Today we’d like to introduce you to Don McMinn.
Don, please share your story with us. How did you get to where you are today?
“There is no substitute for hard work” – Thomas Edison
I learned to work from an early age from my Dad and Grandfathers. Growing up in Brunswick, GA I was never given an allowance and started working at age 6 recycling aluminum cans and soda bottles. By age 9 my brother and I had saved up enough money to buy a lawnmower and started our own landscaping business that we operated through high school. In addition, we maintained a commercial window washing service during the summers and chopped and delivered firewood during the winters. The hard work instilled discipline and drive in me early on and laid a foundation for the entrepreneurial dreams I’m now pursuing.
After playing a year of college basketball and graduating from the University of Georgia I moved to DC working two years on Capitol Hill and briefly in the White House. My time in DC was a great experience that I wouldn’t trade but it taught me an important lesson, that I didn’t want to work for the government but I’d rather work for myself.
So I moved to Atlanta without any connections, money, or experience to start a career in real estate. I chose real estate because I felt it would offer me the highest return for my efforts and the freedom to control my own destiny. I got my real estate license at night while working 2 jobs and an internship. In 2008 I became a commercial real estate agent at Marcus & Millichap, a national firm with 80 offices and 1600 agents, and was the Rookie of the Year.
Fast forward 10 years and I’m the top producing agent in the Atlanta office 2 years running and a top 10 retail agent firmwide. I’m the founding member and principal of Taylor McMinn of Marcus & Millichap. Taylor McMinn is a nationally recognized, industry-leading investment sales team that specializes in the disposition of net-lease retail properties and shopping centers across the U.S. Recently we have sold over 300 deals in 30 states worth over $750 million and are proud to work with some of the top real estate firms in the nation.
Hard Work Pays Off…
Has it been a smooth road?
Far from it. I started my real estate career right as the market crashed during the great recession in 2008. I was a new agent with no experience and limited resources and I was thinking I had made a big mistake. But I decided to see this as an opportunity instead of an obstacle because very few of my competitors were still in the business. I decided to focus on building client relationships and went on over 400 meetings in 4 years all over the Southeast with real estate developers and owners. On these long trips I would listen to personal development books on CD that I checked out from the local library because I couldn’t afford them. During this time I was living in a friends basement, was barely able to pay my bills, and eating lots of canned tuna fish. One year my assistant made more money than I did. But I continued to work hard on my craft and more importantly on myself. Year after year and little by little I got better, and the market improved, and my clients started building again and here we are. An overnight success 10 years in the making. I’m still nowhere near where I want to be in my career but I am a lot further than where I started.
So, as you know, we’re impressed with Taylor McMinn – tell our readers more, for example what you’re most proud of as a company and what sets you apart from others.
I’m blessed to work with a team of great people who share a commitment to excellence and providing the highest level of client services and solutions in the marketplace.
This unique culture has been built on an obsession with growth and constant and never ending improvement. There is a great quote that says “Study the greats and become greater.” I’m always analyzing every aspect of my business and skill set to see what is lacking and what can be improved. There is always another level and the further you go the further you can see. I’m grateful for what I’ve accomplished.
Grateful but never satisfied…
Let’s touch on your thoughts about our city – what do you like the most and least?
Likes:
-Friendly Southern People
-Stone Mountain
-Hal’s Steakhouse
-Chastain Park
-CrossFit Indulto
Dislikes:
-Traffic
-Marta
-AJC
Contact Info:
- Address: 1100 Abernathy Road, N.E. Bldg. 500, Suite 600
Atlanta, GA 30328 - Website: taylormcminn.com
- Phone: 678-808-2762
- Email: dmcminn@marcusmillichap.com
- Instagram: www.instagram.com/donimal1984
- Other: www.linkedin.com/in/donmcminn1984
Getting in touch: VoyageATL is built on recommendations from the community; it’s how we uncover hidden gems, so if you know someone who deserves recognition please let us know here.
