Stephann Cotton – Baptized By Fire
University of Florida advertising degree in hand, Stephann Cotton set out to find his place in the world. Having grown up in Fort Lauderdale, South Florida was home and when a job opportunity presented itself with Southeastern Marketing, he jumped right in. Little did he know it at the time, but he entered his first real estate cycle … at the bottom.
It was the late 1970s. The banking and Real Estate industries had taken a hit, and many prime real estate assets were thrown into Real Estate Investment Trusts (REITs). Projects, big and small, were shut down on a moment’s notice. Locks on the gates, half-finished construction, no development team in place. Continental Mortgage Investors hired Southeastern Marketing with Stephann Cotton as Vice President to bring these assets back to life and sell them out. For Cotton, it was an intense training ground to learn the real estate industry and put his marketing education to the test.
“At the time, I couldn’t appreciate how valuable an education I was receiving by managing the Continental Mortgage Investors account,” says Cotton.
Cotton was immersed in every aspect of the development from product design, construction and phasing to amenity plans, operational budgets, and sales strategies. It was the beginning of a lifelong passion for an industry that remains in a constant state of fluctuation. In 1981, Laurie Andrews began working alongside Cotton at Southeastern Marketing. She too was immersed in the strategic planning and assisted developers through many real estate cycles. It was the beginning of a lifelong partnership and dedication to the industry. Learning from the past to prepare for the future. It was the start of the Cotton Solution and led to the creation of Cotton & Company in 1983.
“Real estate is a cyclical industry, and every cycle presents new challenges and opportunities. It’s what we’ve learned from over 1,700 projects over the past four decades that really sets us apart in the industry,” says Cotton.
Today Cotton & Company is an industry leader in the marketing, advertising, and sales of lifestyle-driven residential real estate. Our amazing team of digital marketing experts, creative designers, copywriters, and website developers utilize today’s technology and new media channels to stay ahead of the curve and continue to drive sales success for our real estate clients throughout the world.
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