Interview with Billy Fauntleroy, Vice President at CBRE, Los Angeles

Enaia equips top-performing CRE brokers and their teams with the technology they need to succeed against their competition. As a part of our Broker Highlight series, we interview Enaia users across various career-stages who are at the top of their game to gain insights into what qualities and best practices comprise elite CRE brokers.

Tell us a little about yourself and what you do.

I’m Billy Fauntleroy.  I partner with some of the fastest-growing companies in the U.S. to assist with their real estate needs. From early-stage startups in stealth-mode or at the seed stage to more growth-oriented venture-backed companies at Series B, C, and D and beyond, including Fortune 500 corporations.  I’m fortunate to work with creative minds - primarily in the tech, entertainment, and media industries.

I really love what I do. I believe life is too short not to, and achieving intrinsic motivation has been a game-changer for me as my career has evolved. Getting to work with growing companies surrounded by like-minded people has been the highlight of my work, and knowing that I help clients strategize around their growth is extremely gratifying. I like to think that most of my clients are now close friends so I get to root for their success and look forward to growing alongside them.

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

Growing up in Chicago’s North Suburbs, I was captivated by the city’s towering skyline. I went to college at USC (Fight On!) to play Division One Men's Volleyball and studied Commercial Real Estate Finance to further explore my passion for real estate. My time as a D1 athlete taught me many successful skills that have translated into being a successful broker-advisor today, including hard work, organization, and collaboration.

Tell us a little about your company from your vantage point.

I'll keep it simple: as a global Fortune 500 company, there's nothing we can't do to assist our clients at the highest level. With CBRE’s size and market share, our proprietary data is unmatched so we can provide immense value to our clients.

You mentioned knowing you wanted to be in commercial real estate from a young age. Tell us about your background prior to CBRE.

Knowing I wanted to be in commercial real estate from a young age helped me get to this point in my career quicker than most. I had internships every summer of college (JLL, CBRE, Torburn Partners, REIT) and secured a full-time job with a top brokerage team at IPA in the Bay Area. That gave me valuable underwriting reps that allowed me to return to Los Angeles to work with the Anderson family leading up to CBRE. At Anderson Real Estate, I learned the industry from the ownership side, which provided me a unique perspective many brokers don't possess unfortunately.

It's not as common to return to the brokerage world after the principal side.  Most brokers fall in love with the steady paycheck.  Why did you leave the principal side to come to CBRE?

It's true, the more common theme is to leave brokerage to work for a principal or owner in some capacity. I made that move and wouldn't have changed it for the world because it allowed me to be where I am today. Working for the Anderson family gave me skills, a network, and a perspective that makes me a far better broker than if I had never left. For me, I came to the realization that I’d be a lot more satisfied supporting companies with their real estate needs and that, as I said, I’d love what I do more as a broker.  I knew I would achieve that working at CBRE in tenant representation with growing companies.

Being an athlete is a commonly sought-after quality in the commercial real estate industry. How has that background helped you?

Just like many other experts in my field, to be successful, you have to work hard and be extremely organized. Luckily, I had a head start as a Division One athlete at USC. With over four hours of practice every day, every minute mattered to get my studies done and watch film in between class and athletics. I learned how to work extremely hard on and off the court, become very detail-oriented, and, as anyone in a team sport does, learn how to work successfully as a team. Upon graduation, I was fortunate enough to graduate Cum Laude and serve as a two-time team captain.

You mentioned you work with high-growth companies. What unique challenges do you face when working with these types of clients?

High-growth companies can often fall victim to long-term leases that don't fit their growth strategy. This is easier said than done. For example, a startup may not be able to execute on occupying additional space, even if they need it, until they close their next round of funding.  For startups, speed is everything, so when they execute their capital raise, the need suddenly becomes immediate, so it's my job to prepare for this while companies are still in fundraising-mode so they can hit the ground running. This ensures that real estate is never a constraint on my client's growth plans. Until a company’s headcount and financial stability levels out a bit, long-term leases are hardly ever advisable.

What would you say is unique about the Los Angeles market that outside brokers or companies wouldn't know?

LA is much bigger than people realize, evidenced by the fact that CBRE has five offices in Los Angeles. Every submarket is extremely different, so mastering the individual qualities of each is very important.

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?

Build your own personal brand. If you're in this business, it's because you hope to be in it forever. Go at it with a long-term approach, taking the time to attend in-person events and truly build meaningful relationships with your prospects and clients. Make sure your clients rely on you and that you can deliver because loyalty is earned, not given.

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

A few of my biggest hobbies are beach volleyball, skiing, traveling, and all things sports—especially football. Go Bears!

Our thanks to Billy for sharing his experience and perspective.

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