CREate: Ideas in CRE

Ashley sits down with Marty Sweeney, Senior Vice President and Property Acquisitions Manager at M&J Wilkow, to discuss their success as investors in Pittsburgh and the important ideas and strategies he believes create a sense of community at each property. By using creative and specific marketing campaigns, M&J Wilkow has delivered award-winning marketing that has profoundly increased activation of their office and retail assets. Marty has a passion for giving each project personality by embracing local flavor, cultivating culture and influencing the experience for each tenant and visitor. We discuss memorable marketing campaigns, trends in office and open-air retail assets, and ideas for the future of commercial real estate. Tune in to hear this multi-market veteran investor share his stories and expertise!

Eric Booth, President of Desmone Architects, sits down with Ashley to discuss their experience in WELL Certification for their headquarters in Pittsburgh, PA at Two Doughboy Square. Eric explains the importance of WELL and how Desmone integrated their concepts into not only their building design, but also their employee policies. He understands that human capital is so important for any business and proudly explains how the WELL Certification was an obvious fit for their company culture because they truly care about the wellbeing of their employees. 

Rachel Rzymek of AE Works in Pittsburgh, PA gives some great advice on what works for her as a Business Development Associate. Rachel learned what not to do with a background in selling insurance, and she's now mastered the art of creating real and trusted relationships in business, which leads to success for the firm and long-term clients. Tune in to hear her advice on what's important when you are growing your network, getting involved, and listening to the people you want to foster a relationship with, instead of worrying about what to say next. 

Is multi-tasking really working for you? Guess what? Studies show that it's NOT working well. Ashley breaks down the concept of multi-tasking vs. single-tasking and discusses her best tricks and tips for cultivating a focused workflow and better productivity.

Chris Bernardi, Marketing Manager of Burns Scalo Real Estate, talks through current trends in marketing and what we are seeing change in the commercial real estate world. Chris emphasizes that human beings are the common denominator in all business and he believes in creating experiential marketing to connect with humans on an emotional level. Chris expresses how vital it is to understand that marketing and delivering space that is human-centric will deliver a product that the end-user (the tenant) is truly looking for. Tune in to hear this great conversation about emotional connections in the real estate world!

Ashley discusses a top marketing trend for 2021: authenticity. She talks about why we are seeing this trend come to light in the marketing world and how to take steps for your own personal development and business development by operating with authenticity and personalized tactics. She shares ideas on understanding your values, connecting with people as a human (not a robot), and adding details in your marketing that create memorable experiences and build bridges with your ideal customer. Bringing your unique personality into your business will make an impression that differentiates you in the commercial real estate world.

Francesca Carey is a Graphic Designer at Cushman & Wakefield for the Philadelphia and Baltimore Regions and she shares her insight and experience on creating strategic partnerships with the brokerage teams she works with. Francesca believes we should all be less of a task-taker and more of a strategic partner so we can all work better together and generate quality work. This episode emphasizes the need for compassion and communication in the workplace. When we all understand each other and play to each other's strengths, it all comes together "like a musical".

A conversation with guest Jim Ambrose of Desmone Architects in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania. Jim shares the creative process Desmone executed to understand their core values which then led to a brand refresh and new communications and marketing strategy for the ongoing growth and future of the firm.

In this episode, Ashley describes some of her favorite design principles from the book, Universal Principles of Design by William Lidwell, et. al. She explains what she believes to be the most impactful design concepts for visual design, designing for memory and spatial design and how CRE marketers can use these ideas to make an impact.  These concepts are based on human behaviors, perceptions and how humans make meaning of design elements based on research and studies of human response.

We sit down with guest podcaster, Katie Meehan, Social Media and Marketing Coordinator of Franjo Construction in Pittsburgh, PA.  We hear her story about how she got into the business and what she does at Franjo. Katie discusses what social media channels are important for the CRE community, how to use Instagram, hashtags and how to foster connections through the commercial real estate business world via social media platforms.