18C — June 26 - July 16, 2020 — 30 Under 30 — M id A tlantic Real Estate Journal
www.marej.com
30 U nder 30
Ken Yanni, Equity Retail Brokers “Inevitably, there will be ups & downs, but keepmoving forward while learning from each triumph or failure.”
W
you at a disadvantage when competing against others that have been in the business
and developed both residen- tial and commercial proper- ties. From the time I could
hat is your most notable project, deal, or transac-
Ken Yanni Investment Sales Agent Years with company/firm: 5 Years in field: 5 Years in real estate: 5 Real estate organizations/ affiliations: ICSC, Retail Brokers Network, Capital Market Network
tion? Out of all of the projects and transactions that I’ve been a part of over the last five years, the most notable was the sale of three Wawa convenience stores to a single 1031 Exchange buyer. Although not the largest in terms of deal size, it stands out in my mind because of the complexity – three different properties, two different sell - ers, and three closings with the same buyer. We represented the sellers in the transactions, and each property achieved extremely aggressive pricing. How do you contribute to your company and/or the industry? I work alongside the invest- ment sale team at Equity Retail Brokers and together we procure new business, man - age relationships, underwrite deals, complete marketing materials, and source buy - ers. Over the last five years, I’ve been directly involved in representing sellers in over $375,000,000 worth of transac - tions, specializing in net lease sales. What impact has social media/networking had on your career? Working primarily in net lease sales the buyers, sellers, lenders, tenants, and co-bro - What was the most de- fining moment for you? I believe one of the most important aspects of having a successful career is gain- ing diversified experience. Through experience, your perspective changes and as a result, you’re challenged to adapt and grow. I am different today than I was yesterday, and I will be dif - ferent tomorrow as a result of my experience today. While I always knew I wanted to join Morgan Properties, it was important to gain out- side experience to bring a different perspective to the company. Working at Gold - man Sachs in its Real Estate Investment Banking group and Och Ziff’s Real Estate Private Equity fund allowed me to learn from some of the smartest people in the industry and bring a fresh,
Everything in commercial real estate revolves around relationships, and thankfully I genuinely enjoy getting to know people. I think that, coupled with a strong work ethic and an optimistic attitude allows a young agent to persevere through the many obstacles and rejection you face throughout the early stages of a career.
longer than you’ve been alive. The best way I’ve found to overcome that is to become an expert in your niche. If you’re perceived as an expert, that is hard-working and easy to deal with, your age and experience matter less and less. What was themost defin - ing moment for you? The most defining moment for me was when I gained the confidence to become an advisor to my clients and not feel intimidated to voice my insights or opinions. The learning curve is steep when entering the business, so it takes commitment and dedi- cation to become an expert in your field before you can gain the trust of your clients. Who do you feel was most influential in your life when choosing this profession? My grandfather sparked my interest in real estate from a young age. He owned a residential brokerage firm watching and following the Eagles, Sixers and Phillies. During the football season, it’s well-known that my mood onMonday morning is direct - ly correlated to whether the Eagles won or lost the day be - fore. I am also a huge foodie and enjoy experiencing all that the Philadelphia dining scene has to offer. I love that there are constantly new res - taurants popping up, bring - ing more variety to the res - taurant offerings. I’mamazed and equally concerned to see how much Philadelphia has grown in the past 10 years and fallen over the past few months due to the COVID-19 pandemic and social unrest. I am dedicated to helping the City rebound and reach its everlasting potential. What inspiring word of advice would you give to a young executive graduat- ing from college?
walk, he would bring me to the office with him and since then, real estate was a career path that I’ve always wanted to pursue. What outside activities do you enjoy during your free time? During my free time out - side of work, I enjoy golfing, skiing, playing hockey, surf - ing, hiking with my dog, and spending time in Ocean City, NJ. What inspiring words of advice would you give to a young executive graduat- ing from college? When starting your career, learn how to enjoy the pro - cess. Throughout your career you’ll be constantly learning, taking risks, and venturing out of your comfort zone. Inevitably, there will be ups and downs, but keep moving forward while learning from each triumph or failure, and growing both on a personal and professional level. MAREJ My best words of advice are “don’t rush your career.” I’ve noticed that many people just want to skip steps to get to the right place in their pro- fessional lives without taking the time to gain experience and knowledge. Jumping from company to company to find the role that perfectly meets every single one of your professional objectives in my opinion isn’t the best idea. I believe you should work hard and gain the experience a position has to offer. From my own experience, I found it was important to start at the bottom of the totem pole and get good training early on in your career. When I first graduated from college my experience at Goldman Sachs certainly wasn't easy, but it set me up for the suc- cess I’m experiencing now. Work hard and play the long game! MAREJ
kers are spread across the na- tion, so having a presence on social media and other online platforms has been crucial to staying top-of-mind when you can’t meet in person. With that said, there is no replacement for a face-to-face meeting or sharing a meal with someone to start or grow a business relationship. Tell us how and when you began your career in the profession you are in, about your current posi- tion and why you choose the field/profession you are in today? I obtained my real estate li - cense in college and worked on residential rentals in my col - lege town. After graduating, I worked in finance for a private equity consulting firm but al - ways wanted to make my way into real estate. When I left my job in finance to pursue real es - new perspective to Morgan Properties. The most defining moment in my career thus far was the months-long, complex, multi- billion, Morgan Communities transaction which pulled on all my previous work experi - ence. The transaction was incredibly complicated and in distress. Our Team was able to work incredibly quickly to understand the portfolio in detail and create a structure that worked for the lenders, prior ownership and hope- fully for us... I like to say, we will know in 10+ years whether we are successful. That said, my past experience directly resulted in my ability to think critically and over - come a challenging situation. Who do you feel was most influential in your life when choosing this profession? My father, Mitchell Mor -
tate, I determined investment sales was the perfect blend of real estate and finance. What unique qualities and or personality do you feel makes you most suc- cessful in your profession? Everything in commercial real estate revolves around relationships, and thankfully I genuinely enjoy getting to know people. I think that, coupled with a strong work ethic and an optimistic atti- tude allows a young agent to persevere through the many obstacles and rejection you face throughout the early stages of a career. What challenges and or obstacles do you feel you needed to overcome to be- come as successful as you are today? Coming into the business at 22 years old, many times your age and lack of experience puts gan, showed me how to be an exemplary businessman, husband and father. Coming from nothing, he sold shoes to pay for his education at Temple University and is the embodiment of tenacity, intellect and grit. He taught me to focus on the risks of a given transaction because the “upside will take care of itself,” and I admire his desire to learn and perfect business techniques. His passion for the industry and commitment to giving back are at the root of everything he does, and these are values he instills in me and Morgan Properties’ over 2,000 em - ployees. What outside activities do you enjoy during your free time? As a native to Philadelphia, I truly love the City of Broth - erly Love. I’m an avid Philly sports fan and am constantly
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