Christen Wong

Senior Marketing Operations Manager,
CoreVest Finance

How many years have you been in Private Lending and why did you enter this field?

5 years. I entered this field because I had come from a Commercial Real Estate background on the broker side of the business, I wanted to expand my knowledge and learn more in the industry. I also really enjoyed working in Commercial Real Estate specifically, so given the opportunity to learn, grow and build a dynamic marketing team was very enticing for me. I like to say it’s the best of both worlds. I could keep my creativity at the same time be in a stable and lucrative industry with endless possibilities and growth. I knew I eventually wanted to become an established investor myself so I’m happy I ended up in this field.

What do you do for your firm? How do your contributions affect your company at large?

I am Senior Marketing Operations Manager at CoreVest. My main responsibility is to provide project management and assistance where needed. I help manage and execute various projects to meet company deadlines through content creation, creative direction, graphic design, social media, and events coordination alongside my team.

What is something most people don’t know about you or your company?

My very first real estate-related job was working with short sales, pre-foreclosures, and rehab properties. I made 50 cold calls a day as part of the investor relations team.

What has been the highlight so far in your career?

I would say that the highlight in my career so far has been the opportunity to build and grow companies in the private lending industry. The start-up phase is always exciting to me and being a part of the marketing process is a great experience overall. You get to meet so many people while developing a brand in this competitive industry.

What piece of advice did you personally receive early in your career that has helped shaped decisions you’ve made?

One of my previous employers Tim Swan, Branch Manager at Berkshire Hathaway In Brentwood, Los Angeles, told me:

“Keep going in your career, work hard at what you do, and don’t give up because you never know – we may end up working for you one day!”

Since then, I promised myself I’d never stop until I reached my goals because I knew my capabilities and drive would get me where I wanted to be in life. The best advice I received early on was to never underestimate myself and to trust my decisions. I learned to voice my opinion, ask questions, and be as hands-on as possible.

Tell us about a person or organization you admire. How have they made an important impact on you, the industry, or the world?

I really admire Bobby Khorshidi of Archway Capital. He was my first boss and mentor in the commercial real estate finance industry and gave me an opportunity when I was starting off my career in private lending. I came from a residential/commercial real estate background, but Bobby and the team gave me a chance. With my prior experience and his knowledge, we were able to formulate an effective marketing plan. He’s impacted both my personal and career life tremendously along with the lives of many others.

How have you turned a career mistake or failure into success in your career?

I’ve always felt that mistakes aren’t necessarily negative. In order to grow, we need to make mistakes and learn from them. There were times I’d miss an event on our events calendar or forget to schedule a campaign but overall, I’ve learned that focusing on the past won’t fix the issue. You can’t undo the damages, but you can find a way to recover the situation.

If you had a clean slate to start over and do anything you wanted to do, what would that be?

I would do something in the music industry like music or artist management because I’ve always had a passion and love for music and art.

What is the best advice you could give to a woman thinking about making a leap into Private Lending?

My best advice to any woman looking to get into this industry is to never second guess yourself, be strong, voice your opinion with sophistication, and don’t ever let intimidation stand in your way. The commercial real estate and private lending industries have always been a common career path for men; However, we’ve seen more and more women enter the space and assume executive level roles in this industry. Women must be confident in order to succeed in this competitive industry, we have to take risks and create a sense of respect for what we do and how we do it. Too many times I’ve found the role in marketing to be underestimated but over the years in my career path I’ve realized that we are part of the core of a company, whether small or large marketing will always be necessary in order to gain presence and generate business. With that being said, be secure with yourself, your skills, take risks and go for it!