Mark Pollack has been a commercial real estate agent with Schultz Foster Addison Real Estate Inc. for just over a year.
BEFORE REAL ESTATE?
He worked for ADT Security Systems in its national marketing center located on Gate Parkway.
BEFORE ADT?
He worked as public relations director for Barnes and Nobles until Borders Books and Music of Jacksonville made him a better offer to become its public relations director.
HOW DID HE GET
INTO COMMERCIAL
REAL ESTATE?
“I like sales and I like dealing with people from all over, but not in a call center setting. My brother has been friends with Duke Addison [a partner in Schultz Foster Addison] for a long time and he said I should call Duke. So, I called him and he told me to get my real estate license and come see him. I did and have been here ever since.”
HOW DO YOU LIKE
REAL ESTATE SO FAR?
“I love commercial real estate. I like the people that I get to work with. My firm here is great and the people here are wonderful. They have been really supportive and they have really helped me and taught me a lot this past year. I really couldn’t ask for better friends.”
SPECIALTY
Commercial office and retail leasing and sales.
WHAT DO YOU THINK ABOUT WHAT IS HAPPENING DOWNTOWN?
“I think it is great. I want to see more of it. I’d love to see more people want to come downtown. I think we need to be really open minded as far as what we want our downtown to be. I read a lot of articles about what people do and do not want downtown and I really think they should get beyond their specific focus and see what would be the better for the city. With residential, the bars will come and that could be a good thing. It breeds more people and more interest and more cars downtown.”
ADVICE TO NEW AGENTS?
“Stay focused. It’s really easy in this field to get discouraged. When I first started, they told me I would want to quit 15 times before the year is out. Because you will be working a deal and spending a lot time with one person and then all of a sudden the deal falls apart. You are heartbroken because you have just spent all this time and all this effort and in a commission only field, when Friday comes and you don’t have a paycheck, it gets pretty discouraging. So, you really have to stay focused, see the light at the end of the tunnel and know that it’s out there. You just have to pay your dues just like everyone else has and once you have, you will reap the benefits, but you really have to stay motivated. It is definitely a self motivating field.”
MENTOR
“Mike Lucas, an agent with Schultz Foster Addison and Duke were both very helpful. They both have helped me out immensely.”
MOST
CHALLENGING THING ABOUT REAL ESTATE?
“Working hard on a deal and watching it fall apart.”
FAVORITE THING
ABOUT REAL ESTATE?
“Watching a deal come
together.”
BIRTHPLACE
Jacksonville.
HIGH SCHOOL
Bishop Kenny.
RESIDES
Southside.
FAVORITES
He really enjoys reading Clive Cussler’s books. His favorite movie is “Heat” and his favorite place to dig into some sushi is Sushi Rock. When relaxing at home, he enjoys watching “The Agency.”
—by Michele Newbern Gillis