Interview with Ben Garrett, SVP at Kidder Mathews, Seattle

Enaia equips top-performing CRE brokers with the technology they need to thrive in their careers. As a part of our Broker Highlight series, we aim to gain insights into the commercial real estate landscape, uncover best practices, and highlight what sets elite CRE brokers apart.

Ben, tell us a little about yourself and what you do

I’m Ben Garrett, 42, fiancé and dog dad, lifelong Seattleite, proud Washington Husky Alum, and office tenant rep broker at Kidder Mathews.

How did you enter into CRE brokerage? What drew you to the industry?

I spent three months right after college in residential real estate. Commercial real estate is a better fit for my personality–it’s less emotional and I like working with businesses. Growing up I was always interested in architecture and big buildings and was also drawn to the entrepreneurial nature of brokerage.

Tell us about the first deal you ever closed. How did it come about and what do you remember most about it?

It was a 939 SF tech startup office in Pioneer Square (think a cool/creative feel, exposed brick, and wood beams). It was a 12-month term and the commission was $986. It was spooned to me by a senior broker. The two co-founders became good friends and prolific clients. Between that startup and a handful of other companies I’ve done 15 deals for those guys!

What was the most valuable advice you received when you were getting started in your career?

"Do what you say you’re going to do, when you say you’re going to do it". This has served me well in both my personal and professional lives.

What was your first major success where you felt like your career was clicking?

22 months into my career I closed a deal and the commission was double my entire first year runner’s salary. I remember it vividly–I was driving, iPhones didn’t exist yet and I didn’t have a Blackberry–we would dial-in and a robot read emails back to us. When it read the commission bank deposit email to me number by number I’ll never forget that giddy feeling… I’m going to make it!

You’ve been at Kidder Mathews your entire career; tell us a little about the firm from your vantage point

When I started in 2006 we had 300 employees and six offices in the Pacific Northwest. We now have 1,000+ employees across 19 offices up and down the West Coast, Arizona, Idaho and Nevada. We’ve become a large firm but incredibly have managed to maintain a small firm feel. It’s a wonderful place to work and supporting our brokers to do what they do best is our north star.

What would you say is unique about your market that outside brokers or companies wouldn’t know?

Don’t believe everything you see about Seattle on the national news! Seattle is a world-class city.

Do you have any memorable deals that died?

Ouch. Well, maybe the time I had a 35k SF, 10 year expansion all teed-up, then a new facility person came onboard, was given autonomy and I got kicked to the curb.

How do you stay up-to-date with market trends and changes in the industry?

I’m a news junkie. I devour market reports–Kidder’s and many of our competitors, to stay current on trends. I get solid insights from LinkedIn and X accounts I follow. I love our weekly office meetings–not only do we talk market happenings, I work with fun people and thoroughly enjoy the camaraderie.

Can you share a difficult experience in your career and what you learned from it?

Covid starting in March of 2020 was a shock to the system. All but two deals I was working on were put on hold overnight. Some of those came back, but many died or went into “kick the can” mode, resulting in several years of uncertainty and short-term renewals. For a couple months there in 2020 it almost felt like a forced sabbatical. Prospecting was discouraging–nobody wanted to talk about their office space, they weren’t even allowed in the office. Besides the uneasiness of an awesome career being battered, I also dealt with some personal tragedy during that time. Looking back, it made me more resilient and was a stern reminder that change is the only constant in life.

What advice would you give to new brokers just starting out in the industry? What would you do differently if you could go back in time?

To quote the sage Rod Santomassimo: “CRE brokers are terrible with self-limiting beliefs. They lack pure conviction–you do have a service and solution that’s better than anyone else. Their lack of confidence demonstrates this and is exhibited in calls, marketing and presentations. The remedy is to have absolute clarity on who you serve and how you serve them. Get client testimonials and review them. There’s no better trait than pure conviction.”

In your mind, what separates elite CRE brokers from the rest of the pack?

Persistence, organization, and DISCIPLINE. Bob Knakal’s LinkedIn post the other day sums it up well: “It’s not rocket science, folks, just blocking and tackling and discipline.”

Are there any common mistakes you see CRE brokers making they should avoid?

Too often I see brokers overpromise and underdeliver. Set realistic expectations from the start and be transparent in your dealings. “If you never tell a lie, you never have to remember what you said.”

What do you like to do when you’re not working?

When I’m here in Seattle my fiancée and I love getting out and enjoying our city. I’ve lived here my entire life and still find new things to do (particularly in the summer, it’s unbeatable). We also enjoy traveling and love big cities–Tokyo is our favorite. Our perfect vacation day is exploring a new city with a ~10 mile walk and eating great food along the way. I also spend time at the gym and in the summer I get in plenty of boating. Lastly, I’m a huge golf nerd- it has been a passion since I was a little kid.

Our thanks to Ben for sharing his experience and perspective. See the enclosed video to understand how Ben is utilizing Enaia in his business.