Michael Lang, 37
Director of Real Estate Development, Key Real Estate
Michael Lang’s fingerprints and footsteps can be found all over Baton Rouge. He’s had a hand in the development of 1010 Nic and the LSU Business Incubator, and he’s currently on the team working to renovate the Commerce Building downtown, among several other commercial and residential developments. He also played a role in forming one of the largest social running clubs in the region, having co-founded Happy’s Running Club eight years ago—and he’s a nationally ranked tennis player. Lang currently serves as a board member for the BREC Foundation and The Arts Council of Greater Baton Rouge. He was an original board member of The Walls Project, and was a member of the Council for A Better Louisiana Leadership Program class of 2008.
NAME THREE MAJOR PROFESSIONAL ACCOMPLISHMENTS.
- Earning an MBA from Tulane University.
- Being an AIA National Housing Award winner for OneEleven Lofts in downtown Baton Rouge.
- The historic rehabilitation of the Commerce Building in downtown Baton Rouge.
TELL US ABOUT YOUR VOLUNTEER & COMMUNITY AFFILIATIONS AND INVOLVEMENT.
I’m a board member of the BREC Foundation and a former board member of The Arts Council of Baton Rouge, a parishioner of St. Aloysius Church, co-founder of Happy’s Running Club, an avid (albeit slow) runner, and an original board member of the Walls Project.
NAME ONE BOOK THAT HAS INSPIRED YOU PROFESSIONALLY.
Outliers by Malcolm Gladwell.
WHEN YOU WERE A CHILD, WHAT DID YOU WANT TO BE WHEN YOU GREW UP?
A professional tennis player.
WHAT WAS YOUR FIRST JOB, HOW OLD WERE YOU AND WHAT DID YOU LEARN FROM IT?
I played my first professional tennis tournament at 18 years old and received a check, so I guess I would consider that my first job. Tennis and sports in general taught me a lot about perseverance, discipline and competing. It also taught me to focus on loving what you do. There is very little money in the minor leagues of professional tennis but the life lessons I learned from traveling and competing were much more valuable than the money.
WHAT IS THE STRANGEST JOB YOU’VE EVER HAD?
Delivering flowers.
WHAT IS YOUR FAVORITE PLACE FOR A BUSINESS LUNCH IN BATON ROUGE, AND WHAT IS YOUR FAVORITE DISH THERE?
Beausoleil. Grilled shrimp and quinoa salad.
WHAT DO YOU CONSIDER YOUR GREATEST ACHIEVEMENT?
The many longstanding positive professional and personal relationships I have developed over the course of my career.
HOW DO YOU GET PUMPED UP BEFORE A BIG MEETING, PRESENTATION OR PITCH?
First, I make sure that I am fully prepared. Then, several cups of coffee and some good, loud music in the car or on my phone before I walk into the meeting.
WHAT HAS BEEN THE MOST FULFILLING MOMENT IN YOUR CAREER SO FAR?
Recently taking an abandoned office building that was in very poor condition (and is historic) and creating a unique, urban, design-centric place for people to live.
WHAT IS YOUR BEST PRODUCTIVITY HACK?
Write down a list every night of the things that must be accomplished the next day and tackle those items first.
WHAT HAVE YOU LEARNED THE HARD WAY?
That spreading yourself too thin, combined with a lack of clear focus on what you want to achieve, is a recipe for disaster.
WHAT ABOUT YOUR JOB WOULD SHOCK CUSTOMERS OR CLIENTS IF THEY KNEW ABOUT IT?
The amount of time, energy, effort and number-crunching that occurs (usually years worth) before a real estate project even starts.
HOW DO YOU TYPICALLY DRESS FOR WORK—CASUAL? PROFESSIONAL? BUSINESS CASUAL? OTHER?
My “uniform” 80% of the time is dark jeans, blue blazer, pocket square and colorful socks. It keeps things simple in the morning and you would be surprised by how many combinations you can create while still keeping the two main variables constant. The other 20% of the time I wear a suit.
WHAT PART OF YOUR JOB DO YOU LOVE? WHAT PART DO YOU HATE?
I love the life cycle, overall process and the how/what/why of bringing a real estate project to life. It is very much like putting together a jigsaw puzzle, which requires patience and problem solving. It is also very much like my experience in collegiate and professional athletics, which requires a lot of teamwork and communication with talented people to get everyone working towards a common goal to create something really special. My least favorite aspect is arguing or yelling as a means to get a point across.
WHAT IS THE BEST COMPLIMENT YOU’VE EVER GOTTEN FROM A COLLEAGUE OR BOSS?
That I have a positive impact on the people I am working with and make them better.
MAC OR PC?
Mac.
ARE YOU ACTIVE ON SOCIAL MEDIA? IF SO, ON WHICH PLATFORMS ARE YOU MOST ACTIVE?
Not overly active. Most active on Instagram.
HOW MANY TEXTS DO YOU SEND ON AN AVERAGE DAY? HOW MANY EMAILS?
Approximately 30 and 30, respectively. But that can be skewed depending on whether I am in the office or on a job site.
HOW LOW WILL YOU ALLOW YOUR REMAINING PHONE OR COMPUTER BATTERY LIFE GET IN % BEFORE YOU HAVE AN ANXIETY ATTACK?
I don’t have an anxiety attack because my phone is perpetually around 10% battery so that has become par for the course. 100% battery is a real luxury.
HOW MANY UNREAD MESSAGES ARE IN YOUR INBOX RIGHT NOW?
31.
