You can be a great commercial real estate broker, but if nobody knows who you are, how will they know to call you?
Building a personal brand isn’t about going viral or posting another property listing. It’s about becoming someone people recognize, remember, and trust when they need a broker. And that takes time, especially when you’re starting from scratch.
In this episode, Aviva Sonenreich and David Murphy, known as the Dock High Guy, discuss how to build a recognizable personal brand in commercial real estate. David shares how he found his way into industrial brokerage, started creating property videos in 2011, and used LinkedIn to connect with people he might never have reached otherwise.
They explore why personal stories often resonate more than listing advertisements, what it takes to keep creating content when the results aren’t immediate, and how the same long-term mindset applies to both social media and brokerage.
Key Topics Discussed
- How David went from residential real estate and commercial appraisal to building a career in industrial brokerage.
- Why David brought personal marketing techniques from residential real estate into an industrial sector where few brokers were using them.
- What David learned from filming his first industrial property videos in 2011, long before polished video content became common in CRE.
- How David uses LinkedIn to connect with professionals, share his experiences, and stay visible in his market.
- Why sharing real brokerage experiences, including lost pitches and difficult days, can generate more engagement than property advertisements.
- Why David continued posting despite seeing little positive feedback for months.
- How patience, relationships, and consistent visibility contribute to building both a brokerage business and a personal brand.
About the Guest
David Murphy, known as the “Dock High Guy,” is Vice Chairman at CBRE, where he leads an industrial and logistics real estate team in Central Florida. He advises clients ranging from local businesses to Fortune 500 companies on industrial leasing, land acquisitions, and property dispositions in Florida and across North America. With a background in residential brokerage and commercial appraisal, David brings a broad perspective to industrial real estate, combining market expertise, creative problem-solving, and long-standing industry relationships. He holds a Bachelor of Science in Real Estate from Penn State and the MAI appraisal designation.
About the Host
Aviva Sonenreich is the Managing Broker and Owner of the Warehouse Hotline, a Denver commercial real estate brokerage specializing exclusively in industrial properties. She leads the firm’s brokerage operations, negotiates industrial sales and leasing transactions, advises clients on acquisition and disposition strategies, and oversees the company’s marketing and business development efforts. Through Commercial Real Estate Secrets, she interviews leading investors, brokers, developers, and industry experts to provide actionable insights on commercial real estate investing, brokerage, leasing, development, and market trends.
Have an Industrial Property That Needs More Visibility?
Getting the right people to notice your property takes more than posting a listing and waiting for inquiries.
The Warehouse Hotline combines industrial brokerage expertise with video, social media, and targeted marketing to help property owners reach prospective buyers and tenants. Whether you’re preparing to sell or looking to fill a vacancy, we can help you develop a marketing strategy for your property.
