Retail dealmaker and tenant-rep powerhouse Tori Nook joins Kristian at CREi Summit to break down the prospecting tools that actually move deals for brands like Panera, Autozone, SKECHERS Shoes, and other national tenants. She shares the real tech stack behind her team’s sourcing and outreach—from Reonomy, Crexi, Sytes, and Placer to the $29 LinkedIn add-on that instantly turns cold searches into real decision-maker contacts. Tori also dives into how social media, networking, and choosing the right brokerage can accelerate a young broker’s career by years. If you’re tired of bad data, dead phone numbers, or guessing who to call next, this episode is a playbook for modern retail leasing done right.
🎧 Listen on Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/episode/4dH2nAFP9w5afR51fkJXax
▶️ Watch on YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=d8lfIP2_MCs
Key Takeaways From The Episode
- Prospecting tech that actually gets results. Tori breaks down the tools her team really uses—Reonomy, Crexi, Sytes, Placer, Retail Lease Trac, The Brown Book, and more—to find owners, tenants, and decision-makers without wasting hours on bad data.
- The $29 LinkedIn add-on brokers should know about. How a simple Surfe integration turns LinkedIn into a direct line to VPs, real estate managers, and property owners with accurate phone numbers and emails.
- Why LinkedIn is non-negotiable for modern CRE. From CREi Summit networking to landing major accounts, Tori explains how consistent posting and connecting across asset classes leads to real deals.
- Follow the rooftops, not just the CoStar map. How tracking homebuilders and large land buys reveals future commercial pads, and why the best retail sites are often carved out of big residential tracts.
- The right brokerage can shave years off your learning curve. Tori’s top advice for younger brokers: choose a firm with systems, training, staff, and established tenants so you’re not trying to figure everything out alone.
- Boundaries, respect, and walking away from the wrong clients. How setting expectations early, protecting your work, and refusing to tolerate disrespect can actually grow your business long term.
- Money loves speed. The high-performers Tori works with make decisions quickly, avoid analysis paralysis, and chase off-market opportunities instead of waiting for “perfect” on-market deals.