WHAT’S YOUR FAVORITE APP AT THE MOMENT?
Waze. It’s critical for the amount of time I spend on the road between Lafayette, Covingon and New Orleans.
WHAT IS YOUR FAVORITE TECHNOLOGICAL ADVANCEMENT OF THE PAST DECADE?
The iPhone, of course.
WHAT TECHNOLOGY DO YOU WISH WAS NEVER INVENTED?
I am a big fan of technology in general. But some of the processed food technology that has been created has been more harmful than helpful for our overall health and wellness as a society. Let’s go back to “an apple a day.”
WHAT TIME DO YOU GET UP ON WORKDAY MORNINGS?
6:15 a.m.
BREAKFAST AT HOME? BREAKFAST ON THE GO? BREAKFAST AT YOUR DESK? NO BREAKFAST AT ALL?
Always breakfast. Either one of two things: avocado toast with a farm fresh egg at home or yogurt with granola from Magpie Café (and a coffee).
THE SAYING GOES: “BE THE CHANGE YOU WANT TO SEE IN THE WORLD.” SPECIFICALLY, WHAT ARE YOU “BEING” TO MAKE BATON ROUGE BETTER?
I am grateful to have the opportunity to work on unique projects that provide people with a place to live. Endeavors I have been involved with all center around creating experiences and bringing people together. I get a lot of personal fulfillment out of that.
WHEN DID YOU REALIZE YOU WERE “GROWN UP”?
The first time I made a mortgage payment.
WHAT WAS THE BEST VACATION YOU HAVE EVER TAKEN?
A tie between two for best vacation ever. Turks & Caicos with my wife Andrea for our honeymoon in 2010, and the Wimbledon Championships in London with my dad and brother in 2015.
FAVORITE GIFT YOU WERE GIVEN AS A CHILD?
My dad, who is not known to be very handy, built a 4’x8’ tennis backboard out of plywood and installed it at the end of our driveway when I was 6-years-old. That’s my favorite gift because tennis ultimately became the vehicle that opened up so many opportunities for me both academically and in my business career.
WHICH TALENT OR SUPERPOWER WOULD YOU MOST LIKE TO HAVE AND WHY?
The ability to fly, for two reasons. One, a great way to look at real estate, and two, I love to travel, so I could just get up and go.
WHAT’S A NICKNAME YOUR FRIENDS OR FAMILY MEMBERS HAVE FOR YOU?
Langer.
WHO FASCINATES YOU?
Richard Branson.
WHICH FICTIONAL CHARACTER DO YOU MOST IDENTIFY WITH?
My 3-year-old son would probably say Bob the Builder.
FAVORITE DRINK?
Blanton’s on the rocks.
WHAT IS YOUR FAVORITE BAND OR SONG?
Bob Dylan.
WHAT IS YOUR FAVORITE MOVIE?
The Godfather, Part II.
WHO WOULD PLAY YOU IN A MOVIE?
Dennis Quaid.
IF YOU COULD GO BACK IN TIME, WHAT ADVICE WOULD YOU GIVE YOUR 18-YEAR-OLD SELF?
Experiment and put into action as many ideas as possible … you can’t see it now but those experiences (good or bad) will serve you well later on in your “path”; go to Stanford, not UGA. Ha!; and when you fail (which you will), don’t dwell on it … move on as quickly as possible.
PETS?
Sadie, our 7-year-old labradoodle.
HAVE YOU HAD ANY MEMORABLE CELEBRITY ENCOUNTERS? WHAT HAPPENED?
When I had just graduated from college I went home to Sarasota, Florida, and was asked to come practice tennis with a new student who was only 15 at the time. She was very tall for 15 and also very, very good. After the practice I asked what her name was and her coach said “Maria Sharapova.” A year or so later, she won Wimbledon.
TELL US ABOUT A MOMENT THAT CHANGED YOUR LIFE.
The day my first son, Miles, was born. Being a parent is definitely life changing and made me even more grateful for the parents I have and how much work it must have been for them raising four children. My wife and I were also blessed with our second son, James, two and a half years later.
WHAT’S THE NEXT BIG PERSONAL OR CAREER CHALLENGE YOU PLAN TO TAKE ON?
Personal: To become fluent in a second language. Career: To build a project, compete and win with our team in a larger market.
WHAT CONCERNS YOU MOST ABOUT THE FUTURE?
The “reality TV” culture in general along with social media platforms that are being used to divide people instead of their original intent of bringing people together.
WHAT GIVES YOU THE MOST HOPE ABOUT THE FUTURE?
When I look at my sons and realize that everyone is born with a pure heart free of bias and full of love and opportunity.
WHAT WOULD BE YOUR ADVICE FOR FUTURE FORTY UNDER 40 HONOREES?
Narrow and simplify your focus towards two things: Being the absolute best at your profession and creating meaningful relationships. Spreading yourself too thin and/or focusing on the wrong things can derail your momentum towards those goals.
DO YOU PLAN TO BE IN THE CAPITAL REGION FIVE YEARS FROM NOW? WHY OR WHY NOT?
Yes. I love what I do and the team I work with. I think there are a lot of opportunities in Baton Rouge–and south Louisiana in general. As a transplant, I also like Louisiana’s unique culture of food and parades and festivals. While I see myself based in Baton Rouge, I do hope that in five years I will be spending more time traveling.
WHAT IS YOUR GREATEST HOPE FOR BATON ROUGE?
That the culture of the city evolves into one that is known for growing the pie bigger, health and wellness and social equality.
