2018 Ones to Watch: Shlomo Gelernter, Senior Director at Besen & Associates

Name: Shlomo Gelernter

Title: Senior Director

Company: Besen & Associates

Address: 381 Park Avenue South, New York, NY 10016

Year that you entered your current field? 2012

How did you get your start in your current field?
I started my career by interning at Marcus & Millichap the summer leading into my senior year at Hobart College. I learned a great deal that summer interning with Peter Von Der Ahe and Joe Koicim, and I knew right away that this was the career I wanted to pursue. I had participated in quite a few internships before that summer, but real estate brokerage instilled a passion in me that I’ve never felt before. After graduating, I turned down an invitation to the NFL combine in Indianapolis to start my career in commercial real estate brokerage in Manhattan. 

Who or what do you attribute to your success?
My success in real estate didn’t happen overnight. It took time as I developed and learned from powerful and successful mentors, instilling good work habits into my daily routine, managing my time effectively, and developing an immense social and business network in Manhattan. I come from a family that immigrated to the United States from Israel to follow their dreams, and while nothing came easy for them; they never gave up. I’ve always wanted to be the best at what I love to do, and I learned from them how to persevere through adversity and to never give up.

Where do you see yourself in five years?
I aways make short term and long term goals for myself because I believe it is important to think about what I want to accomplish. By doing so, you can then ask yourself the question; how do I get there? Five years from now I invision myself at the top tier of commercial real estate brokers in Manhattan by doing many of the same things I am doing now to achieve success today. I will own real estate of my own and I want to build a family with my wife and enjoy all that life has to offer.

How do you manage the work/life balance?
The work/life balance can be tricky at times. Luckily, I have just recently married my girlfriend of 14 years and I’m focused on building a family and life together with her. Priotitizing your time is the only way to balance a healthy work/life balance, even though they tend to overlap a lot. Setting a strict time schedule (and sticking to it) for business and for family/friends is what leads to happiness. At the end of the day all we have is our own time, and by managing it effectively, you can achieve that balance.