158: Wendell Santiago – The Action-Oriented Approach

Wendell Santiago is a Commercial Real Estate executive and Sales Manager at Realty Capital Advisors, where he leads client relationships, site identification, acquisitions, and leasing across multiple markets and asset classes. He serves as a trusted advisor to clients, guiding projects from market analysis and site tours through due diligence, approvals, leasing, and construction coordination. In addition to his real estate leadership, Wendell directs firmwide marketing efforts, developing LinkedIn and email campaigns, branding, signage, and SEO-driven content to increase market exposure and generate deal flow.

With a strong entrepreneurial background and over two decades of experience in operations, finance, and real estate, Wendell is known for his action-oriented approach, ability to navigate complex approvals, and talent for building long-term, high-trust client relationships.

Key Points:

Success Comes from Taking Action

A core philosophy: nothing happens without action. Brokers must make calls , visit properties and physically walk spaces. Confidence comes from hands-on knowledge, not theory.

How His Team Doubled Revenue

Wendell's team grew leasing volume from ~$9M to ~$24.9M by:

· Anticipating Market Shifts

· Solving Problems Proactively

· Adapting to Demand Trends

· Positioning the Market

Leadership & Team Management

Salespeople are the "eyes and ears" of the business. Strong leaders listen closely to field feedback and use that insight to guide strategy. Wendell maintains credibility by staying hands-on (showings, tours).

Leveraging Interns as a Force Multiplier

Interns handle prospecting , list building and cold calling. At peak: 1,000+ outbound calls/week from interns alone. Brokers focus on closing, not dialing.

The Biggest Frustration: Poor Follow-Up

Wendell's #1 issue with salespeople is dropping the ball on follow-up, especially frustrating when leads are already warm or handed to them. Wendell feels the root problem is confusion between activity (busy work) and productivity (closing deals).

Critical Sales Lesson: Ask for the Meeting

Many salespeople fail at a basic step: asking for the meeting. Even with warm leads, they hesitate. If you don't ask, someone else will .

Accountability & Performance Culture

Wendell discusses his strong belief in setting clear expectations and consequences for inaction.

Bottom line: results matter.

Core Philosophy

· Be proactive, not reactive

· Stay close to the market

· Act quickly on opportunities

· Support your team—but expect performance

Bottom Line

Success in sales (and leadership) comes from action + awareness + accountability.

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