Women Leaders Of Real Estate: Dezireh Eyn of Platinum Forbes Global Properties On The 5 Things You Need To Succeed In The Real Estate Industry

As a part of my series about strong women leaders of the Real Estate industry, I had the pleasure of interviewing Dezireh Eyn.

Dezireh is the CEO and co-founder of Platinum Forbes Global Properties, a New York City brokerage redefining excellence in the boutique real estate space. Inspired by her late grandfather, a champion of women in business, she launched Platinum in 2005 alongside her brother, Khashy Eyn, building a firm grounded in empowerment, trust, and a people-first philosophy. With more than 20 years of experience in New York real estate, Dezireh has guided the company through multiple market cycles by staying rooted in values like integrity, diversity, and resilience, while fostering an environment where agents thrive and innovation is encouraged. She holds a degree in Economics from New York University, with additional studies at Cardozo Law School, is fluent in Farsi and Spanish, and supports The Jewish Board’s work empowering women. Dezireh also writes about and speaks frequently on women in leadership, company culture, and the evolution of the modern brokerage, challenging the industry to grow with purpose and lead with humanity.

Thank you so much for joining us in this interview series! Can you tell us the “backstory” about what brought you to the Real Estate industry?

My career in real estate was completely unexpected. I was a student planning to attend law school when I landed a summer internship at a real estate brokerage. From my first day, I was captivated by the energy of a fast-paced office filled with ambitious people building their businesses. That experience inspired me to earn my real estate license at just 19 years old.

I was drawn to an industry where success is determined by the effort you put in, the relationships you build, and the value you bring to others. I quickly fell in love with real estate because every day was different, every client had a unique story, and no two transactions were ever the same. In 2005, my brother, Khashy, and I co-founded Platinum Forbes Global Properties, formerly Platinum Properties. Looking back, that unexpected internship completely changed the trajectory of my life. Building a company rooted in collaboration, integrity, and long-term relationships has been the most rewarding part of my career.

Can you share with our readers the most interesting or amusing story that occurred to you in your career so far? Can you share the lesson or takeaway you took out of that story?

At the beginning of my career, I was at a lease signing to close on my second transaction since becoming an agent. It was a significant lease, so I was very excited. Before the meeting, I had heard that the landlord’s representative could be difficult to work with, but I hadn’t thought much of it. Since this was in 2004, at the time, lease signings were conducted in person, and as we reviewed the agreement page by page, my clients, who were relocating from out of town, asked thoughtful questions to make sure they fully understood what they were signing. I could sense the leasing agent becoming increasingly impatient with each question. As we reached the final pages, and the prospective tenants asked another question, the leasing agent stood up and announced that the landlord would not rent to “a paranoid, crazy tenant” and that the apartment was no longer available.

My clients were stunned, as was I. I remember feeling embarrassed, disappointed, and completely caught off guard. It was a difficult lesson to learn so early in my career, but one that has stayed with me ever since — and it’s that a deal isn’t done until it’s done. In real estate, unexpected challenges can arise at any stage. I often share this story with newer agents as a reminder to stay focused, manage expectations, and remain professional through the very end of every transaction.

Are you working on any exciting new projects now? How do you think that will help people?

One of the most exciting developments at Platinum Forbes Global Properties has been our affiliation with the Forbes Global Properties network and the evolution of our firm as we enter this next chapter. Today’s clients are increasingly buying, investing, and relocating across markets, making it more important than ever to think beyond a single city or neighborhood. Our global network allows us to better serve those clients by connecting them with trusted professionals around the world while creating new opportunities for our agents through international referrals and cross-border business.

At the same time, we’re continuing to invest heavily in our people. We’re focused on developing our agents through education, mentorship, and business development because exceptional service ultimately comes from exceptional professionals. As we’ve grown from a firm specializing in Manhattan rentals to a full-service brokerage serving clients across New York City and beyond, our goal has remained the same: to give both our clients and our agents every opportunity to succeed.

What do you think makes your company stand out? Can you share a story?

What makes Platinum Forbes Global Properties stand out is our commitment to remaining an independent brokerage while continually expanding what full-service real estate can be. At a time when much of the industry has consolidated, we’ve intentionally chosen to remain independent despite numerous opportunities to sell. That decision has allowed us to preserve our culture, stay nimble, and make decisions based solely on what’s best for our clients and agents.

Our evolution reflects that philosophy. What began as a residential brokerage specializing in Financial District rentals has grown into a full-service firm, including the launch of Platinum Commercial, led by my brother, Khashy. We’ve expanded alongside our clients’ needs while also building an all-female residential leadership team and fostering a culture that values collaboration, mentorship, and personalized service.

