Fast 15: Colby Carlson

Colby Carlson made a quick jump into a successful career in real estate. He oversees more than $30 million in managed real estate assets through his company.

“I attribute my success to having a strong network,” he said. “The saying, ‘Your network is your net worth,’ is very true. Surrounding yourself with the right people is critical, as well as putting yourself out there and being willing to introduce yourself and make introductions.”

He grew up in Fort Collins, Colo., and attended Lamar Community College and Northwestern Oklahoma State University, playing baseball along the way. He relocated to Fayetteville over a year ago.

Carlson’s entrepreneurial spirit was evident from a young age. While many college students were focused solely on academics or extracurriculars, Carlson was running e-commerce stores out of his college dorm room. He touts his ability to balance business ventures with academics as a testament to his multitasking abilities and drive for success.

“A strong work ethic I feel is a blatantly obvious given as well,” he said. 

He’s also focused on growing personally. 

“Personal success for me is measured by simply trying to get better in all aspects of life a little bit every day,” he said.

In addition to his entrepreneurial endeavors, Carlson credits that collegiate baseball career for helping establish his work ethic and drive. He credits the teamwork, discipline and resilience from his athletic pursuits as a solid foundation for his professional life.

Carlson’s firm, Green Forest Capital, specializes in apartment syndication, targeting accredited investors to invest in lucrative deals. The Fayetteville-based firm pursues investors looking for high returns and stable investments.

Admittedly ambitious, Carlson contends his entrepreneurial spirit and pursuit to build will hopefully lead to more opportunities and prominence in the business world in Arkansas.

“I hope to continue to grow into the real estate world,” he said. “This is just the start, and I am very young into the journey. I hope to have a large impact in the real estate world within Northwest Arkansas. I have fallen in love with this area and want to be a part of growing the community.”