Trust Yourself and Trust the Pivot

Rashmi Mehadia, AIA shares insights on leadership, growth and moments that shaped her career from Bisnow’s DC Women Leading Real Estate panel.

I recently had the privilege of sharing the stage at Bisnow’s DC Women Leading Real Estate panel, alongside an inspiring group of leaders: Christine Miller Langemak, Julia Broder, LaVonne Torrence Berner, and Victoria Wallace. Moderated by Genevieve Hanson, our conversation centered on leadership, growth, and moments that shaped our careers.

One question that stuck with me: “What’s a big risk you’ve taken that’s paid off?” Christine’s answer was simple and powerful: “trust yourself and trust the pivot.” That phrase has stayed with me.

Taking the Leap Before You Feel Ready When I first made the decision to move to the United States, I was excited, but also a little uncertain. In school, I learned that architecture offers global opportunities, though applying this knowledge in a different environment is challenging. I asked myself questions that most people making a life or professional change wrestle with:

• Will my experience translate across markets? Will I need additional training or credentials?
• Do I have the energy to start all over again?
• Can I adapt to the new culture and effectively advocate for my client, understanding their needs? There was no roadmap, just a strong internal pull that told me this move mattered.

“Careers, like buildings, rarely take shape without iteration.”

Pivots aren’t detours; they’re design decisions. In architecture, we embrace iteration. Rarely does a project emerge fully resolved on the first pass. We test, adapt, respond to constraints, and refine the vision.

Career pivots aren’t all that different. What I’ve learned, especially as a woman navigating leadership roles, is that pivots are not signs of hesitation, but signs of discernment. They require Self-trust A willingness to be uncomfortable, and confidence in transferable skills, even when the environment changes. Some of my most meaningful professional growth has come from moments where I didn’t have all of the answers, but I chose to move forward anyway.

Why This Matters for Women in AEC and Real Estate The AEC and CRE industries often reward certainty, decisiveness, and linear career paths. However, many leaders know firsthand that growth rarely follows a linear path.

Sometimes the pivot is;

• Moving markets or countries
• Shifting from technical expertise to leadership
• Saying yes to a more visible position or job before you feel “fully ready’
• Advocating for yourself in rooms where you weren’t always expected.

I’ve found that trusting yourself doesn’t mean ignoring risk. It means recognizing when the risk is worth it. Christine’s words reminded me that leadership isn’t about having perfect clarity, but it’s about momentum.  So, I’ll leave this question for my fellow architects, designers, and developers: What’s a pivot you’ve made, or are considering, that requires a little more self-trust?