International Women’s Day is a chance to celebrate the brilliant achievements of women everywhere - in life, in business and of course, in the property industry.
To mark the day, we sat down with Loretta Strong to chat about her journey, her inspirations, and what it’s really like building a career in the world of property.
Tell us a bit about yourself
I’m 64 and have worked for Arun for 32 years. Prior to this I worked for the Halifax, including providing mortgage advice. I’m married with two grown up children and three young grandchildren. My eldest child Laura joined Arun 15 years ago and is now Arun’s Head of Customer Support.
Since my early 20s I’ve been showing and breeding English Cocker Spaniels. I bred the youngest ever champion dog in the breed who was also puppy of the year in 1988. I ran the national rescue for that breed for several years in the 1990s on a voluntary basis. I’m a Kennel Club approved championship show judge of Cocker Spaniels and have been honoured to be asked to judge the breed (and other gundogs) both in the UK and abroad on numerous occasions over the past 40 years. I’ve also enjoyed volunteering for St John Ambulance as an advanced first aider.
Is there a female figure who inspires you and why?
I don’t have a famous female figurehead but I do take great inspiration from some very special ladies who I’m close to, both at work and in my friendships outside of work. Generally speaking, I most admire women who are talented in their fields and have both the strength to be personally resilient and the empathy to be supportive to others. Striving to be successful no doubt relies largely on ability but introspection is also a critical element for self-development and progression.
What is your proudest achievement while working at Arun Estates?
I’d probably have to say the adaptability I’ve found to move from a weekend negotiator in Douglas Allen Sales to Compliance Director for Arun Estates. As well as the buzz I get from challenging myself every day, being part of the Arun ‘family’ and contributing to how the business runs gives me great satisfaction. I also found it interesting and rewarding to be invited by The Property Ombudsman to assist with revising their Code of Practice in 2019.
How do you motivate and inspire your team, and which qualities do you think are most important as a manager?
Probably one for them to answer but I hope I’m an approachable and reliable source of knowledge and coaching that helps to nurture their development. I keep an open-door policy to encourage discussions at any time and try to reach decisions by consensus wherever possible, always considering their viewpoint. The team handle some of the trickiest situations in our business and it’s important for them to enjoy a warm and friendly atmosphere in the office and to be able to blow off steam with some light-hearted humour in between the serious moments. Our monthly lunch gatherings and social events are great fun and play an important part in keeping us connected.
