What happens when data meets heart, and mentorship changes the course of an industry? In this episode of Wisdom from the Helm, Danielle Wilkie and Heather Frick sit down with one of real estate’s most respected voices, Leslie Appleton-Young. From her groundbreaking work as Chief Economist at the California Association of Realtors to co-founding Women Up, Leslie has shaped not just how we understand the market—but how women lead within it.

Leslie Appleton-Young has been a force in real estate economics and women’s leadership for decades. As the longtime Chief Economist at CAR and now at FMLS, her insights have guided generations of professionals. In this candid conversation, Leslie opens up about her early love for economics, the challenges of being underestimated in male-dominated spaces, and why communication and listening are the most undervalued leadership skills. She also shares her take on today’s housing crisis, the future of the industry, and why mentorship matters now more than ever.

Key Takeaways:

• Why Leslie chose economics over literature—and how it shaped her path.
• What kept her at CAR for decades and the mentorship that changed everything.
• How gender bias shaped her early career and what she learned navigating it.
• Her perspective on today’s affordability crisis and shrinking real estate workforce.
• Why listening is the leadership skill we can’t afford to ignore.

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The Helm was created to help more seasoned women in real estate confidently launch and scale their coaching businesses. Co-founders Danielle Wilkie and Heather Frick recognized a powerful gap: women with decades of real estate experience were ready to lead, coach, and make a difference but lacked a roadmap to get there.  We bring together a community of seasoned women ready to share their hard-earned wisdom and shape the future of the industry. 

Through proven coaching frameworks, practical business strategy, and deep, real-world connection, we help women transform their expertise into profitable, purpose-driven coaching practices.

The Helm website: https://www.the-helm.com/

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Thank you for watching — subscribe to hear more wisdom, strategies, and stories from women shaping the future of real estate.

– Danielle Wilkie & Heather Frick

The Helm was created to help more seasoned women in real estate confidently launch and scale their coaching businesses. Founder & CEO, Danielle Wilkie, recognized a powerful gap: women with decades of real estate experience were ready to lead, coach, and make a difference but lacked a roadmap to get there. We bring together a community of seasoned women ready to share their hard-earned wisdom and shape the future of the industry.

Through proven coaching frameworks, practical business strategy, and deep, real-world connection, we help women transform their expertise into profitable, purpose-driven coaching practices.

The Helm website: https://www.the-helm.com/

Subscribe to our Newsletter: https://www.the-helm.com/subscribe

Follow us on Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/wisdomfromthehelm