The Real Deal

Name: Scott Miller
Title: Senior Associate
Company: CB Richard Ellis
Education: College of Charleston

Business Philosophy: Give 110% every day - focus only on what you can control.

When and how did you become involved in commercial real estate?
I was graduating from college looking at a job in consulting. I was lucky enough to meet Carl Gersbach, formerly of Jackson-Cross and now a Managing Director at CB Richard Ellis, who offered me the opportunity to work in real estate where I would get no salary, no expense account, and could cold call door to door in suburban Philadelphia. I couldn't turn down the Jackson Cross dream team: John Morrissey, Jim Dugan, Joe Conwell, Dave Healy, Dennis Durkin, Mike Brown, and Richard Warren - some of the best people in the business.

What has been the most challenging project to win so far and how did you win it?
How can I pick one? The competition is so fierce in today's market it's virtually impossible to distinguish difficulty between projects.

What project have you enjoyed working on the most and why?
The relocation of the fomer Insignia/ESG suburban Philadelphia office. As a member of the relocation team I experienced first hand the pain and agony of working through the corporate approval process (ask Karen Daly) at the height of the real estate market in Conshohocken, PA.

If you could change one thing about the current real estate market, what would it be and why?
The existing tax structure for the City of Philadelphia - we have the best City in the world so why not have a tax system which promotes working and living in it? For Greater Philadelphia to survive and keep up with other competitive major US cities the policy has to change.

What do you like most about your job?
The clients. One day I can be working with the CEO of a Fortune 500 financial services company, the next day I can be working with an owner of a locally based insurance company. All of my clients, knowingly or not, continually teach me new ways of approaching my business.

If you decided to change careers, what would you be doing instead?
I'd start my own BBQ restaurant and would split time behind the bar and the BBQ pit.