The Lowdown: Emanuel Fialkow

Atlanta is chocked full of interesting “movers and shakers” – some bent on creativity, empire building, activism and/or just plain having fun and living the good life. Lean in to hear some of the “off the cuff” remarks as to what makes Atlanta businessman, Emanuel Fialkow, tick.

Born in an industrial area south of Chicago, Fialkow moved to Atlanta and Ellicott City, Md., while his father worked for Coca-Cola. At 15, he found himself taped to a one-inch-thick oak board in a helicopter headed to the University of Maryland Shock Trauma Center, a moment that made him pause, pray, and realize he’s “not an atheist after all.”

His education took him through Johns Hopkins, Emory, Georgetown (master of professional studies in real estate). Currently, Fialkow is a student at Vanderbilt pursuing a doctor of education in leadership and learning in organizations. This is all built on a public-school foundation. A decision not to pursue medical school (having studied philosophy and art history) pushed him into starting and buying janitorial and maintenance companies, which eventually grew to more than 140 team members. That journey led him to Asher Benator and his brothers, whose early support helped him purchase his first office building.

Over time, and with wife, Stacy (aka “Sunshine”), alongside, he found his way into office and retail real estate investing. If you see Fialkow along the road in his long johns, here’s why.

One thing I’ve learned about real estate is …
I still haven’t figured it out. When everyone is buying property, I seem to be selling; and when everyone is selling, I seem to be buying. Hopefully, one day I’ll get it right and catch up.

My family says I’m too …
My wife says that I’m too sexy for my shirt, pants, and boots; my kids say that I am too hard on them. Maybe one is right?

I’m reading …
As a doctoral student, it’s not uncommon for me to be reading three to five studies/articles a week with written evaluations; plus, Adam Grant’s “Think Again,” Sheryl Sandberg’s “Lean In,” George Washington’s “Rules of Civility,” and “Leviticus” (I have an upcoming Torah reading to prepare).

Most exotic vacay …
Probably Cuba – stepping into a time machine with better music. Every corner felt like a movie set from seven different decades at once.

Best advice my dad gave me …
At age 8, my dad showed me how to whistle by holding a piece of grass between my thumbs. After a poorly chosen blade of grass experiment, this gave me two life rules: don’t eat yellow snow and don’t trust grass near dogs. It’s amazing how broadly applicable that advice has been.

One thing people do not know about me …
I was the first “janitor” at the Selig Center until getting fired. These days I’ve upgraded to dodging livestock droppings at the ranch … same theme, bigger scale.

My last fashion disaster was …
I popped a snap on my overalls during a cattle feeding session, turned into a full-on catch pen escape mission. I finished the day driving home in nothing but my long johns.

My first job was …
Filling bubble gum machines in the afternoon and washing dishes at a local steak/salad joint in the evenings. In high school, everyone had two to three jobs. It wasn’t ambition, it was a combination of social structure and the only way to get spending money.

If they made a movie about your life, who would play you?
Any of my sons would play the younger scenes for realism; Georgia Sen. Russ Goodman during the middle years, because he can sing my favorite Elvis song, and Billy Bob Thornton would play me in older years.

The last time I danced …
New Year’s Eve wedding in Beacon, N.Y. It was snowing and so cold that the icicles hanging from my tux still haven’t melted – great time though!