Episode 2: Tennessee with Karen Hutton
Updated: Aug 28, 2020
Gameday is coming. Taking risks and team mentality are key to preparing for the development "game".
Derek traveled to his home state of Tennessee to interview Karen Hutton of Hutton Development in Chattanooga for the BrokerLord podcast. In this interview, Karen walks Derek through her development career, which began while working for her father who developed Walmarts - before Sam Walton was a household name. Karen went on to create her own business, developing more than 1000 locations for over 50 retailers including Dollar General, Family Dollar, O’Reilly Auto Parts and more. Her team at Hutton focuses on build-to-suit single/multi-tenant developments, construction, multifamily and self-storage.
"The determination to outwork people was just pretty much in my DNA from day one."
Karen's drive and passion for "dirt" led her to a successful retail development career, which far surpassed what she or her father had envisioned. Her relentless energy and can-do attitude make her a fierce advocate for her clients.
"Can I bid on that?" - the bold move that changed Karen’s career forever.
The values that drive Karen Hutton and her team include believing in yourself, transparency, doing the right thing, integrity, sincerity and customer service. Karen shares that the best brokers understand the development world. She explains that brokers who are well-versed in zoning, city requirements, and all of the unknowns that come with developing sites will have an edge on their competition.
About Karen
Karen’s contagious energy helps define the passionate culture at HUTTON, while the volume, pace and competitive spirit drives the TEAM. Don’t get comfortable is Karen’s constant reminder. If we aren’t creating change and evolving then we are going backwards. HUTTON’s continued growth is a direct result of the amazing people on the HUTTON Dream Team. HUTTON has developed over 1,000 locations in over 40 states and recently sold nearly 100 assets totaling $390 million in 2017. Today, the asset base totals to over 2.3 million square feet and the company expects to add over one million square feet in 2018. This throttle of activity from each person creates a velocity of energy that enables the team to deliver great sites, while consistently meeting deadlines, and exceeding clients expectations.
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