First & Early Partners
Providing Excellence in Commercial Real Estate
Jubal Early and Andre Collins, Founding Partners for First & EarlyJubal Early and André Collins established a close working relationship during their years together at Lincoln Harris. That led to the two of them forming their own company, First & Early Partners, a full-service commercial real estate advisory firm.
“In August of 2022, I would have been celebrating my 24th anniversary with Lincoln Harris. I had just turned 63, and I had a yearning to do something different,” Jubal says. “Having completed hundreds of transactions together over the years, it was clear to me that André has a work ethic, a multifaceted problem-solving prowess, and a sense of integrity that surpasses that of anyone I’ve ever worked with. I wanted him to be my partner, so we got together and established a business plan. I took it to Johnny Harris first because I wanted him to know what we were planning. Johnny and I have been friends and business associates since 1984, when I first came to Charlotte with The Bissell Companies. It was critical that we part on excellent terms, which we have accomplished.”
Jubal continues, “The name First & Early came to me in the shower one morning. I envisioned 'Early' as an integral part of the name, recognizing that people always strive to be first and early when competing for something. People often ask, ‘You’re Early, but who is First?’… My answer is, ‘Our clients are first!’ We left Lincoln Harris at the end of July and opened our doors on August 1, 2022.”
First & Early Partners epitomizes a personalized approach, offering comprehensive yet best-in-class real estate solutions tailored to each client's needs. Jubal describes them as generalists. “We don’t focus on any one segment of the commercial business. This versatility proves advantageous in today’s market, particularly with the substantial shift in the office sector due to the remote work environment.”
“We are client-driven,” adds André. “We collaborate closely with decision-makers, aiming to seamlessly integrate into a company's real estate operations. Our goal is to become the go-to resource when they're embarking on a commercial real estate venture and don’t have the bandwidth or expertise to achieve superior results.”
Jubal describes their business philosophy, “We are entrepreneurial, so we can pursue many different opportunities, and we are not hindered by focusing on one specific task in the commercial real estate business.” Andre adds, “With over fifty-five years of combined experience, we have seen just about every twist and turn of the market, regardless of the sector.”
André further explains, “For us, it’s about blending entrepreneurship with making meaningful contributions to our community. When we witness a project driving substantial economic growth in Charlotte, we take pride in knowing that we played a role in its success. That sense of accomplishment is truly gratifying.” Giving back to the community is also a first priority for the firm as they both serve on the boards of multiple not-for-profit organizations.
First & Early has its offices in this central location on E. Morehead St.
One recent project First & Early worked on was with Reid’s Fine Foods operations on Monroe Road in Charlotte’s east side. They brokered the sale and leaseback of the building so that the popular gourmet grocer could keep their operations hub while freeing up cashflow for future expansion of the retail store footprint.
In downtown Belmont, NC, First & Early is also working on an exciting project, an 11-acre mixed-use development known as Belmont Reimagined.
André is a majority partner in the company, which positions First & Early as a minority-owned and certified small business enterprise, making them eligible for consideration by the City of Charlotte. Consequently, they have been chosen to participate in various projects, notably the “Corridors of Opportunity” initiative the city is spearheading.
Jubal describes his long association with TowneBank, where he now serves as chair of the Charlotte board. “I was dear friends with Phil Jurney, who asked me to serve on the Paragon board, which evolved into serving on the TowneBank board after Paragon was acquired. I have a lot of banking relationships, but Towne is a bank like no other. They want to be with you every step of the way, and they anticipate needs before you actually have them.”
“Jubal is a big advocate for TowneBank,” André says. “If a client shares that they need funding, Jubal will promptly say, You need to bank with TowneBank,’ and he never misses a beat.”
Jubal is quick to agree. “If a client has a financial need, I ask, ‘Who is your banker?’ If they can’t tell me a person’s name at their bank, then I know they are a prospect for TowneBank. It is an easy sell – once TowneBank is in the door, the member never leaves.”
For more information, visit FirstEarlyPartners.com.