Ones to Watch Fall 2022: William Brooks, B+E

What recent project, transaction or accomplishment are you most proud of?

The Opus Packaging transaction I worked on and closed this year. The 3-property industrial portfolio spanned two states in the Midwest and totaled over 500,000 s/f. We had the deal priced in the 5’s and nearly every prospect I spoke with swore there was no chance the deal got done below a 7-cap.

Tell us about a mentor or role model that has influenced your career choices?

Our CEO, Camille Renshaw. Her dynamic leadership galvanizes us to work harder, and smarter, than competitors. She is unwavering in her vision for the company, and is constantly asking the brokers what she can do to help facilitate dealmaking. She has taken a personal interest and am extremely grateful.

What 3 skills do you consider the most important to be successful in your industry?

1. Resilience; this business is very cyclical and good brokers keep pushing and never give up.

2. Constant desire to learn; it’s important to never become complacent and to always be striving for more knowledge and expertise.

3. Creativity; sometimes it takes creative solutions to make a transaction work for everyone involved.

What is one lesson that you had to learn the hard way?

Get the tough conversations out of the way upfront! Even though it may be uncomfortable and you run the risk of causing friction early in the transaction, it pays to address important issues upfront.

What do you enjoy doing when you are not working?

I enjoy experiencing everything NYC has to offer, including restaurants, bars, parks, museums, live shows and concerts, etc. On weekends, you will find me hanging out with friends, on the golf course, or looking for new additions to my vinyl record collection.