Joining Stream Atlanta in 2022, Peter McGuone and Preston Menning’s journey to commercial real estate couldn’t have been more opposite, with Peter starting his professional career at a dot-com company and Preston hitting the courts as a tennis instructor after college.
With the commercial real estate industry the “small world” that it is—it’s an unspoken truth that everyone knows someone from somewhere else—it’s not surprising that the two most likely would have met somewhere down the line. However, their story is a bit more unique, with Peter and Preston’s paths initially crossing during childhood when they played in the same Little League baseball program in Atlanta. A mutual love for sports and competition has always been at the core of their friendship, from the early days of Little League to tennis and, most recently, pickleball and Padel.
FOR THE LOVE OF SPORTS
Playing on the same team in Little League baseball as 10-and-12- year-olds was their first taste of competitive interaction. Not long after, their interests shifted to competitive junior tennis, another passion they share. Preston loved baseball growing up, but as a teenager had to choose between pursuing tennis or baseball and naturally gravitated toward tennis.
The two never crossed paths competitively with tennis (Peter was an age group ahead of Preston), and once Peter reached his pre-teens, he was ranked No. 1 in Georgia. Both went on to play collegiate tennis, with Peter first attending NC State and then transferring to Auburn and Preston landing at Presbyterian College in South Carolina.
The two reconnected years later at Cherokee Country Club, where Preston was employed as a tennis pro and Peter just so happened to be a member. Fast forward a couple of years, and Peter and Preston were establishing themselves in the commercial real estate industry, albeit at competing firms.
CRE JOURNEY
While at their previous firms (CBRE and Cushman & Wakefield), Peter and Preston would get together here and there to catch up over lunch or drinks. When the pandemic hit, they started discussing the next chapter of their careers. They knew they were ready for the next iteration but weren’t sure what that looked like. There was no agenda, no master plan behind it—just big-picture stuff, which evolved into a conversation of potentially combining their teams.
From there on out, they decided that whatever they were going to do next in their careers, their teams would do it together. Peter noted that, at one point, they considered starting a boutique shop. But soon after, they engaged in conversations with Stream and chose to seize the opportunity to lead and expand their office leasing group in Atlanta, supported by Stream’s growing brokerage, robust resources, and collaborative culture.
As of the fourth quarter of 2024, their combined team represents more than 15 million square feet of office space across the Atlanta Metro region.
WHY CRE?
For Peter and Preston, a big part of being drawn into real estate is the enjoyment of working with the people in the business. They respect and feel comfortable with one another because they speak a common language. There’s an entrepreneurial spirit of go-getters and results-oriented individuals—it’s a competitive industry, which attracts competitive people. But there’s also a relational component: dealing with the same people consistently, building trust and integrity, which are ultimately the cornerstones of a successful career.
“If you’re honest and hardworking, that will elevate you in the business. You’re held accountable…and there’s a strong sense of not wanting to disappoint anyone,” Peter explained. “There’s an alignment if you share the same principles as your clients and partners, such as valuing honesty and reputation. Real estate is something where people take you at your word. Your job is to help bridge gaps between people and deliver what you promise (to clients and tenant rep brokers).
COMPETITIVE SPIRIT AND TEAM CULTURE
With Peter being a graduate of Auburn University and Preston a University of Alabama fan, they participate in a fair share of trash-talking when their rival college teams play against each other. They joke that for all of the Auburn/ Alabama football bets made over the years, the winnings have never actually come to fruition (according to Preston, Peter probably owes him at least 20 cases of beer by now).
The competitive nature between them is built upon mutual respect, especially when it comes to racquet sports. They feel this has been an advantage for them when it comes to understanding team dynamics, conflict resolution, and learning how to build a team with like-minded people who have a desire to work hard, collaborate, and deliver for their clients.
Now, the two often play racquet sports outside the office, with Preston recently introducing Peter to pickleball–a game they regularly engage in, along with fellow Stream Atlanta team members Bryan Heller, Glenn Kolker, Parker Welton, and Lauren Slappey.
Rooting each other on and supporting one another to achieve desired results is a big reason their friendship has translated so well to CRE. It’s helped build comradery amongst their team, as well as mutual trust, respect, and healthy competition.
By bringing the right mix of competitiveness, grit, hustle, and market knowledge—combined with a people-first mentality with trust as the cornerstone—the duo continues to lay the groundwork for success with their teams and future recruits by leading by example.
And there’s no sign of slowing down.
