21^st TUESDAY 6:00pm	Event	Location	Administrator	Event Duration
21^st TUESDAY 6:00pm	Entering The Field of Retail Leasing	Manhattan	Aaron Gavios	3.75hr

A. Selecting a Retail Leasing Brokerage Firm

1. Specialist in Retail, or a significant Retail Division 5 minutes

2. Firm with excellent reputation for honesty and fair dealings 5 minures

3. Firm that puts Client first 10 minutes

4. Firm with Training Program and Generally a Team System 10 minuyes

5. Mentor to teach the business 10 minutes

6. Firm with excellent working operations 45 minutes

a) Advertises regularly

b) Significant public relations

c) Legal department and/or ability to draft and execute legal

documents

d) Ability to invoice properly and collect commissions timely

e) Adequate computer systems, network, email systems, and

accounting systems

f) Adequate administrative support

g) Graphic Design department or access to Graphic Designer

h) Principals have at least 10 years experience and have executed

more than 100 retail lease transactions

i)Firm has a multitude of exclusive clients (Tenants and Landlords)

j) Firm is adequately capitalized and can survive one year or more

with losses

k) Firm pays its bills and all creditors on a timely basis

l) Firm is “co-broker” oriented

m) The Independent Contractor Agreement is fair and issued every

12 months on a timely basis

n) The firm has no record of sanctions by the DOB or a record of

being a target of numerous lawsuits

o) Excellent Client/Customer Contact System and tracking system

7. Firm maintains Real Estate Subscriptions 15 minutes

a)Costar

b)Email Marketing Program

c)Loopnet

d)RetailMLS

e)Agorafy

f)RealDeal

g)Crains

h)New York Magazine, NYT

i)Other trade magazine, such as W., Chain Store News, etc

8. Firm maintains updated Website 20 minutes

a)updated listings

Aaron Gavios. Entering The Field Of Retail Leasing. Attributes of Great Brokerage Firms and

Great Agents

b)updated client list

c) smartphone friendly website

10 minutes

9. Advertising and Public Relations: How to be your Own PR Manager: Use

of Crains, Post, New York Times, Real Deal and Commercial Observer

10.Email Marketing 10 minutes

11.Signage marketing 5 minutes

12.Online Marketing Programs and use of free website 10 minutes

B. Attributes of a Successful Retail Leasing Agent 60 minutes

1. Detailed knowledge of the real estate market on a street-by-street basis,

including knowledge of lease pricing in each neighborhood

2. Developed relationships with a wide number of Building and Property

Owners

3. Developed relationships with wide number and variety of tenants

4. Leasing experience

5. Detailed knowledge of each retail business, profit margins, product

offerings, pricing etc.

6. Knowledge of retail competitive landscape

7. KNOwledge of market trends, fashion trends, food trends, etc

8. Knowledge of residential and commercial markets

9. Knowledge of new developments and all new construction

10.Ability to negotiate terms and conditions of lease in adverse and often

competitive conditions

11.Personal brand image

12.Communication skills

13.Ability to juggle multiple projects simulataneously

C. Managing Your Expectations 10 minutes

1. Drop out rate among new agents exceeds 75% in the first 24 months

2. Several years to develop your personal business, relationships, and ability

to obtain exclusive agreements

3. Commission earned during first 24 months are minimal

Aaron Gavios, Co-Chairman and General Partner of Square Foot Realty, has been instrumental in establishing the brokerage firm as the leading retail leasing Broker in Hell’s Kitchen. He has been instrumental in running a number of online and off-line marketing efforts which have resulted in establishing the firm as a well known brand in the New York marketplace in just a few short years. Mr. Gavios has worked to secure locations for retailers and restaurants including Ippudo, L’Artisan Parfumeur, Sushi of Gari, Cooper's Craft and Kitchen, Good Stuff Diner, Cold Stone Creamery, Westville Restaurant, Ardesia Wine Bar and a host of many others. Along with Mr. Aaron, he oversees relationships with several key Owners including Archstone Smith, Dermot, Stonehenge Partners, Stellar Management, Clinton Housing Development Corporation and others. Prior to joining Square Foot Realty, Mr. Gavios held key senior executive positions at several technology firms including Nintendo of America, Casio, Rolodex, DSTV, MondoSoft, and X3D in which he was involved in marketing and sales on an international level. Aaron holds an MBA in Marketing and International Business from NYU Stern School of Business Administration, and a Bachelor’s Degree from Brandeis University.

Mr. Gavios has also served as an Expert Witness in Tenant/Landlord cases. He has been an INstructor for NYREI since March, 2014.