People Who Perform - The Real Estate Careers Podcast – Details, episodes & analysis

Richard Costello connects with Adam Mitchell.

Adam is VP Asset Management and Development at Low Tide Properties responsible for the strategic direction and financial performance of a diverse portfolio of properties in emerging neighbourhoods in Vancouver and Seattle. 

In this conversation, we’ll learn more about:

• What first drew Adam to studying real estate at UBC
• His early career days as an Analyst at Bentall and what it took to be successful in that environment
• The opportunity at Low Tide
• Background, evolution and purpose of Low Tide
• What’s involved in being VP Asset Management & Development as well as Adam’s favorite aspects of the role
• What’s special about the five neighborhoods in Vancouver that Low Tide operates in (Kitsilano, Gastown, Strathcona, Mt Pleasant, South Flatz).
• Shining a spotlight on local business and how this sets Low Tide apart
• Market trends and the demand for medical office space.  Unique requirements of these tenants.
• The benefits of being a member of ULI
• Advice for younger self
• Quick fire questions (favorite coffee shop, pub, restaurant - in the portfolio ;-)

Richard Costello connects with Jennica Palecek.

An industry rising star, Jennica is a Commercial Real Estate Advisor at Colliers Vancouver, specializing in office leasing.  A graduate of the Beedie school of business, Jennica has a double major in business and economics and prior to starting her brokerage career, completed internships in finance and held roles in retail banking and property management.  

With a passion for advancing diversity, Jennica is actively involved in Colliers North America Women’s Council and serves on the boards for the Canadian Mental Health Association and Big Brothers Big Sisters.    

 In this conversation, we’ll learn more about:

• What it means to be a commercial real estate broker
• The two main types of commercial leases
• The value that a broker can bring to a business
• How brokers are compensated
• Jennica’s pathway into brokerage and how Colliers sets new recruits up for success
• The benefits of working for a globally recognized business
• Building a personal brand 
• Pulse check on the current state of the office market in Vancouver
• Giving back to the community and volunteering as a board member.  What’s involved in this commitment and how might somebody go about doing something similar

Richard Costello connects with Tracy McEvoy.

Tracy is the Director, Maple Leaf Self Storage responsible for the development and management of 15 self-storage facilities comprising over 1.7 million square feet with over 17,000 tenants as well as a commercial office portfolio.  During Tracy’s career in the real estate industry spanning over three decades, she has managed operations and leasing for some of Canada’s leading institutional landlords and covered all asset classes in the process.

In our conversation today we discuss the following:

• Finding community through running and managing energy to perform professionally. 
• Tracy’s career journey prior to her current role.  
• What’s involved in being the Director for Maple Leaf Self Storage.
• Self-storage facilities - what are they like and is there such a thing as a ‘typical’ customer?
• Common misconceptions around self-storage.
• How the industry and the properties have evolved over recent years.
• Why has self-storage become such a hot commodity for real estate investors.
• Trends and changes Tracy expects to see in the near future.
• Biggest challenges in running the business.
• Advice for anyone that’s in the industry and is looking to set themselves up for a successful career.
• The importance of working from the office for new professionals.
• Proudest accomplishments to date.
• Looking forward to the future.

In our conversation we discuss the following article, provided here for reference.

https://www.theglobeandmail.com/business/industry-news/property-report/article-investor-driven-demand-prompts-vancouver-to-restrict-further-self/

James Ashley Connects with David Hoffman

With over twenty years of progressive leadership within the industry, David has a wide and resourceful perspective on the many issues and opportunities facing property managers and owners. 

During his career, David has managed two of the most prestigious business communities in downtown Toronto – CIBC Square  and the Toronto Dominion Centre. David also serves as the Chair for the BOMA Toronto Board of Directors. 

In this episode, we discuss;

-       Leading from the back
-       Learning from our mistakes
-       Fear of failure 
-       What makes a top performer
-       The power of intellectual humility 
-       And so much more...

Nicola Denning-Millar connects with Dave Merklinger.

Dave is an innovative SVP Marketing and Sales professional who has worked on both the agency and the client side and prides himself on trying to do things differently. He has been involved in many award-winning campaigns and loves to develop business strategy and delve into the psychology of buying and selling Real Estate.  He’s a self-proclaimed “Nerd” -  is huge into tech, loves to problem solve, leads by empowering his team.

 In this episode, we cover a variety of topics including;

·      The Digital and Ecomm impact on the RE Landscape in Canada
·      How lifestyle and buyers’ habits impact how Developers design their products
·      Interest rate hikes and upcoming predictions for 2023
·      Best times to purchase a home
·      Real Estate Marketing trends and their impact on home-buyer decisions
·      Location! Location! Location! How to make a remote area an attractive ‘destination’
·      How best to connect to buyers throughout their purchasing journey to deliver a consistent customer service
·      Successful launches and the importance of the four “P’s”
·      Empowering your staff by given them the “Why?!”
·      Advice and perks for anyone embarking on a career in RE S&M

Richard Costello connects with David Ju.

