The commercial real estate market is ever-changing, unpredictable, and fraught with challenges, said Casey Cartier, chief executive officer of Jokake Construction Services, a commercial general contractor operating in seven states throughout the Southwest. “As we continue to sail through these turbulent waters, several critical factors have converged, reshaping our course, and our response to these is something I am very proud of,” he said.
The firm has adapted to the ever-changing market by reevaluating lease structures, exploring flexible arrangements, and diversifying its client and market mix. “We’ve diversified portfolios, stress-tested scenarios, and fortified our financial foundations, and leading this charge is a team fueled by courage and creativity,” said Cartier. “We pivot, not out of desperation, but out of strategic foresight.”
This pivot includes sales offerings that create tailored solutions – not cookie-cutter deals – with a focus on building lasting partnerships, said Cartier. “With all of this uncertainty, and challenges, my greatest accomplishment has been the action to go against conventional wisdom, and revisit older management philosophies – relationships matter and trust matters,” he said.
Rather than being a jack-of-all-trades, Cartier has led the team to hone skills in specific domains to provide unparalleled value to clients. The firm has enlisted artificial intelligence to evaluate processes objectively and has embraced new paradigms to position the company for sustained success.
In the past year, the two-time Titan 100 has grappled with the profound truth that leadership isn’t a mere title bestowed upon deserving individuals. “Leadership is a journey – one fraught with challenges, revelations and unwavering commitment,” he said. “I have learned that leadership isn’t a badge pinned to a lapel; it’s an intangible force that shapes destinies.”
True leaders emerge organically, he said. “I learned leadership isn’t a fair-weather companion; rather, it’s an enduring commitment to those we lead,” said Cartier. “Regardless of performance fluctuations, leaders stand steadfast. Leaders weather storms together, celebrate victories and shoulder burdens.”
Cartier shares these lessons while fostering an environment for the next generation of titans. He is engaged in several impactful endeavors, including mentor and mentee programs. “The mentorship process of existing successful leaders is very different to the perceived coaching platform that is often miscommunicated,” he said. “Successful mentor/mentee relationships emerge from the melding of strategy and encouragement.”
As a leader, Cartier said he loves the process of failure. “Failure is the key to growing a successful career for our people,” he said. “I don’t look to discipline anyone for mistakes; on the contrary, our people are recognized for taking the chance and trying.”
