Each month in 2021, we will feature one of our outstanding team members as a J.H. Berry Employee Spotlight. Today, we start with Leasing and Brokerage Associate, Jake Bottcher.
Describe your role at J.H. Berry.
I’m extremely thankful to be a part of the J.H. Berry team. I serve as a leasing and brokerage associate, specializing in industrial leasing and sales. I also work closely with the brokerage team to develop new business opportunities. In this role, I work in a business development capacity as well as helping execute deals once underway. This has been rewarding as I am identifying new leads, entertaining prospects, and gaining a better understanding of some of the more technical aspects of commercial real estate deals. A little over a year into the role, and I am learning that deals typically have some ‘hair’ to them and require some creative problem solving, which has been a lot of fun to work through.
What is your professional background, and what were you doing before joining J.H. Berry?
After graduating from the University of Alabama with a bachelor’s degree in finance, I headed to Jacksonville, Fla. to begin my career. There, I began working with Deustche Bank. During my time with Deustche, I raised hedge fund capital before moving to the leveraged finance team. From there, I worked with corporations to satisfy debt financing needs.
What is your approach to working with CRE clients?
To put it simply, clients are my priority. I always aim to take a client-first approach and anticipate any needs that they’ve entrusted to me on behalf of their business. I think everyone at J.H. Berry puts an intense focus on great communication, creative problem solving, and a deep list of connections to call upon. Our clients are the best part of this job. It’s been incredibly rewarding to work with them to help achieve the needs and desires as it comes to both business-related needs or personal capital being invested and/or utilized to maximize their personal returns.
How did you go about navigating the challenges of 2020?
The year 2020 brought about many challenges for businesses across the country. Companies were forced to adapt to the changing real estate environment. Luckily, we have a great team at J.H Berry that was able to navigate and closeout 2020 strong.
What do you enjoy doing outside of work?
As an Alabama graduate, I (of course) love to watch Alabama football. I also love any sort of outdoor activity like playing golf, anything on the lake, or chasing animals through the woods. Additionally, as a newly engaged man, I have picked up wedding planning as a new hobby, albeit I act in more of a ‘someone to cry at/get frustrated with’ capacity. I’m also an active member of Vestavia Hills United Methodist Church.