Meet The Disruptors: Dan Bernier Of Brokerfied On The Five Things You Need To Shake Up Your Industry
An Interview With Fotis Georgiadis
Culture eats strategy for breakfast. We revert back to our cultural frames of reference whenever there is an opportunity, so set up the best culture from the outset so that your strategy is an expression of your culture — not in conflict with it.
As a part of our series about business leaders who are shaking things up in their industry, I had the pleasure of interviewing Dan Bernier.
Dan Bernier is a commercial real estate veteran whose extensive experience as a broker has provided valuable insights on the shortcomings of the industry. He founded Brokerfied to address the needs of mom-and-pop CRE owners who have faced immense hurdles in listing and marketing their properties. Dan envisions run-down, vacant storefronts coming back to life, leading to bustling activity that will revitalize businesses and neighborhoods.
Thank you so much for doing this with us! Before we dig in, our readers would like to get to know you a bit more. Can you tell us a bit about your “backstory”? What led you to this particular career path?
I ran a contemporary art gallery for about 10 years which was great experience that taught me valuable lessons on commercial real estate from the perspective of a tenant. Art galleries are always looking for the most space at the best price in the right neighborhood to reach their audience, and once they move in, they can transform entire neighborhoods. I watched what happened in Miami’s Wynwood, as well as Chelsea and the Meatpacking District in New York, and I was thrilled about the potential for a single commercial space to elevate its community.
Can you tell our readers what it is about the work you’re doing that’s disruptive?
Brokerfied helps commercial landlords sell and lease their properties without a broker. We’re the first company to break the traditional paradigm that one must pay a big commission to make their deal happen.
In its current state, the commercial real estate market is pay-to-play — with an emphasis on “pay.” Thousands and thousands of landlords and potential investors can’t even access the market without paying huge, often unaffordable brokerage fees. Brokerfied will allow this neglected group to essentially list and rent out or sell their spaces without the middleman, leveling the playing field between the CRE giants and the mom-and-pop landlords, tenants, and investors. In summary, Brokerfied will improve access, open up the market, and simplify the process from end to end.
Can you share a story about the funniest mistake you made when you were first starting? Can you tell us what lesson you learned from that?
When I first started this disruptive project, I ended up disrupting my own sleep schedule. I was always working on or thinking about Brokerfied, and I used to joke that it felt like I was becoming the app itself. But quickly, I learned this was a big mistake — to avoid burnout, I needed to hone this passion while also prioritizing my own wellbeing. First, as we all know, sleep is necessary to perform well in anything. And second, work-life balance is essential for success. A successful lifestyle begins with investing in all aspects of one’s health — mental, physical, and financial. When one of these starts to deteriorate, the rest start to fall as well. So, get your sleep! Everything else functions a little bit better with some good hours of rest.
We all need a little help along the journey. Who have been some of your mentors? Can you share a story about how they made an impact?
Of course, I have to credit my faithful colleagues, family, and friends that have continuously supported all of my creative ventures. Beyond that, when I think of one individual who has always inspired me to work hard and smart, I think of architect Robert Kennard, a fellow Angeleno.
While I come from the perspective of a broker, I have always had a unique appreciation for the creative minds behind the spaces we share with our communities. Kennard revolutionized the architecture of our public spaces in a way that had never been seen before, all while maintaining an authentic ethos and a goal to inspire future generations. Each project I have worked on, including Brokerfied, has come from my intention to improve the world. Kennard has inspired me to lead initiatives that uplift communities, expand opportunities, and alleviate some of the inequities running rampant throughout our communities. Since I can have the greatest impact on the real estate space — my area of expertise — I see Brokerfied as a vehicle for improving socio-economic conditions for individuals that have been sidelined for far too long.
In today’s parlance, being disruptive is usually a positive adjective. But is disrupting always good? When do we say the converse, that a system or structure has ‘withstood the test of time’? Can you articulate to our readers when disrupting an industry is positive, and when disrupting an industry is ‘not so positive’? Can you share some examples of what you mean?
