College Experiences That Helped A Real Estate Investment Associate At A Wealth Management Company Succeed
A history major's strong writing skills, honed through "writing those papers," proved invaluable for crafting investment memos and presenting analyses in Geoff's real estate career. Furthermore, the research skills and analytical abilities developed through historical study offer a unique perspective, enabling a nuanced understanding of socioeconomic factors influencing real estate decisions, such as the ethical considerations of investing in gentrifying neighborhoods.
Communication, Research, Analytical Skills, Writing Skills, Historical Perspective
Advizer Information
Name
Job Title
Company
Undergrad
Grad Programs
Majors
Industries
Job Functions
Traits
Geoff Esmail
Real Estate Investment Assoicate
Wealth Management Company
University of Arizona
UCLA & MBA
History, Art History
Finance (Banking, Fintech, Investing)
Finance
First Generation College Student
Video Highlights
1. Develop strong writing skills: Geoff highlights the importance of writing in business, especially in creating investment memos. A strong foundation in writing is crucial for communicating ideas effectively in the field.
2. Cultivate research abilities: The ability to research, analyze information, and craft a coherent argument is transferable to many careers, including real estate. Geoff's background in history provided valuable training in these skills.
3. Consider the broader social context: Understanding historical events and their impact on socioeconomic issues can provide valuable perspective in real estate investment. Analyzing the history of a neighborhood can help identify potential risks or ethical considerations before investing
Transcript
What did you do in undergrad to ultimately set you up for success in your career?
With history, there are two really important parts. Obviously, there's a ton of writing, and I think that's really important in business in general. Business writing is its own beast, but having that foundational ability to write well is important.
I mentioned earlier that creating investment memos is something I have to do. There's a lot of writing involved. Everything from underwriting a deal to crafting a compelling story, from understanding qualitative attributes to an investment, all has to be put on paper and presented to our investment committee. Having those writing skills is key.
That time spent as a history major, writing papers and reports, also involved research. You had to research what you were going to write about, finding primary and secondary sources for your thesis.
That general training, that general ability to go out, find sources, research, and put it all together, crafting your argument and thesis, and doing that type of analysis, applies to many jobs, especially real estate. I can't say that understanding specific dates and their significance to a moment in history has been all that important.
However, understanding significant historical events and how they've translated to socioeconomic issues today does apply to real estate. You look at different neighborhoods, and if you're thinking about buying into a gentrifying neighborhood, there's some risk there.
Understanding the historical elements that have contributed to that complexity gives a new perspective. It might make you reconsider a deal if there's something wrong with going in and focusing on profiting from a neighborhood changing. So, understanding the importance of events and how they translate to modern times is probably important as well.
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