2019 Ones to Watch: Michael Shkreli, Winick Realty Group

Name: Michael Shkreli

Title: Director

Company Name: Winick Realty Group

Address: 655 Third Avenue, New York, NY

Real estate organizations: International Council of Shopping Centers

Who or what do you attribute to your success? 
If you start with no book of business, you have to be patient with your growth and focus on building relationships because success in real estate is so heavily focused on those relationships. So, early on in my career, I decided being professional, attentive and straightforward with clients were the most important aspects. My clients know I have their best interest at heart and they know I will always go the extra mile for them. As a result, much of my success has come from repeat business and referrals and that is something I am most proud of. 

What advice can you offer to someone who is just getting started in your industry? 
One of the first and best pieces of advice I received in my career was, “The most valuable aspect of a broker is knowledge.” So I would tell any young broker to read and learn as much as they possibility can on their own time. Much of what you learn as a broker comes from firsthand experience, but I found this as a great way to boost growth early on. On top of that, I would stress the importance of patience and how important it is to understand that success doesn’t come overnight or in one deal. 

How have your life experiences impacted who you are professionally? 
College soccer really helped to prepare me for the crazy world of real estate. Being a college athlete is a full time job, from training sessions at the crack of dawn to study halls late at night. That really helped shape my work ethic early on and it helped me to understand that nothing is given to you until you go and make it happen for yourself. Real estate is the same way—you can either be a servicer or producer, and to me that is an easy choice.