Northwest Arkansas Business Journal 2009 Fast 15: Alan W. Cole

Alan W. Cole, 29
Brokerage
Colliers International, Bentonville

Claim to Fame: Being the exclusive representative for several retail chains in Northwest Arkansas.

Next Step: Take on a leadership role within Colliers International; diversify knowledge in commercial real estate.

As a young man working in his family’s clothing store, Alan Cole watched the way his father interacted with customers.

He was impressed by the way his dad treated everyone equally, with respect and kindness.

When he graduated from the University of Arkansas in 2003 with a degree in marketing, and finance and investments, Cole wasn’t quite sure what his next step would be but he knew he would follow his father into sales.

When a friend mentioned real estate, he decided to look into it and soon became the first hire for a small startup company called Lane Real Estate.

In 2005, Lane was acquired by Colliers and became its Northwest Arkansas branch office.

Cole is now the exclusive representative in Northwest Arkansas for Lenny’s Sub Shop, Cold Stone Creamery, Sport Clips, Sally’s Beauty Supply and Papa Murphy’s.

Cole stresses the importance of maintaining a personal connection with his clients and peers.

Building relationships is one of the most important aspects of his job, he said, especially in today’s challenging real estate environment.

But Cole credits most of his success to the people who have taught him the business.

“I’m blessed to have successful people around me as good examples,” he said.

He points to his father, who not only runs a clothing store but is also a professor at the University of Arkansas, as one of those examples.

“He loves his jobs and he’s really passionate about both of them,” he said. “The example he set is a great motivation for me to try to accomplish the same level of passion and desire and love for the industry I’m in.”

Steve Lane, who hired Cole right out of college, called him a “born salesman.”

“Alan brings a very professional approach to his work, but yet he is down to earth and very easy to talk to,” he said. “He is the consummate networker.”

Cole possesses certain sophistication, Lane said, that is required to deal with Fortune 500 companies.

 “Alan has proven himself to be a driven individual and has learned the Northwest Arkansas real estate market as well or better than any of his peers.”

(RELATED: Northwest Arkansas Business Journal’s 15 Young Pros on the Fast Track)