Career Development

Mike Bascombe says the commercial real estate sector is notoriously slow to adapt.

Avison Young principal Trisha Connolly Horowitz is focusing on improving client connectivity across the firm's national platform.

"You do have to be passionate about the industry, know the current market trends and be able to talk shop," says George Craft Jr., managing shareholder of Winstead.

"Surround yourself with the right people when making decisions," says Christophe Garnier, CEO and co-founder of Upflex.

"You must learn from the past and challenge yourself to bring something different and better for future generations," says Masoud Shojaee, CEO of Shoma Group.

"I believe in making things happen, taking risks, and embracing failure. Strategy is important, but it is all about execution," says Maureen Waters, partner at MetaProp.

"A core principle I believe in is giving back to our community, through philanthropy and professional organizations," says Lyle Stern, president of Koniver Stern Group.

"Pigs do fly. No one had ever said that even against all odds you couldn't go to work. Good market, down market, flat market. I always thought I had a chance," says Grant Pruitt of Whitebox Real Estate.