At Brown Harris Stevens, work can sometimes be a family affair. In honor of Mother's Day, we asked several of our firm's mother-child agent duos about what it is like to work together, what they have learned from the experience, and more. Their thoughtful responses provide a valuable perspective on motherhood and the power of family.
Patricia M. Beckwith and Charlotte Beckwith Quadri
How does your mother inspire you?
Charlotte: The fact that mom still loves the business after 51 years is an inspiration. She has shown me that working closely with clients is a very rewarding career and one that I hope to emulate.
What has your daughter taught you?
Patricia: I had worked solo since I started in the 1970's and she has certainly shown me that it is much more fun (and more productive) to work as a team.
What is your favorite part about working together?
Patricia: It's wonderful to have Charlotte give ideas about apartments from her perspective as a younger agent. I especially appreciate her expertise at doing board packages!
Charlotte: Mom's wealth of knowledge of the Manhattan market, buildings, and boards is invaluable. Watching her manage difficult conversations with clients is incredibly helpful and teaches me how to respond to those situations in the future.
How did your partnership begin?
Patricia: Charlotte had grown up her whole life hearing about the real estate business, and she was eager to join me after she got married in 2016. She had gone out looking for her own place to buy soon after college, so she understood the dynamics of a purchase and thought it would be fun to be on the agent side of deals.
Charlotte: Engaging mom on my own purchase made me realize that I would enjoy working with her in the future.
Arlene Weidberg and Ira M. Weidberg
How does your mother inspire you?
Ira: My mom has been in the business for almost 40 years now, and I admire how thorough and diligent she is. She works day and night and continues to achieve beyond what anyone thinks is possible.
What has your son taught you?
Arlene: Ira has taught me to be innovative, creative, and to let some minor issues slide. His law degree and his degree in advertising combine well with my years of experience. I was delighted when he joined my team.
What is your favorite part about working together?
Ira: I'm an only child and we used to talk to each other several times a day. Now that we work together, we talk and see each other even more, which is a great thing (sometimes). We also get to travel for work and meet people in other countries. It's allowed us, as a family, to experience work and pleasure at the same time.
Arlene: I get to see my son more! I don't have to text him, email him, or phone a thousand times before he answers!
How did your partnership begin?
Ira: It began when I was born, more or less! We've always been very close, and she's been in the real estate business since I was a child. I used to come to the office when I was young and watch her put together showings. It was always something I admired and I learned a lot from her. When I became a lawyer, I got my broker's license and we began working together unofficially. Eventually, I was looking to switch careers and forming a team seemed natural. We've had our team going for seven years now and have been doing well!
Where do you go to celebrate a closing?
Arlene: When it's winter and snowing, that would be Bloomingdale's. In the summer, however, we change pace...
Ira: We like to go to the Hamptons for a beach weekend and eat at some nice restaurants on the water. Our birthdays are both during the summer, so we often like to combine celebrations and do a weekend retreat.
Ann Summers and Alexis R. Waller
How does your mother inspire you?
Alexis: My mother inspires me every day. She's a great mother and grandmother, and she has more energy than anyone I know. She's just beautiful inside and out.
What has your daughter taught you?
Ann: I have been in real estate for 43 years, and three of my children work in real estate: Alexis, Elizabeth Missy Savage, and Colt Robinson. I've enjoyed working with all of them, but Alexis has taught me that she's a really hard worker, she's fun to work with, we think alike, and we enjoy what we're doing. We try not to get stressed and are very professional.
