[IMGCAP(1)]

IRVINE, CA—Talonvest Capital Inc. has hired Kim Leslie, a commercial real estate finance veteran, to manage the underwriting, placement and processing of client transactions. In addition, she will be responsible for expanding existing client relationships and developing new ones. We spoke with Tom Sherlock, a principal at the boutique commercial and self-storage real estate advisory firm, about what Leslie's role means to the firm and what it reflects about the industry.

GlobeSt.com: What will Kim's most significant role be at Talonvest?

Sherlock: Her title will be relationship manager. She really has an A and a B role at the firm. One major function she is going to be executing is the underwriting, packing and placement of deals. She's going to be integral in working with the client in the underwriting and analysis of the deal and its presentation to the lending markets, so her relationships with capital providers in conjunction with our client will be key.

Her second major responsibility is expanding existing client relationships and developing new ones—the business-development component. She'll be working on doing more with existing clients as well as bringing in new clients in conjunction with Jim Davies, Eric Snyder and myself. We are careful about who we bring onto the Talonvest team. We are a boutique firm, so you need a little bit of fluidity since you'll have a number of different responsibilities and you can't get too wrapped up in ego. When you're not a big firm, it's about delivering results for the clients and contributing parts to the team. Sometimes what you do will be minute, and sometimes it will be really critical. We try to get a sense for people's skill sets and attitudes before we bring anyone on board.

GlobeSt.com: How does her hiring fit in with Talonvest's overall direction?

Sherlock: Because we have this team orientation, we're very particular about who we bring in. Sometimes you have to work really hard and really late for an extended period of time, and other times you're done at 5 p.m. We've worked with Kim in the past and understand her work ethic and client orientation. She buys into the team concept and into client service and satisfaction. She has that pride of ownership in the things for which she is responsible. She did some contract work with us before she joined us formally three weeks ago, and she's already having an impact—folks are impressed by that work attitude.

[IMGCAP(2)]

GlobeSt.com: Why was now the right time to bring her on board?

Sherlock: The 'why now' is a by-product of the fact that the world has gotten healthier. We are not trying to be all things to all people. Firms like HFF, Jones Lang LaSalle and CBRE have a great business model, but they're big behemoths, and we approach the business in a very different way. We have brought the boutique nature to the client. In a brokerage business, clients typically work with Person A or Team ABC. At Talonvest, there aren't specific Tom Sherlock or Eric Snyder or Jim Davies deals—what our clients get is the team. Naturally, each deal is let by one of the principals, but in most cases at least two of the principals are involved in client transactions. And now, they're also working with Kim and Laura Bogart and Carole Stanley and Scott Sweeney. They get all of us, and we all see the whole thing throughout the process. Kim has built up a good client base, and we needed her to continue to provide the level of service we want to bring to our clients. We needed to bring someone into the organization to support the clients. We're so excited to have her on the team.