Forty under 40
Inside Cover D — August 24 - September 13, 2018 — — M id A tlantic
Real Estate Journal
www.marejournal.com
40 U nder 40 Robert Squires, The Kislak Company, Inc. “Constant effort is the key to unlocking one’s potential”
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Kislak was teaching me actu- ally worked! Who do you feel was most influential in your life when choosing this pro- fession? My mother and father. When I told my mother that I didn’t want to work in finance and I wanted to work in real estate instead, she said “I knew it. This was a blessing in dis- guise,” and she was right. What is the funniest, most unique situation you have faced / conquered during your career? Or in your life? There have been multiple times when I would physi- cally have to do work at a property I was selling to obtain a certificate of occu- pancy (CO) for the sale. On one of my first deals, I had to change out multiple windows and spackle and paint a unit and clean garbage around the property. This is not typical for a broker to do but I
needed to get the deal closed. What outside activities do you enjoy during you free time? I have been doing jiu jitsu for the past three or four years and it has been so much fun and a tremendous stress re- liever. I also enjoy traveling and spending time with my family and friends. If you could dine with anyone dead or alive who would you choose? Benjamin Franklin or Albert Einstein What inspiring word of advice would you give to a young executive gradu- ating from college today? I would say find something you think is worthy of your time and effort. Ideally, you want to have a career, not a job. Also, I would advise new graduates to stay focused, work very hard and become a specialist in whatever you do. n
hat is your great- est professional accomplishment?
Robert Squires Senior Vice President Years with company/firm: 15 Years in real estate industry: 15 Total number of units sold: 3,335+ Units #1 All-time Highest Gross Commissions in a Single Year
Breaking the gross commis- sion record in Kislak’s 112- year history. What is your most notable project, deal or transac- tion? Brokering five large residen- tial portfolio in 2017 valued at over $90M. How do you contribute to your company and / or the industry? We do a lot of co-brokering in the office. I help by going on meetings with some of the newer salespeople and help put deals together and help bring to a closing. Who or what has been the strongest influence in your career? Robert Holland (my super- visor and president of The Kislak Company, Inc.) and my father. My father taught me about business and Rob taught me about real estate and brokerage. They are both role models and continuously teach me about life. What impact has social media / networking had on your career? Actually social media has not had much of an effect in my career. Much of what we do consists of face-to-face negotiations and meetings. This is the best form of com- munication. 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? During my college summers, I interned for a few equity hedge funds in New York City. I was intrigued by the amount of money they were making but I didn’t love sitting behind a desk all day looking at computer
screens. I started interview- ing at commercial real estate companies the week after I graduated. Being active, making my own hours and dealing with people face- to-fact suits my personality much better. What were some of your early goals and did any- thing happen to change them? Some of my early goals were being able to be a top pro- ducer at Kislak. I did and still do the same thing every day: work hard and put deals together. Constant effort is the key to unlocking one’s potential. What is your number one career goal for 10 years from now? My number one career goal 10 years from now is to con- tinue growing my book of business and be the number one investment sales broker in New Jersey while creating financial freedom for myself. What charity or nonprofit do you support most and why? I have been supporting the Juvenile Diabetes Research Fund (JDRF) for many years. My cousin has juvenile dia- betes and supporting this charity is the least I can do to try to help cure this disease. Three things peopl e would be surprised to know about me: 1. I used to be a competitive gymnast until I was a junior in high school. Most of my team went on to compete in college and one of my
teammates made it to the Olympics. 2. Two of my cousins work with me at Kislak. Jeff squires and scott davidovic are both amazing brokers and the best support system I could ask for. 3. I am colorblind. It’s actu- ally called color deficient. I have difficulty seeing green. When I was younger I used to mismatch my clothes all the time. What unique qualities and or personality traits do you feel makes you most successful in your profession? I work very hard, have very lofty goals and strive for perfection. Things are either done right or wrong. I strive to make my clients happy and I go to extreme lengths sometimes to make this hap- pen. I also find that listening is a very important quality. What challenges and or obstacles do you feel you needed to overcome to become as successful as you are today? This industry can be very difficult to break into. Many of the landlords had strong relationships with other bro- kers so I needed to establish myself and gain their trust. My hard work and tenacity helped me overcome this. What was the most defin- ing moment for you? Closing my first deal was probably the most defining moment for me. That’s when I realized that everything
these are a few of my favorite things My two brothers, my friends and family, real estate and traveling.
College: Syracuse University Book: The Four Agreements by Don Miguel Ruiz The Power of Now by Eckhart Tolle Movie: True Romance, Good Will Hunting My Cousin Vinny, Snatch App: Instagram, Yelp – to find great local restaurants Sport: Jiu Jitsu Food: Steak Dessert: Pecan pie and mint chocolate chip ice cream Restaurant: Peter Luger’s Steak House
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