Influential Businesswoman Awards 2022

12 Acquisition International - Influential Businesswoman Awards 2022 May22242 Best Real Estate Sales Agency Founder (Antigua and Barbuda): Nadia Dyson adia Dyson is the powerhouse behind Luxury Locations Real Estate, the largest real estate agency in Antigua by both sales volume and value. She first visited Antigua in 2005, and from there, she became involved in the real estate business which just so happened to be booming at the time. Indeed, Antigua was a real estate hotspot and the weak USD against the GBP meant that there was money pouring into Antigua from the UK. However, it wouldn’t be until 2009 that Nadia would establish the ground-breaking brand. In essence, Luxury Locations Real Estate is the culmination of many of Nadia’s ventures, including Villa Management Ltd, which she founded in 2007. The brand serves as the face for these businesses, moving everything into one, streamlined place. By 2012, the business had survived Antigua’s economic crisis in 2010, and had grown into the island’s largest agency. That same year, Nadia’s husband, Sam, joined the business, and since then, the company has grown from strength to strength. The industry in Antigua, as it is in many other places, has historically been male-centric. Most of the established vendors and purchasers were male and over 50, leaving little room for women to participate, or even thrive, in the real estate market. Henceforth, Nadia’s arrival on the scene was met with resistance. She broke the age-old tradition, becoming the only female real estate agent and the only owner broker under 30. However, it was a man’s world – as a result, there was little regard for Nadia’s business. In 2022, the industry has, thankfully, changed for the better. There is more room for women’s voices in the market, which is due to a larger focus on knowledge, and Nadia’s contributions to real estate. ‘These changes have been largely driven by the fact that the market is knowledge and experience based, with a very well experienced team we put a very significant focus on training and information about the market. […] ‘Now that I have been doing this for the last fifteen years, I am unmatched in our field for knowledge which keeps our business on top,’ Nadia confirms. Luxury Locations Real Estate has enjoyed a great amount of success during its lifetime; however, the business has similarly faced multiple challenges. The Covid-19 pandemic threatened numerous businesses, impacting lives across the globe. For the business, this was a test of its resilience, determination, and infrastructure. Unsurprisingly, Luxury Locations Real Estate blossomed in the face of adversity, transforming into an organisation where its team members know that Nadia will always ensure that they have a place to work. N In 2007, Nadia Dyson first stepped foot into the male-dominated Antiguan real estate industry. It was Nadia’s experience and abundance of knowledge that subsequently pushed her to the forefront of the market, enabling her to become the Island’s only female real estate agent and lead the way for women hoping to join the industry. An inspiration to many, Nadia refuses to view her gender as an obstacle or reason for failure. In order to mirror this success, Nadia suggests, ‘there will be roadblocks, just as there would be for anyone, so do not make excuses for yourself or blame any failures on being female or any other aspects. It is a cutthroat world out there but if you stay honest, professional and maintain your integrity you will succeed. In business you always need to be striving for more, you can’t just sit and remain the same. Create and innovate to make what you have better than the competition.’ She does, however, attribute a great amount of her success to the support of her team and husband, as they are the fundamental elements that makes it all work. ‘Our team is our family, and they are a unique, fabulously committed group of amazing individuals,’ she confirms. Consequently, throughout the upcoming year, Luxury Locations Real Estate will be enacting numerous plans. Including an expansion into over ten new islands, the development of a new TV show, and continued evolution. Aside from the core business, Nadia hopes to co-create a Caribbean online/in person training academy with her husband. The academy will cater to underprivileged youths and will educate them in business, finance, and real estate. Contact: Nadia Dyson Company: Luxury Locations Antigua Web Address: https://www.luxurylocations.com/ LUXURY L O C A T I O N S R E A L • E S T A T E

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