The New Closers: Why CBRE's Amanda Gross Is One Of Commercial Real Estate's Next Market Leaders
CBRE Senior Associate Amanda Gross is transforming the real estate process of her client David's Bridal and has a hand in leasing some of the hottest retail locations in Dallas-Fort Worth and beyond, like Shops at Legacy, Shops at Clearfork, Mockingbird Station and Hill Country Galleria in the Austin area. She is rapidly making a name for herself in the retail world: Just one year after joining CBRE, while in her mid-20s, she was named one of the firm's three 2016 rising stars.
Real estate runs in Gross’ blood. Her father, uncle, brother and grandfather have all been in the business, and Gross got her first job in real estate when she was 17. She continued working in the industry through college at the University of Arizona where she studied finance and real estate at the Eller College of Management.
In 2013 she joined the UCR Group, and when CBRE bought it in 2015, her clientele expanded. One of the clients she gained was David’s Bridal, and what she has done with David’s Bridal is a large part of what earned her recognition.
“David’s first approached her three years ago to really handle their renewal program, and as any broker will tell you, just doing renewals can be very hard work. And so [Gross] took lemons and made lemonade, and got to know the client, really got to know what it is that they wanted, how their process worked, helped them improve their process and now she represents David’s in multiple new-store transactions a year,” said CBRE Managing Director of Retail Daniel Taylor, Gross’ supervisor and colleague.
Gross has transcended the role of run-of-the-mill broker and now is responsible for informing much of David’s Bridal’s store-placement strategy in markets well outside of Texas, including Canada and Mexico. She helped modify some in-house CBRE software to provide David’s Bridal with the specific information it needs to make its new-store decisions.
“There are several things that really set her apart,” Taylor said. “She is one of the hardest workers that we have; she is young, but she has developed really a mastery of the retail business. … Her clients love her … whenever they need her, anytime, day or night, she’s available.”
Taylor said Gross is wise beyond her years and that she has shown a fervor for learning the business, developing great mentor relationships and learning as much as she can from them.
One of these relationships is with Michael Nagy, CBRE senior vice president in the retail division.
“[Michael] really puts himself on the ownership side of the table as opposed to a lot of brokers who are just trying to slam another deal and generate a fee … I’ve seen that positive influence rub off on Amanda, and she has really learned how to speak that language,” Taylor said.
Nagy was with Gross at UCR before the merger with CBRE, and they still work together on projects.
"You’ve got to make sure you’re doing what’s right for your client first, and give them all the information they need to make the right decision,” Gross said. “What I try to do with all of my clients is put myself in their shoes and really try to give them the best deal possible but also give them the best advice possible so they know they aren’t [going to regret] anything they are doing.”
Gross has exciting things in her personal life — she recently got engaged, and is hoping to get a Cavalier King Charles Spaniel soon. She has big professional aspirations, too.
Her goal is to one day take a national brand from the ground up as a master broker looking at all types of real estate, but she does not want to stop there. She said she loves all aspects of the business and wants to gain experience in areas outside of her current wheelhouse.
“I’m trying to keep myself open to all aspects of the real estate industry so I can learn new things but also be able to expand my business any way that I can,” Gross said. “I love to work ... so that’s what I do. I love it. Always have."
