Meet Kirsty Hessing | Development Manager

We had the good fortune of connecting with Kirsty Hessing and we’ve shared our conversation below.

Hi Kirsty, we’d love to hear about how you approach risk and risk-taking

Generally speaking, I would consider myself the kind of person that is relatively risk averse. When I look back, however, it’s the moments of most risk that have gotten me to the places I’m most proud of.

A last minute swap to a different college to go to school in New York city. A last minute major change, like way after the deadline. Begging to move departments in a company & ultimately finding a career path that I couldn’t be more excited about.

In thinking about risk, I’ve learned to lean in and really trust my intuition. Instead of letting it being something that scares me & that I shy away from, I’ve given my self the push and permission to lean into it, knowing it’s these decisions that have ultimately been my best. When I have a risky choice in front of me that gives me pause, I know to really hit the gas on exploring it. I have to imagine it’s pretty different for someone who loves risk taking.

Let’s talk shop? Tell us more about your career, what can you share with our community?

I work in real estate development which is a challenging career to get into for a couple of reasons. Many people don’t know it exists, we’re not real estate agents & we don’t sell anything. It’s a predominantly male industry and we work closely with construction teams.

The development team that I’m on consists of my boss and I. She’s female, an absolute powerhouse leader & I’m extremely proud to be working on an all female development team.

My favorite part of development is creating such a physical product. I love seeing our skyline & knowing that the people I work with created these buildings and are shaping our communities. It’s such an exciting time to be developing in Columbus and I love being able to brag about Ohio in that sense.

I think what sets me apart the most is how creative but analytical I am. I live at both ends of the spectrum. I love working with our designers & architects to pick fabrics but I’m obsessed with finance and how we make a project work. I could live in spreadsheets but I relish the opportunity to jump in and help on a design. For the team, living at both ends helps me advocate and see all sides.

The most important lesson I’ve learned so far is that relationships are everything. Whether it’s with vendors, architects, banks or the city. Human to human interaction is at the heart of it all. People are people.

Let’s say your best friend was visiting the area and you wanted to show them the best time ever. Where would you take them? Give us a little itinerary – say it was a week long trip, where would you eat, drink, visit, hang out, etc.

Love this one, I’ve done it quite a few times!

I teach at Butcher Shop fitness. Columbus has the most impressive Lagree community (& fitness community) so a trip there is always a priority!

I’m a huge German Village fan. I love grabbing a cold brew from Fox in the Snow and taking a lap around schiller park.

I live in Franklinton where the artist community is so strong so I would never miss an opportunity to tour studios and 400 Rich or get in a Franklinton Friday.

I love the scioto mile & in the summer it’s the perfect walk to the Short North. Lindey’s, Northstar & Alqueria are some of my favorites right now. The Columbus food scene is getting so good, we’re spoiled.

Who else deserves some credit and recognition?

This one’s tough because there’s so many people that come to mind.

At one of my first jobs I got to work under an incredible manager who really shaped my view of myself. I didn’t directly report to him, but the things Rion taught me I still use daily.

Rion gave me his time & mentorship at a stage in my career where I didn’t think someone of my level was worth all the time he gave me. It completely changed my self worth & it showed and taught me the exact kind of leader and mentor I want to be one day. He taught me hard skills around time management, office politics & the importance of execution which were just so valuable in my early career. But more importantly he helped me with soft skills. Together we uncovered my strengths, he allowed me to make mistakes and he supported me through them. He led by example and with such kindness. For the rest of my career, I’ll keep what he taught me & I will always be inspired by the way he put others first & selflessly led.

Instagram: @kirstyhessing

Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/in/kirstyhessing

Image Credits
Suki.wazabae (xxi martini photo) Aleayao (Butchershop fitness photos) Bighouse photography (headshot)