Seven pairs of commercial real estate professionals are presently engaged in the NAIOP-MD Developing Leaders Mentorship Program, which matches NAIOP-MD DL members, aged 35 years and under, with seasoned veterans.
The individual pairings began meeting monthly last fall and will continue to engage until the session concludes this spring. The program will begin accepting applications for the next mentorship session in October.
Matt Laraway, Michael Trail, Michael Tait and Kate Jordan are part of the current DL Mentorship Program.
“Our chapter has tried different iterations of the mentorship program and, this time around, we wanted to simplify things,” said NAIOP-MD DL Chair Michael Tait of St. John Properties. “To achieve that goal, we suggest that the mentor and mentee meet approximately once a month, preferably in person, to discuss a wide range of topics centering primarily on career development and growth. At the end of the day, we want to help spark a mentorship connection that will continue to grow well after the completion of the program.”
During the application process, mentee participants are asked about their career path and preference for the ideal mentor situation, specifically regarding the actual job function of their partner.
“We are extremely cognizant about the pairings and competition situations, and did not want to bring together individuals with companies that go head-to-head in sales and leasing transactions, for instance,” Tait said. “Each participant is involved in the commercial real estate industry in some manner and we believe introducing different perspectives are among the program’s strengths…
“In addition to having strong mentors within your company, I am a strong believer that you need to supplement this with insights from professionals outside your organization,” Tait added. “The value these relationships brings includes mentees having a sounding board from someone who understands the real estate industry, receiving career development and coaching advice and, generally, being able to honestly express feelings and receive immediate feedback and support. I hope this program helps provide a platform to develop a strong relationship between mentor and mentee, in addition to other relationships that may come as a supplementary result down the road.”
After spending eight years on the landlord side at Thomas Park Investments, Mason Popham was tapped to start a new third-party brokerage arm last year. An Executive Vice President, Popham was experienced at working with brokerage professionals, but was thrilled for the chance of outside guidance to help navigate through this opportunity and sought help through the DL Mentorship Program.
“The timing could not have been more perfect,” Popham said, who was paired with Matt Laraway, Senior Vice President, CBRE. “We have met twice so far and the sessions have been tremendously helpful and eye-opening. Matt has coached me through the unique issues faced when representing tenant companies, explained the processes and protocols he follows with assignments, and advised on pitfalls to avoid and ways to set yourself apart from the competition.
“I had never met Matt before, but could not imagine a better mentor,” he added. “He explained how he rose through the brokerage ranks and helped me better understand the industrial/warehouse asset class. Our next session will be a tour through one of his current listings.”
Popham, who highly recommends the mentorship program, describes it as “a simple way to add another confidant to your network, that you know you can call on at any time. And, one excellent relationship leads to another, which is the best way to build your list of resources.”
The Developing Leaders will be working with industry professionals and partners within NAIOP Maryland to provide additional educational opportunities as part of the program focused on career growth, mentorship and development.