Written by: Zach Zechman
Zach is currently a student at the University of Richmond working towards a Bachelor of Science in Business Administration with a concentration in finance. He interned with Colliers | Columbus on the Columbus Retail Team this summer. Keep reading for insight into Zach’s intern experience.
What has been your favorite project to work on throughout your time at Colliers?
While I didn’t focus on one specific project throughout this past month and a half, I spent most of my time in the office prospecting. A few of the listings I have focused on include Highpoint on Columbus Commons, the Capella Centre in Polaris and more recently a few Groveport properties. Through prospecting I’ve learned to find my specific voice as an associate, finding what style and word choice will result in the most responses from prospective tenants.
What has been the biggest lesson you will take away from this internship?
Being relatively new to the Franklin County/Columbus area, this gave me an added understanding of how important it is to have in-depth knowledge of the specific property market. Having a full understanding of the trends and demand of the area is crucial for success as a retail broker. I’ve also learned the importance of checking in on clients along with relationship building. I realize that fostering good relationships with both cliental and others in the industry is essential for creating more opportunity.
What aspects of commercial real estate has this internship made you more interested in?
The difference in what I am doing day to day is what interests me most. We are constantly interacting with different clients and these clients can range anywhere from a small chicken and waffles food truck to a major retailer such as Kohls or CVS. Also, there are times where one day I’ll be in the office behind a computer most of the day, and others where I’ll be out at showings for a full afternoon. I enjoy constantly being able to adapt to what each day brings.
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