What does it take to build one of New York City's top retail leasing firms?
In this episode of Do You Ever Wonder, I sit down with Cory Zelnik — founder and CEO of Zelnik & Company — a man who knows retail leasing across all five boroughs, represents giants like Panda Express and some of NYC's biggest landlords, and ran his first marathon at 62 while raising $37,000 for ALS.
In this conversation, Cory shares:
🏙️ Why Flushing, Queens rivals Manhattan on price per square foot
🍩 The real reason he won't work with Dunkin' franchisees anymore
🐼 How Panda Express grew from one California restaurant to 2,800 stores
🗣️ The “Three E's” of social media: Engage, Entertain, Educate
🏃 Running 4 miles every 4 hours for 48 hours straight — and why he did it
🤝 How to build a 25-year client relationship in a commission-driven business
Cory also opens up about his hiring philosophy (“you won't make a nickel for 18-24 months”), why he'd rather be a sniper than throw things at the wall, and how Clubhouse launched his national network during COVID.
🎙️ Do You Ever Wonder — where curiosity meets conversation.
🔔 Subscribe for more interviews with the people shaping New York Real Estate.
📧 Reach Mike Haltman: [email protected] or at (516) 741-4723
⏱️ Timestamp chapters:
0:00 — Intro: Who is Cory Zelnik?
2:15 — Knowing all 5 boroughs
6:30 — Dunkin' Donuts broker nightmares
13:45 — Panda Express: 1 to 2,800 stores
19:00 — The sniper vs. shotgun approach
24:30 — Social media & the “Three E's”
30:15 — Running a marathon at 62 / ALS fundraiser
36:00 — QSR rankings & closing thoughts
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Read “In New York, Do Your Due Diligence When It Comes to Title Insurance!” here https://open.substack.com/pub/hallmar….
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Hallmark Abstract Service
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Michael Haltman, CEO
[email protected]
(646) 741-6101
#DoYouEverWonder #NYCRealEstate #RetailLeasing #CommercialRealEstate #RealEstatePodcast #NYCBusiness
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About the Host
Michael Haltman is the CEO of Hallmark Abstract Service, a title insurance provider focused on commercial and residential real estate transactions in New York. He explores the intersection of economic trends, leadership, and modern challenges on Do You Ever Wonder.
Connect with Michael
Podcast Inquiries & Guest Proposals
Interested in appearing on the show or suggesting a topic?
Email Michael: [email protected]
“Do You Ever Wonder” is produced by Hallmark Abstract Service to provide insights into the forces shaping our world, from housing policy to personal safety, and much more!
