Jono Lapat of SRS Real Estate Partners Offers Retail Real Estate Insights in Project REAP’s Lunch & Learn Series

Jono Lapat has been a presenter at the REAP Academy and now serves on REAP's 3P Steering Committee

Project REAP continued its new Lunch & Learn series with an engaging conversation featuring Jono Lapat, Senior Vice President and Managing Principal of SRS Real Estate Partners’ Boston office.

The virtual session, moderated by Executive Director Taneshia Nash Laird, brought together REAP fellows, alumni, and professionals nationwide for a practical look at today’s retail landscape and pathways into the sector.

Lapat shared highlights from his 20+ year career representing national retailers across the Northeast and underscored SRS’s unique position as the largest firm in North America focused exclusively on retail. He emphasized the industry’s strong post-pandemic performance, noting growing investor interest, the rise of mixed-use environments, and the continued importance of experiential retail.

For those exploring brokerage careers, Lapat offered candid guidance on the commission-based model, the typical 18–to 24–month ramp-up, and the importance of persistence, visibility, and collaboration. He also discussed the increasing role of technology and AI in site selection and marketing, previewing SRS’s upcoming AI platform.

A longtime REAP supporter and member of the 3P (Pro Players Property) Steering Committee, Lapat reiterated the importance of broadening access to commercial real estate careers, and he reflected on SRS’s commitment to inclusion.

Project REAP’s Lunch & Learn series continues monthly. The next Lunch & Learn sessions will take place on December 10 with industrial real estate leader Link Logistics at 12:00 p.m. ET and on January 13 with retail trade association ICSC at 1:00 p.m. ET. Registration for all events is available at projectreap.org/event-list.