Episode 001: James Nelson

Introduction:


By way of background, James grew up in Madison, Wisconsin and
then Bethesda, Maryland. Fresh out of Colgate University, he
joined and ultimately became an integral component of, and
partner in Massey Knakal (who in 2014 was acquired by real estate
powerhouse Cushman & Wakefield). In addition to being a great
guy, James is the happily married father of three boys who when
he is not hanging with them jogging on the beach with his rescue
dogs, is a Principal and Head of Tri-State Investment Sales in
Avison Young’s New York City office. In addition to investment
sales, his ever-expanding team also focuses on financing
properties, as well as retail leasing and 1031 transactions.
Although Larry gets a bit deeper with him as to how he has
succeeded in both life and in business, James in part credits his
success to a work ethic ingrained in him since his days as
captain of his college swim team and more recently as a
triathlete. With that all said, let’s dive into the deep end of
the swimming pool to see what pearls of wisdom Larry extracts
from the Michael Phelps of New York real estate. 


Episode Notes:


At 4:55, James Nelson discusses the Blue Ocean Strategy,
perfecting the process and Cirque du Soleil. At 9:15, James
informs us how he attained his first job out of college while
attending Colgate University - “As the story goes, Bob turns to
Paul and says can this guy Nelson fog a mirror?” At 12:30, James
explains his take on the importance of giving back and Rising
Realty Stars, a charitable initiative started by James and his
wife. At 18:03, James notes “putting yourself in a risky
negotiation is not having the proper facts and not doing your
homework.” At 21:30, in response to Larry’s “You Complete” Jerry
Maguire question, James enlightens us on Ray Dalio’s book,
“Principles,” his belief in the Jim Collins good to great get the
right people on the bus in the right seats theory and why every
member of his sales team undergoes an AVA Behavioral Assessment.
At 27:32, when asked about how he “weathers the storm,” James
references a time when Barbara Corcoran came into the office for
a discussion and advised the office on what skill she believes is
most important for a salesperson to have success. At 41:58, James
offers his thoughts on the state of flux of the investment sales
market and the impact of the Tax Cuts and Jobs Act of 2017. At
47:11, in regards to brokers chasing deals, James discusses the
“transaction treadmill” and broker coaching. At 48:50, “Larry’s
Last Call” segment with James Nelson begins.