Welcome to The Tori Nook Talk Show! In this episode, Tori sits down with Bob Knakal, one of the most recognized dealmakers in North American commercial real estate and a strategist who's helped shape New York City's investment and sales landscape for four decades.
Bob is a Wharton graduate who has personally brokered 2,388 NYC properties representing roughly $22 billion in market value. In 1988, Bob co-founded Massey Knakal, revolutionizing the market through hyper-local territory expertise and servant leadership—ultimately selling over 6,000 properties before being acquired for $100M in 2014. Today he's Chairman and CEO of BKREA in New York City.
They dive deep into the early years—starting with $15,000 in the bank, maxing out $60,000 in credit cards, and nearly going bankrupt three times during the S&L crisis. Bob shares the discipline that kept him making calls when others quit, the servant leadership philosophy that spawned 34 companies run by former employees, and why he's worked with the same broker coach every Saturday morning since 2011.
🎯 Topics covered:
Whether you're building a business, scaling a team, or navigating tough markets, this conversation delivers hard-earned wisdom on discipline, resilience, and servant leadership.
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👤 Connect with Bob Knakal
Email: bk@bkrea.com
Phone: 917-509-9501
Social: Search "Bob Knakal" on all platforms
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👤 Connect with Tori Nook
Website: https://torinook.com
LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/torirendanonook/
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/tori_nook/
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🎧 The Tori Nook Talk Show is where real conversations meet real success. Subscribe for episodes exploring how leaders build personal and professional fulfillment on their own terms.
