When identifying vendors we want to work with the number one question we ask ourselves is “what is this going to cost?” often quickly followed by “are these people I want to work with?” and finally “do they understand what I really need?” These three questions form the cornerstone of the RFP/RFI/RFQ/Short-list Meeting process tradition….
Every 2 years the Olympics reminds us how small the world really is.
I love the Olympics. It gives me a chance to watch sports I only watch every four years and appreciate the work of athletes that work for something more than a giant paycheck. The Olympics also give me a sense of how small the world is. The top athletes from every country on earth are…
The times when positivity is hardest is when it is most necessary.
In life there are things that will get us down. Sometimes it will be an hour, maybe a day. Rarer times (hopefully) it will go on for longer making us struggle with things that are usually easy. That negative cloud will circle in your head coloring everything there just a bit grey. Maybe not enough…
What do you do when your numbers refuse to add up correctly?
There are many instances where numbers refuse to cooperate and add up to the correct penny. It can be a very frustrating experience when you are trying to create a file that can be validated and audited. Validating numbers that do not add up right is always a test. The first thing you must do…
Raise up a glass to celebrate another time based milestone: 5 years of BoxThoughts.
5 years ago I made a decision to try blogging again. It was to be my third attempt at writing online on a regular basis. I can still remember it clearly sitting in the Atlanta office at the time. All I was looking for was an outlet to ensure I could clear my head at…
Are you excited today?
Are you excited today yet? Is your blood pumping to get something done that you can celebrate? Do you have a goal that is going to drive something big forward? If not, why not? Is something real holding you back or are you holding yourself back? Rarely is there something tangible that stops the exciting…
Why I don’t write about real estate markets.
Most commercial real estate blogs have a significant focus on local markets. Is the cost of real estate going up or down? What is going on with vacancy rates? What do you need to know for executing the best lease in the current market? Where are the demographic trends heading over the next 12 months? How…
Can narcissism benefit your organization?
In real estate one of the first rules you learn is that a client’s real estate portfolio is usually pretty closely related to their organizational structure. The more offices there are, the more hierarchical the company. The more global the offices there is typically a lot of independence happening. It is hard to micro-manage from…
How often do you think outside the box.
Recently I’ve been challenged to consider the value of people really good at the tasks within their box versus the athletes that can conquer challenges across a broad range of topics. Specifically I’ve been asked to consider whether I would want to work within a box myself. There is value to being within a box….
The truth, the whole truth and nothing but the truth.
Truth is difficult. We all think we want it when we go out looking for solutions and answers whether in life or business but in reality we ever really want it. It can be painful when our eyes are opened up to reality for the first time. To learn that what we had held as…