Those of us in commercial real estate know the stores, warehouses, and factories that make up what we do each day. But not all of us have access to the leaders in our industry.

Leaders who have advice and stories to share.

Lynne O’Brien: If you're working in a small town, big corporate America doesn't blow into the small town and tell the local people how it's going to happen, because usually the local people will look at you and say, OK, we're going to tell you how it's going to happen and you can get back on your plane and fly back wherever you came from.

They’ve done deals and watched the buildings transform, sometimes from unusual beginnings...

Andy Gloor: That was definitely the scariest deal I’ve ever done. I mean the building was literally a frozen block of ice, and it took about a year and a half to thaw it out.

They love their work...

Ellen Smith: It’s never dull and it’s one of those things where I tell people I think zoning is character building, because people are really proud of their property and they are super proud of your property, and they’re gonna tell you exactly what to do on it.

None of these folks could have imagined their trajectories when they started out. And they want others to learn from their experience.

Tyrone Thomas: Still do the thing that I did, like don’t shoot yourself in the foot. Try, apply, reach out, ask the question. You never know, one. Two, rejection is a great character builder.

Built is a new podcast from Fidelity National Financial. I’m Brian Maughan, Chief Marketing Officer at FNF. Join me for season one, starting November 3rd.

Every story is unique, every property is individual, but we’re all part of this BUILT world.