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Travis Blanleil – Fresh Perspectives: CBRE’s Emerging Leaders
March 8, 2024 4 Minute Read
Travis Blanleil has had a promising start to his career, having earned CBRE’s 2022 Emerging Leader Award for Western Canada and the 2023 Rookie of the Year Award for Western Canada.
Joining CBRE Vancouver in 2019, Blanleil’s devotion to client service and his entrepreneurial spirit have helped him enhance industrial real estate services in B.C.’s Fraser Valley and Okanagan region.
We spoke to Blanleil about his passion for commercial real estate and what guides his approach to client service.
How did you get into commercial real estate?
I got into commercial real estate on the construction side. My family has built a handful of retail strip malls in the interior and northern British Columbia, so I got involved alongside my brothers by tying rebar when I was a young kid. I got introduced to brokerage through that and tailored my schooling toward building a career in real estate.
What inspires you about commercial real estate in Vancouver?
I enjoy many facets of commercial real estate. I love working with people to solve problems and I love the competition. On the development side, I enjoy having the ability to drive by a site and envision its potential. I’ve been fortunate to be involved in seeing that process from raw land through to finalizing developments. It’s something I’m passionate about. British Columbia has such incredible potential. There’s nowhere else I’d rather be working and helping to shape.
What’s a trend you’re excited about in your market?
I’m excited about the shift east into the Fraser Valley. Historically, it’s been an outlet for the core markets in Vancouver but it’s now become a mainstay. Most of the development land in Greater Vancouver is in the Fraser Valley. My team and I spend a lot of time working on development land sites in those markets, so it’s exciting to see that come to life.
Can you talk about a mentor you’ve had and how they helped you?
I’ve been fortunate to have a lot of mentors, but I have to give the most credit to Chris MacCauley. He’s invested in me since my first day at CBRE and has seen me through my toughest deals. I owe a lot of my success to him. I’m very fortunate to have him as a partner now, along with our teammates Joe Inkster, Hayden Ferrill, Anthea Lo and Brooke Lobson. The learning never stops with them around.
What is the best advice you’ve received?
It was the first piece of advice I received when I entered the industry, from an early mentor of mine, John LaFontaine. He said that the person who has the most relationships will be the most successful. I took that to heart and still think about it often. It’s helped shift my focus to relationship-based long-term goals.
Which deal are you most proud of?
It was a 15-acre land deal in my hometown of Kelowna, B.C. It was a special one for me because I was able to bring a Vancouver developer who had never done business in Kelowna and guide them. They now have a multi-phase strata project in that market. My family has deep roots in Kelowna, still calling it home, so it was amazing to contribute to the community and support its continued growth and prosperity.
How is your perspective unique and helpful to clients?
Our team’s different perspectives benefit clients. We all focus on long-term relationship building, but the combination of experience from senior brokers, and the energy and fresh perspectives of more junior brokers, gives clients well-rounded service.
What are your tips for people starting their commercial real estate career?
Find a mentor who’s truly invested in your success and who’s going to spend time teaching you and showing you the way through this dynamic industry. I would also recommend having a long-term mindset. Deals take time, but ultimately you should focus on what your relationships look like in the long run.
What’s your favourite part of your job?
The competitive aspect of it. I grew up playing competitive sports and have always loved working as a team. I’m fortunate to be part of a team where we collaborate to get those wins and learn from the losses. As a competitive person, I find that very motivating.
What’s a fun fact people may not know about you?
I had two hole-in-ones in one round of golf when I was 11 years old. It was covered in the local newspaper, and they said that the odds of that were one in 67 million, while the odds of winning the lottery were one in 21 million. I haven’t had another hole-in-one since.
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