“Innovation is the enduring catalyst for growing revenue and market share”
William Raveis Real Estate recently tapped Lisa Carpenter as Chief Marketing Officer (CMO). Leveraging her extensive global brand marketing experience and complementing the brokerage’s position as a top, family-owned luxury brand, Carpenter will oversee the company’s marketing department and services, lead generation divisions, and luxury properties. Find out her goals in this new role, key advice that guides her, and what she sees is the biggest difference between working for a family-owned business and corporate America.
What is your favorite part of your new position as CMO?
My favorite part is the company culture. Bill Raveis talks about the company as his “family,” and he walks the talk every single second of every day. He has incredible passion and love for the company and the real estate industry.
I’m most excited about having an impact now—in the good times—and more importantly, helping us continue to excel during challenging times. The uninhibited openness shown to me as I work to initiate new marketing ideas and approaches has been incredible, both for marketing to William Raveis external clients, as well as to our current and prospective agents.
What are the qualities that make you a successful CMO? How does your unique background and experience empower you in this new position?
I have a wealth of experience both with B2C and with B2B and in particular, marketing services from long-standing, premier brands against startups. With IBM Global Business Services (GBS), we were constantly battling born-on-the-cloud players offering digital transformation, but GBS has the differentiating expertise across the full range of services needed to be successful, namely consulting, technology, research, and software.
Similarly, William Raveis is head-and-shoulders above competitors in offering clients complementary services that align with a complete home purchase journey, including seamless offerings in Mortgage and Insurance. My unique background helps me strategically focus on the most differentiating company attributes and highlight them in compelling ways, purposefully amplifying the right set for the right channel and customer segmentation, whether for a typical Boston brownstone or a luxury Florida beachfront property.
Most importantly, I’m a firm believer that innovation is the enduring catalyst for growing revenue and market share and will champion ideas that may drive us out of our comfort zone but deliver a superior client experience.
What are the differences in corporate America and family business culture?
Access and stability. I am still amazed at how accessible Bill, Ryan, and Chris Raveis are to everyone in the company and clearly demonstrates the value all three place on building and maintaining long-term employee relationships. They spend an inordinate amount of their work and personal time getting to know and listening to employees across the many office locations.
In corporate America, one is never sure if an important C-suite executive will announce a departure on any given day with accompanying company upheaval and often paralysis. In stark contrast, William Raveis is a family-owned business, and its executives will continue to lead through the good times and bad times. That stability is priceless.
What do you plan to accomplish in this new role?
My goals are simple: support the entire Raveis family — our clients, sales associates, loan officers and insurance producers — while aggressively elevating the William Raveis Real Estate brand portfolio with the strength of William Raveis’ Mortgage and Insurance business lines. To accomplish this, we will build on our first-class marketing, from custom communications to memorable advertising, and grow our intuitive and seamless online presence, which is critically important in today’s digital world.
Have you received any impactful advice that has stuck with you in your career?
The important initiatives you’ll lead in your career are simple, not easy. Recognizing that and summoning personal grit at those crazy times will set you apart. This means being the best individual contributor possible while also being steadfast in your energy, focus and determination in leading your team.
Also, never underestimate the importance of micro-interactions. How you treat someone, even if for only three seconds, reflects your core values.
What is the most important aspect of leading a team (in your position) and supporting a team? What advice do you give people about being a good team member?
Remembering it’s not about you. A leader’s job is to max out each team member’s potential so that together, the team excels. If done right, the leader hangs on and enjoys the ride.
A good team member is highly professional and dependable with their commitments as well as being someone you wouldn’t mind being stuck in an airport with for four hours.
Is there a quote that motivates you?
“Attitude is a little thing that can make a big difference.” – Winston Churchill
What has been your greatest accomplishment?
Being married for several decades and being blessed with three kids that inherently want to succeed in life.
Carpenter brings more than 20 years of strategic marketing and consumer packaged goods brand experience to this new role. Previously, Carpenter was the Worldwide Marketing Leader of IBM’s fast-growing Global Consulting Services business where she was responsible for creating and executing global marketing campaigns, generating lead pipeline, leveraging a strong digital presence, and focusing on exceptional customer service. Prior to IBM, she worked for PepsiCo as a senior brand manager in their beverage division helping launch and grow new brands. She holds a BSE from Princeton University, a Master’s Degree in Economics from Stanford University, and an MBA from Harvard University.