'Fantastic opportunities' at hand

Twenty years ago, Dan Granot shelved plans for law school to give commercial real estate a try. He figured he could always go back to school if things didn't work out. Instead, he built a successful career representing tenants in leasing deals. He worked at several firms before opening his own company at the end of 2007.

A former tennis standout —- as a junior, he ranked in the top ten in the country and he played varsity tennis at the University of Georgia and the University of Arkansas —- Granot said he can trace his desire to have his own company to his days on the court.

"Tennis is an individual sport," he said. "I like being able to blame myself for shortcomings, and I like being able to reap the benefits when things go well."

Q: Tell me how you got into real estate.

A: I graduated in 1987 and came back here and ran a tennis academy for two or three years out of college. I was going to go to law school. People said, 'Dan, why don't you look at sales?' I talked to three people: someone I knew in commercial real estate, someone I knew who was a stockbroker and someone I knew who was in insurance. Insurance I thought was too boring. Stockbroker, I didn't want to deal with friends' and family's money. So commercial real estate looked pretty cool. The guy I met with, who I knew from playing tennis, was Richard Bowers. I went and interviewed with Richard. He was kind enough to give me a job. I was with Richard for the first 10 years and I really enjoyed that.

Q: What were you doing there?

A: I was doing office tenant representation, really exactly what I am doing now.

After that I got the opportunity to go to a national firm, Insignia/ESG. I did that for four years. Then, Insignia was going through a merger with CB Richard Ellis. Most of my business was and still is a local relationship business —- so I had an opportunity to go to a smaller firm where I could help lead an office. That is when I went to GVA Advantis.

It had always been a dream of mine to have my own firm. In my first 19 years, I had been with a local firm, a regional firm and a national firm, so I felt like it was time. In December of 2007, I put my shingle out.

Q: What has been the biggest challenge so far of having your own company?

A: The thing that has been the hardest has probably been a challenging real estate market.

Q: Some of the big real estate companies have merged to form even bigger companies. What is it like to have a small firm in that environment?

A: The growing of the firm is probably easier in a time like this because some of the larger firms have been very helpful to me. They aren't hiring and because of my relationships with the larger firms, they are very happy to shift prospective employees or agents to me. I am not considered day-to-day competition for them.

Q: Because they are doing bigger deals?

A: Yeah, they are generally doing larger transactions. Real estate is a close-knit group, and while we are all competitors, everyone is happy to help the other guy. When I went out on my own, I got a lot of guidance from very experienced, great real estate people, which was invaluable. They have continued to help me.

Q: Is the market right now good for your clients, who are tenants? Are there good deals for them?

A: Yeah, the real estate market is certainly swayed toward the tenant now heavily and there are fantastic opportunities for those in a position to take advantage of them. That is the issue, so many people are skittish, they are nervous about staying power so they are afraid to do anything, they are afraid to move, they are afraid to sign a long-term lease because they have to worry about things right now that are more important than rent.

Q: When do you think it will get better?

A: If we can grind through 2009, I am hopeful that 2010 will be a turnaround year.

The Dan Granot file

Title: President, Dan Granot & Co.

Age: 43

Family: Wife, Wendy; Three daughters, Hannah (7), Ava (5), Olivia (2)

Home: Brookwood Hills in Buckhead

Education: University of Arkansas

Favorite movies: "Wedding Crashers" and "The Godfather"

Last Book Read: "The 80/20 Principle: The Secret to Success by Achieving More with Less" by Richard Koch