News
Written By: Nick McKinney
Everyone is an artist. Yes, it’s a bold statement, but one that I personally believe. Some of us are more easily identified as artists because our talents fall within the generally accepted definition of art, while others push the boundaries of conventional art and excel in the areas of negotiation, conflict management and process design. Here at Foundry, we have both types of extremely talented artists who have spent years working on their craft. If you think about it, commercial real estate is a wonderful blank canvas for many types of artists to hone their skills.
I have had the privilege of working alongside Scott Renaud, Eric Nadeau and Jonathan Balthrop. While “artist” may not be the first word you would use to describe them, they make masterpieces every day and their canvas is Excel. The ability for them to take millions of data points and have it all come together into a simple and digestible format is creative and powerful. I have also spent time with managers whose art form is problem solving, day in and day out. I think we would all agree that problem solving is an art form in itself and that is what we do here at Foundry – solve problems for our customers, investors, partners and associates.
Other associates wake up and use their talents to thoughtfully and authentically have crucial conversations. To me, conflict resolution is an art form that can take years to master and it requires a certain type of care and attention that is incredibly delicate and necessary. In other parts of the organization we have associates that gracefully work transactions where you have to dance back and forth between both sides of a deal to ensure everyone reaches the finish line. Not to mention the graphic designers and marketing associates that help us tell our stories through digital and print, such as Foundry United. There are too many examples to cover but we all play our own instrument each and every day across our platform as we collectively grow and build something special. When you step back and observe all of the parts working in harmony with each other it can be like listening to a symphony, which is a gift to everyone listening.
While I hold the belief that everyone is an artist, sharing your art with the world can be really scary. It might be one the most personal things we do as humans. When we create something through our unique perspective and share it with others there is a real fear of rejection because we open ourselves up to subjective criticism. However, on the other side of fear is freedom to express yourself and your perspective as an extension of how you were designed. I am excited and grateful to showcase just a few of our talented artists within this issue and hope that you are encouraged and find increased confidence in your craft.