Stacy Goldstein Cartier

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Stacy Goldstein Cartier grew up outside of Houston, where the oil and gas industry dominates the economic landscape. But it was an internship as a landman at Occidental Petroleum that sparked her interest in the industry. “I was fascinated that the coordinates in these legal descriptions, within 640-acre sections, underpinned the tremendous amount of resource that the company owned, and in turn, powered our economy,” she says. “Then I wanted to step it up to be a part of how the transactions happened and were financed.”

Who is your mentor? What is the most valuable advice they have given you? 
“One foot in the present, and one foot forward,” from my late father, Jerry Goldstein. He was my mentor for so many years, and although he’s no longer here on earth, I can still remember advice he’s given, and I just know what he would say as I endure challenges and important career moments. He was in the real estate business and lived through various cycles, including the significant downturn in early 1980s when he had a debilitating business failure. Whenever I recall a failure or misstep, or just something that didn’t go perfectly, I remember that quote. It inspires me to take the situation, to make the best of it today and keep moving forward in the future.

What advice would you give other young professionals?
Raise your hand to do more than what is required. Ask questions and convey interest in the subject matter, instead of just doing the task. In doing so, you will learn more of the skill sets required for the next level. It sounds so minimal, but showing interest in why the work is being done and wanting to learn more is an impressive character trait and will help you. I know I am enthusiastic to take time to teach someone who shows interest, and I will advocate for them when I have the opportunity.

Also, take every opportunity to go out and meet people. When meeting clients or other partners involved in how you get business done, it helps give more of a narrative on the underlying task and sheds more perspective. Not only do you do your job better, you build relationships, which will be the cornerstone of your success.

What are your long- and short-term career goals?
I have immense passion for my career, and most importantly, the relationships I’ve cultivated. Our current economic circumstances mark a period of forthcoming uncertainty, so it is not fully clear on what that looks like a year or two or five down the road, reminding me of 2008, 2015, and 2020 and the commodity price cycles that affected our industry. However, in five years, I look forward to many “remember when” conversations with people whom I continue to cultivate a strong relationship. This gives me the ambition to ride ups and downs with industry partners and other important relationships, which will undoubtedly open up a breadth of possibilities for the future. I ultimately want to keep doing what I love and help clients succeed.

 Get to know the rest of the Forty Under 40 class of 2025.