to start a firm

rick12
Sat, 05 May 2007 20:32:37 +0000

[edited out to remove ad hominem comments - Mod JEM]

rachellie, developers are the folks who put together land, tenants and financing to build most of the commercial structures you see. Generally you have two kinds of folks in these organizatiions; the dealmakers and the project managers who get them built once the deal is signed. Most architects who join developers become project managers because of the technical skills they bring. You will make more money than a typical architect, but less than say a firm owner. The dealmakers come from a finance or broker background, and their greatest asset is the ability to sell, and a willingness to take risk. These are the guys that make the serious money.

I worked with a developer in Chicago, and we were building a 1.4 million s.f. spec (no tenants) tower in downtown Chicago. When he got out of college he was selling Fuller brushes door to door in his hometown in Wisconsin. A buddy who was a broker told him he needed to come to Chicago, because if you can sell Fuller brushes you can lease space. His friend was right.

An MBA or finance degree will open doors, but after that it is up to you. It is a tough profession, but the rewards can be huge.

rick