In this episode of the Rent’s Due Podcast, Kristian sits down with retail leasing broker Caylie Bontz to unpack how she went from finance-focused college student in Kansas to commercial real estate pro in Los Angeles in just a few years. Kaylie shares why she started in-house with a developer instead of jumping straight into brokerage, how leasing became the foundation for everything else, and the exact way she used ICSC and LinkedIn to get meetings, mentors, and momentum. They also dig into networking for younger professionals, using AI tools like ChatGPT without getting overwhelmed, and why CRE veterans are far more willing to help the next generation than most people think.
🎧 Listen on Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/episode/1n4epPPuyKXbqWkn95kMaK
▶️ Watch on YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=J6LqGm5D8fs
Key Takeaways From The Episode
- Start in-house: getting paid to learn can beat jumping straight into brokerage.
- Leasing is a powerful foundation for sales, acquisitions, and development.
- LinkedIn + ICSC = unfair advantage for meeting decision-makers early.
- Social media impressions matter even when people don’t always click or comment.
- The fastest way into CRE is still simple: talk to more people and ask better questions.
