CRE Guru and…Anthropologist

It’s not every day you meet someone who feels not only truly present in conversation, but also genuinely curious. Especially when your time together is mostly during professional organization meetings and conferences. But this was my impression of Suzanne from our first meeting. I was immediately engaged when speaking with her. She has that rare combination of being both incredibly smart and insightful, and genuinely interested and focused.   

In this edition of Remarkable Women, I invite you to get to know Suzanne Schefcik, Vice President, Investments & Capital Markets at Colliers International.

What is your “superpower,” and how has it shaped your life and career?

I can talk to anyone and build genuine relationships. Maybe it’s the freckles that make me approachable, but underneath it all is a real curiosity about people. I want to know what drives them, what they’re building, what they’re worried about, and most importantly, what they care about.

In commercial real estate, a business that runs on trust, that ability has shaped everything.  Transactions are complex, emotional, and often tied to someone’s life savings or legacy. Being able to connect quickly and authentically, whether it’s with a first-time investor, a seasoned developer, or a small business owner, allows me to create alignment and momentum.

It’s also helped me navigate rooms where I wasn’t always the expected face at the table. When you can build rapport and listen well, you command your own seat.

What’s something about you that most people would never guess — but plays a significant role in who you are?

I’m a trained anthropologist. I studied how people live, trade, build community, and create systems. I’ve lived with an avocado farmer in Guatemala, spent a summer in a tent on an island in Alaska, and hunted with one of the last remaining nomadic tribes in Africa. Experiences that informed my life more than any deal ever has. 

Anthropology teaches you to observe closely. To understand the cultural context. To recognize that what appears irrational from the outside often makes sense once you understand incentives, history, and identity.

I use that lens in my career every day. Asset knowledge is essential, but real estate decisions are driven by human behavior: why someone buys, why someone holds, and why someone won’t sell. Understanding the story behind the spreadsheet gives you an advantage that numbers alone cannot

What role do relationships and mentorship play in amplifying your and others’ superpowers?

I owe everything I’ve built to relationships and mentorship. No one builds a career alone.

Early on, I asked a lot of questions I worried were “dumb.” I was fortunate to have people who answered honestly and generously.

Mentors who let me sit in on meetings, who trusted me with responsibility before I felt fully ready, who corrected me privately and advocated for me publicly. That kind of support accelerates confidence. It shortens the learning curve and gives you the courage to step into bigger rooms.

Now, I feel a responsibility to do the same. Mentorship isn’t just advice; it’s about access: making introductions, sharing knowledge, and normalizing ambition. When women invest in each other’s growth, we don’t just amplify individual superpowers — we raise the standard for the entire community.