LET'S TALK ABOUT RACE - 

"An individual has not started living until he can rise above the narrow confines of his individualistic concerns to the broader concerns of all humanity." - Martin Luther King Jr.

The following are excerpts from the article "Real Estate Has a Diversity Problem. Will This Moment Lead to Real Change?" by Holly Dutton from the website Commercial Property Executive.

REAL ESTATE HAS A DIVERSITY PROBLEM.
WILL THIS MOMENT LEAD TO REAL CHANGE? 

Industry leaders discuss what actions companies and individuals can take and why it’s important to keep the conversation going.

A Longtime Problem
According to a study from 2017 by Bella Research Group and the Knight Foundation, more than 75 percent of senior executive jobs in the U.S. commercial real estate industry were held by white men, while only 1.3 percent were held by Black men. White women held 14.1 percent, while nonwhite women held fewer than 1 percent of senior executive-level jobs.

Barriers to Entry
One of the most commonly cited factors that have led to commercial real estate’s continued lack of diversity is how people first enter the industry. The way in which companies recruit candidates often involves outreach to colleges, networking associations and connections with those already established in real estate.

However, many companies recruit only from a few colleges or pick the top colleges in a region—most of which lack diversity. 

Keeping the Focus
From Toby Dodd with Cushman Wakefield... “We have a diversity problem in the industry, and that problem just keeps compounding,” he said. “We started a new decade in 2020, and we’re going to be judged on how we end it."

Staying Accountable
From Greystone Founder & CEO Stephen Rosenberg... Rosenberg said change must start with leaders making themselves vulnerable and acknowledging not being aware or sensitive enough to “underlying resentment, anger and frustration” that has existed in the Black community.

SPOTLIGHT: WILL POOLE

Are you specializing in any particular aspect of commercial real estate? 
I focus on the sale and leasing of industrial, R&D, and office properties throughout the Southern California area. My focus is the Conejo Valley and Ventura County submarkets. 

Any comparisons you can offer between your football career and commercial real estate?
Just like football, I hyper-focus on the foundation and the fundamentals of my role as an advisor and consistently look for opportunities to put others in a position to win. 

One unique similarity is making adjustments. Just like football, commercial real estate is complex with a lot of individuals involved and from one moment to the next you have to be ready to make adjustments in order to keep moving forward. 

What have been your biggest challenges in our industry?
The biggest challenge has been to recognize where I am in tenure despite the vision I have for where commercial real estate can take me. I have a “student-of-the-game” mentality and; I’m learning how to step into a vertical learning curve while also focusing on the fundamentals of growing good business.

Do you have suggestions to make Lee offices more open to non-whites?
I am big on opening doors, and inclusion comes from inviting people in. Lee offices could create a mentorship program linked to local minority professional groups. Exposure to the opportunity is crucial. I see education through partnerships as a big stepping stone.

What advice would you give to a young person wanting to enter the commercial real estate world?
Establish a “Why” and stay focused on it through the journey. There will be ups-and-downs personally and professionally, however continually going back to my “why” steadies the pace for growth, learning, and taking more risks.  Also, I encourage others to lean into their current network and look at innovative ways to expand that network. Write letters, emails, and make phone calls that might seem unconventional to your path. And lastly, create your own personal pillars and live by them — that will undoubtedly impact your business.