David is a VP at Concord Pacific who are widely recognized and most well-known for developing Canada’s largest mixed-use high-rise urban communities.  David leads the group’s investments and development activity, and he is also a Director with CP Capital, a Concord affiliated investment company based in the US which focuses on multifamily communities.  

In this episode we discuss the following:

• David’s career background and how he made his way from public accounting to work on some of the largest real estate development projects across North America.  
• Takeaways from working in public practice
• About Concord Pacific and what sets them apart
• Proudest accomplishments
• Why Concord is sponsoring bike races in Vancouver
• The importance of ESG and what it means to Concord
• Lessons and advice for anyone looking to get ahead in the industry
• What makes a great Development Manager
• Important soft skills to have for a successful career in real estate investments

Richard Costello connects with Carol Waldmann.

A corporate real estate leader with over 20 years of progressive senior management experience within the public and private sectors.  Carol is the Director, Global Facilities and Real Estate for Hootsuite responsible for real estate transactions, renovations, and construction projects for Hootsuite’s offices across 11 different countries.  Prior to joining Hootsuite in 2019, Carol was a Senior Manager, real estate services at BC Hydro, in which she led a large team in delivering a range of strategic and core real estate services for the crown corporation.

In this episode, we discuss the following:

•  Carol’s unique background and career journey to date.  
• Pros and cons of working in real estate opportunities in the public sector.
• The unique space needs of tech companies.
• The joys of overseeing a global portfolio.
• What went into redesigning Hootsuite’s HO 
• What’s happening in the current market with some of the headwinds facing Canadian tech companies.
• The role that the office plays in driving employee engagement.
• Predictions and future trends.

Link to video featuring Hootsuite’s recently redesigned office: https://builtin.com/company-culture/Hootsuite-inclusive-HQ-redesign

Richard Costello connects with Lorna Park.

Lorna is the Senior Vice President, Property Management at Warrington PCI Management (WMP) in Vancouver, responsible for overseeing a portfolio of over 17 million square feet of office, retail, industrial, residential, and strata properties throughout Western Canada.

During Lorna’s thirty years in property management she has covered all asset types but is probably best known for her work in the retail sector.  In recent years, Lorna worked in Asia where she played a key role in the development of management and operating procedures for mixed use projects in China, South Korea and Macau. Lorna holds her Certified Shopping Centre Manager designation from the International Council of Shopping Centres.

In this episode we discuss the following: 

• How Lorna got her start in the industry.
• What makes the retail sector stand out above other classes.
• Looking back on Lorna’s time working in Asia.
• More about WPM’s business and culture as well as reasons for success.
• What makes the difference between a ‘good’ vs a ‘great’ Property Manager.
• What Lorna looks for when hiring for her team.
• Lessons and advice for anyone looking to advance their careers in the industry.
• Things Lorna does outside of work that help her perform better in it.
• What excites Lorna about the future.

Richard Costello connects with Liz Firer-Gillespie.

Liz is a Director of Asset Management, with Nicola Wealth Real Estate, a leading investment firm with over $7bn in real estate assets under management. Liz oversees a diverse portfolio of properties in both Canada and the U.S.  Liz holds an undergraduate degree from the University of Iowa and an MBA from UBC’s Sauder School of Business. 

In this episode we discuss the following:

• Early years and how/why Liz came to enter the real estate industry.
• Career evolution in the US.
• What is was like to work in Chicago and the people who made an impact.
• Drawing inspiration from working in property management in Liz’s current role.
• Moving to Vancouver and repositioning for a career in asset management.
• More about Nicola Wealth Real Estate and how Liz has grown with the business. 
• What makes Nicola Wealth Real Estate so successful.
• What it means to work in asset management at Nicola Wealth Real Estate.
• Maintaining culture during a phase of rapid growth.
• Developing and honing a leadership style.
• Liz’s involvement in Vancouver CREW’s mentorship program.
• Proudest achievements so far.
• What excites Liz about the future at work.
• Advice for anyone looking to become an asset manager. 

Richard Costello connects with Jack Haining.

Jack is an Investment Manager with Grosvenor Americas responsible for overseeing portfolio analytics and directly managing a portfolio of commercial assets.  Originally from the UK, Jack has worked for Grosvenor since graduating from The University of Reading’s real estate program in 2014.   In 2018 he was offered the opportunity to relocate to Vancouver.

In this episode we discuss the following:

• History of Grosvenor.
• Jack's career path to date.
• What is means to be an Investment Manager at Grosvenor.
• Current trends impacting Jack's role as well as general market challenges. 
• Advice for anyone looking to become an Asset/Investment Manager.
• Story time - Jack's experience working in London and how it compares to Vancouver.
• How Jack has found moving to Vancouver and what his life looks like now.