SRSA is celebrating 35 years, and we wanted to mark it with the people who built it, not just the milestone itself. Our team, from the field to the front office, shared what this work has taught them. What came back is a lesson for every year in business, good for any stage of a real estate career. Enjoy their discoveries and stories. A few might even surprise you, no matter what industry or business you're in.
1. Commitment Means Showing Up, Especially When It's Hard
Commitment, one of SRSA's five core values, is put to the test in a crisis. When Hurricanes Katrina and Ida devastated our region, our job was simple: get back to work as fast as possible. We helped businesses reopen, properties recover, and people rebuild. We've lived resilience at SRSA through moments like those, and it still shapes how we show up for clients and our community today.
2. Paths Cross More Than Once
Mike's history with SRSA goes back further than his 25 years as an employee. Long before joining the company, he was the property manager for the building where SRSA's founding partners got their start. "The original SRSA was a tenant of mine, and we all knew each other," he says. Today, Mike is the company's Director of Property Management.
3. Pick Your Battles
In any negotiation, Barry has learned that winning every point is not the goal. "Both landlord and tenant need to walk away feeling like it was fair to both sides. Maintaining a good working relationship with the landlord is important no matter which side of the table you are sitting on, because they will listen and respect you when you need to drive home a key issue for your client," he says.
4. Bring a Teachable Mindset
Experience and expertise aren't required from day one, willingness to learn is. Raven came to SRSA from a background in office administration and customer service, knowing basically nothing about real estate, and found a team willing to teach her. "I've been lucky to learn from incredibly knowledgeable people who were generous with their time. With that support and the company's investment in my growth, I am now a licensed real estate agent," she says.
5. In a Small Market, Integrity Is Everything
Thirty-five years in this business teaches you that how you show up matters. "We play in a small sandbox both in the New Orleans metro market and Louisiana as a whole. It's a small commercial brokerage community. Bringing integrity to every interaction is crucial," Stephanie H. says. That consistency is what builds a reputation worth having.
6. It's Never Over Until It's Over
In commercial real estate, a deal is not done until the money is in the bank. Steve learned that early in his career, sitting in a closing attorney's office with every document signed, waiting on a wire transfer that never came. The deal fell apart, and he walked away with nothing. "I tell this story to all of my younger agents now. Never spend the commission before it is in your bank account," Steve says.
7. Long-term relationships are built on trust, not transactions. Barry has kept clients like Morris Bart Law Firm and Allstate Insurance Company for over three decades by putting their best interest ahead of the commission on every deal, big or small.
8. Clients want more than a deal. "They're looking for trust, understanding, and a partner who is genuinely invested in their priorities," Raven says.
9. Ask about their life outside of business. Tara has found that's what turns a working relationship into something more real.
10. Relationships have a long arc. Stephanie H. has had clients leave a company and call her up years later with new business. Some of her relationships here have lasted more than twenty years.
11. A relationship-first mentality runs through the whole company. "The connections that have been built and strengthened over the years show how strong the roots are", Marianna says.
12. Grow your services around what clients actually need. As Victoria puts it, having real estate and property management under one roof means being there for the entire lifecycle of an investment, not just one piece of it.
13. The right team turns knowledge gaps into confidence. That kind of support recently earned Jeanne a well-deserved promotion.
14. Nothing SRSA has built belongs to one person. Teamwork, one of SRSA's core values, means it belongs to every team member who has shown up and cared about the outcome.
15. Share what you know. SRSA's monthly all-staff meeting puts every department in one room, and Marianna calls it part of what makes the company stand out.
16. Trust goes both ways. Jeanne says leadership trusts her to do her job without micromanagement, and that trust is what fuels her to keep earning it.
17. You can't do everything yourself, and asking for help isn't a weakness. As Justin puts it, it lightens the load and gives teammates room to grow.
18. Integrity, one of SRSA's core values, is how you stay in business for 35 years. Booms and downturns come and go. Clients coming back, and sending others, is the constant.
19. Knowledge, one of SRSA's core values, doesn't build in isolation. Every client, deal, and challenge adds to what SRSA knows.
20. Invest in credentials. Mike holds a CPM and RPA himself, and has seen firsthand how SRSA supports employees pursuing professional designations.
21. The learning never stops. "Technology is constantly being upgraded. I am having to learn new things all the time," Melissa says.
22. Run it like you own it. As Donny puts it, that's how you know you're working in everyone's best interest.
23. Show up for the industry, too. Mike has served as president of the Louisiana Chapter of IREM, and he's not alone. "Many employees have served as president, or other officer positions and committee assignments," he says.
24. Deep Louisiana roots are a real advantage. "Our deep native roots and critical understanding of Louisiana, its politics, weather, and how those impact commercial real estate give us a real advantage," Jeanne says.
25. Being local means understanding the market, the properties, and the people. "We deliver a level of service that feels personal rather than transactional," Victoria says.
26. Show up for the neighborhoods where you do business. As Rebecca puts it, being part of the community is not a marketing strategy, it's the whole point. When you invest in the streets, merchants, and neighborhoods around your properties, the business follows.
27. Local knowledge means little without the willingness to act on it. "Our willingness to do what needs to be done, whether to buy, sell, lease, or manage an asset, is increasingly rare," Jeanne says.
28. Success, one of SRSA's core values, is a direction, not a destination. Every service SRSA has added came from listening to what clients actually needed.
29. A track record like this is personal. "It means being part of something proven, not just a business, but a legacy built on relationships, resilience, and results," Stephanie B. says.
30. Established still leaves room to build. For Gladys, joining SRSA meant learning from experienced professionals and playing a role in shaping what comes next.
31. You're not just contributing to today's success. As Stephanie B. puts it, you're protecting everything that came before while positioning for what's next.
32. Steady commitment compounds. "The continuing commitment by Barry, Steve, and Kirsten has resulted in a significant impact on the local real estate market," Mike says.
33. Our team may be small, but we consistently deliver big results. "That's the legacy," Victoria says, "and it comes down to the people carrying it forward."
34. There's more to that legacy than closed deals. That track record, Mike says, "has provided employment for literally hundreds of employees during SRSA's 35 years."
35. Some lessons only make sense looking back. "One thing I wish I had learned sooner is to not have been so reluctant in asking for help throughout my real estate career," Justin says.
After 35 years, none of these lessons happened in isolation. They were built alongside clients, neighbors, and each other, and that's exactly the kind of company we plan to keep being for the next 35. We're excited for the deals still ahead, the relationships still to be built, and the lessons we haven't learned yet. Thank you to every client, partner, and team member who has been part of the story so far, here's to what we build together next.