I’ve never wanted to build the biggest brokerage. I’ve always wanted to build one where clients feel genuinely cared for and where agents can build long, meaningful careers. To me, that’s a far better measure of success.

None of us are able to achieve success without some help along the way. Is there a particular person who you are grateful towards who helped get you to where you are? Can you share a story about that?

I am incredibly grateful for my brother, Khashy. As my co-founder at Platinum Forbes Global Properties and my best friend, he has challenged me to grow as a leader every step of the way and believed in me, even when I didn’t believe in myself.

In the early years of building our company, imposter syndrome was very real. I was in my twenties, leading a growing business, and there were many moments when I questioned whether I was ready for the responsibility. Khashy never let me lose sight of what I was capable of. He consistently encouraged me to trust my instincts, embrace uncertainty, and approach challenges with confidence.

More than 20 years later, we’ve grown Platinum Forbes Global Properties beyond anything I could have imagined. While I’m proud of what we’ve built together, I’m even more grateful to have had a partner who has continually challenged me to become a better leader while reminding me to believe in myself. That unwavering support has made all the difference.

Ok. Thank you for all that. Let’s now jump to the main core of our interview. The Real Estate industry, like the Veterinarian, Nursing and Public Relations fields, is a women dominated industry. Yet despite this, less than 20 percent of senior positions in Real Estate companies are held by women. In your opinion or experience, what do you think is the cause of this imbalance?

Despite real estate being an industry with so many overachieving women, we remain significantly underrepresented in leadership positions. In my view, that imbalance is driven by a combination of longstanding systemic barriers and workplace cultures that have traditionally rewarded a narrow definition of leadership.

For many years, leadership has been viewed through a predominantly male lens, which means women are often held to different expectations and evaluated differently as they advance. I’ve also seen talented women leave organizations because they don’t see a clear path for growth or because the culture lacks the flexibility, mentorship, and support needed to build a long-term career.

While progress has certainly been made, there’s still more work to do to create environments where women have equal opportunities not only to enter the industry, but to thrive and lead within it.

What 3 things can be done by a)individuals b)companies and/or c) society to support greater gender balance going forward?

As individuals, we need to challenge our own biases and recognize that effective leadership comes in many forms. Companies should create clear pathways for women to advance by investing in mentorship, leadership development, flexibility, and inclusive cultures where diverse leadership styles are recognized and valued.

At a societal level, we need to broaden our definition of leadership by valuing qualities like collaboration, emotional intelligence, and long-term thinking alongside decisiveness and ambition. When we expand our understanding of what great leadership looks like, we create more opportunities for women to lead, and ultimately stronger organizations and better outcomes for everyone.

In your opinion, what are the biggest challenges faced by women executives that aren’t typically faced by their male counterparts?

One of the biggest challenges I’ve observed in my real estate career is that women leaders often feel they have to establish their credibility before they have the opportunity to demonstrate it. As I mentioned, early in my career, I struggled with imposter syndrome because I was a young woman co-founding and leading a brokerage in an industry where many of the decision-makers were males, older than I was. I often felt that I needed to prove I belonged before my perspective was given the same weight as others in the room. Throughout my experience, I’ve learned that credibility isn’t earned by having all the answers, but through consistency, good judgment, and delivering long-term results. I know many women still carry the pressure of feeling that they have to perform at a higher standard to be viewed as equally qualified. This is why representation matters, as more women move into executive roles, the burden will lessen because leadership will increasingly be judged by performance rather than preconceived expectations of what it’s supposed to look like.

Can you share 3 things that most excite you about the Real Estate industry?

The three things that excite me most about the real estate industry are the opportunities to connect, grow, and continuously learn. Real estate is a relationship-driven business, and I enjoy building meaningful connections with clients and other professionals while expanding my network organically. I’m also motivated by the fact that your success is directly tied to the effort you put in. There is always an opportunity to grow your business by developing new skills, adapting to the market, and staying consistent. Lastly, I love that real estate is an industry of constant learning. As the market and buyer needs evolve, there is always something new to learn, and I believe that maintaining a mindset of continuous growth is one of the keys to long-term success.

Can you share 3 things that most concern you about the industry? If you had the ability to implement 3 ways to reform or improve the industry, what would you suggest?

