Answer extracted from the Commercially Speaking Podcast — listen to the full episode below.
What unique skills should younger professionals bring to established CRE teams?
Young professionals entering commercial real estate should walk in with immediate, tangible value—not as trainees requiring months of unpaid investment. This means bringing skills in social media marketing, video production, or critically, proficiency with AI tools that the industry has traditionally lagged in adopting.
The commercial real estate sector has historically moved slowly on technology adoption, creating a genuine gap between market capability and team needs. Younger professionals who arrive equipped with AI fluency gain an instant competitive advantage for their employer. As discussed in this episode of Commercially Speaking, this generational comfort with emerging tools can transform how an established firm operates and competes.
Rather than viewing entry-level hires as pure learning investments, teams should recruit younger talent for what they can immediately contribute from day one. Social media management, digital content creation, and automation through AI are not nice-to-have skills in 2026—they are market differentiators that can directly impact a firm's ability to attract clients and streamline operations.
Daymond Kirby — Founder, Black Foundation. Kirby began his commercial real estate career in June 2020 and earned his CCIM designation in 2023. He founded the Black Foundation, a 501(c)(3) organization dedicated to creating career pathways in commercial real estate for minorities and veterans, making his perspective on professional entry and value creation both practical and mission-driven.
The framing matters here: instead of asking "What can we teach this young person?" teams should ask "What can this young person do for us right away?" A professional who arrives with video production skills can immediately begin creating marketing assets. One with AI expertise can optimize workflows, prepare analyses faster, and handle administrative tasks that otherwise consume senior time. This shifts the hiring conversation from cost center to revenue enabler.
The practical implication for younger professionals is clear: don't apply to commercial real estate roles with only willingness and ambition. Come prepared with a specific, marketable skill that solves a real problem on day one. For recent graduates, this might mean becoming expert-level in ChatGPT for commercial analysis, mastering video editing for property showcases, or building a portfolio in social media strategy. This approach doesn't eliminate the mentorship value of working with experienced agents—it simply ensures you're not hired as overhead, but as an asset.
Why AI literacy is the generational edge
Commercial real estate has historically been relationship-driven and resistant to technological disruption. While industries like finance and tech adopted AI tools in 2023-2024, many CRE teams are still figuring out basic automation. A young professional entering a traditional firm with genuine AI knowledge isn't just helpful—they're rare. The firms that hire for this advantage now will outpace competitors still operating on legacy processes.
Daymond Kirby emphasizes that the Black Foundation's work in CRE career pathways includes equipping the next generation with skills that firms actually need. The foundation's focus on "access to knowledge and opportunity" reflects the reality that talent with real capabilities is what moves careers forward, not just connections or credentials alone.
See also
How does accessing knowledge and opportunity in commercial real estate create wealth and break cycles of poverty?
The Black Foundation brings together parties that have traditionally been disconnected by design—talented, motivated, and driven professionals with the knowledge and networks needed to advance in commercial real estate.
What educational pathways does the Black Foundation offer across different career stages?
Education offerings depend on career cycle: middle and high school students receive career day representation, mindset manifestation, and thinking bigger as a foundation for early awareness and engagement.
What are the two distinct economic models for career paths, and how do they apply to commercial real estate roles?
There is the time and effort economy where people are paid for showing up and doing the work, and the results economy where income depends on producing measurable outcomes—a distinction that shapes how CRE professionals should position their value.