The Map to Success with Nick Gray
Young Nick Gray followed the progress of Oklahoma City’s original MAPS campaign with the enthusiasm of a 10-year-old future commercial real estate broker. Growing up in Edmond, he caught the excitement and the potential that rebuilding downtown Oklahoma City would bring to the entire metropolitan area.
“I remember getting the Business section of the newspaper and cutting out the little map where it had all the projects that were going to be built in and around downtown OKC,” Gray vividly recalled 26 years later. “I can remember sticking it up on my tack board behind the door in my bedroom.”
Today, Gray is owner/managing broker of Oklahoma City’s Elevation Commercial Real Estate, a new firm that he recently established in the heart of the city at 5530 N. Western Avenue, Suite C.
Now 36, he is married to Erica and has a 3-year-old son. Gray looks back at that original MAPS campaign that he tracked as a precocious 10-year-old and sees how it connected to his future self. “There have been little indicators throughout my life of how excited I’ve been about new things and development,” he said.
While the ‘94 MAPS campaign was a clear signpost on Gray’s journey to establishing his own commercial real estate venture, other indicators also pointed to his future. “I was working and trying to make money by mowing lawns when I was 10 years old,” he said. “I grew the lawn care business into something great. I paid cash for every car I bought. I was able to go through college and graduate debt free.”
Gray’s parents, Jerry and Donna Gray, played a big role in developing his work ethic. “Basically, what my parents did was instill in me that if you want something you are going to have to go and get it,” he said. “Nobody is going to give it to you.”
Gray stayed local after graduating from Edmond Memorial High School, matriculating at the University of Central Oklahoma, where he was a fraternity leader before graduating with a bachelor’s degree in business. Gray held most of the fraternity’s executive positions as a student, including president. He cites the leadership experience gained as an officer with the Sigma Nu as critical contributor to his career pursuits.
“It was an amazing leadership organization,” Gray said. “We had multiple consecutive student body presidents. More than anything, it gave me the leadership experience to learn how to manage people, how to communicate with people, how to handle emotional people, and how to make decisions and get people behind you, even in tough decisions.”
After college, Gray took a position with the Greater Oklahoma City Chamber, where he served as a research analyst for about three years before transitioning to the real estate industry. He found his niche working for and eventually partnering with Steve Burris, founder and CEO of Oklahoma City’s Kevo Properties. Burris was an important mentor to Gray as he learned the real estate business. “Steve is a very engaging, dynamic leader, and a fantastic individual,” Gray said. “He was a great mentor from a strategic perspective, to help me figure out my life and direction.” Local executive peer advisor and business coach Rod Whitson also served as a mentor for Gray as he stepped out to launch his own commercial real estate venture. Gray’s mentor Steve Burris partnered to launch Kevo Commercial Real Estate five years ago, a venture that Gray relaunched as Elevation Commercial Real Estate this past July.
As sole owner of Elevation Commercial Real Estate, Gray decided that the new firm would distinguish itself in the OKC market by delivering the highest level of service possible to commercial real estate buyers, sellers, and those seeking to lease properties. “We’re intent on changing the industry and challenging the status quo, with our focus on providing concierge-level service for our clients,” said Gray.
Gray takes great pride in showing off his city and available properties. “If you look at commercial real estate trends, you see a lot of out of state investment and money coming into Oklahoma City,” he said. “I get calls all the time. There are a lot of people looking at Oklahoma City as an up-and-coming city where prices haven’t been affected too much by the pandemic.” Although Gray has had opportunities to take positions out of state, he has spent his entire life building his business acumen and commercial real estate enterprise right here in Oklahoma City, although he had opportunities to take positions out of state.
So, what makes Oklahoma City such a desirable location? “I love Oklahoma and Oklahoma City so much,” he said. In addition to building Elevation Commercial Real Estate, Gray has active community involvement with roles on various boards of service and not-for-profit organizations throughout the metro area. He continued, “There’s an energy here that’s palpable. And what’s crazy, is that one of the biggest contributors to that is the Oklahoma City Thunder.” Gray has been a season Thunder ticket holder since the team relocated to Oklahoma City in 2008. And, along with his wife, Erica, Gray is a fan of the Lake Hefner restaurant scene, as well as other local favorites such as Mahogany Prime Steakhouse.
“One of my favorite things to do is show people our city.”