Broker Tips: Top Insights and Top Brokers in 2023

Here at NAI Global, we are privileged to have a wealth of experience (and expertise) at our fingertips, in the form of our diverse network of brokers from around the world. In our ‘broker tips’ series, we chat with those ‘in the know’ to bring you short, sharp, and succinct advice that can help you get the most out of a career in commercial real estate (CRE).

For this edition, our tipsters tap into being in it ‘for the long haul’ and the skills that are going to get you to the top of the brokerage game.

Go the distance

Micah McCullough is a vice president at NAI UCR, which operates in Jackson, Mississippi. His advice for young brokers just starting out is to do their best to learn as much as they can about the business.

Micah says: “The more time you put into honing your skills earlier in your career, the more dividends it will pay 5 to 10 years in the future.”

Be a team player 

John Filli is a senior vice president at NAI Horizon, which serves the Arizona area with offices in Tucson and Phoenix. John’s top tip? 

“Become a team player. Share your ideas, experiences, problems, and solutions with other team members.”

John adds that the ability to put others first, maintain a positive attitude, and really care about and respect the people we work with are all traits that will stand CRE professionals in good stead. He states: “In times of economic downturn, our clients expect and even demand more from us than ever before.”

Creativity is king

For both men, creativity and “out-of-the-box thinking” is another vital component for a successful CRE career. Micah McCullough sums it up like this: “Coachability, Communication, Critical Thinking, and Creativity, these are my 4 C’s that make up a good broker!”

That’s it for this edition, but be sure to check back soon for more insightful advice as we touch base with another pair of CRE experts in the next ‘broker tips.’ Or in the meantime, have a look at some of our past editions here and here.