There are returns to be made for retail investors with a plan says Colliers in this video from the ICSC NY 2022 event.

"A core principle I believe in is giving back to our community, through philanthropy and professional organizations," says Lyle Stern, president of Koniver Stern Group.

"Pigs do fly. No one had ever said that even against all odds you couldn't go to work. Good market, down market, flat market. I always thought I had a chance," says Grant Pruitt of Whitebox Real Estate.

"The best advice I received was to speak the language of the individual/industry you're trying to influence," says Breana Wheeler, director of US operations at BREEAM.

"Building a cross-disciplinary network will not only help you develop clients and have trusted peers to refer to your clients, but it will also help you develop a dependable circle of informal advisors," says Robert E. McPeak of McDonald Carano.

"I encourage the next generation to learn about all the different types of real estate and choose to focus on either the development or finance side. Once that decision is made, continue growing in that sector," says Thirty Capital Financial CEO Kevin Swill.

"I think it is especially important to challenge, find new ways of working, and be strong in your conviction that just because something has always been done one way doesn't mean that it is right for the future," says Jeremy Bernard, CEO of essensys.

"Keep learning and take advantage of opportunities because career paths in commercial real estate are not linear. The best way to position yourself for success is education," says Damla Gerhart, principal and managing director at Avison Young.