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ONE-ON-ONE WITH

Martin McGarry

President & CEO of Cushman & Wakefield Winnipeg

The one piece of advice I would give my

former self in the beginning is, seek out advice
from many different sources. You can’t do it

alone, so obtain a wide array of advice and
opinions from colleagues, family and friends.

WHAT WERE YOU UP TO BEFORE CUSHMAN & WHAT’S ONE ASPECT YOU ENJOY THE MOST
WAKEFIELD? HOW DID THAT PREPARE YOU FOR ABOUT WORKING IN YOUR CURRENT INDUSTRY?
WHAT YOU DO NOW? I think the most enjoyable aspect of our industry is it touches
I have been involved in commercial real estate for 25 years. almost everyone’s life. Commercial Real Estate is the back
I worked at a local brokerage firm for the first 12 years of my bone to every business and every economy. It is extremely
career as a commercial realtor and then decided to open my multi-facetted and is ever changing. You can’t get bored in
own company in 2004 called MMI Commercial Real Estate our industry because every day there is more to learn and
Ltd. In 2008 we affiliated with DTZ Barnicke, an international every day you get to meet someone new.
global real estate firm. In 2015 we merged our firm with
WHAT ADVICE WOULD YOU GIVE YOUR FORMER
Cushman & Wakefield Winnipeg and Stevenson Management.
SELF WHEN YOU FIRST STARTED WORKING IN OUR
We are still independently owned & operated and now have
INDUSTRY?
one of the largest full-service real estate companies in
Winnipeg. I have learned more about real estate in 25 years than I ever
would have imagined. Starting your own business is extremely
I think what really prepared me the most for where we
are today is my “never give up” attitude. Starting a new rewarding but extremely difficult. The one piece of advice I
commercial real estate firm from scratch in 2004 was a very would give my former self in the beginning is, seek out advice
scary endeavor but I always had a vision in my head that we from many different sources. You can’t do it alone, so obtain a
were going to be not only the largest but the best commercial wide array of advice and opinions from colleagues, family and
real estate firm in Winnipeg. I have learned a lot over the past friends. Listen intently, and then take your own path based on
25 years, but the most important ingredient that prepared the advice of many.
me for where we are today is reputation. It is the single most CAN YOU RECOMMEND ONE BOOK THAT’S WORTH A
important asset of any firm and you have to guard it at all READ FOR ANYONE IN YOUR EXECUTIVE POSITION?
costs. At the end of the day, reputation is the only business
trait that survives for the long haul and is the one true The Monk who sold his Ferrari. This simple book has 8 simple
differentiator that can accelerate any firm to greatness. concepts of “timeless wisdom” that can help any leader
provide the frame work to make his or her respective company
soar to new heights in productivity and culture.

16 BOMA MANITOBA INSIDER | ISSUE 8 | WINTER 2017/18