So I had the great pleasure of sitting down with Nick Romito and Brandon Weber of VTS yesterday for a #TALKSHOP Live interview.

I have known both of these guys for a few years (I think Nick was actually the first guy I met in CRE tech!) Their blockbuster merger has really separated these guys from the pack of other startups in the commercial real estate space. It’s extraordinary to see how fast this combined company, VTS, has grown in such a short period of time. From a few desks in a cramped space a few years ago to now occupying a state-of-the-art space on two floors in Midtown NYC opposite Bryant Park! It’s quite an experience to see their operation and how much excitement and buzz permeates their entire operation.

During our interview we had an amazing chat and I learned some really interesting things in speaking with Nick and Brandon. Without a doubt, they have built THE most successful CRE startup to date. But, for me, these were the five most impressive takeaways from our conversation…

They are two really, really nice guys and there is great chemistry between the two of them. When you meet with Nick and Brandon, the most impressive thing about the two of them is how genuine and sincere they are. Being a good, decent person while growing a successful business isn’t that common unfortunately, but it’s clear that Nick and Brandon are two guys who get the importance of being good people and good in business. You can’t help but root for people like that!They are thinking really really big. One of the things we chatted about “off camera” were some of the confidential initiatives that they are working on. Honestly, there is NOTHING like what they are working on in the market. It will change the way commercial real estate professionals engage with data and information in ways never seen before.They are thinking long, long term. Most of us think a few months out perhaps, these guys are thinking years. Both Nick and Brandon understand how early we are in the CRE tech space and they agree that very little innovation has actually taken place. They get this and are building their organization to be positioned for the long haul.Coming from the CRE brokerage side has given them huge insights and advantages as to how to build solutions for their market. A great many start ups I have met with either don’t get the way the CRE sector is built or how the business works. One of Nick and Brandon’s competitive advantages is that they are “insiders” and they understand how the professionals they are marketing to think and what they need. That’s a huge differentiator in my opinion. It gives them the ability to be much more intuitive in building out their services and solutions.They are having a blast! To me, enjoying what you do is the most important part of going to work and if you don’t, you should pick another career. These guys have weathered crazy storms in building their business and overcome huge obstacles to get to this point and they are as fired up and passionate about the business today as when I met them several years ago. That’s really great to see and contagious to be around.

It’s clear that I am biased. I really like these guys and am confident that they have everything it takes to be hugely successful in the CRE tech space!