Each year, Midwest Real Estate News inducts a new class into its Commercial Real Estate Hall of Fame. This year is no exception. Today, we look at the busy career of one of our new inductees, Tiffany Earl Williams, broker with Skogman Realty in Cedar Rapids, Iowa.
During her career of more than two decades, Tiffany Earl Williams has closed more than $1 billion in transactions. With numbers like that, it’s not surprising that Williams, a broker with Skogman Realty, has earned a reputation as one of the top commercial real estate pros working the Cedar Rapids market.
Before becoming a commercial broker, Williams worked as a licensed attorney in Iowa, Missouri and Kansas, practicing law at a large firm in Kansas City. During this time, she focused largely on mergers and acquisitions work. Real estate, of course, is an important part of this type of work, and Williams credits the experience and knowledge she gained while working as an attorney as one reason why her transition to commercial real estate was so smooth.
“My favorite aspect of my real estate practice is using creativity or an approach that no one has thought of to do a deal,” Williams said. “I love to ask questions of clients that open doors for opportunities. Coming up with an idea they haven’t thought of or providing a perspective that makes a client more successful is my favorite aspect of my job. That feeling of a win is my rush.”
During her 21 years as a commercial real estate broker, Williams has earned several top industry honors. This includes being named one of the 10 Best Real Estate Agents in Iowa by the American Institute of Real Estate five times and earning the 40 Under 40 Award from Corridor Business Journal.
When not representing her clients, Williams spends plenty of time serving her community. She has been active on the boards of the Greater Cedar Rapids Community Foundation, March of Dimes, St. Luke’s Foundation Board, United Way Young Leaders Society, American Cancer Society, Urban Theater Project and Cedar Rapids Downtown District.
Building a successful CRE career is no easy task. It’s also time-consuming. And this, Williams says, leads to the most challenging part of commercial real estate: How to balance personal time with work demands.
“I have a tendency to immerse myself in work, assuming that at some point, there will be a lull,” Williams said. “My assumption has been wrong, and things have never really slowed down. I am not great at carving out time to relax, which I know is important.”
But when Williams does find time to relax? She can be found on the tennis court or spending time with her husband Phil and their three children.
“Success does not come by accident,” Williams said. “I believe that my success directly translates from hard work, assembling the right team to support me and being willing to think outside the box.”