Under Jeremy Hudson’s leadership, Specialized Real Estate Group has delivered several Northwest Arkansas projects, including Stonebreaker Hotel, South Yard mixed-use district and multiple multifamily developments. Over the past year, the company has grown its team by about 17%.
How significantly has technology impacted your work? We have always tried to be an early adopter of technology, which has typically given us an advantage over larger organizations, but sometimes it’s caused some real headaches. I would say the property management and construction industries have both largely been slow to adapt to changes in technology.
How do you handle pressure and stress in your leadership role? As I have matured, I try to take the long view of things and realize that many things that cause stress are short-term or temporal. At the end of the day our legacy is in our relationships and experiences, so I try to focus there.
What are some aspects of leadership you are still working to improve? There is a struggle between vision and clarity, and so I am constantly working to provide more clarity to my team. I am not a great manager, so I work to develop those skills.
If you were not in your current role, what would you be doing? I love working in the built environment, and it’s hard to imagine doing anything else. I was very close to pursuing a career in architecture, so that’s probably it. If not, I would love to be a full-time fisherman!
How do you stay current with industry trends and changes? Primarily through engagement with the Urban Land Institute, both locally and nationally. The best minds and organizations in my industry are engaged together through ULI to work on advancing the built environment for the greater good.
Who are your favorite leaders, and why? My favorite leaders are those who combine success in their field with success at home and do it with humility. Those who seek to better their communities, even if that means personal sacrifice. This level of leadership is rare and difficult, since our culture tends to value success at any (personal) cost.
An amazing example of this type of leadership is Martin Luther King Jr. The more I read or learn about him the more I am amazed with what he accomplished in a short amount of time. Here is one of my favorite MLK Jr. quotes that is still so relevant today: “I am convinced that men hate each other because they fear each other. They fear each other because they don’t know each other, and they don’t know each other because they don’t communicate with each other, and they don’t communicate with each other because they are separated from each other.”
What is the best business advice someone has ever given you? That’s tough to answer because it’s hard to pick just one answer. I’ve had so many people influence me through personal relationships or those that I have observed or read their books. One of the most influential is certainly Jim Collins’ Hedgehog Concept — living the intersection of No. 1, your deep passions, No. 2, what you are made for (or what you are really good at), and No. 3, what drives your economic engine. I learned this concept early in my career and have continually worked toward it.
What advice would you give someone wanting to be a leader in your industry? I would probably point them to the Jim Collins Hedgehog Concept and ask them to deeply think about their purpose. Find that and pursue it; the rest will work itself out.