Leadership in Real Estate is often associated with performance, growth and results. For Realmark Co-Founder Anita Percudani, it begins with the connection between strong personal values and meaningful ambition.
“Being an authentic leader in real estate is about having alignment with your values and having ambition for the future you want to achieve throughout your career,” Anita says.
Anita’s leadership journey began in 1989 when she and John Percudani opened Realmark. At the same time, Anita was raising two young children, navigating the reality of building a business while balancing family life. That experience would go on to shape how she approached leadership and culture within the organisation.
Rather than seeing that period as a challenge alone, Anita recognised an opportunity to influence how the profession could support others entering the industry. Supporting women in real estate, particularly those balancing family responsibilities with career ambition - became an important focus. Flexibility around school commitments, family life and career progression was not simply a policy decision, but something shaped by experience.
Anita’s leadership philosophy combines confidence and clarity with emotional intelligence. In an industry built on relationships, understanding people - their motivations, pressures and aspirations is essential. Within Realmark, emotional intelligence training has become an important part of leadership development, reinforcing the idea that strong results come from strong human understanding.
“It’s about being confident and direct, while also having emotional intelligence,” Anita says. “Understanding people and helping them achieve their goals is fundamental to leadership.”
As the real estate industry continues to evolve, Anita believes leadership grounded in values remains constant. Markets shift and technology advances, but authentic leadership - built on ambition, wellbeing, strength and focus continues to shape successful organisations.
Her message is particularly relevant as new generations enter the profession seeking meaningful careers in property. Real estate leadership is not only about navigating markets, but also about creating environments where people can grow, build confidence and pursue the future they want.
On International Women’s Day, Anita’s reflections offer a simple but powerful reminder: leadership begins with authenticity, and success is strongest when people stay true to their values while supporting others to achieve their own ambitions.
This article was originally published in The Real Estate Conversation.