Meet Victor Sanmiguel and Peter Billmeyer of Bespoke

Today we’d like to introduce you to Victor Sanmiguel and Peter Billmeyer.

Victor and Peter, please share your story with us. How did you get to where you are today?
Victor Sanmiguel and I have known each other for years. Before co-founding Bespoke, we worked together for a decade at a traditional brokerage firm, which is where we realized that the commercial real estate market was missing something: the majority of Chicago’s metro area brokerage firms devote their resources to serving the small number of Fortune 500 headquarters within the area, leaving the remaining vast number of private businesses without a strategic real estate partner. We created Bespoke to disrupt the status quo and change the way Greater Chicago’s private businesses and non-profits are served by the commercial real estate market. With a goal to help the organizations in these underserved sectors find their perfect real estate fit and turn their space into a strategic business asset, we knew our company mission and unique service methodology from Day 1.

Over the years, we’ve grown our company by staying true to our mission of advocating solely for the business success of our clients. And we don’t just stop at real estate; Bespoke is dedicated to developing a multi-dimensional relationship that allows us to provide creative solutions for any type of business obstacle.

Overall, has it been relatively smooth? If not, what were some of the struggles along the way?
There have been some bumps in the road as building a vision is completely different than simply building a book of business. You’re wearing multiple hats and have a wide range of responsibilities, all of which need to be executed. There’s the added pressure of doing well because you are no longer working for just yourself, but you’re responsible for a team of people. However, we now have a strong team that continually makes our job easier. All our team members embody a service methodology known as ‘The Bespoke Way”, which allows us to bring a high level of dedication to the underserved sectors as we are all extremely passionate about delivering strategic, cohesive and unbiased solutions.

Please tell us about Bespoke.
Bespoke specializes in creating value for Chicago-based privately-held businesses and non-profit organizations. We leverage deep market knowledge and experience to find, negotiate, finalize and extend cost-effective, custom-made real estate solutions that fit clients’ needs today and that will adapt with them for the future. We accomplish this by providing resourceful problem solving and skilled negotiation, along with ongoing strategic counsel long after a lease is inked. Additionally, because we do not own, manage, or lease real estate assets, we bring a level of transparency and objectivity few firms can match. Here at Bespoke, we are most proud of our culture. We take pride in investing in our employees, helping them grow personally and professionally. It’s humbling to see the integrity and accountability permeate throughout the organization.

When hiring, we ensure that prospects match the cultural makeup of the office—putting the right people in the right seats allows us to focus on the needs of the clients and give them the time that they deserve.

Any shoutouts? Who else deserves credit in this story – who has played a meaningful role?
Bespoke would not be the company that it is today and I would not be where I am without the help and support from others. We are very thankful to have had so many advocates that believe in what we’re doing and share the same passion we have for helping others. Although there are too many to list here, I’d be remiss to not share the following:

Chad McClennan, founder and CEO of The Customer Group, has been very generous with his time and efforts in helping us achieve company goals.

Dwight Ekenberg has been a great resource in the philanthropy world. Serving as a young president of a non-profit organization, I was able to call on him for guidance as he has countless years of board experience.

Carl La Mell has been a mentor to me within the charity and nonprofit realm; he served as president of Clearbrook for 35 years and brings a wealth of business knowledge.

Contact Info:

• Address: 444 North Michigan Avenue #3470, Chicago, IL 60611
• Website: bespokecre.com
• Phone: 312-635-1224
• Email: peter@bespokecre.com

Image Credit:
Root3 Marketing and RLD Creative

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