Once a year, the entire Latitude Commercial team, from the newest hires to the co-founders and president, retreats from the office and its day-to-day workload to review the last year and find room for growth in the year to come.
The annual retreat is a tradition going back over half a decade. It gives the different departments of Latitude the opportunity to share how their years went, establish both short and long-term goals, and connect with each other in a way that their busy schedules rarely afford.
“For me, the biggest takeaway is getting the other teams’ perspectives,” said Chandler Kimmel, associate broker at Latitude in the Office Division. “I mostly work in the office space. Hearing what the retail guys have to say about the market, the challenges, and what they’re doing to combat those challenges – it’s enlightening to hear the problems they face and how they go up against them.”
This was Kimmel’s third time attending the retreat, having been hired a little over two years ago. One thing he particularly enjoys about the day is the opportunity it presents to get a broader perspective on how Latitude has grown as a whole – even in the relatively short time he has been with the team.
“We do weekly meetings, but they’re largely focused on our accomplishments from the previous week and some marketing things,” he said. “I feel like the retreat helps you learn more about the divisions you don’t get to hear from as much, even when you’re working with them. When you learn more about them, the company runs better – it’s more in sync as a whole. It makes for a smoother process for everything.”
For new hires such as Chris Marshall, property manager, the day presented a golden opportunity to learn more about every member of the team and how they go about their business.
“My goal going into the retreat was to get better insight around the mission, vision, goals, and strategic plan of Latitude,” Marshall said. “I wanted to take everything in and get as much context and background as possible about where Latitude came from and what, as an organization, some of the goals are moving forward.”
Coming from a background where he worked for large institutions such as universities and corporations, an annual meeting that included every member of the company was a new experience for Marshall. Hearing everyone’s perspectives helped him build a more comprehensive understanding of the company and how the individual divisions work together to serve Latitude’s clients.
“One thing that I really came away with was the idea of Latitude as a one-stop shop,” he said. “The company’s gotten to a point where, as an investor or property owner, you trust just about all of your commercial real estate needs to one stop – Latitude. You can buy a property, have the office or retail teams lease the property, or have the property management division manage the property. We do it all at this point, and hearing that really hit home.”
Most of all, it serves as a breather for everyone at Latitude, letting them connect, focus on their strengths, and go into a new year as a united front with specific goals in mind.
“It gives me, personally, a fresh outlook going into the new year,” said Kimmel. “I’m motivated to achieve those goals I set. I’m excited for the upcoming year!”
To learn more about Latitude Commercial, visit latitudeco.com.
