We were lucky to catch up with Andrea Davis, CCIM recently and have shared our conversation below.
Andrea, we’re so excited for our community to get to know you and learn from your journey and the wisdom you’ve acquired over time. Let’s kick things off with a discussion on self-confidence and self-esteem. How did you develop yours?
Growing up with three brothers prepared me well to work in a male-dominated industry but being a woman in commercial real estate for more than 25 years has been interesting. I figured if I could gain the respect of my brothers, I could certainly earn the respect of my male peers.
Prior to entering this field I worked as a model and did some acting. I also worked as a chef and event planner. All these paths and roles taught me how to work with a variety of people and helped build my self-confidence.
Appreciate the insights and wisdom. Before we dig deeper and ask you about the skills that matter and more, maybe you can tell our readers about yourself?
I moved to Arizona at a turning point in my career and took a job as a server at a high-end restaurant to figure out my next step when a customer gave me their card and told me they wanted to hire me. The next thing I knew I accepted a job as an executive assistant for a real estate developer. This led me to where I am today.
Right now, I’m very focused on the growth of my firm and building my team. We have also added more services in land and development to our roster.
I’m also really excited about the recent release of my second book, “Simply Own It! The American Dream.”
My first book SimpLEASEity™ focuses on finding your dream office without breaking the bank, while my latest book is a guide geared towards helping you realize financial sovereignty through commercial real estate investments.
I also have a third book in the works. Sharing my passion and knowledge for the industry is what excites me most.
If you had to pick three qualities that are most important to develop, which three would you say matter most?
Commercial real estate is a challenging and exciting field to work in and building a brokerage firm requires me to wear a lot of different hats. As a broker and a business owner the three most valuable qualities and skills that were most impactful in my journey include a willingness to take risks, the ability to communicate and connect with others and a persistence and drive to learn.
I work with a lot of young people starting out in the industry as well as those looking to make a career change later in life. At Davis Commercial I’ve created a hands-on mentorship program to support commercial agents in the 2 to 5-year start of their careers. The program is designed to help individuals develop the knowledge and skills they need for success. The advice I offer is largely from what I learned along my own journey.
Qualities: Working in this field requires risk taking. It really is a high risk, high return field, so those attracted to the industry must possess a willingness to take risks. That said, it is easier to take risks when you have a support system surrounding you that serves as a safety net. My advice to others that may be interested in a career in commercial real estate is assess your willingness to take risks and your own support system. It takes time to learn the business, build a client base and close deals. Set goals and surround yourself with people that motivate and support you in your goals.
Some people are natural risk takers, but if you aren’t, it is a quality that can be developed. It’s about pushing yourself out of your comfort zone personally and professionally. I was always afraid of heights. To push myself to face my fears and expand my limitations, I learned to rock climb. When you are ascending to new heights on the side of a mountain you wear a harness and carabiner, which serves as your safety net (along with the people you’re climbing with). Taking the risk and facing my fear empowered me to trust and believe in myself.
Skills: Strong communication skills are invaluable, along with resourcefulness and being a good problem solver. Again, these skills come naturally to some, but for others – they are skills you can develop. Put yourself in places where you are meeting and speaking with others, look to people you can learn from, ask lots of questions, seek answers. Challenge yourself to know more. When I was young, I was surprisingly introverted. I took a job as a bartender, which forced me to learn to speak with strangers, make conversation and work in a fast paced, high stress environment. The bar served as a barrier of protection, while putting me in an environment where I could learn how to engage with a wide variety of people.
Areas of knowledge: People new to commercial real estate may have limited knowledge of the industry, but they have an interest. One of our newer commercial agents previously worked in property management, while another worked in economic development. Keeping a pulse on the ever-changing market and how it’s being impacted by the economic environment is critical. Understanding what’s going on in the world and where the market is going allows you to see where there are opportunities; it’s about finding where the silver linings exist. It also helps to understand analytics, to examine data and crunch numbers.
When I am faced with a challenge or seeking the best solution, I examine information I have available. When I am still unsure of the next step or best approach, I step away and go for a hike or spend time in nature. That is where I get clarity and often determine the next step to take when conquering said challenge.
What has been your biggest area of growth or improvement in the past 12 months?
It has been a busy past 12 months. In the last year, I’ve added 3 new people to my team, expanded our services to include land and development, launched a newly updated website and published my second book. My focus is on mentoring others and cultivating company growth through existing and new clients. My goal is to position Davis Commercial to be client and service driven, taking a personal approach to best serving clients and our growing community. Our goal is to help companies and business owners select and invest in the right location for their business to thrive today and tomorrow. It can be stressful for the decision maker, and even more difficult when the world feels uncertain. Fear inhibits growth and decision making. Assisting clients in finding the real estate option that is the best fit, involves those same qualities I discussed earlier – understanding the market, being resourceful, and determining the best solutions. It can take time to find the right location and more time to negotiate and close a transaction. Clients can get nervous and frustrated and it is our job to be patient and persistent to help bring it together and help their dreams come true. I wrote “Simply Own It! The American Dream” to educate business owners and potential real estate investors on how the commercial real estate purchasing process works and the financial and tax benefits it can provide.
Contact Info:
- Website: https://daviscreaz.com/
- Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/andreadaviscre/
- Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/DavisCREAZ/
- Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/company/daviscreaz
- Twitter: https://x.com/cre_davis
- Youtube: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCeLcJ0XnhXAO4SF6Rt_AZ2A
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