I began coming to BOMA San Diego events when I first joined the Paragon Services Engineering office team back in 2018. Although I was very excited to join BOMA, I quickly became overwhelmed. Many times, when I came to events, I would end up sitting at the table or standing in a corner communicating with our engineers, managers, or fellow coworkers.

Fast-Forward to 2021, I began to get more involved and push myself to start talking to more managers, vendors, and even new members while at these events and meetings. While I initially felt like the room and events were “cliquey” and I came across as “shy” in such a new environment, over time I became more comfortable and really enjoyed meeting and networking with my fellow peers. As I became more and more involved, I began to realize that (much like the rest of life), when it comes to BOMA membership you must put in what you want to get out of it.

Fast-Forward to the present, I have really become involved and not only met some great individuals but also made some wonderful friendships. I am happy that I stuck with BOMA and kept pushing myself to do more and be part of more. My advice for any new member is to find that person that maybe intimidates you, makes you nervous, or feels like they are “out of your league” and just go up to them and strike up a conversation. I would even go so far as to ask them questions on how they became successful within their company and BOMA, and what they’d recommend for getting more involved.

I wish all our new members the best and encourage you to push yourselves as you are all great! Additionally, if you feel you need help or support, never hesitate to reach out to any current or even new members. We are a helpful and supportive community. And if you still need support, please feel free to reach out to me, I will do my best to help you succeed.