At Berkadia, we are dedicated to fostering the growth of our early career professionals, ensuring they have a solid foundation for their future in the industry. Because We Believe People Matter, we are passionate about ensuring that everyone has the tools they need to succeed and are committed to providing personal development opportunities, training, and mentorship.
Today, we’re shining the spotlight on Matt Jackson. Matt started his commercial real estate career through a Berkadia internship in the Miami office. After completing his internship, he started a full-time position as a Real Estate Analyst with Berkadia Miami Mortgage Banking.
Can you tell us about yourself and describe your role at Berkadia?
I am a real estate analyst in the Berkadia Miami office, and I support Berkadia Miami Mortgage Banking. I consider myself a fun, hardworking, and determined asset to the group and I assist on the creation of marketing materials, lender outreach, closing process, and among several other areas. Outside of working, I love fitness (lifting, soccer, surfing, and kickboxing), sports, traveling, and food. I spend most of my time outside eating at new restaurants, doing some sort of physical activity, or enjoying the pool and beach.
How did you get into CRE?
I graduated from the University of Miami with a major in finance and minor in real estate. I always had an attraction towards real estate, I just wasn’t sure which side of the business I would be on (developer, sales, banking, etc.). I graduated with my bachelor’s degree in May 2020, saw what was going on in the world, and decided to head back to University of Miami to obtain my MBA in Real Estate. Through my grad school program, I was connected with members of the Berkadia team and was offered an internship.
How did your internship at Berkadia prepare you for your current role at Berkadia?
My internship with Berkadia was a great experience. I was an intern during the low-interest rate environment in 2021 and being based in the Miami office I was extremely busy. I was able to get my eyes on so many different types of deals and clients and was able to grasp a better understanding of how capital markets work between brokers, lenders, and sponsors. Additionally, I learned from an excellent team including Mike Basinski and Scott Wadler who provided immense amounts of support and guidance.
What made you decide you wanted to come back to Berkadia full time?
It was a combination of my coworkers being based in Miami and how much I learned. I loved working with everyone, and I enjoyed the busy, fast-paced nature of the business. Even though I was an intern for only six months, the real-world experience taught me more than I learned in the classroom. I quickly learned that there was no better place to work than the Berkadia Miami office.
When considering Berkadia’s culture, what stands out?
Berkadia is a very flat organization, and they make communicating with leadership very easy, with many opportunities for growth. Berkadia has an outstanding pool of resources that help bring the best out of every employee, including learning opportunities, benefits, and more.
What excites you most about CRE?
CRE is a very lucrative industry and there are clear paths to becoming very successful. Additionally, I particularly enjoy the opportunity to tour unique buildings, and Miami offers an abundance of them.
What is the best piece of advice you have received so far in your full-time role? What advice would you give someone interested in working at Berkadia?
How you do anything is how you do everything. Strive for greatness in everything you do and put out work you are proud of. Berkadia is a great company, and anyone interested should apply. The advice I would give, this applies to many aspects of life, is that you get out what you put in. Give your best effort and put in the hard work – the results will come.