This week, Matt interviews Maria Hawthorne, President and CEO of PS Business Parks, where has been for over three decades. She started at the ground floor in a temporary position at Public Storage, the company’s parent, and moved up the ranks at PS Business Parks from running the East Coast, to Chief Administrative Officer, then President, and now to her current role as CEO in 2016. PS Business Parks is a REIT that acquires, develops, owns, and operates commercial properties, primarily multi-tenant industrial, flex, and office space. The company owns over 27.5 million rentable square feet concentrated in six states and has recently started the redevelopment of some of its office parks into mixed-use properties, primarily multifamily. Throughout her career, Maria had to carefully create a track record and build relationships to experience her growth within the company.

HIGHLIGHTS FROM THE EPISODE

Maria carefully built a positive track record starting with her temp role at Public Storage to cultivating relationships and growth within her company.

Maria is vulnerable and honest. She shared about a reset time at the company when the CEO sent her to the Center for Creative Leadership where she took a deep dive on what it would take to move herself up and into leadership.

Maria found success through a long career at one company.

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