Living the American Dream

By Maria Veres

Suited for Success

For Gabriel, interning with ADEPT is just the latest step on the path toward achieving his goals. But it hasn’t been a straightforward journey. He originally planned to continue his education in Germany, where several of his siblings live. Then he realized he had a different vision. “I wanted to be in America, where dreams come true,” he says. After attending Oklahoma City Community College, he decided to focus on building his business skills in the real world. He joined the team at Oklahoma City Mercedes-Benz, where he is one of the top associates. His professional appearance mirrors his success. “When I was a boy, I could not afford suits,” he says. “I told people, ‘One day I am going to wear a suit every day as my work clothes.’” Today he does exactly that.

What started as an ordinary sales transaction has grown into a thriving mentorship for Zach Martin and Gabriel Sahrmann. Just a few years after arriving in Oklahoma from Africa, Gabriel is now a part-time intern at Zach’s company, ADEPT Commercial Real Estate.

A Life-Changing Meeting

The two men met when Zach decided to buy an AMG G63 Wagon from Oklahoma City Mercedes-Benz. Due to chance— or something more—Gabriel was the associate who helped him. Impressed by Zach’s accomplishments and his desire to serve others, Gabriel knew he had found a role model he wanted to emulate.

Gabriel was especially intrigued by Zach’s affection for Barney, a rescue dog who is his constant companion. Not every G63 owner would want to share their high-end vehicle with a mixed-breed furry friend. Barney’s presence in the passenger seat showed Gabriel that Zach was humble and down-to-earth, despite his success. “The biggest lesson I’ve learned from him is humility,” says Gabriel.

Zach was equally impressed by Gabriel’s work ethic and drive to succeed. After the car purchase, Zach invited Gabriel to stop by the office sometime. His new friend showed up the very next morning, wearing a suit, and waited almost two hours for Zach to arrive.

“I suggested some buildings he should look at,” Zach recalls. “Then I went to lunch at Broadway 10, looked out the window, and there was Gabriel, studying the downtown buildings just like I recommended. It blew me away.”

Inspiring a New Generation

For Zach, the decision to mentor Gabriel was a simple one. “I’ve had a lot of people who helped me along the way,” he says.

Zach knew he wanted to focus on commercial real estate when he was just eight years old, and he has built ADEPT into a successful, respected company. But he recognizes he didn’t do any of it alone. Sadly, he lost his long-time mentor Mark Ruffin to COVID-19 last year. “Since then, I’m even more focused on paying it forward,” he says.

Along with Zach’s lessons about real estate investing, Gabriel has also absorbed the lessons about investing in people. “I want to mentor entrepreneurs all the way to Africa and help them understand real estate,” he says.

After what he has already achieved, his prospects for success look bright.

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