Sara Grech is an Aquarius; she was born in Malta in 1964. She is one of five siblings - they were raised by her Maltese father and Lebanese mother. At the age of thirteen, she went to boarding school in the UK and then on to New Orleans in America to finish her O and A levels.
Sara studied Hospitality Management at the University of San Francisco. When she returned to Malta after completing her degree, she enjoyed her time so much that she decided to stay and pursue a new passion - real estate.
The industry was a natural transition for Sara - her father was the first estate agent in Malta. Although she had her career set on the hotel industry, she fell in love with real estate - the job provided variety, new challenges and the opportunity to meet different people each day. "I would get bored with routine and no challenges. This is certainly not the case with real estate. I have been in the industry for two decades and I still wake up every day eager to go to work," says Sara.
As the President and CEO of Engel & Völkers Sara Grech Malta, Sara works ten hours a day. The family legacy has been passed down to the next generation - with Sara's son and daughter working in the business as well (in operations and HR, respectively). Sara focuses her energy on the strategic direction of the organisation, whilst identifying opportunities that the organisation may benefit from and devise plans for growth in the different divisions across the group.
"The family is a natural team," Sara explains, "If your family shares similar values and each member works together for the common good, then the family can be your biggest competitive advantage. Often when children grow up in a business family, they absorb the skills it takes to succeed, as they absorb everything else from their parent(s)."
Sara notes that real estate has changed enormously since she started twenty years ago. The majority of business owners in the industry are men, and as a female leader, Sara makes it a point to speak publicly about women's roles and opportunities, about growth and paving the way for women's rise to leadership.
Sara feels that the clash between family and work priorities is the biggest issue facing women in the local workforce. Women still perform the majority of domestic and child responsibilities, even when both spouses work full time. "I brought up three children and it was sheer determination that drove me to do what I did, rather than staying at home. I could have stayed home if I wanted to, but I did not. It would have been much easier if I had, but I was never one to choose the easy path," says Sara.
Sara's advice for women in the workforce: "I hope that young aspiring female entrepreneurs will begin their careers knowing that compromise between living a well-rounded life and high performance is difficult. Our performance improves if we commit to working hard, and knowing when to find time to 'recharge' ourselves.
"The advice that I give my children is that it is important to surround yourself with good people, and always do what you love and love what you do. If you love your job, you will remain curious to learn and your passion will be contagious. Doing what you love means also being close to your values.
"No woman has to give up being a leader to have a family - she can do both. Remember, there will be just as many positive directions taking you up the ladder as there will be negative ones to bring you down, so take care of yourself along the way and reach out to others who have gone through the experience so that you stay connected to the career path that you have defined for yourself."