Hawaii Trip
I am penning this column from the bridge of a fishing
charter. Our oldest grandson is beside me, wide eyed, focused, and convinced
that fishing is the highest and best use of any waking moment. I am not
entirely sure where his passion for the sport began, but I can say this with
certainty: when I was his age, I loved to fish as well.
The difference is simple. I grew up roughly a thousand miles
from the closest ocean. My angling adventures were confined to small freshwater
creeks and quiet Midwestern lakes. The biggest variable was usually the
weather, not whether a twelve pound yellowtail might decide to make your
morning interesting.
You may be wondering what any of this has to do with
commercial real estate. Indulge me for a moment while I draw a few parallels.
Fishing, at its core, is an exercise in patience. You
prepare your gear, choose your bait, study the water, and position yourself
where the fish are most likely to be. After that, you wait. Brokerage works the
same way. We research the market, gather the right tools, identify promising
targets, and then we work the phones and email lines with steady persistence.
Sometimes the activity is nonstop. Other times the sea goes quiet and nothing
seems to bite. Successful fishermen and successful brokers share the same
understanding. You cannot force a fish to take the hook and you cannot rush a
deal that is not ready to happen.
Another similarity is the importance of reading the
conditions. Fishermen pay attention to tides, currents, water temperature, and
the behavior of the birds above the surface. Brokers pay attention to interest
rates, construction costs, vacancy levels, and tenant demand. Both professions
require situational awareness because the environment affects the outcome more
than most people realize. A fisherman who ignores the tide will come home empty
handed. A broker who ignores the market will do the same.
There is also the matter of preparation. On a fishing trip
you tie knots, organize tackle, check fuel, pack food, and make sure you have
everything from sunscreen to a functional radio. In brokerage the preparation
involves research, financial analysis, property tours, marketing materials, and
countless conversations in advance of any signed agreement. When the moment
finally comes and a fish hits or a client is ready to move forward, preparation
determines who lands the opportunity and who watches it swim away.
Finally, there is the thrill of the catch. Whether a fish is
on the line or a deal is in play, you feel the same surge of energy. Your focus
sharpens. Your movements become precise. The stakes rise, but so does the
satisfaction of knowing that your patience and preparation are paying off. The
best brokers and the best fishermen know that the reward is not only in the
result. It is also in the process of showing up, putting in the work, and
staying ready.
As my grandson reels in yet another bonito, I am reminded
that fishing, like commercial real estate, is never about guaranteed outcomes.
It is about persistence, awareness, and a willingness to cast again even when
the last few attempts came up empty. The ocean does not owe you a bite and the
market does not owe you a deal. But if you prepare well, put yourself in the
right waters, and keep your line in play, good things will happen.
That is as true out here on the Pacific as it is back at my
desk in Southern California.
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