Episode 022: Maury Golbert

Introduction: Today's guest is Maury Golbert, co-chair of the real estate group and partner in the tax department of Berdon LLP, ranked among the top 15 accounting firms in the New York metropolitan area and top 100 in the United States. Maury is certainly not what one would describe as an underachiever, given his CPA, JD, and LLM. He is looked upon by his real estate (and other) clients for advice pertaining to all facets of a transaction, including due diligence, structuring, wealth preservation and enhancement, and workouts as well. When Maury's not busy being a rock star in the world of accounting and taxation - in addition to spending as much time as possible with his wife Gail and their two daughters - Maury is passionate about biking and truly great wines.   Episode Notes: At 2:55, Maury notes that a majority of real estate developers and entrepreneurs give off a sense of optimism and positivity. At 3:51, Maury explains why sometimes the most valuable piece of advice to give someone is a "no." At 4:49, Golbert shares that there is no shortcut within his industry as the learning curve is long and flat, and as a result one must continuously be learning on a daily basis. At 7:09, he uses the sports analogy of the "game slowing down" and being able to see the defense in comparison to when one is repeatedly practicing and putting in work. At 9:05, Maury reveals his career "oh my moment" of him essentially working on a complex transaction all by himself. At 13:32, Golbert channels Winston Wolf of Pulp Fiction, and tells us that clients come to him with problems, not with solutions. At 15:55, he touches upon long-time clients and forming multi-generational relationships, how expectations vary with time, and the importance of being responsive to clients. At 19:11, Maury advises on the uncertainty and complexity of changes to the recently enacted Tax Cuts and Jobs Act of 2017, and shares that there are opportunities to be had, but many pitfalls exist as well. At 23:57, Golbert speaks about making a difference for others through education, and strongly believes that in this country everyone should have a clean place to sleep and should not be going to bed hungry. At 30:57, he discusses giving people skills that put them in a position to help themselves. At 32:09, Maury feels that there is no substitute to understanding what is in front of you, as one must always be properly prepared. At 34:59, Golbert notes the pertinence of being likeable in business, and the ability of connecting with people on a personal level while having some fun while doing so. At 36:36, he shares that he is not a natural networker, but his accessibility and resourcefulness has helped him a great deal in forming and cultivating relationships. At 42:40, Maury divulges how he finds the balance between leveraging technology and old school methods of communication. He believes that there is no substitute for picking up the phone. At 47:05, Golbert mentions that he enjoys both road and mountain biking, snowboarding, and any activity that forces him to detach from his phone or work while getting his adrenaline going. At 50:08, Maury Golbert closes the podcast with a duel message: (1) every day is a new day, and (2) one possesses complete control of his or her own destiny.