MEET THE PROFESSIONAL
February 2017
Faisal Madi
Mr. Faisal Madi is a Senior International Realty Specialist at the U.S. Department of State, Bureau of Overseas Buildings Operations (OBO). He represents the U.S. government in locating, negotiating (with private and government entities) and acquiring sites for the United States new Diplomatic missions globally (Embassies and Consulates).
Mr. Faisal Madi is a very active member of our community and supporter of Network 1017’s professional networking and mentoring program. We are very excited to feature him this month in our “Meet the Professional” series.
Below are a few questions to help facilitate this interactive connection. At the end of the page you will have an opportunity to post your own questions for Mr. Faisal Madi.
……
Describe your current Occupation & Degree/s and Universities.
- Graduated with an MS in Real Estate Development from George Mason University.
- Bachelor of Science in Biology from Virginia Commonwealth University.
- Bachelor of Arts in Political Science from Virginia Commonwealth University.
Discuss a moment or turning point in your life that led you to your career path:
Throughout high school, and during my undergraduate years, I had always wanted to be a medical doctor, or in the medical industry. After graduating college with a B.S. in Biology, I entered into a Clinical Laboratory sciences graduate program at Virginia Commonwealth University’s Medical School which would have been a great stepping stone toward a medical career. It was a year into the program, and during laboratory rotations, I realized that the hospital environment wasn’t for me in the long term. Having been exposed to the lifestyle, I couldn’t envision myself twenty years later being happy at it. I had done well academically, but just wasn’t convinced. Ultimately, I accepted that I had been in love with the idea of medicine, but couldn’t love the reality of it, so I had to make the decision to forgo that path and focus on an industry that I had been around all my life, real estate development. Although this was one of the hardest decisions I’ve made, academically and professionally, I haven’t looked back. My wife (we were dating at the time) was my source of strength and motivator to follow something more purposeful, and she was a great source of empowerment to switch gears.
Discuss a role model or mentor who influenced your career choice:
My real life role model and mentor throughout my life has undoubtedly been my father. His life story has always inspired me. My grandfather passed away when my father was 12 years old, which meant self-reliance was all that he had to depend on to move forward in life and make something of very limited resources. With the support of his mother, my father immigrated to the U.S. in 1969 (to NYC) with a few dollars to his name, and worked odd jobs to save up for an education, ultimately graduating with a college degree in the early 70’s. He went on to build successful real estate businesses, and a diverse construction and real estate development resume spanning multiple markets internationally. The greatest attribute of my father, and a source of motivation for me, has not been his success, but his ability to deal with failure. During down times, which I have witnessed close up, he has time and again demonstrated extraordinary ability and strength to address the challenges and move forward. He has never been defined by a particular situation, but by his ability to deal with his successes and at times the cold realities of failure. He has been a great source of guidance and a mentor.
Where do you see yourself in the next 10 years?
Hard to say, but I’m sure it will involve real estate and probably technology.
What advice would you give to someone starting out in your field?
I have three pieces of advice for anyone starting out in international real estate development. First, and perhaps the most important, is to do something that has a great sense of purpose. Without fulfillment, it can never be the “right” career. In my case, I have a great sense of pride and honor that in addition to doing what I love, I serve our country doing it. The most interesting part of my job is the fact that on a daily basis, my team is at the intersection of international real estate and diplomacy, but every day I am truly fulfilled by the fact that I’m doing what I love, and doing it for my country. That’s the purpose.
Second and thirdly, I would advise understanding the value of patience and listening. Of course there are many other attributes that would be essential to succeed in international real estate, such as studying the industry really well, understanding foreign governments, understanding markets, learning new technologies, etc., but on a high level, patience and listening are critical.
Deals can be complex, long and require patience. Listening is as critical. Despite one’s level of understanding or confidence in a subject matter, it is important to understand the givens and attributes of any deal. A lot can be garnered by truly listening to someone on the other side of the negotiating table, or on your team. When dealing with a foreign entity (government, or private), it is almost always the case that you have to listen more than you speak to get to the desired outcome, and to understand the potential of a deal.
Tell us a little bit about your hobbies outside of your field:
With three kids, my hobbies have evolved into whatever they enjoy doing – reading, art, soccer, swimming, etc. However, my personal favorite hobby is basketball which I try to fit in a few times a month. I also love travel.
A Q&A form will be uploaded shortly. In the meantime feel free to send any questions you would like to ask Mr. Faisal Madi to admin@network1017.com
Click here if you would like to connect with Mr. Faisal Madi.