From Teacher to Commercial Real Estate Agent: How Design and Strategy Drive Leasing Success

Commercial real estate leasing isn't just about matching tenants with empty spaces, it's about understanding human psychology, creating environments that inspire, and strategically positioning businesses for long-term success. Former high school teacher and soccer coach Kara brings over 20 years of educational experience to her role as a commercial leasing agent in San Antonio, Texas. Her people-first approach and eye for strategic design reveal how the physical space can make or break a business, increasing foot traffic by up to 40% through intentional aesthetics alone.

Key Takeaways

• Design drives revenue - Strategic aesthetics can increase foot traffic by 30-40% and should represent 2-5% of construction budgets

• White box spaces lease faster - Pre-improved spaces help tenants visualize possibilities and can reduce vacancy by 3-4 months

• First location matters most - Strategic site selection combined with proper space planning determines five-year survival rates

• Technology accelerates leasing - AI-powered platforms and virtual tools are revolutionizing how commercial spaces are marketed and leased

• Mentorship is essential - Breaking into commercial real estate requires persistence, networking, and finding experienced guides willing to share knowledge

The Pivot: From Education to Entrepreneurship

Kara's journey into commercial real estate began unexpectedly during COVID-19 when she and her husband started a hauling company from scratch. The experience of searching for commercial space to lease sparked an entrepreneurial awakening.

"When we had to find space for our truck, that really got my juices flowing about building wealth and going into business," Kara explains.

After years of contemplating entrepreneurship while teaching, she finally took the leap, stepping away from education to pursue commercial real estate full-time.

Why Commercial Over Residential?

While initially considering both paths, Kara gravitated toward commercial real estate for several key reasons:

• Less emotional transactions - Business decisions based on numbers and strategy rather than personal attachment

• Investment focus - Greater emphasis on ROI and business growth

• Relationship building - Working with entrepreneurs and business owners who share similar growth mindsets

• Variety and challenge - Every business has unique needs, making each deal different

Breaking Into the Industry: The Hard Truth

One of Kara's most valuable insights is about the difficulty of entering commercial real estate. Unlike many industries with clear onboarding paths, CRE presents unique challenges.

"Everybody kind of said the same thing, they didn't want to take on somebody new," Kara recalls. "You're not gonna get paid for helping somebody else get into the business and then be a competitor to you."

The Strategy That Worked

Kara's approach required determination and strategic visibility:

1. Show up consistently - Attend every networking event, conference, and industry gathering

2. Make your face known - Six months to a year of consistent presence builds recognition

3. Be likeable - Once people accept you're part of the community, relationships form naturally

4. Leverage formal training - Programs like Foresight's CRE Launch provide intensive 10-week foundations

5. Find your champions - Eventually, experienced brokers will take notice and offer guidance

"I just kept showing up and making it known that I'm here. Eventually people accept the fact that you're part of the brokerage community."

The Power of Strategic Design in Commercial Spaces

Perhaps the most compelling insight from Kara's experience centers on how design directly impacts business success. At a CREW (Commercial Real Estate Women) luncheon, she heard Jennifer Saye from Art Plus Artisans Consulting share research that fundamentally changed her perspective.

The 30-40% Foot Traffic Increase

By introducing art and enhancing aesthetics, businesses can increase foot traffic by 30-40%, simply through the environment they create. Yet when construction budgets face value engineering, aesthetics are typically the first cuts.

The recommendation? Allocate 2-5% of construction budgets specifically for artwork and environmental design.

The ROI calculation is compelling:

• Investment: 2-5% of construction budget

• Return: 30-40% increase in foot traffic

• Result: Significantly faster revenue ramp-up and customer retention

Beyond Decoration: Design as Business Strategy

Strategic design goes beyond making spaces "pretty", it serves multiple business functions:

For Employees:

• Creates pride and belonging

• Reduces turnover through positive work environments

• Reinforces company mission and values daily

For Customers:

• Generates emotional connections to brands

• Encourages longer visits and repeat business

• Creates shareable experiences that drive word-of-mouth

For Business Owners:

• Differentiates from competitors in the same market

• Justifies premium pricing through perceived value

• Supports brand positioning and market presence

Understanding What Tenants Really Need

Through her work with small business owners, Kara has identified critical factors that determine commercial space success.

Location vs. Budget Reality

"Every business wants high visibility, high traffic, Class A center, but when you get to the budget, you find out what they can afford," Kara explains.

