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One pilot project launched by Best Buy last year offered a job-sharing opportunity to two women, one a college student, the other a mother, who each work 30 hours a week with full benefits. The program is predicted to grow. "This is not just a nice-to-do," Gilbert said. "This is smart business."

Ready to soar

Nobody needs to tell McKean. As she starts her commercial real estate career, she epitomizes the young women of Beveridge's study. Educated. Confident. Driven. Disarmingly funny. McKean, who grew up on a hobby farm in Freeborn, Minn., is a little surprised by the attention the study is getting. Most of her friends are ambitious: "Everyone I'm surrounded by has big dreams," she said.

Her mentor and boss, Andrea Christenson, second vice-president at Colliers Turley Martin Tucker, predicts McKean will be "one of the top agents in the next five to six years."

McKean doesn't know about that. But, like everything else in her impressive life so far, she's willing to give it a go.

"I want to be looked up to in our industry, to pull strings for people I believe in," she said. "And I want to be married and have kids, too. I think it's completely manageable."

Gail Rosenblum • 612-673-7350 • grosenblum@startribune.com