Asking All the Right Questions

Being inquisitive is the cornerstone of success for Brent Magnan. “Only by asking the right questions and connecting the dots, can you actually steer a transaction towards a successful outcome,” says Brent. “We often say that nothing kills a deal faster than time.” Brent’s natural thirst for knowledge and relentless pursuit of success made him an excellent fit to lead Canada ICI’s Toronto office, a position he’s held since the Toronto branch opened in the summer of 2015.

Brent worked in private equity real estate prior to arriving at Canada ICI and it gave him a different perspective on the industry. “I had this really great experience but needed to build on my expertise and my knowledge. It felt like a natural next step to really understand the mechanics of commercial real estate financing.”

When assessing any new opportunity, Brent’s approach to asking the right questions is a mindset that’s been serving him well since long before he joined Canada ICI. When he was attending the University of Alberta, he found success by gathering details to build the big picture. “I always approached it the same way,” Brent recalls.

Today, this approach helps Brent put himself in his clients’ or investors’ shoes to facilitate their needs. It’s clear that by asking more questions — and the right questions — up front, the less likely you are to stifle a business opportunity because of a lack of knowledge.

You can see the application of this mindset not only in Brent’s work with Canada ICI, but also in ICI’s culture as a whole. “It’s our responsibility to keep things moving. There is a sense of urgency here and we walk into the office every morning asking, ‘How can we drive the pace of a transaction?’” says Brent. “The truth is, by the time we meet with the client again, we just did eight things behind the scenes that they don’t even know about. We’re ready to take the next step.”