This interview is part of Exeleon Magazine’s issue, featuring The Most Influential Women in Real Estate in 2023. Read all the stories from this edition by clicking on this link.
For the last 17 years, Adie Kriegstein has built an impeccable reputation in the real estate industry with her customer-first ideology.
Her focus on building (and maintaining) strong relationships with clients, understanding their unique needs, and collaborating with them at every stage of their real estate journey has positioned her as one of the top realtors in Manhattan.
Moreover, Adie’s strong knowledge of the market coupled with her hands-on working style has enabled her to deliver results that surpass expectations. In this exclusive interview, Adie Kriegstein talks about her journey, her real estate ideologies, and her vision going forward.
What according to you makes for a powerful woman? How have you integrated the same thought into your real estate journey?
From my perspective, a powerful woman is someone who possesses a strong sense of self, who is ambitious, determined, and resilient. She is knowledgeable, honest and hands on in her approach. She is confident in her abilities and is not afraid to take risks in order to achieve her goals. I have integrated these qualities into my real estate journey as I strive to become the best professional that I can be.
I want to be the best Agent I possibly can be to serve my customers and help them navigate the complexities of our marketplace. I feel through embodying these traits I have been able to achieve success in my real estate career and continue to strive for even greater accomplishments.
I believe that being a powerful woman in this industry means being able to adapt to the ever-changing market conditions, negotiating with confidence, and building strong relationships with clients and colleagues. I am unwavering in my commitment to my clients and believe in clear and strong communication and transparency. That being said I never lose sight of the customer service industry.
Talk to us about your growing up years. What is your earliest memory as a leader/entrepreneur that you can remember?
My earliest memory as a entrepreneur would be the annual lemonade stands I would have on Martha’s Vineyard where I grew up spending my summers. I think I started selling Lemonade when I was 7 or 8.
By the age of 14 I began working in retail at a clothing store in the Island. I spent a few summers at a couple different stores then I became a lifeguard. Onto of that I was constantly babysitting till I realized you could make far more money being a Nanny, so I switched over to doing that all the way through college. After that I went straight into real estate! Definitely not a natural or common trajectory for my field. Most people fall into real estate as a second or third career.
I was a huge tomboy growing up but didn’t enter competitive sports till a bit later. I picked up sports when I was young, but at a later age than most people and it quickly became not only something I was good at, but I excelled in. My earliest leadership roles were being the captain of countless teams from my elementary years through Boarding School. I did go on to play Lacrosse at Colgate University but only for a couple seasons.
I believe participating in competitive sports as a child plays a crucial role in the development of skills that are essential for the future. I can attest to having benefited greatly from what I learned participating in sports.
I strongly believe playing sports not only helps children gain confidence but also teaches teamwork, communication and decision-making skills, and leadership. Let’s not forget that playing sports teaches time management and discipline as well as perseverance which are also crucial for achieving success in any field. Lastly one of the most important lessons one can learn is how to handle success and failure with grace and sportsmanship. These traits and life lessons help shape us and learning them at an early age is advantageous for success I believe.
What prompted your interest and subsequently your foray into the real estate space?
I have always been interested in architecture and looking at homes and design. When I was at Colgate University, I studied Geology (I dig dinosaurs as a hobby) and geography. What interested me the most about Geography was Urban Planning and sustainability. I originally had thought I would go the development route but after a stint in sales right out of College I just loved selling and have been a real estate agent ever since.
What is the approach followed by you and your team to ensure optimal buying and selling experience for your clients?
Unlike a lot of Agents and Teams out there, I pride myself and my team on always putting the customer first and being committed to providing the highest level of expertise for them. I want to build a relationship and keep it.
At the heart of the team’s approach is a focus on building strong relationships with clients, understanding their unique needs and goals, and working collaboratively to achieve the best possible outcomes. Whether it’s helping a first-time buyer find the perfect starter home, guiding an investor through a complex transaction, or advising a seller on how to maximize their property’s value, the team is dedicated to delivering results that exceed expectations. I want to know I have not just helped someone buy/sell their home, but that I have helped everyone in their family and their friends.
Having built an incredible reputation over the last 17 plus years as a realtor and entrepreneur, what would you change if you were to start over again?
This is a wonderful question and while I don’t believe in regrets as they help shape you into the person you are, looking back there may be a few things I would do differently if I was given another chance. I worked and still work all the time, and I would have tried to push myself out the door to do more things for my soul.
A few years ago, I joined the University Club in NYC and I wish I knew about the club when I was younger and applied then. I have made a number of real valuable relationships and friendships through the club and have picked up playing Squash which I would have loved to have been able to play earlier when I moved to the city.
While I belong to a few clubs in the city having Squash really filled a void for me given all the years I played competitive sports. I also should have done more research into NYU’s Real Estate Certificate program to see if that would have been of interest to me.
Finally, talk to us about your vision going forward for your brand and network.
This past year I had major surgery and spent a week in the hospital due to complications. I learned an invaluable lesson; let others help and put trust in those around you. Given my situation and outlook I had to learn to not only allow and ask others to help me but to entrust my clients and properties to be worked by another Agent on my team in addition to myself.
Being such a perfectionist and hands on agent, this was quite challenging. I am a big believer in abundance, that there is enough to go around and if you put it out in the universe it will come back tenfold. Knowing I was going to be apartment bound for quite some time I took it upon myself to find other avenues to get my name and my brand out there.
As such I ended up pursuing PR publications (such as this) and have thus far been quoted in over 40 articles in the past 5 months. I plan to continue to do this, while building out my Team’s social footprint across all the main platforms and nurturing the large referral base of business. I want to continue to grow organically.
Lastly, I have a new sub-brand (not sure exactly what to call it yet) that I hope to launch and push out in the early Fall; ‘Paw City NYC.’ I personally think it is an ingenious idea and it has also been a super fun side project for me.
Visit Adie Kriegstein’s Instagram.
