25 Years in Commercial Real Estate: A Journey of Consistency and Growth

It feels surreal to think that my full-time career journey began during my senior year of college. After two enriching years of interning across residential, office, and retail commercial real estate, I landed my first retail commercial position in December 1999. Looking back over this quarter-century journey, one word consistently emerges: "consistency."

This might sound obvious, but consistency has been the silent force behind building nearly $1 billion in revenue, achieving financial independence at a young age, and maintaining client relationships that have spanned over two decades. Let me share what this looked like in practice.

The Foundation Years

My journey started with unwavering focus – sticking with my Marketing major at John Carroll University while strategically exploring different real estate sectors through year-long internships. This early commitment to thoroughly understanding each facet of the industry laid the groundwork for everything that followed.

The Daily Disciplines

Success in commercial real estate isn't built on grand gestures – it's built on daily habits:

• Starting each day with a 6 AM workout and maintaining a healthy lifestyle
• Dedicating 12-hour workdays (later adjusted to 10 after having three children)
• Treating weekends as opportunities with 3-4 hours of focused work
• Responding to all communications within 24 hours, without fail
• Following through on every commitment, whether to myself or clients
• Maintaining detailed organizational systems with color-coded calendars
• Weekly Sunday planning sessions and Monday deal reviews

Strategic Focus

Early on, I recognized my strength in National Tenant Rep accounts and pre-leasing new construction. Instead of diversifying, I doubled down. This focus, combined with consistent attendance at ICSC events in Las Vegas and NYC since year one, has been instrumental in building deep industry relationships.

The Personal Touch

In an increasingly digital world, I've maintained some old-school practices that have proved invaluable:

• Writing hand-written thank you notes
• Sending thoughtful holiday gifts
• Providing holiday bonuses to support staff (even when working for others)
• Maintaining strong relationships through consistent networking
• Planning 2-3 annual vacations to maintain work-life balance

The Intangible Edge

Some of my most important practices aren't visible on any spreadsheet:

• Trusting my intuition about situations and people
• Regular charitable giving to causes I believe in
• Daily prayer and visualization
• Maintaining an unwavering belief that everything works out for the highest good

The Results

This consistency has yielded remarkable results: nearly $1 billion in revenue, financial independence, debt-free living, and most importantly, client relationships spanning over 20 years. Even during economic downturns, the foundation of trust and reliability we built together remained unshaken.

Looking Forward

As I reflect on these 25 years, I'm filled with gratitude for my loyal clients, supportive family, and encouraging friends. The journey has taught me that success isn't about sporadic brilliance – it's about showing up, day after day, and delivering value consistently.

What consistent practices have shaped your professional journey? I'd love to hear your thoughts in the comments below!

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