NASHVILLE, TN: A wide angle generic view of the Nashville downtown skyline. (Photo by Brian Spurlock/Icon Sportswire via Getty Images)
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Commercial real estate is often associated with financial models, market analysis, and investment strategy. While those skills certainly matter, there is another quality that often separates successful investors from everyone else. This is taking massive action in a way that is similar to entrepreneurs.
On a recent episode of The Insider’s Edge to Real Estate Investing podcast, Gaurav Khanna (GK), founder of Val-Add Partners and adjunct professor at NYU Shack Institute of Real Estate, shared stories from his career that highlighted a lesson many investors can benefit from. Whether someone is raising capital, sourcing deals, building relationships, or entering a new market, success often comes down to the willingness to take initiative and create opportunities rather than waiting for them to appear.
Opportunity Rarely Knocks on Your Door
GK described arriving in New York from India with limited connections and time. He knew he needed to find work quickly if he wanted to stay. Instead of relying solely on traditional job applications, he took a more direct approach.
He spent time walking through New York City carrying his architectural portfolio and visiting firms in person. Rather than waiting for interviews to be scheduled, he introduced himself and asked for opportunities. It was not always easy, as many firms were not hiring. Others were not interested in speaking with someone who arrived without an appointment.
Eventually, one of those visits led to an opportunity that helped launch his career. Looking back, it would be easy to focus on the fortunate outcome. The more important lesson is that the opportunity would never have appeared without the effort that came before it.
Commercial real estate often works the same way. Investors who consistently uncover
opportunities are usually not waiting for deals to arrive in their inbox. They are building relationships, making calls, attending industry events, and staying visible in the marketplace. The opportunities that appear often reflect months or years of consistent effort behind the scenes.
The Same Principles Apply at Every Stage
It can be easy to think that once you reach a certain leadership position or start your own company, the hard work of creating opportunities becomes easier. In reality, the process often remains remarkably similar. On the podcast, GK explained that after getting his start in New York, he found himself using the same mindset as an entrepreneur throughout his career. The difference was that he was no longer knocking on the doors of architecture firms. Instead, he was building relationships with developers, investors, public agencies, and potential partners.
Real estate is fundamentally a relationship business. Every acquisition, development project, financing opportunity, or joint venture begins with people. Investors who consistently expand their network and seek new connections often place themselves in a position to discover opportunities before they become widely known.
In many cases, the difference between finding an incredible deal and missing it entirely comes down to who was willing to make one more phone call, attend one more meeting, or start one more conversation.
Building an Edge Through Persistence
Today’s commercial real estate market is more competitive than ever. Information travels quickly and investors have access to an unprecedented amount of data. While technology has improved decision making, it has not replaced human insight and persistence.
The investors who stand out are often the ones willing to put in the work that others avoid. They study markets deeply. They build relationships consistently. They remain curious about changing trends. Most importantly, they continue moving forward even when immediate results are not visible.
GK’s story serves as a reminder that success in commercial real estate is rarely the result of waiting for the perfect opportunity. More often, it comes from acting before possibilities are obvious to everyone else. While financial knowledge, market expertise, and technical skills have their place, lasting success typically requires a willingness to make the extra call, attend the extra meeting, or pursue a relationship that may not produce immediate results. In a business built on people, persistence, and long-term thinking, investors who adopt an entrepreneurial mindset can position themselves to uncover opportunities, create value, and build lasting success even in the most competitive markets.
