Bisnow has a new podcast series, "Let’s Have A Drink," where we sit down with the personalities who shape Washington, D.C., real estate — one of the most complex and affluent markets in the country. Hosted by Bisnow East Coast Editor Ethan Rothstein, we examine the deals, the disappointments and, of course, drinks of choice. You can subscribe on iTunes, Spotify or listen on SoundCloud. 

In our third episode, Bisnow sat down with Yolanda Cole, a partner and co-founder at Hickok Cole Architects. We spoke about her early days at Kohn Pedersen Fox, why there are so many glass boxes that look the same in D.C., housing affordability and being a woman in leadership.

“Our firm is 56% women and that's not because we have a program or we have a goal or metrics or anything like that — we don't actively look to hire women over anybody else, we just look to hire the best talent,” she said on the podcast. “I also think that because we're trying to change the perception of men about women that it's every bit as important for me to mentor men as it is women.”