Matthews™ celebrates emerging leaders in commercial real estate

Introducing Jeff Perkins

Jeff Perkins

Market Leader

Years with company/firm: 4.6

Years in field: 4.6

Years in real estate industry: 4.6

What is your most notable project, deal, or transaction?

The next deal is the best deal. Every deal I’ve sold has its own unique story and set of challenges. The most memorable is certainly the first property I sold 10 months into my career. It showed a proof of concept and was a direct result of my personal efforts. Furthermore, the landlord with whom we successfully executed the sale remains a close client to this day. However, I do believe that in order to sustain success in this industry, you must celebrate the win, then you get back to work to find that next opportunity.

Who or what has been the strongest influence in your career?

Matthews™‘s leadership has shaped who I am as both a broker and a leader. I have been fortunate to have people who genuinely invested in my development and took the time to show me what it means to operate at a high level in this industry. DeWitt Goss, Market Leader of the New York office, and Keegan Mulcahy, First Vice President and Market Leader, were instrumental in building my foundation as an agent. Hutt Cooke, Managing Director of the Nashville office, showed me what it looks like to lead with integrity and purpose.

David Harrington, President Bill Pedersen, Regional President of the East, and Kyle Matthews, CEO and Chairman, have set the standard for what this firm stands for and what we are all working toward. Each of these individuals left a mark on how I approach the business, how I treat clients, and how I now work to develop the next generation of talent at Matthews.

Tell us how and when you began your career in the profession you are in today and why you chose the field/profession you are in today?

I began my career at Matthews in 2022, starting as an investment sales associate out of the firm’s Nashville headquarters. Coming out of Bucknell University with a degree in International Relations, I was drawn to commercial real estate for a few reasons. First, the meritocratic nature of the business. In brokerage, what you put in is what you get out, and that appealed to me more than a traditional corporate path.

Second, the financial and professional upside is unlike anything a standard nine-to-five can offer, especially early in your career. But beyond the economics, what really drew me in was the relationship side of the business. Every day you are building and maintaining relationships with clients, colleagues, and partners, and that level of human connection makes the work genuinely fulfilling. It is not just about closing deals. It is about becoming someone that people trust with their most important investments.

What challenges and/or obstacles do you feel you needed to overcome to become as successful as you are today?

Commercial real estate requires a unique combination of patience and persistence, and learning to balance the two was probably my biggest challenge early on. In this business, deals do not happen on your timeline. You can be doing everything right and still find yourself waiting months for a transaction to come together.

As someone early in their career, that is genuinely difficult to sit with. The natural instinct is to want results immediately, but this industry simply does not work that way. Learning to take a step back, trust the process, and find motivation in the work itself rather than just the outcome was something that took time to develop. Once I was able to separate my effort from my impatience, everything started to click.

What was the most defining moment for you?

Officially launching our Washington, D.C. office was a culminating moment for me both professionally and personally. Planting the Matthews flag in the nation’s capital did not happen overnight. It took years of conversations, relationship building, and laying the groundwork before we were ready to make that move.

Getting to be a central part of that effort and ultimately seeing it come to life was something I will not forget. We are still early in building what we want to become in this market, but that moment represented everything I had been working toward since joining the firm. It validated the grind and set the stage for what is next.

Who do you feel was most influential in your life when choosing this profession?

My parents. Neither of them work in commercial real estate, but that almost made their influence more meaningful. When I was weighing the decision to enter a commission-based business with no guaranteed income, they were my sounding board. They asked the hard questions, listened to my reasoning, and ultimately supported me fully once I committed.

They understood the sacrifice involved, both mentally and financially, and never made me feel like I was taking a risk I should not take. Having that foundation of support behind you when you are starting from scratch in a new industry makes all the difference. I would not be where I am without them.

What outside activities do you enjoy during your free time?

Outside of the office, I am pretty active. I follow sports closely, get out on the golf course whenever I can, and enjoy hiking when the weather allows. Beyond that, I make it a priority to spend time with friends and family. Those relationships keep me grounded and remind me what I am working toward.

What inspiring word of advice would you give to a young executive graduating from college?

Work hard, limit distractions, and ask questions. The fastest way to accelerate your career is to spend time around people who have already found success and absorb everything you can. That means early mornings, late nights, and sacrificing some of the things your friends outside of the industry are doing.

It is easy to watch people your age taking vacations and wonder if you are missing out. But the foundation you build in those first few years is what separates the people who sustain long-term success from those who never quite get there. The sacrifices you make right out of college pay dividends for the rest of your career.