Meet Bretley Roche | Commercial Real Estate Broker – Retail

We had the good fortune of connecting with Bretley Roche and we’ve shared our conversation below.

Hi Bretley, we’d love to hear about how you approach risk and risk-taking
There is an element of risk in every decision we make. When evaluating the risk level of a certain decision, we rarely stop to understand the risk involved in not doing the thing. The risk in not doing something can often be higher than doing it. I understood the risk when I left my property management job (which had benefits, a 401K, and PTO) to venture into retail brokerage (cutthroat and commission-only). It terrified me. But the risk of staying, and not pursuing this path felt worse. I knew I would regret it and always wonder if I could have created a life more closely aligned with the personal and financial freedom that I knew I wanted. Both paths had risk; the question was – which risk could I live with not taking?

I try not to take un-calculated risks or rush blindly into large decisions. As best I can, I do my research ahead of time and, in this situation, I took nearly a year talking with various professionals, both in property management and retail brokerage. During this process, it became clear that this decision felt right.
I needed to bet on myself and the time I spent evaluating the decision beforehand allowed me some level of confidence that I could find success in this field.

Ultimately, I think we take far too few risks in life and live to regret that. I have always believed it is better to try and fail than not try at all.

Alright, so for those in our community who might not be familiar with your business, can you tell us more?

I found myself in commercial real estate, focused on retail, largely by chance. Although my Dad owned his own real estate firm in California, I never imagined myself following in his footsteps. My major at Baylor University was Sociology and I grew up imagining myself as an international journalist or reporter. When I first moved to Dallas ten years ago, I began working with a large office developer called Granite Properties. They did everything right as a company – giving promotions regularly, treating their employees well, encouraging new ideas and providing opportunities for continuing education. It was there that my interest in commercial real estate, construction, development, and leasing began to grow. But I also grew discontent towards the end of my five years there and began to realize that a salaried position would never satisfy me. My goal was a career with unlimited earning potential, engagement with people, and to be my own boss. This prompted me to pivot into real estate sales with a focus on retail – which included development, tenant representation, landlord leasing, and sales transactions. I hung my license with a firm called Segovia Partners who focuses on assisting tenants in expansion through leasing/purchasing real estate, shopping center development, and working with landlords to lease their properties.

It was not an easy transition. The day-to-day was a fast-paced grind and I quickly found myself working more hours than I could have ever imagined and earning almost no money. It takes several years to become even remotely established in this business and those years felt like a lifetime. The most important factor behind success in commercial real estate, as in many things, is your ability to persevere. Quite simply, it took more work than I ever could have imagined, and the daily disappointments and frustrations often felt insurmountable.

However, over time and with great mentors I began to flourish in the business, finally finding my stride. I loved procuring new business, meeting people, and most of all – the endless opportunity. It is a career that stretches you in every way and requires incredible patience, creativity, and resilience. Now 4 years into the business, I can’t imagine doing anything else as a career. I am thankful every day that I took the risk in quitting my comfortable job to carve my own path. It is simultaneously the most challenging and rewarding thing I have done.

Any places to eat or things to do that you can share with our readers? If they have a friend visiting town, what are some spots they could take them to?
Dallas is known for endless places to eat, drink, and shop. It’s always bustling and there is no opportunity for boredom. I’ve always been passionate about health and fitness which caused me to fall in love with Origin Kitchen and Bar in the heart of the Knox-Henderson district. Whenever I have visitors in town, I take them there for a delicious grass-fed burger, yummy salad, or cocktails. When the weather is nice, the Farmers Market downtown is a great weekend activity. It’s a lively environment with local vendors, farmers, shops, and a food hall. Oddly enough, even though I make my career out of retail, I don’t like to shop or be in crowds if I can help it, which has made White Rock Lake one of my favorite places in Dallas. I love renting bikes to ride around the lake or hopping in a kayak. It is one of the few places in Dallas that feels connected to nature and I love the active environment. Lower Greenville is also a special area. Tucked away behind the beautiful M Streets neighborhoods and shrouded in beautiful trees, it’s the perfect spot for a night cap, frozen yogurt or just a walk.

Shoutout is all about shouting out others who you feel deserve additional recognition and exposure. Who would you like to shoutout?
No one does it alone. I want to send a special shout out to my Dad (Vince Roche) and brother (Sullivan Roche) who are both in the same business in California. They have relentlessly encouraged and mentored me through each high and low. I also want to thank my team at Segovia Partners for giving me the opportunity to do what I love every day. And all of my clients who make each day interesting and fun.

Website: https://segoviapartners.com/

Instagram: bretleyroche/ restaurantsdfw