Many people approach business from the perspective of leaving the world a better place than they found it. Altruistic measures are taken by solo-business owners and large organizations alike regularly, making headlines and serving a variety of populations and causes.
Real estate is not typically an industry one thinks of when considering matters of charity or giving back. Still, one young female executive is looking to disrupt the real estate market, all in the name of the greater good.
Minna Song is the founder of MeetElise, an AI leasing agent set to bring efficiency to leasing. They work under the idea that housing is a fundamental right for all humans.
"Access to housing is a global crisis," says Song. An estimated 7 million reasonably priced rental homes are needed in the United States. MeetElise helps with operational costs. Its objective is to inject trust back into the housing market ultimately.
"Technology is the core of how our world operates," Song says. She sees a future in the housing and leasing market that is economical, powered by technology, and accessible to all.
Disruption takes innovation and savvy, and both are muscles Song has flexed in developing MeetElise. She chalks up her success and continued great strides made in the real estate space to several factors:
Work on the Most Important Things
It sounds simple, but old-fashioned hard work has contributed to much of the advances ever made in technology and beyond. Song has relied on hard work to further ideas and bring them to fruition from her time at MIT. But, you can't just work hard for hard work's sake, Song emphasizes. "You have to make sure you're doing the most important things."
Consider the Advice You Receive
"Advice is crucial to success, but you'll get a lot of advice that is wrong," says Song. Knowing how to discern helpful advice from advice that is best left on the cutting room floor is paramount to growing a thriving business, no matter your industry. Much of this is learned from trying, failing, and learning.
Surround Yourself With Good People
Business moves with charitable and empathetic leanings don't work without good people behind them.
"We're building the company and vision behind it together, "says Song, "Everyone contributing their skill and soul."
Get the Big Things Right, Don't Sweat the Small Stuff
It can be easy to beat yourself up about small mistakes or missteps in business. Mistakes can be the best way we learn, especially when building something new. Song stresses that as long as you're getting the big things right, the small things shouldn't matter as much.
Bring Your Diverse Experience to the Table
Minna Song brings a wealth of technology experience, gained from her Computer Science and Engineering degree from MIT to real estate. This offers a fresh perspective on the industry, one that allows for innovative thinking and outside-of-the-box ideas. Allowing for diverse experiences in any business leads to continued forward-thinking.
Minna Song has chosen technology as her weapon of choice to fight the global housing crisis. Not only does she intend to continue finding success with MeetElise, but she hopes a greater good is born from her efforts.
"Our company mission is rooted in our passion for leaving the world substantially better than we found it." That focus on the greater good sets Minna Song and MeetElise apart from her competition and ensures that the best results will come from her efforts.
