Harvard University School of Design features Courtney Poulos

ACME Founder Courtney Poulos is currently enrolled in Harvard University School of Design's Advanced Management Program for Real Estate program.

We caught up with Courtney Poulos from Class 26 after her first Advanced Management Development Program in Real Estate (AMDP) term for a reflection on her experience in the program so far.

You have an award-filled background. What led you to apply to the AMDP at this point in your career? 

In real estate, every day is something new, but it is very local and tactile. Many of us got into this business with bigger ideas, but the day-to-day is all-consuming. I realized I was missing a broader perspective on this world, a deeper understanding of the terminology we always use, and new voices to push me.

So the prospect of being educated by global leaders in real estate alongside other leaders, and being in a community of like-minded peers, was very appealing. This program could help me take my practice national and give me the skills to do more consulting and coaching in the future. There was no better place than Harvard for my next step.

How did you approach the application to the program? What tips do you have for other applicants?

My approach to the application was to be completely transparent about what I hoped to accomplish, what was currently on my mind or in my entrepreneurial spirit as to future pursuits, so the admissions team could honestly assess if I was a good fit for the program.

Unlike other trainings and conferences, this is not a unidirectional educational experience – you are not just listening to someone on a stage.

The back and forth between the academic leaders and business professionals is a huge part of the experience, and you need to acknowledge (and this starts in the application and continues in the classroom) how much you don’t know, even when it is covering your domain. If you think you should be teaching the class, don’t apply — there are essential things you can learn from every class, every moment, every conversation with your fellow participants in this program.

We talk about the AMDP being one of the “most exclusive clubs in real estate”. How does the AMDP cohort compare to other real estate leaders you have worked with? 

When you take the AMDP, you are taking a leap of faith – you don’t know any of the other participants (probably), and you are learning alongside a global group of leaders. I love that people come from big and small global companies, with different psychologies, economies, and ways of doing things.

Participants are employees, owners, and C-suite executives. They are all very successful but have different ways of approaching problems — there is no hive-mind here. Every day, you are reminded that you are in a room of leaders, and it’s ok to allow others to lead, even if you are used to being in charge in your work life.

You are explicit in your mission of empowering women to achieve financial independence through real estate. How do you view the AMDP as supporting this mission?

The AMDP is helping me add a credential and grants access to a community that will enable me to get my message out to more people. I am seeking to expand how women can make small and big money investments through real estate.

One area I need to improve in is real estate finance, and the program is challenging me in this area. Even in difficult moments, I know that even though these AMDP sessions and project spreadsheets are daunting, learning more about real estate finance will help me better spread this message of financial independence through real estate throughout my networks.

Do you want to comment on anything else after your first AMDP term?

If you want to be seen for who you are, this program can help. I like that the electives feature programs beyond the meat and potatoes of real estate, with programs on storytelling and presenting on stage – that is very appealing to me, and I look forward to taking them.

Do you have a fun story from your first AMDP term to share?

The first day of the program, the zipper broke on my pants. When I went to the ladies’ room, the women of the program rallied around me, helping resolve the crisis by finding a safety pin I could use for the rest of the day. Even though we had never met before, these people had my back – the bonds of friendship form fast in the AMDP.