Her role involves helping businesses navigate this tension by understanding:

• Destination businesses can thrive in secondary locations because customers seek them out

• Impulse-driven businesses need high-traffic areas and complementary neighbors

• First locations require extra strategic consideration since they can make or break long-term survival

The White Box Advantage

One of Kara's key strategies for landlords is creating "white box" spaces, partially improved units with walls, electricity, AC, and basic infrastructure in place.

Benefits for landlords:

• Lease spaces 3-4 months faster

• Attract small business owners who struggle to visualize shell spaces

• Command slightly higher rents through reduced tenant improvement costs

Benefits for tenants:

• Lower barrier to entry

• Easier visualization of final space

• Faster move-in timelines

The investment: Approximately $50 per square foot with significant return through reduced vacancy.

Space Planning: The Hidden Revenue Driver

Many business owners understand their products and services but struggle with spatial design. This is where Kara's teaching background becomes invaluable.

The Visualization Challenge

"Some tenants can walk in and imagine it, they see how walls can move," Kara notes. "But others just can't see it. They can't get over the fact that there are two rooms that need to move."

For complex projects requiring sophisticated spatial planning:

• Professional space planners and architects become essential for long-term leases (10+ years)

• 3D visualization tools like Canvas.io (using phone Lidar scanning) and SketchUp enable real-time adjustments

• Basic mockups on platforms like Canva help clarify tenant vision early in negotiations

The Flow Factor

Poor space planning creates confusion and lost revenue. Consider the coffee shop where customers don't know where to order, this represents failed spatial communication.

Strategic space planning ensures:

• Intuitive customer flow from entry to purchase

• Clear wayfinding through signage and layout

• Optimized square footage utilization

• Proper traffic patterns for peak hours

The Exterior Equation: Curb Appeal in Commercial Real Estate

While demographics ultimately drive location decisions, exterior aesthetics signal important information to potential tenants.

What Landlords Can Control

Strategic capital improvements that enhance leasing success:

• Fresh exterior paint - Signals active property management

• Parking lot maintenance - Restriping and repairs demonstrate tenant care

• Landscaping updates - Creates positive first impressions

• Facade modernization - Positions older properties competitively

"These things make a tenant feel like the landlord cares about the property and is going to take care of their tenants," Kara explains.

The Commercial Real Estate Timeline Reality

One of the most shocking aspects of commercial real estate for newcomers is the extended timeline from initial contact to commission.

The Patient Game

A typical commercial lease transaction timeline:

• Months 1-3: Finding and showing spaces

• Months 4-6: Negotiations and lease execution

• Months 7+: Tenant improvements and build-out

• Result: 6-12+ months before commission payment

This creates significant challenges:

• Extended periods without income

• Substantial time investment with no guarantee

• Need for alternative revenue sources during ramp-up

• Emotional resilience when deals fall through

"You may spend all that time and you don't get paid for any of it."

Innovation in Commercial Leasing: The Technology Revolution

Despite commercial real estate's reputation for being slow to change, innovative landlords are leveraging technology to accelerate leasing.

The Kimco Case Study

The International Council of Shopping Centers (ICSC) highlighted how Kimco, a major REIT managing 500+ shopping centers, transformed their leasing process:

The Challenge: 12,000+ vacancies across their portfolio

The Traditional Bottleneck: Phone tag, tour scheduling, information requests creating slow, clunky processes where prospects fell through cracks

The Innovation: Marketing and IT collaboration creating property-specific landing pages with:

• Complete property information accessible 24/7

• Demographic data for site selection

• Space details and availability

• Virtual tour capabilities

• Instant inquiry submission

The Result: Dramatic acceleration in lease-up rates through on-demand access

This model demonstrates how technology can eliminate friction in commercial transactions while providing superior prospect experiences.

Culture Shock: Corporate Life After Education

Kara's transition from teaching to commercial real estate revealed unexpected contrasts that highlight the intense demands on educators.

"The level of stress that teachers work under is just 100 times most other professions," she reflects.

The Adjustment

Moving from an environment of:

• Hundreds of teenagers requiring constant attention

• Non-stop questions and micro-decisions by the thousands daily

• High-stakes, high-stress classroom management

To an office where:

• Focus and deep work are possible

• Background music replaces constant noise

• Strategic thinking can happen without interruption

"To be able to sit in an office with your thoughts and focus with light music in the background, that whole environment was really shocking to me."

