Real Estate Guru Amela Smailbegović On Importance Of Gender Equality
Smailbegović is an American immigrant who fled from a war-torn nation to become one of the real estate industry’s top performers
Presented by Luke Lintz
Despite the many advances made by women since the Congress passed the 19th Amendment, true gender equality remains elusive in many areas of society. From the wage gap to the disproportionate burden of household labor, women continue to be held back in many ways.
A recent World Economic Forum Global Gender Gap Report demonstrated that the Survival and Educational Attainment gender gap had been closed by 95.8% and 94.4%, respectively. But the problematic parts are still Economic Participation and Opportunity and Political Empowerment gaps, which are closed by 60.3% and 22%.
As Amela Smailbegović explains, the numbers may show a favorable situation in some areas. However, women still have to constantly fight for better positions in business and life with more outstanding dedication and commitment than men—something she experiences daily.
“We fight every day to be heard and treated with respect. It’s not easy to accept when your opinion doesn’t matter just because you are a woman,” she says. “But that can’t stop and discourage you from trying to succeed and be the best.”
Amela Smailbegović is an American immigrant who fled from a war-torn nation to become one of the real estate industry’s top performers. With 15 years of experience in real estate and timeshares, Amela is currently leading a highly successful team of agents who produce between $30 million and $40 million in sales annually.
Besides being a successful businesswoman, Amela is vocal women’s rights activist and an advocate for change who works tirelessly to promote and protect women’s rights.
After fighting long and hard enough to get where she is today, she is in a position to empower other women and guide them on a path to success. As she points out, women have difficulty advancing their careers for two reasons—one is a broken career ladder, and the second is, well, they are women.
As Amela explains, the first step in fixing the gender inequality problem is acknowledging that it exists. It is evident in the wage gap, the underrepresentation of women in leadership positions, and the prevalence of sexual harassment and assault.
“Women are already significantly underrepresented in business and leadership positions,” says Amela, adding that women often have to take less-than-ideal jobs and career paths because it seems easier than fighting tooth and nail to prove themselves among male peers. “Those women could be very successful in their dream jobs. They use their minds and their abilities equally as men do. But unfortunately, they don’t get the same treatment.”
The good news is that there are ways to fix this problem. One solution is to provide more opportunities for women to succeed. You can do this by increasing the number of women in leadership roles, supporting female-owned businesses and investing in girls’ education.
Another solution is to change the way we think about gender. “We must challenge the traditional ideas about what it means to be a man or a woman, “says Amela. “We must avoid stereotypes and focus on each individual’s unique talents and abilities. Only then can we truly start to achieve equality.”
Though there is still much work to be done, Amela points out there are many ways that everyone can get involved in the fight against gender inequality. From attending rallies and protests to donating to charitable organizations and mentoring other women, there are many ways to make your voice heard.
“We still have a lot of work to do regarding gender equality. And it’s not just about women being treated the same as men,” she says. “It’s about everyone having the opportunity to reach their full potential, regardless of gender.”
It is a fight for a world where everyone has an equal voice and chance to succeed. “That’s why we need to fight for a world where everyone is valued for who they are, not what they are,” she adds. “That’s why we need to fight for a truly equal world.”