Forging New Paths: WX Women Founders Share Their Entrepreneurial Journeys

For three decades, New York Women Executives in Real Estate (WX) has championed the advancement and leadership of women in the real estate industry, supporting professionals at every stage of their careers. Through flagship initiatives like the WX Scholars and Mentoring Programs, WX has empowered the next generation of talent. WX works with a wide spectrum of leaders that continue to shape the industry landscape. This includes CEOs of top brokerage firms, universities that collaborate with WX on scholarships, and senior professionals in architecture, engineering, law and finance.

We spoke with four WX members — all women entrepreneurs who founded their firms within the past five years — to reflect on their career journeys, the challenges they’ve overcome, and how WX has served as a vital support system. These four are Laura Rapaport of North Bridge, Jennifer Novack of September Search Partners, Adrienne Hepler of Envoie Projects, and Robin Zeigler of Mural Real Estate Partners.

Building bridges in capital markets: How Laura Rapaport is reshaping real estate financing

As founder and CEO of North Bridge, Laura Rapaport is transforming how innovative capital  solutions are deployed in commercial real estate. She shares her journey launching the firm, navigating market cycles, and building a platform that redefines how institutional investors and developers access creative financing.

“I was inspired to launch North Bridge to create a platform that could blend institutional real estate experience with innovative capital solutions. Upon learning about C-PACE I saw an opportunity to bridge two worlds, finance and development, with a tool that could unlock new forms of value creation.”

Navigating challenges required education and collaboration. “C-PACE is still emerging in many markets, and with innovation comes education. Early on, a major challenge was building awareness and trust, particularly helping senior lenders understand how C-PACE fits into the capital stack. Getting lenders comfortable was critical, and today the product has started to be accepted by institutional lenders now that they understand how it works and why there is a benefit for them.”

Rapaport credits WX with amplifying her growth. “WX has given me invaluable support, guidance, and opportunity over the past 15 years. From starting as a WX Scholar to serving on the Board, I’ve found mentors, collaborators, and friends who have gone out of their way to give me opportunities, helped me grow and shape North Bridge, challenged me to think bigger, and together have been instrumental in helping to grow and change the industry.”

Robin Zeigler: Building enduring places with purpose

As founder and CEO of Mural Real Estate Partners, Robin Zeigler reflects on launching her firm, navigating market cycles, and how purposeful, community-centered development drives impact and returns.

“Throughout my career, I’ve led the repositioning and transition of aging shopping centers into large-scale, transformative mixed-use developments,” says Zeigler. “I saw that we could unlock meaningful change in underinvested markets across the U.S. I also realized how rarely these opportunities were fully harnessed.”

“I launched Mural because I believe there is a better model — one that meets the real needs of communities while delivering compelling, risk-adjusted returns. After nearly two decades leading publicly traded retail real estate companies, I had seen how capital, creativity, and community outcomes could align, but too often didn’t. Mural exists to bridge that gap.”

Zeigler credits WX as pivotal in her journey. “WX has been an invaluable platform — for connection, advocacy and representation. My goal is to pay that forward — by mentoring emerging leaders, building teams that reflect the diversity of the communities we serve, and continuing to show that excellence and equity can and should coexist at the highest levels of our industry.”

Jennifer Novack: Bringing perspective and agility to executive search

As chair of the WX Membership Committee, Jennifer Novack reflects on launching September Search Partners, navigating cycles, and how WX has shaped her success as a business owner.

“After years leading the global real assets practice within a diversified search firm, my business partner and I wanted to create one dedicated solely to the real assets space — real estate, infrastructure and energy,” says Novack. “Using relationships and expertise built over 20 years, we wanted to define our own firm. Ultimately, the decision to found a firm was about having the freedom to make choices that reflect who we are and what our clients truly need.”

She launched her company amid industry transformation that has so far proved validating. “Starting during a period marked by M&A, spinouts, and the rise of AI reinforced our timing,” she notes. “The industry is shifting, and we feel fortunate to have the agility of a boutique in this environment.”   

She credits WX as that network. “WX isn’t just a professional group — it’s a service-oriented community. Members mentor, collaborate and truly support one another. As chair of Membership, I’ve had the chance to contribute strategically while learning from an incredible group of women. WX treats its members holistically and takes a long-term view of relationships. It’s personally grounding and professionally inspiring.”

Building with purpose: How Envoie Projects’ Adrienne Hepler transformed challenge into opportunity

When the pandemic disrupted the industry, Adrienne Hepler, chair of WX’s Philanthropy Committee, saw an opening to create something new.

“When my business partner and I launched Envoie Projects in late 2020, it was an opportunity we decided to take,” says Hepler. “We had both been identified as successors to take over our previous firm when our boss retired. But when the pandemic hit, he decided to close the company. We loved our clients and our team, so we brought them with us and launched Envoie Projects, a full-service construction management and design consultancy that works on residential and commercial projects across New York City. The transition was seamless — the day the previous firm closed, we opened our doors. It’s been five years this December, and we’ve continued to grow a business we’re proud of.”

Launching amid a global crisis came with hurdles.

“Starting a business during COVID — especially as two women in a male-dominated industry — wasn’t easy,” she recalls. “Financing was one of the first challenges. We got our startup capital through a Facebook post I made in a working moms group, which connected me to another woman who helped us secure a line of credit.”

She credits WX with helping her sustain that momentum. “WX has been foundational to my journey as both a founder and a leader. It’s a network I constantly turn to — for advice, collaboration, and opportunities to pay it forward. It’s a community of women who lift each other up.”