The People-First Philosophy

Despite the commercial nature of the business, Kara's success stems from genuine interest in people and their stories.

What Drives Her Daily

"It's the people I'm around and the people I meet," Kara explains. "Business owners and entrepreneurs, people that have an idea, see a way to make money, and then go figure it out. I just really enjoy that."

This people-first approach manifests in:

• Taking time to understand business visions and challenges

• Walking clients through unfamiliar territory with patience

• Connecting tenants with construction, insurance, and other resources

• Building relationships that extend beyond transactions

The Unexpected Discovery

"People are people, no matter how much is in their bank account. Everyone will talk to you and share what they've learned if you just ask questions."

This realization, that successful business owners are often generous with knowledge and mentorship, has been foundational to Kara's growth in the industry.

Practical Insights for Aspiring Commercial Real Estate Professionals

Based on Kara's experience, here's actionable guidance for entering the commercial real estate field:

Getting Started

1. Seek formal training - Programs like CRE Launch provide intensive foundational knowledge

2. Network relentlessly - Attend every relevant event for 6-12 months minimum

3. Find mentors - Look for generous professionals willing to share knowledge

4. Prepare financially - Plan for 6-12+ months before first commission

5. Develop a specialty - Focus on specific property types or tenant categories

For Business Owners Seeking Space

1. Budget 2-5% for aesthetics - Don't cut design from value engineering exercises

2. Hire professional space planners - For leases over 5 years, expert layout pays dividends

3. Consider white box spaces - Faster occupancy and lower improvement costs

4. Prioritize location strategically - Match traffic needs to business model

5. Work with tenant-rep brokers - Find advocates who understand your business

For Landlords

1. Invest in white box improvements - Reduce vacancy periods by 3-4 months

2. Maintain exterior appeal - Signal active management through capital improvements

3. Embrace technology - Create digital access to property information

4. Be responsive - Speed in commercial transactions creates competitive advantage

5. Calculate aesthetic ROI - View design improvements as revenue drivers, not expenses

The Future of Commercial Real Estate

While some brokers report increasing difficulty in executing deals post-COVID, Kara sees this as an opportunity for innovation.

"That's where innovation is born, out of those situations. Maybe they'll do a rework of what space is used for, and we'll see new trends popping up."

Key trends to watch:

• Adaptive reuse - Transforming traditional office and retail for new purposes

• Technology integration - AI and virtual tools accelerating transactions

• Experience-driven design - Spaces that create shareable moments and emotional connections

• Flexible layouts - Modular designs accommodating evolving business needs

• Sustainability features - Green building elements as competitive differentiators

Conclusion

Commercial real estate leasing success requires more than matching tenants with vacant spaces. It demands understanding human psychology, recognizing design as a revenue driver, and building genuine relationships that transcend transactions.

Kara's journey from educator to commercial leasing agent demonstrates that transferable skills, teaching, coaching, relationship-building, often matter more than industry experience. Her people-first approach, combined with data-driven insights about design's impact on business performance, offers a blueprint for success in an evolving industry.

Whether you're an aspiring commercial real estate professional, a business owner seeking the perfect location, or a landlord looking to reduce vacancy, remember: strategic design isn't a luxury, it's a proven investment that can increase foot traffic by 40% and dramatically accelerate business success.

Ready to transform your commercial space strategy? The intersection of design, technology, and human connection is reshaping commercial real estate. Those who embrace these principles will thrive in the new landscape.

Resources Mentioned

• Foresight CRE - Commercial real estate brokerage (San Antonio/Central Texas)

• CRE Launch Program - Intensive 10-week commercial real estate training

• CREW (Commercial Real Estate Women) - San Antonio chapter, one of the nation's largest

• NAWBO - National Association of Women Business Owners

• ICSC - International Council of Shopping Centers

• Art Plus Artisans Consulting - Jennifer Saye's firm specializing in commercial space design

• Canvas.io - Lidar scanning app for space planning

• SketchUp - 3D modeling software for spatial visualization

Connect with Kara: visit ForesightCRE.com

Listen to the full episode to hear more about Kara's transition from education to commercial real estate and her insights on creating spaces that drive business success.

What's your biggest challenge in commercial leasing or space planning? Share your experiences in the comments below!

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