Walt Brown Jr. has a competitive streak.
He played football when he was in college at the University of New Mexico, started and sold a business in high school, and today he spends his free time being a competitive race car driver and managing a real estate brokerage and development company.
As the founder, CEO, and designated broker of Diversified Partners LLC, a company based in Scottdale, Brown and his team are working nonstop to introduce retail to newly developed areas across the Valley. Brown is confident that Diversified Partners will keep up with and manage the growth of the Phoenix Metro area successfully.
Diversified Partners is involved in multiple ongoing projects, such as the development of the mixed-use Mercy Center in Gilbert, the listing brokerage firm for the new auto mall, Berge Destination at Gateway in Mesa, the surf park, Cannon Beach, and The Edge and The Sydney, two popular entertainment retail destinations near Scottdale. Several more from both the commercial and valley sides are included in the projects that will add hundreds of millions of dollars to new development.
Diversified Partners is moving internally, and recently that has involved moving into a new full-time office space. The company renovated Station 3, formerly a Scottdale Fire Department. The office incorporates enjoyable features that are available to employees, such as a gym and putting green, while paying homage to the building’s previous usage.
A two-car rack with classic cars on display overlooks the Diversified Partners conference room, incorporating Brown’s interests into the office’s design. To maintain a fresh look, Brown said he will change those cars on a seasonal occasion.
What was your first job?
When I arrived at the last location in the mall, an upholstery company, I was approached by this amazing guy who said, “I have a job that you could do.” You can work on it after school, and it only pays $1 per hour. “I would love to do that,” I replied. Upon starting work for him, I was tasked cleaning the floors, disassembling furniture, and reassembling couches and chairs. After working for him for about 2 years, I went to ask for a raise. And two years later, I was stitching by hand, buying the materials, and putting the new upholstery on. I went to him and requested a raise. I believed that I needed to earn more money. “Well, we don’t really have enough to give you a raise,” he said.
I asked my dad to give me $10,000 when I got home. He said he didn’t have it. “What do you want $10,000 for?” he asked. I said, “I’d like to open an upholstery shop because I could handle all of your friends’ car issues.” My dad led me to the bank in awe that he was taking a second mortgage out on his home to get me $10,000. I used that money to open an upholstery business and I would work after school. I would visit all the friends of my dad and request their business., I sold the company for about $200,000 right before I graduated from high school.
What made Diversified Partners take off after you launched the company?
Everyone involved in Arizona real estate development is aware of how exceptional our staff is. We’re not selfish. We consider our relationships and our clients. We cherish those connections. We never attend a client’s property to discuss it unless we have more knowledge about it than they have, it’s merely one of our policies. You must be aware of local events, vacant properties, and the reasons behind them. Along with knowing the economics, you also need to be aware of what’s new and coming to the area and ensure that we can benefit everybody we do business with.
Why are cars so important to you?
Cars are works of art. The competitive element is absolutely linked to race cars. My wife isn’t thrilled that I participate in the Trans Am series, SVRA, and SCCA events, I’ll be racing in Pebble Beach’s Rolex in August, but it just makes me happy. However, I simply love it and I can’t stop it. It certainly has the potential to go wrong, but it’s a managed situation. And I’ve always had a thing for cars, especially the powerful, vintage models that have a strong sense of design. My wife would say, ‘Go play more golf and quit racing,” in my opinion. I really can’t.
