This week, our 5 for Friday features David Wilk, CRE, MAI, Corporate Real Estate Council Co-Chair and an Advisor with SVN/Miller Commercial Real Estate based out of Wilmington, DE.
1. What is your geographic market and product specialty?
Corporate real estate earnings measurement and optimization, strategic marketing plans for excess or under-productive properties, place-making economic development strategies, and corporate/university real estate’s connectivity to social value creation on a national basis.
2. What’s your latest best practice tip that you can share?
Be a great listener first and always make your conversations with others about the value that you can bring to them whether they are a client, friend, fellow human being, or loved one.
3. What’s been the biggest change over on how you run your business in the past decade?
In today’s market, clients don’t like to pay for consulting or advisory services when most other real estate companies give that service away for future transactions. If you can’t clearly articulate why you add value to someone’s life, business, or real estate, either re-invent your business plan or don’t expect to win much business.
4. What business book do you like to recommend to your colleagues?
“Blue Ocean Strategy“ by W. Chan Kim or “The Rise of the Creative Class“ by Richard Florida
5. What’s a fun fact that not everyone knows about you?
I developed a “Best of Delaware” restaurant and nightclub called “The Polo Club” in Greenville, Delaware. It was a hot spot from 1988 to 1993 until we sold it to a competitor in 1993. The Polo Club hosted performances from national recording stars America, Dave Mason, Mamas and Papas (when Papa John was still alive), Drifters, Coasters, Marvellettes, John Sebastian, New Riders of the Purple Sage, Mitch Ryder, and Badfinger. The most interesting takeaway from this business was the marketing and branding benefits to my real estate business that came out of this experience, and the priceless relationships and social intelligence that was gained from those who I met and got to know there.
*All Sperry Van Ness offices are independently owned and operated.