Why Human Connection is the Ultimate Leverage

About This Episode

In this episode of First Shift, host Graeme Bryks sits down with Greg Schenk, President of The Schenk Company and a Commercial Real Estate Hall of Famer with over 38 years in the industry. Greg is a rare breed in commercial real estate: he exclusively represents tenants, buyers, and investors, refusing to take commissions from landlords so he can fight 100% for the people on the other side of the table. For contractors, trades professionals, and business owners who rent shop space, warehouses, or offices, this conversation is packed with insight on how to stop overpaying on your lease and start negotiating from a position of strength. Greg shares his origin story, from growing up without a father, losing his brother to cancer at 15, and working as a golf caddy through his teenage years to earning a full scholarship to Ohio State. He then built a career in one of the most competitive industries in the country by choosing integrity over easy money. In 1991, he made the bold decision to push all of his business toward exclusive tenant representation, walking away from millions in potential landlord commissions. That decision became his greatest differentiator and eventually led him to close the largest office deal in Ohio for Bank One, a deal that took five years of persistence to land. The conversation also dives into AI and how it is reshaping commercial real estate. Greg shares a story about a prospective client who used AI tools to compile more market research than most seasoned brokers could produce manually. He sees AI as a powerful tool for document review, market research, and background checks on landlords and properties. But he is clear about where it falls short: AI cannot tell you if a landlord is financially stable, whether they plan to sell, or if they are trustworthy to do business with. That human intuition, the "shark instinct" built from decades of face to face negotiation, is something technology cannot replicate. Greg also drops timely advice for contractors and business owners navigating the current market. With office vacancies at 40 year highs across the country, there is a massive opportunity for tenants to renegotiate leases and save significant money, especially through early lease renewals. He encourages listeners to surround themselves with five trusted advisors, invest in people skills through programs like Toastmasters and Dale Carnegie, and apply the "rocking chair test" from Tony Robbins: imagine yourself decades from now and ask whether you will feel the warmth of trying or the pain of regret. Whether you are a contractor renting your first shop, a builder looking to expand into a bigger warehouse, or a trades business owner locked into a lease you never fully understood, this episode gives you the tools and mindset to start fighting for better deals and building a lasting legacy.

Key Takeaways

• 1Exclusive tenant representation eliminates conflicts of interest. Greg left millions on the table by refusing landlord commissions, and it became his biggest competitive advantage over 38 years.
• 2Office vacancies are at 40 year highs across the country, meaning contractors and business owners have more leverage right now to renegotiate or do early lease renewals and save significant money.
• 3AI is a powerful research and document review tool for commercial real estate, but it cannot assess a landlord's financial stability, trustworthiness, or long term intentions. Human judgment still wins on deal instincts.
• 4Surround yourself with five trusted advisors: a real estate attorney, an accountant, a financial planner, an insurance professional, and a banker. Then add mentally stimulating people who push you out of your comfort zone.
• 5Invest in people skills early. Greg credits Toastmasters and Dale Carnegie courses for differentiating him more than anything he learned in college.
• 6Use the "rocking chair test" from Tony Robbins: picture yourself 20 to 30 years from now and feel the difference between trying and regretting. Take calculated risks while you are young and have fewer obligations.
• 7Persistence is everything. Greg's biggest career deal, representing Bank One on the largest office transaction in Ohio, came after five years of trying to get in the door.

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