Matte Goode’s grandfather had a brokerage company dating back to the 1950’s. Goode toured his first industrial building (5000 W. Roosevelt) at the age of 13. There was a company in the building manufacturing bean bag chairs, in fact the same one that he had in his bedroom. Goode watched them make the bean bags, and says that was it for him—he was hooked.
Although Goode, Principal at Venture One Real Estate LLC, has worked in the industry for less than a decade (at this point he’s definitely not going back to get a law degree), he’s enjoyed his time and the industrial market.
“The industrial real estate market in Chicago is unique in that we are really a community,” he said. “I’ve really enjoyed the relationships that I have made. You know you are in a great business when some of your toughest competitors are also your best friends, and in certain instances, family members.”
During his time he’s learned a few things, especially one thing that’s helped him in particular.
“I used to like to talk a lot when negotiating”, he said. “I’ve learned that sometimes it’s best to shut up and listen.”
Goode also learned a lot from his parents, calling them his biggest mentors.
“From a young age my dad told me that the one thing in life you have is your reputation. If you work hard, and act with honesty and integrity, success will come. My mom is one of the toughest people I know. She has taught me that if you have a positive attitude anything is possible.”
At Venture One, Goode says, they bring a combination of institutional style capital with an entrepreneurial mindset, which sets them apart from other companies.
“When you call our company with a new investment, development or lease prospect, you can talk directly to a decision maker. We know what we can and cannot do, and we do not have an investment committee across the country that we need to report to. I think this dynamic makes us a very easy company to work with.”
Although the company has bought a lot of property and took some risk at the low point in the market, Goode says the last five years have been an exciting time to invest in industrial real estate.
“Right now we are redeveloping a 300,000 SF building at 28th and Western in Chicago,” he said. “We just bought our first building in NW Indiana (a 517,000 SF building in Portage), and are working on leasing an 11 building portfolio we purchased in Lombard.”
“On the development side we recently purchased a 250 acre industrial park just across the Wisconsin border in Pleasant Prairie. We can build anything from 50,000 – 600,000 SF in the park. Activity in southeast Wisconsin, especially for manufacturing, has been amazingly strong. We are also building a 160,000 SF pet food production facility just south of Milwaukee.”
Some of Goode’s most memorable deals thus far include signing a contract at the Brat Stop across from a broker holding a stuffed animal, and being told by a seller that a family of raccoons in the ceiling is an acceptable existing condition.
“I’ve sold a building without a contract from a pool in Florida on New Year’s Day, and seen the biggest tree in Elk Grove fall onto a two day old roof, only to have a trailer roll through the office wall underneath the tree the next day. Apparently you cannot store a full trailer on a tennis court. They’re all fun.”
When Goode isn’t working, there’s nothing he loves more than spending time with his family.
“I have a three year old son who loves sports and a ten month old daughter whose smile lights up a room,” he said. “I’m obviously biased, but there is no better mother in the world then my wife, Jamie. We are fortunate to have a lot of family in Chicago so there are always cousins, grandparents, aunts and uncles around. It’s a lot of fun.”
Besides being a White Sox and Bears fan (He’s taking his son and nephew to the game on Sunday), Jose Abreu, Chris Sale, Alshon Jeffery and Bruce Rauner, are also giving him hope right now in Chicago.
Goode also thinks that it is important to give back to the community, and for the past four years he’s done just that, serving on the Young Leadership Division board for the JUF.
“Professionally, I am currently on the NAIOP Developing Leaders board. In October I am running the Chicago Marathon to raise money for a Chicago based foundation dedicated to Lung Cancer research and awareness called Lungevity.”
