20D — June 17 - July 21, 2022 — 30 Under 30 — M id A tlantic Real Estate Journal
www.marej.com
30 U nder 30
Stephen Gianis, The Kislak Co.
Mikaela Price, AKF
success purely on my ability to fail then wake up the next day and continue pushing. Who do you feel was most influential in your life when choosing this profession? My parents. When I was an ambitious young guy com- ing out of college and wanted to task myself with a career that was 100% commission based, they were extremely supportive with that decision knowing that it was a tough hill to climb. What is the funniest, most unique situation you have faced/conquered during your career? Or in your life? A funny moment while out prospecting when a man pulled up to me and my colleagues in a $250,000 car thinking we were someone else. We struck up a conversation and he told us to not only get in the car, but one of our colleagues ended up driving. He took us to some sites he owned around the city industry every day. What unique qualities and or personality trait do you feel makes you most suc- cessful in your profession? Being adaptable has been an important trait for me through- out my career. Often times, the path to success is not a straight line and when challenges come up in a deal, having the abil- ity to adapt quickly has been extremely helpful. What challenges and or obstacles do you feel you needed to overcome to be- come as successful as you are today? Having a positive mindset, especially as business came to a halt for me as Covid began. Persistence has also been essential for me, rarely does a deal happen on the first contact so following up is absolutely key. of how to navigate a tricky transaction is so important to the clients I work with. Who do you feel was most influential in your life when choosing this profession? My dad and grandfather. I grew up helping my fam- ily manage a few commercial properties and developed my love for real estate during those years. What outside activities do you enjoy during you free time? I love to play golf and travel. Golf has become a large part of
What was the most defin - ing moment for you? Closing on my very first deal and feeling much more confident in myself. I was excited about the future and working on bigger and better properties. What outside activities do you enjoy during you free time? I enjoy playing with my dog, cooking and traveling. What inspiring word of advice would you give to a young executive graduat- ing from college? This is an amazing industry! If you know someone in the business already, reach out to them and take them for lunch or coffee to learn more about what they do. If you don’t know any- one yet, utilize your university’s alumni network and connect with someone that way. MAREJ which he hoped to develop into apartment buildings. This was the start of a relationship working on some prominent development sites by happen- stance. It taught me to always keep an open mind to new con- nections and opportunities, no matter how obscure they seem at first. What outside activities do you enjoy during you free time? I enjoy going to the gym and hanging with family and friends. No matter how cliché, spending time with family and close friends is what keeps me going. What inspiring word of advice would you give to a young executive graduat- ing from college? In your twenties is when you take risks and go all in. Go after what excites you and don’t worry about failing. Do not look back in your 30’s and have regrets about what could have been. MAREJ both my professional and per- sonal life. I have been able to make great connections on the course and I truly believe you learn a lot about someone after 4 hours together on the course. What inspiring word of advice would you give to a young executive graduat- ing from college? I would have two pieces of advice for young college graduates entering the work force. Don’t be afraid to leave your comfort zone and always be reading and learning new things. You are never a fin - ished product. MAREJ
after college, so take the op- portunity to learn from your peers and supervisors. Take additional classes or attend webinars to add to your ar- senal of knowledge. Just be- cause you know more, doesn’t mean you know it all. There’s always another way to look at a situation. MAREJ in your 20’s. I know that’s easier said than done with all that life can throw at you during this period, but the work you put in now will pay off immensely and set you up for success as you reach your 30’s and beyond. One final note I’d include would be to always prepare as much as pos- sible for meetings. When you’re truly prepared, it shows, and it will make a lasting impression on those around you. MAREJ The most defining moment of my career was the COV- ID-19 pandemic. As we know, the pandemic was and is an unfortunate circumstance that continues to negatively impact millions of people. The time spent during the initial lock- down helped give me perspec- tive on how I was spending my time, who I was spending my time with, and what I needed to change about myself and my habits in order to achieve my personal and professional goals. MAREJ long-time role as Director of Sales and Leasing at River Terminal Development have had a strong influence on my thought process when it comes to professional decisions, and has ultimately helped me get off to a very strong start in my career. His passion, advice, and guidance have influenced me throughout my life and I can honestly say I wouldn’t be where I am professionally without him. MAREJ
continued from page 9D driven me to want to achieve the same success that they are all enjoying. What unique qualities and or personality trait do you feel makes you most suc- cessful in your profession? I believe that knowledge is the most important quality to being a broker. Both knowl- edge of the market you are working in, but also knowl- edge of how to solve your clients’ issues. Everyone is always trying to maximize value in Commercial Real Es- tate and having the knowledge I began my career as an intern at a small property management company in the Manayunk section of Phila- delphia while still attending school at Temple University. Through various positions at different companies within real estate I knew my end goal was be involved in multi- family investments. To me, multi-family is the top of the real estate industry so all I wanted to do was learn and grow within that field. What were some of your early goals and did any- thing happen to change them? I honestly didn’t What unique qualities and or personality trait do you feel makes you most successful in your profes- sion? My ability to fail and per- severe. In this industry, per- sistence is key and I’ve been able to stick around and find continued from page 9D Social media has been an excellent tool allowing me to connect with buyers, sellers, and other vendors in the in- dustry. Content that I put out months ago is still being seen today, constantly increasing my presence as a professional in Commercial Real Estate. 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 began my career in April 2019, I got my real estate license and jumped directly into the commercial side of the business. I had a strong inter- est in working with investors and I am excited that I have the opportunity to learn from the movers and shakers in the continued from page 9D
continued from page 8D benefits of being active, it has helped me mentally in and out of the gym. What inspiring word of advice would you give to a young executive graduating from college? Don’t let your ego take con- trol. The learning doesn’t stop continued from page 12D of the many traits that stand out when I think of Michael. I truly feel that I’m learning alongside one of the best and I can’t thank him enough for his impact on my career. What inspiring words of advice would you give to a young executive graduating from college? My words of ad- vice for recent college graduates would be to work your hardest continued from page 12D meet their investment goals in the competitive market and continue to grow their portfolio. Who or what has been the strongest influence in your career? My father, Alan Lam- biase. I’m sure many people feel that way about their father in their personal life, but I have been extremely lucky to feel his influence both personally and professionally. His 40+ years of real estate experience and failure isn’t the inability to do something, it’s refusing to try. Watching, learning, and con- tributing alongside William and Scott has been the oppor- tunity of a lifetime. They have been by my side since I joined NAI James E. Hanson, and I can not thank them enough for the constant mentorship and friendship they’ve so gra- ciouslyoffered me early on in my career. What was the most defin - ing moment for you?
Cameron Silverstein, NAI James E. Hanson
Ryan Kelly, The Kislak Co.
Lorenzo Lambiase, MBA, NAI James E. Hanson
continued from page 12D Will Ericksen, NAI James E. Hanson
Max Levinston, The Kislak Co.
Jordan N. Sobel, Cushman & Wakefield
table. It approached me in slow motion. To keep it short, let’s just say to this day that indi- vidual drinks vitamin water every day! MAREJ
the interview, and they took me up on my offer. I remember like it was yesterday. He slid his vitamin water across the continued from page 13D
Made with FlippingBook Ebook Creator