In this exclusive interview, Bill Pavlopoulos, the winner of the 2024 SIOR Canada Central Chapter’s Young Professional Broker of the Year Award, shares his journey from professional sports to a thriving career in commercial real estate. Bill discusses the challenges he faced transitioning industries, the mentors who shaped his success, and the strategies that have driven his achievements in a competitive market. Read on for this unconventional path to success.
SIOR Canada: Tell us your story. How did you get into commercial real estate?
Bill Pavlopoulos: My story is a bit different from what you typically hear in this industry. Usually, it’s a family legacy—family or friends are already in the business, and you see the same last names carrying through generations. That wasn’t the case for me.
I didn’t know anything about real estate. My background was in football—I was a kicker in the CFL and even had a couple of attempts at the NFL. But as I got closer to 30, I started getting nervous. Football wasn’t panning out the way I’d hoped, and I realized I needed a backup plan. I grew up in Georgetown, and I watched the area transform from farmland to massive Amazon buildings. I thought to myself, “I can’t build those, but I bet if I sold them, I could make a decent living.”
Let me backtrack a bit. I went to UBC initially to play football. I was studying psychology and kinesiology, but honestly, I wasn’t the greatest student. At 19 or 20 years old, I thought I didn’t need an education because I was going to be a pro athlete.
Then I got to my first training camp and realized, “Yeah, I’m probably going to need an education.” That’s when I noticed UBC had a business real estate program. After my first training camp, I transferred back to Ontario, where I’m originally from, and found a similar program at the University of Guelph.
While I was juggling football and school, I tried to finish my degree whenever I could. Guelph’s real estate program gave me exposure to all kinds of areas—appraisal, development, investment—and I started to think about how I could live a lifestyle similar to a pro athlete. Being a broker seemed like the way to do it.
SIOR Canada: How did you land your first role in the industry?
Bill Pavlopoulos: Initially, I interviewed with a family friend at CBRE, but it didn’t work out at the time. I had not graduated yet, and I wasn’t fully ready to leave football. After that, I started looking for advice elsewhere. I reached out to someone at Colliers because their last name looked familiar, like they might be Greek. I asked them for advice on getting into the business.
They told me to cold-call people with big titles, like vice presidents, and ask how I could help them with their business. So that’s what I did. I called every VP and up, asking for five minutes of their time.
Luckily, one of those calls connected me with Stewart Metcalfe, who I still work with today. Back then, it was just the three of us, fast forward to 2025 and we’re now a dedicated team of seven and go by The Industrial Facilities Group. It all started with cold-calling and following through with a solid plan.
This business is still heavily reliant on cold calling, so the more you control the effort you put in, the better your chances of success.
SIOR Canada: What key factors do you believe contributed to your success, especially given the challenging market conditions of the last year?
Bill Pavlopoulos: A lot of it ties back to my background in sports. I was a kicker, which isn’t exactly the “glamorous” position in football. Most people want to be quarterbacks or running backs—the stars. I wasn’t even a big football fan; I just found something I was decent at, and it got me through school and into work.
The thing is, I didn’t have a clear plan when I started out. I had to figure everything out on my own. For example, I didn’t meet my first kicking coach until after I was drafted, so I’d already developed a bunch of bad habits. That taught me a big lesson: never wing it. When I transitioned to real estate, I knew I needed a mentor—someone senior who was established and could guide me. That’s where my partnership with Stewart came in.
From day one, he set clear expectations for me. He wouldn’t even call me by my name in my first year—he just called me “Roy” (short for Rookie of the Year). It wasn’t an option not to succeed. He gave me a business plan, told me what to chase, and kept me focused.
In terms of the market, I was told from the start to focus on big-box industrial real estate near Pearson Airport, particularly in Peel. That strategy paid off. Even though user sales were booming during COVID—properties selling within two weeks at 20% over asking—I stayed focused on the long-term game. That focus made all the difference when the user sale market slowed down this past year.
SIOR Canada: Can you tell us about a challenging transaction you worked on last year and what you learned from it?
