Local Perspective with… Michael C. Jacobs
Today’s featured professional is NAI Global’s, Michael C. Jacobs. Michael has been a partner and principal at NAI Glickman Kovago & Jacobs since 2007. The firm is based in Worcester – a vibrant city known locally as the “Heart of the Commonwealth” thanks to its location in the center of scenic Massachusetts.
The team at NAI Glickman Kovago & Jacobs pride themselves on their depth of experience and local roots, as well as being the only firm in the Greater Worcester and Central MA area to provide a full suite of in-house brokerage, property management, and construction services. A central part of their mission is investing back into the Worcester community through work with local NPOs and city-wide initiatives.
Michael holds a qualification in Business Management from Assumption College, Massachusetts. He is a member of the ICSC and the executive coaching group, Vistage International. He specializes in investment and retail development.
Questions & Answers
Q. What does a typical workday look like for you?
I spend mornings in the office and schedule meetings or tours in the afternoons – although days frequently get flipped based on the needs of clients. My goal is to focus on time management so that at least I convince myself I’m accomplishing things.
Q. Tell me something you love about your job or your location?
I actually love most aspects of my career. I spend a lot of time in land development and it’s highly rewarding to be part of the creation of buildings and businesses. Every day presents a different set of challenges and priorities. The overall pursuit of finding, managing, and closing opportunities can be thrilling. And, in terms of our client bases, I love the fact that we engage almost entirely with business and property owners and investors at all levels. It keeps you “in the discussions” within your business and personal communities.
Q. What CRE trend or change are you keeping an eye on at the moment?
Technology. As the retail sector recovers from the global shutdown, it’s intriguing to see how technological advancements impact business operations including how we perform marketing, manage our office, hire, and perform property management. It’s even more prevalent on the retailer level. Many expanding stores are doing deep dives into the data we’ve acquired over the last 16 months about shopping patterns, customer profiling, shopper experiences, and the future of e-commerce. The evolution, which started pre-pandemic, is happening fast and touches all.
Q. Where will I find you on a typical Saturday morning?
In the office! I’m there every Saturday morning for 4 hours. It’s a ritual I started 25 years ago in a former life, and it’s one of the most calming things I do to remain organized.
Q. Please tell us a little something about your specialty or a project you’re proud of.
I’ve been in retail development and brokerage for 17 years. I started our retail division by sheer luck – we were literally in the right place at the right time and met the right people. My first ever listing ended up being pursued by major pharmacies and we quickly realized that Central MA had no full-time retail brokerage. I’ve been working in retail development ever since. And now coming out of the pandemic, and with our industry in a transformational stage, I think things are looking even more bullish for the sector.
To contact Michael C. Jacobs, visit his NAI Global profile page here.