I believe it comes down to the purpose and effects of the disruption. While I firmly believe in innovation and progress, there is also an argument for the saying: “If it ain’t broke, don’t fix it.” In other words, if there is a need for a disruption — whether it’s some form of injustice caused by the current situation, or a system working against its original intention — and the disruption intends to fix these issues, then the phrase “disrupting an industry” is positive. Amazon, travel websites, and other direct-to-consumer platforms have positively disrupted industries by cutting out the middlemen.
The commercial real estate industry needs to be disrupted for both of those reasons. The broker-commission system works well for high-value properties and high-rent leases, but there are thousands of landlords with properties that will never be considered “valuable” enough to get the attention of the establishment.
Like the examples listed earlier, Brokerfied will positively disrupt the CRE industry by providing a direct-to-consumer service for landlords, lessees, renters, buyers, and investors of all sizes to access and participate in the market.
Can you share five of the best words of advice you’ve gotten along your journey? Please give a story or example for each.
I strongly believe in hiring the right people for the job and focusing on their strengths instead of avoiding weaknesses. If you need a great illustrator, and you find an amazing one, but their communications skills aren’t so strong, don’t pick a more mediocre talent who is a better communicator.
Culture eats strategy for breakfast. We revert back to our cultural frames of reference whenever there is an opportunity, so set up the best culture from the outset so that your strategy is an expression of your culture — not in conflict with it.
Our culture is centered on service. If we can help our customers, we’ll be ok. We provide a needed service and add value to our customers. As long as we can find our customers and explain our value, we’ll thrive.
Do what’s in front of you. It’s so easy to get caught up in what happens next that we can lose sight of what happens now. This advice is related to the next piece of wisdom-
Do the work and stay out of the results. We aren’t in charge of the results. We can only control our attention and efforts. Work on what you can do right now. Try to make good decisions. Work hard. Have faith.
We are sure you aren’t done. How are you going to shake things up next?
We’re working on providing even more services to our customers on a flat-fee basis. Our goal is to be responsive to our customer’s needs so, as our client base grows and we receive more feedback, we’ll add more tools.
Do you have a book, podcast, or talk that’s had a deep impact on your thinking? Can you share a story with us? Can you explain why it was so resonant with you?
“Give and Take” by Adam Grant is a book I would recommend to all of your readers. Adam is an exceptional writer that redefines what it means to be “successful” and how to achieve that success. It centers around the idea that helping others can drive our own success, which I find fascinating and true as I reflect on my career. Grant also demonstrates power of giving and selflessness, including unconventional ways to uplift those around you and build a supportive network. The ideas laid out in this book were part of the many inspirations that went into starting Brokerfied.
Can you please give us your favorite “Life Lesson Quote”? Can you share how that was relevant to you in your life?
Over the years, I have been lucky enough to receive plenty of helpful advice from many leaders in the industry. But every time I feel stuck, especially in work, I come back to a simple quote by Thomas Edison “to invent, you need a good imagination and a pile of junk.” From my first project — turning a derelict building into one of Los Angeles’ most visited galleries — to Brokerfied, every project has been born from a mere vision. I have learned that no matter how humble the beginning, there is always possibility of greatness. I have dedicated my life to seeing the beauty in every project’s potential, and that requires patience and passion.
You are a person of great influence. If you could inspire a movement that would bring the most amount of good to the most amount of people, what would that be? You never know what your idea can trigger. :-)
As a real estate crisis sweeps the nation and we enter what looks like a recession, thousands of properties across America lay vacant, landlords are unable to list their properties, and potential tenants and investors face tremendous difficulty in finding properties that meet their needs. Meanwhile, the big-name brokers and property owners are locking out competition and reaping the rewards of a closed market.
I sincerely believe Brokerfied is the antidote to this systemic issue. I believe this platform will inspire a movement that will benefit millions — a Renaissance of commercial real estate that simplifies the process, expands access, and rewards individuals evenly and accurately across every point of the market. The potential is here — we just need to tap into it.
How can our readers follow you online?
Your readers can follow Brokerfied’s journey and learn more at www.brokerfied.com
And please feel free to follow me on Linkedin at https://www.linkedin.com/in/dan-bernier-89b01b6/
This was very inspiring. Thank you so much for joining us!
