in an industry like ours, people talk. One of the quickest ways to damage a relationship is to be inconsistent. Don’t go back and forth. Don’t overpromise and underdeliver. Don’t talk big and move small. If you say you’re going to do something, do it. Period! Being reliable is rare these days, and that’s why it’s powerful.

Here’s another truth: people watch their competition. So if you’re doing business with someone’s competitor, trust me, they’re watching you too. This is why your integrity matters. You don’t have to play politics, but you do have to understand perception. Relationships can open doors, and they can close them just as fast.

Not all money is good money – Not everyone will do business with you, and that’s okay. For me, it’s quality over quantity, and not all money is good money. Some relationships will cost you more than they’re worth. They’ll drain your energy, your confidence, your time, and your peace. Weed those out and cut them off quickly. You do not have time to coddle relationships that aren’t adding value to you.

Which leads me to one of my favorite questions: Are you a fountain or a drain? Do people perceive you as someone who adds value to the industry? Or do they see you as someone they have to tolerate?

Try talking to the person in the corner. The quiet ones are often the most powerful people in the room. They’re observers. They retain information. And when they speak, people listen. Don’t overlook them because they aren’t the loudest. And remember, relationships can form anytime, anywhere. In the elevator. In line for coffee. Sitting next to someone you’ve never met. There is opportunity everywhere if you’re open enough to see it. I don’t believe in coincidence.

Don’t be a “mean girl” in business – This one is simple, be approachable. Be willing to invite new people into your circle. Don’t be the person giving off “you can’t sit with us” energy. That’s a major turn-off, and it’s also a sign of insecurity. Give people the opportunity to build a relationship with you and your tribe. You don’t want to be so far removed that you’re unapproachable. In this industry, being warm will take you further than being “important.” Because in the end, AI can assist us. But relationships will always lead us.

Dalila Ramos is the founder of Taco Tuesday Talks + Career Matchmaker.
This column does not necessarily reflect the opinion of HousingWire’s editorial department and its owners. To contact the editor responsible for this piece: [email protected].

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