Bill Pavlopoulos: My biggest and most challenging deal last year was a land sale to DSV Logistics in Innisfil. It was a marathon—our first meeting was in December 2020, and we didn’t close the deal until June 2024. The challenge was finding a 60-acre parcel of land, zoned and service-ready, in one of the most competitive markets we’ve ever seen in the GTA. There were so many factors: the lack of supply, competitors trying to disrupt the process, and the general complexity of the deal itself.
Working with a global company brought its own challenges. For example, they might be working on a project in Atlanta where everything is ready to go in 60 days, but in Toronto, they’re dealing with a slower planning process and harsh weather conditions. It’s easy for clients to get frustrated. On top of that, we had to navigate tight timelines. At one point, we needed a document signed immediately, or construction would be delayed by four months due to frost in the ground. It’s little things like that—it can feel like everything is working against you.
Thankfully, I had great support from my senior partner, and the client was fantastic to work with. Despite all the hurdles, we got the deal done. It was a character-building experience, for sure.
For anyone starting out, it’s all about the basics—hit the phones, show up early, stay late, and put in the effort to become an expert in your niche.
SIOR Canada: Who are your biggest inspirations and helpers in the industry?
Bill Pavlopoulos: Definitely Stewart Metcalfe, Executive Vice President at Colliers, recognized as a leader within the Canadian Food Industry as well as the Industrial Real Estate Industry. I work closely with him, and he’s been a huge inspiration and mentor for me.
He’s not just a coach; he’s genuinely invested in my success. That kind of support is invaluable, especially in an industry where it’s easy to get distracted by shiny opportunities. Stewart's constant reminder is to stay on path and focus on what I’m good at, even if there’s no immediate payoff. He helps me see the bigger picture, and that perspective has been critical.
I keep going back to sports analogies, but it’s like in golf—you see someone drive the ball really far, and then you try to kill it, but you shank it. The lesson is simple: focus on your own game. Hit your ball straight, and you’ll do just fine.
Along with Stewart, I have fantastic partners on the landlord side, even though I mostly do tenant representation. Antonio at Orlando is someone I really look up to; he’s a great example of professionalism and business acumen. Tony from Broccolini is another standout—his journey from athlete to broker to his current leadership role is really inspiring.
SIOR Canada: What advice would you give to up-and-coming brokers looking to break into your asset class?
Bill Pavlopoulos: For anyone starting out, it’s all about the basics—hit the phones, show up early, stay late, and put in the effort to become an expert in your niche. This business is still heavily reliant on cold calling, so the more you control the effort you put in, the better your chances of success. Find what you’re going to focus on and dive into it. There are so many variables in this industry that you can’t control, but you can control your dedication and knowledge. If you can become the go-to person in your niche, people will seek you out.
For younger brokers just breaking in, take advantage of your time and freedom. Drive the market, build your expertise, and use this early stage to set a strong foundation. I got into the business later, so I’ve always felt like I’m playing catch-up. If you’re starting young, you have a huge advantage—don’t waste it.
People often say it takes five years to make it in this industry, which sounded daunting to me when I started at 28 or 29. But for those starting straight out of school, those years can be transformative if you stay focused and put in the work.
SIOR Canada: What are your goals for 2025?
Bill Pavlopoulos: My goal is simple: do better than last year. In this industry, you’re only as good as your most recent work. So, when January rolls around and you look at your deals, the slate is back to zero. It’s all about pushing forward.
Professionally, if I can improve my title or win another trophy, that would be great—I love trophies! Every year, I’ve been fortunate enough to close a big “trophy deal” that makes up a significant portion of my year, anywhere from 40% to 60%. These deals are the most fun because they challenge you to think creatively and solve problems.
I always joke that I live for those moments. For instance, I’ve kept a groundbreaking ceremony shovel as one of my trophies. It’s about finding those wins that make the work exciting and rewarding!
Thank you for joining us as we delved into Bill Pavlopoulos’s journey and gained valuable insights from the winner of the Young Professional Broker of the Year Award. For more inspiring stories and industry spotlights, don’t forget to visit our blog and stay connected with SIOR Canada!