I think the three things that concern me most and that I would work to improve are the lack of female leadership, the trend of industry consolidation, and the blind adoption of technology. First, we need to expand our definition of leadership by recognizing qualities like collaboration, emotional intelligence, and long-term thinking, and create more opportunities for women to advance. Second, I believe independent brokerages are essential to the industry because they preserve local expertise, strong relationships, and cultures that prioritize people over scale. Finally, while technology has transformed real estate for the better, it should enhance human relationships, not replace them. At its core, real estate is still a people business, and the best innovations are the ones that help us serve clients more thoughtfully and effectively.

What advice would you give to other leaders to help their team to thrive?

The advice I would give to other leaders is to lead with empathy. In my experience, empathy is the foundation of effective leadership because it encourages leaders to listen, understand different perspectives, and build trust. When practiced effectively, empathetic leadership builds consensus within a team without losing sight of the overall vision, balancing individual needs while making decisions that support long-term success. When people feel heard, valued, and supported, they are more engaged, more willing to collaborate, and more likely to produce high quality work. This kind of environment fosters a culture where everyone can thrive.

Ok, here is the main question of our interview. You are a “Real Estate Insider”. If you had to advise someone about 5 non intuitive things one should know to succeed in the Real Estate industry, what would you say? Can you please give a story or an example for each?

1. Collaboration is your competitive advantage

From the outside, real estate looks like an individual business because agents are competing for listings and clients. In reality, the best agents build strong relationships with their peers. Collaboration accelerates learning in ways that no class or training program can. When you’re willing to learn from those around you, you become a better advisor to your own clients.

A great example is a series of cross-brokerage networking panels that we launched at Platinum, designed to bring agents together to exchange ideas, share best practices, and build trust across the industry. Our most recent panel brought together more than 100 professionals. Creating spaces where people can openly learn from one another ultimately raises the standard for everyone.

2. Find comfort in ambiguity

One certainty in real estate is that things are never certain. Markets shift, regulations change, interest rates move, and consumer behavior evolves. There often isn’t one obvious answer or complete clarity, and I’ve found that success comes from staying grounded while making thoughtful decisions with imperfect information.

A recent example was New York City’s FARE Act, which fundamentally changed how broker fees are handled. Rather than reacting emotionally or waiting for the dust to settle, at Platinum we focused on proactive communication, targeted training, and transparency with both our agents and clients. The goal wasn’t to predict every outcome, but to prepare our agents to navigate uncertainty with confidence.

3. Think outside your market

In my experience, the next generation of successful real estate professionals won’t only know their neighborhood better than anyone else, but understand how their local market fits into a much larger global ecosystem. The landscape of economic shifts, migration patterns, international investment, and lifestyle changes influence local real estate in ways they didn’t a decade ago. Clients increasingly need advisors who understand those broader connections.

That’s one of the reasons we recently joined Forbes Global Properties. The partnership wasn’t just about expanding our network, but it also reflects how we see the future of this industry. We’ll always be deeply rooted in New York, but our perspective is no longer confined to it. The ability to connect clients to opportunities, expertise, and relationships around the world through this partnership ultimately makes us better advisors here at home.

4. Embrace technology with judgment

Technology is transforming every aspect of real estate, and AI is no exception. The professionals who thrive won’t be the ones who resist it, but the ones who learn how to use it thoughtfully by pairing it with human judgment.

At Platinum, we’ve spent significant time building internal knowledge systems optimized for AI. We’ve organized our training materials, brand voice, recruiting philosophy, market intelligence, company history, and operational frameworks so our team can work more intelligently and efficiently.

5. Prioritize humanity

One of the biggest misconceptions in real estate is that bigger always means better, but from my experience, lasting success comes from relationships. Real estate is one of the most personal decisions someone will ever make, so clients need someone they trust and to feel like a priority. That’s one of the reasons we’ve chosen to keep Platinum independent. Remaining a boutique brokerage allows us to put people before volume and relationships before transactions. A great example is when an agent advises a client to wait instead of buying or selling right away. It may delay a commission, but it builds trust, which is what creates long-term success.

Because of your position, you are a person of enormous influence. If you could inspire a movement that would bring the most amount of good to the greatest amount of people, what would that be? You never know what your idea can trigger. :-)

If I could inspire one movement, it would be a shift toward a more collaborative real estate industry. I’ve found that when professionals share knowledge, mentor one another, and raise the standard together, every agent, brokerage, and most importantly, client, benefits. Some of the initiatives I’m most proud of are the cross-brokerage networking panels we’ve hosted, where competitors come together to exchange ideas and learn from one another. I’d love to see more of that across our industry. We all do better when we stop competing over information and start collaborating around excellence.

How can our readers follow you online?

@platinumfgp on Instagram

Thank you for these fantastic insights. We wish you continued success and great impact!