The Reinvention of Me!
Mar 24th
While talking with a customer the other day it dawned on me that throughout my life I’ve been forced or more times than not consciously had to “reinvent” myself. My friend Vance Caesar wouldn’t like to hear me say “had”, I’ve gotten the opportunity to “reinvent” myself over the years. We all do it whether we know it or would admit to it. We do it in our personal lives; we go from being a son/daughter to husband/wife to father/mother and eventually grandfather and grandmother if we are lucky.
The business world is a little different when we go from student to professional without all the steps in between and sometimes we make the correct decisions and sometimes we do not. And it is when we do not that the process of reinvention takes place. In today’s economy a professional in commercial real estate has to remain flexible and versatile if he or she is going to survive. In smaller markets you have to be all things to all people, but you can also specialize in an area that you are passionate about. Too many times we find ourselves in a rut. What’s the famous saying; “if you find yourself in a rut, stop digging?” Its true why continue to the same things over and over hoping for a different outcome.
I truly believe that we can accomplish anything if we allow ourselves to dream and not get caught up in the road blocks perceived or real. If we all were to enter each encounter or situation as a servant there would be less disappointment and more accomplishments. It is becoming more and more irritating in today’s business world, with a challenging economy, listening to professionals complaining about how bad is, but aren’t willing to do anything about it like reinventing themselves.
Give it a try and not complain about how bad your business has become or how unfair this or that might be and reinvent yourself. Turn your attention to looking for opportunities to explore that would make you better in some area of your business life. You might like the reinvention better than the original model.
See the Invisible and Do the Impossible…
Feb 7th
That’s the sub title of a new book by Daniel Burrus with John David Mann, Flash Foresight. This is a really an interesting concept when you stop and think about it. That’s really what we do in Commercial Real Estate isn’t it? McDonald’s or Walgreens wants the northeast corner of Spoke and Oak, but there is already a flower store, a card shop and a bicycle business operating in that space. That really doesn’t matter to McDonald’s or Walgreens.
As a professional you have to manufacture the space necessary. Almost 25 years ago as a new agent in the commercial real estate industry, I met a developer named Steve Nardi in Chicago who was a part of our network (New America Network) back then. About 100 of us were standing in the vacant, newly constructed 8th floor of his brand new building along the I-88 corridor in suburban Chicago. The building had 11 floors and not one square foot was occupied at the time.
Nardi stood there and described the kinds of tenants he would attract and when they would arrive and what he would have to do to finish the Class A Office project. Nardi asked us all what business we thought we were in. That was easy commercial real estate I said. No, he said that we were all in the manufacturing business….manufacturing opportunities for our customers and clients. That notion has always been in my mind whenever I’ve been faced with a particularly challenging assignment or situation.
Many of the solutions have come because I have been blessed to be associated with NAI Global, the world’s largest commercial network. NAI is supported by more than 5,000 full time commercial professionals in 55 countries working together with our corporate staff and our strategic alliance partners to give our membership an unmatched competitive edge. This will be my 25th year as a commercial real estate service provider and at this year’s convention I will assume the duties as Chair of NAI Global’s Leadership Board. This year we will try to see the invisible and achieve the impossible….together.
Where Does the Time Go?
Jan 4th
Happy New Year everyone. I’ve noticed recently that no one was sorry to see 2010 come to an end, especially those of us in the commercial real estate industry. Property values plummeted, there was little money to lend in the markets, and foreclosures became an everyday topic. Where did the year go, you ask? The time seemed to fly by. 2010 came to an end for me on a melancholy note. I heard of the passing of a boyhood friend named Warren “Squeaky” Hale, Jr. To be honest once we reached High School our paths drifted apart. I really hadn’t thought about Squeaky for many years. We played baseball at the same time when we were 9 or 10 years old. Squeaky was a likeable guy who played for another team. We were both big for our age; however he was a good athlete and a good sport. He always wanted everyone to play well, play hard, be positive and achieve.
Once when we were playing each other in an All Star Baseball game in Oak Park, IL, he was playing for the South All Stars and I was playing for the North. Squeaky had broken his arm sometime before the game was to be played. When you’re 9 or 10 there isn’t anything bigger than representing your team in the All Star game. The Manager of the South Squad started Squeaky in right field and planned for him to only play the top half of the inning in the field. We all thought this was crazy to see a fielder with a cast on his throwing arm. But I remember after the third out, I watched from behind home plate, as Squeaky ran off the field with tears in his eyes. He so wanted to play in that game. It seems as if it was yesterday but the memory was distant until I heard about his passing. Where do the years go? Time seems to fly by.
Why is it that when we’re 9 or 10 we don’t realize or cannot comprehend the attributes one might possess as we get older. While reading his obituary I was amazed at all that Squeaky had accomplished since our meeting that day on the ball field in Oak Park. He graduated from college; received his Master’s Degree of Counseling and Student Affairs; and was married for over 25 years. His passing came all too soon. Where do the years go? Time seems to fly by.
Squeaky became a youth hockey coach in Minnesota, Alabama, New York, and Illinois; was a member of the National Youth Hockey Association and ACUHO; and belonged to several other professional university associations.
Over the years, he helped many students with housing, books, and financial aid and has even sent students on mission trips, paying for them anonymously out of his own pocket. He was also a volunteer Sunday school teacher.
I was afraid that I would remember 2010 as a year of disappointments, unfulfilled goals and objectives that now seemed off course. There wasn’t any reason to be afraid, because none of that seems very important when you realize you now have an old friend in heaven and I am the one with a tear in my eye. Happy New Year everyone.
What’s in a name?
Nov 25th
We name our children, we name our pets, we name our boats and other things, but have you ever thought what the thought process might be when buildings are named. Throughout history buildings have traditionally been named for President’s, war heroes and physician’s to name a few. What about a personal dedication, something that means so much to you that you want to share it with others. A decision that identifies the love and devotion you have for someone else. A decision so important that you want to share it with a particular community. Who would you name a building for if you had the chance?
I’ve been very lucky to be included in a decision by a man who wants to name a building for his recently deceased wife at our Church. Now this is certainly a natural desire and a somewhat easy thing to do as details come to fruition and the dedication is embraced by the recipient, in this case the Church. What I found so very interesting was how this man came to this decision. It is a love story that spans more than seven (7) decades. I sat in amazement as this man talked about how he met the eventual love of his life as a young man in the military in Paris.
