INTERN INSIGHTS: AUGGIE EVANGELOU

Auggie is our team's newest brokerage intern and focuses on supporting tenant representation, leasing, and market research efforts. Here, he shares his background and thoughts about joining the commercial real estate industry as he enters his senior year of academic studies.

What sparked your interest in commercial real estate? What excites you the most about working with entrepreneurs and local businesses?

I have always loved real estate as a whole, causing me to deep dive into all sides of it

whether commercial or residential. What commercial brought to me was a wide range of opportunities with so much competition. I had my first interaction with commercial real estate through family members and friends who entered the realm, allowing me to become familiarized with it. Ever since, I have genuinely been in a trance and eager to learn as much as I can about the profession, which led me to my internship at Colliers.

Your father immigrated from Greece and built a business here. Tell us a little about his/your family's story and what you’ve learned from watching him as a business owner.

My dad moved to the states at a young age with his parents with the hope of giving him

opportunities unimaginable to many outside of the United States. Ever since moving here, he has worked on a grind to develop himself as a person and business owner. He now owns a successful restaurant in Harrison, OH called The Big Greek Cafe. Ever since I was a kid, I have been in awe of the work ethic of my parents- not just my dad but my mom, too. They have genuinely taught me that the chance to work, succeed, and grow is a blessing that many of even my own family back in Greece do not get to experience, and I take that with me every day.

How has growing up in a Greek household shaped your outlook on work, relationships, and life in general?

Growing up in a Greek household has deeply shaped my values around hard work,

close-knit relationships and living life with passion. Work isn’t just about success, it’s about pride, doing your best, and making your family proud. Relationships are everything; family loyalty runs deep, and there's always a cousin who "knows a guy" for whatever you need. Life is meant to be celebrated loudly, with food, dancing, and unsolicited advice from every elder in the room. As for love? Let's just say, like in My Big Fat Greek Wedding, if they're not Greek, they will be... eventually.

Having grown up in Cincinnati and now living in Columbus, what differences have you noticed between the two cities — culturally, economically, or in terms of business activity?

Cincinnati and Columbus are very similar in my opinion. Having spent a lot of time in

Columbus the past couple years, I have grown to love the city. What I soon realized was the work ethic is different between the cities in terms of career goals and future plans. Many from Cincinnati work to get out of the city while people from Columbus work to stay and secure jobs where they grew up. The energy may be different, but Columbus is the place to be if you want to be pushed, challenged, and thrown into a competitive market.

How do you see your Strategic Communications major and Psychology and Greek

minors playing into your future career?

My Strategic Communications major helps me craft clear, persuasive messaging which

is key for marketing properties and building client relationships in commercial real estate. My Psychology minor gives me insight into client behavior and decision-making, which strengthens negotiations and deal-making. Studying Greek was my elective, allowing me to be challenged given my previous background in the language- being bilingual is never a negative.

What are you hoping to learn or accomplish during your internship this summer?

The biggest goal I have by the end of this internship is to leave feeling like I genuinely

learned something. The idea is broad but even in just the couple short weeks I've interned, I feel like the team has really put work into teaching me and allowing me to learn, which has already given me numerous insights into this career. When I leave this internship, I feel I will be a better person, professional, and student because the keys are given to me at Colliers to open many doors for myself.