We recently connected with Marika Dzhindzhikashvili and have shared our conversation below.

Marika, thanks for taking the time to share your stories with us today One of the toughest parts of scaling a business is maintaining quality as you grow. How have you managed to maintain quality? Any stories or advice?

As our company grew, maintaining quality became a top priority for us. In my role as the COO of a private equity real estate firm, I faced various challenges such as managing multiple projects, working with international investors, and US-based Developers, and maintaining a professional relationship with all whilst ensuring operational efficiency. That’s a lot to take on for one person. To tackle these obstacles and maintain quality, I implemented several key strategies with my team.
Firstly, I focused on building a talented and dedicated team who shared our commitment to excellence. By hiring individuals with the right skills, experience, and most importantly an ambitious attitude, we were able to create a strong foundation for our business. “I call it building the army and hiring for the future.”

To streamline our operations and ensure consistency my team and I set up standardized reporting, weekly meetings, CRM tracking, and daily tracking systems. We have even started using AI as a go-to tool and establishing clear guidelines for project management and delegating decision-making roles. By having these systems in place, we were better equipped to identify potential issues early on and address them before they impacted on the quality of our work. As the COO maintaining open lines of communication with all stakeholders, including investors, partners, and our team, is extremely crucial.

One example of how these controls have been helpful was during a particularly complex project involving tight deadlines. Our robust project management system allowed us to keep track of progress, manage risks, and build a team around the right skills needed to ensure that all parties were aligned with the project’s goals. This ultimately led to the successful completion of the project, meeting both quality and timeline expectations.

For those concerned about quality control as they grow, my advice would be to invest in building a strong team, establish expectations from day one, delegate managerial roles to each team member, and maintain open communication channels. These steps will not only help you maintain quality but also contribute to the overall success and sustainability of your business. Stay adaptable and always be ready to evolve with the changing market conditions, as this will allow you to maintain your competitive edge and continue delivering exceptional results.

As always, we appreciate you sharing your insights and we’ve got a few more questions for you, but before we get to all of that can you take a minute to introduce yourself and give our readers some of your back background and context?

My journey into the world of real estate began after six challenging years in a rocky marriage. As a single mom returning to Brooklyn with a double stroller and a suitcase, I was determined to build a life for myself and my children. It was during this time that I discovered the real estate industry, which offered me the flexibility and career opportunities I needed to balance work and family life.

In contrast to the emotional decision-making often found in residential transactions, commercial real estate appealed to me for its focus on competitive challenges, logic, success, and professionalism. Despite initial challenges such as balancing motherhood with my ambitions and navigating a strong, male-dominated industry, my determination and confidence in my abilities kept me going.

As a COO at Astor, I am now involved in multiple roles for the company from forming joint ventures with best-in-class developers, raising capital with Institutional capital partners, team management, and company operations, as well as maintaining multiple corporate relationships. “For me, this is not a job it’s a lifestyle.”
To potential clients, followers, and fans, I want you to know that my journey is a testament to determination, resilience, ambition, and hard work.

Any advice for managing a team?

Managing a team and maintaining high morale are essential aspects of ensuring the success of any organization. Based on my experience as the COO of Astor, I have learned that selecting the right team members and fostering a positive work environment is crucial for achieving optimal team performance. Remember that you all have one goal but different tasks to accomplish each day.

My advice is to always choose the right team members: When building your team, look for dedicated, committed, and ambitious individuals who share your company’s values and vision.

Practice effective leadership: As a leader, it’s important to consistently motivate and keep your team focused on the growth of the company. Schedule regular meetings to strategize efficiency and organizational operations, and always strive to lead by example.

Foster open communication: Clear and powerful communication is essential for creating synergy within your team and. listen to your team members’ ideas and concerns and provide constructive feedback to help them grow.

Implement time management strategies: Mastering time management is crucial for maintaining balance and prioritizing tasks effectively. Assess which areas of your business require more attention daily, and delegate tasks according to the value of work.

Encourage professional development: Offer opportunities for your team members to learn new skills, attend workshops, or pursue further education. Investing in their professional growth will not only benefit your organization but also contribute to their job satisfaction.

“Encourage professional development and remember to celebrate successes through every milestone together, a happy and motivated team is the backbone of any thriving business.”

Any stories or insights that might help us understand how you’ve built such a strong reputation?

Building my reputation within the market has been a result of several key factors. One of the most important aspects is maintaining a good name by upholding a high standard of integrity, professionalism, and authenticity with every person I meet. One of my favorite quotes about maintaining a reputation comes from Benjamin Franklin who said “It takes many good deeds to build a good reputation and only one bad one to lose it.
An unquestionable reputation brings abundance in business and in life. With a good reputation, you hire better employees, foster powerful strong long-term relationships, and establish greater profitability. Need I say more?

Our team shares the same values and dedication to excellence, which ensures a consistent and high-quality experience for us all. By working together towards common goals, we can provide the best possible service and results.

In summary, my reputation as well as Astor Realty Capitals has been built on a foundation of integrity, professionalism, diligent risk management, strong partnerships, trustworthiness, reliability, and a commitment to delivering exceptional results. I am confident in our ability to remain a trusted and respected player in the industry.  

Contact Info:

• Website: www.astorrealtycapital.com
• Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/marikadzhindzhikhashvili/
• Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/in/marika-dzhindzhikashvili/
• Youtube: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UC0yWvFaTM8SDsGA11S6_cLw