Everyone knows there is an abundance of information at our fingertips these days, and most companies have come to grips with the fact that they can’t control everything that is written about them on the web. The web is one thing, but how about when it comes to your trusted business relationships?

Companies would never guess that the strategic business decisions and confidential information they share with their trusted business advisors – attorneys, accountants, real estate advisors – would be shared on the web without their knowledge, but that is exactly what is happening at many firms.

Surprisingly, most commercial real estate firms pro actively submit details about their clients’ lease information to news publications and CoStar, the commercial real estate version of the Multiple Listing Service. They then pat themselves on the back statistically while their clients’ real estate commitments are there for the world to see.

“We think this is fundamentally wrong and violates our client’s right to confidentiality, not to mention it is destructive to building a relationship based on trust,” says David Marino, Executive Vice President of Hughes Marino, a San Diego based commercial real estate firm. “Companies need to know that they can trust their real estate advisor in the same vein as they trust their attorneys or CPA’s. Their business decisions should never be shared unless they choose to do so.”

What makes this all the more challenging for businesses is that they don’t know their information is being shared until it is too late. Take one tech company in San Diego whose new influx of investment money and plans for growth were being kept under lock and key. In an industry that is moving at light speed, tech startups need every edge they can get. They certainly don’t want their competitors to know the specifics of their growth plans, how many square feet they are expanding into, and how much capital they are expending, tipping off the competition on what may be coming down the pike soon after.

“Our clients have an absolute right to privacy, as does every business owner. We keep their information confidential, because protecting our clients best interest is our best interest,” adds Jason Hughes.