Keeping body and soul together, she, like many college students, tried to manage multiple part-time jobs - waiting tables, bartending, retail, “and it was exhausting. So, I tried to find some entry-level office work.” She found it, and much like other IREM members who discovered their careers by accident, it was in a local Houston property management firm. “I loved it,” says the 27-year-old Caravela. “So, I applied for a permanent position and got it.”
Today, she’s an assistant property manager at Brookfield Properties, where she helps manage a one-million square foot office complex in Houston’s central business district. It’s been a short but steep trajectory for Caravela, who not only received her ACoM this year, but has also been named to IREM’s 30 Under 30 and the Houston Chapter’s Future Leaders Program. (She’s currently wrapping up the last class that leads to her CPM certification.)
Her commitment to IREM is clear in the way Caravela is giving back. She’s active in the Houston Chapter’s Fashion Show and Community Outreach committees, the Future Leaders Program, and very importantly, the Public Policy Committee.
“I do public policy,” she says, “because I like to be on the front end of changes that will help me better understand what’s happening with vendors and costs and regulations that can affect our industry. Besides, I still love the law.”
Maintaining a career path and a full plate of volunteer activities is possible, she says, through the help of family and colleagues. Having grown up in the industry, she already knew many of the local players. When she hits a snag, there are always people to call, and “My mom can always share what she would do if it were her building,” says Caravela.
She adds that her mom is active in another management organization. “But I decided to join IREM to make my own name and do my own thing. I love it, and the people are great. They’re all family.”
“IREM has also helped tremendously with my continuing education,” she continues. “I love the classes they offer.” Membership also provides access to a network of many in-tune colleagues, including vendors, who she feels are too often overlooked as a source. “I think a lot of people miss that our vendors are going to be our guides. They certainly know more about their services than you do. So, when you need help, they’re the ones who are going to provide it.”
With such a full plate, between work and volunteerism, how does she accomplish it all? “I take a breath and remember that everything will get done–and it doesn’t all need to get done today.”
Learning that lesson and how to prioritize was a major challenge for her in her career path, she says. “I remember being in the office until 10 or 11 for no other reason than I felt like I had to be.”
While she’s been able to moderate that work ethic, it remains a driving force, one that she recommends other newcomers to the industry take seriously, especially when it comes to their professional development. “Never stop learning,” she says. “If you have a company that will support those efforts, take the classes. And don’t be afraid to ask questions of your boss and engineers and vendors. Everybody will have a different skill set, and there will always be something new to learn.”
Where does Caravela see herself in 10 years? “I would love to grow within a company and become general manager or a VP of property management, especially with a downtown portfolio because I love that energy.” She also sees herself growing within the IREM community, as a committee chair and chapter officer.
Being named to 30 Under 30 helped that vision, she says, because now she understands her “leadership potential. Paying it forward is a big thing for me. I grew up in a property management house, so I’ve always had mentors. I hope I could be that for someone else.”