Commercial Real Estate Secrets

This week on Commercial Real Estate Secrets, I brought James Milner, CCIM back for round two—because we hit a nerve last time: overpriced software in commercial real estate.

James runs Appalachian Commercial Real Estate out of Boone, North Carolina, and today we dig into something that might sound boring on the surface… but is game-changing if you’re in this business:

👉 How to use public data—like your county ass...

This week on Commercial Real Estate Secrets, I sit down with my friend James Milner, CCIM, a commercial real estate broker out of North Carolina with Appalachian CRE.

James and I met nearly two years ago at the CREI Summit, and we’ve stayed connected ever since. In this episode, we catch up on his CRE journey—from stepping into the content game on TikTok to earning his first six-figure commission after years of consistency...

This week on Commercial Real Estate Secrets, I’m telling you a wild story that challenged everything I thought I knew about office space in 2025.

We’ve all heard the narrative—“office is dead.” I work from home. I love working from home. And I’ve toured countless empty, lifeless offices. But then something happened that completely changed my perspective.

I had the chance to produce a podcast featuring Gary Vaynerc...

When interest rates are rising, deals are falling through, and uncertainty dominates the headlines—what’s the smartest way to invest in commercial real estate?

In this episode of Commercial Real Estate Secrets, I’m joined again by real estate attorney and investor Steven Spierer to unpack how seasoned investors navigate volatility without losing their edge. With over 3,000 multifamily units under management and nearly five...

In this special crossover episode, I sit down with Steven Spierer—real estate attorney, investor, and host of TalkRadio1.com—for a wide-ranging conversation on the legal and strategic fundamentals behind real estate investing.

Steven has been practicing law and investing in real estate for 47 years. In this episode, we explore the biggest pitfalls he’s seen investors make—and the timeless principles that separate smart ope...

This week on Commercial Real Estate Secrets, I sat down with Richard C. Wilson, CEO of Family Office Club—the largest network of ultra-wealthy investors in the world.

We got into everything—from how to actually reach family offices to why most people blow the pitch before they even get started.

If you're raising capital, structuring CRE deals, or just want to understand how the wealthy think, this conversatio...

This week on Commercial Real Estate Secrets, I sit down with Ben Reinberg—CEO of Alliance CGC, creator of the Hard Asset Empire Blueprint, and author of Hard Assets and Hard Money for Hard Times—to break down what it really takes to build lasting wealth in today’s uncertain economy.

In a time when liquidity is tightening and the market feels shaky, Ben shares why hard assets are the most reliable path to long-term stabilit...

What a conversation!

In this episode of Commercial Real Estate Secrets, I sit down with Zach Molzer—the 24-year-old developer who’s flipping a 100-year-old haunted hotel in the heart of Kansas City into 122 apartments, a rooftop cocktail bar, and over 20,000 square feet of amenity space.

We get into:

• How Zach found and locked down the Aladdin Hotel deal
• The 3-part process to qualify for state and federal histori...

In this episode of Commercial Real Estate Secrets, I sat down with Rafael Weiss, the founder and CEO of Sytes—the reverse marketplace that’s closing CRE deals faster (and cheaper) than anything we’ve seen before.

You’ve heard of CoStar. You’ve heard of Crexi. But Sytes is doing what neither of them will: putting tenants first.

Instead of landlords listing properties and hoping someone bites, Sytes lets tenants post exactly where they...

This week on Commercial Real Estate Secrets, I chat with Carson Baird—industrial and land broker based in Southwest Florida and proud twin dad—to talk about the power of social selling in commercial real estate. Carson shares how his consistent presence on LinkedIn helped him break into a competitive market, close a $3.2M deal, and build a nationwide referral network—all while raising newborn twins.

🔑 What You’ll Learn:

If you’re tired of cold calling, chasing leads, or feeling like your credibility is always on trial—this one’s for you.

I sat down with author and CRE strategist Ed Winslow to talk about how he built an inbound lead machine using proof, positioning, and online authority. The same approach that got him featured on the front page of the New York Times—twice.

📌 This isn’t theory. It’s a playbook for brokers who want...

This week on Commercial Real Estate Secrets, I sit down with Brittany Megrath, owner and principal broker at M Square Commercial, to dig into the evolving world of retail real estate and ground-up development. From fast-food drive-thrus to the explosion of Las Vegas, Brittany shares what’s working in retail, why land pricing is more critical than ever, and how developers are adapting to a high-cost, high-uncertainty market.

This week, I sat down with Matt Buchalski—head of sales at OwnWell and founder of Deep Blue Capital—to talk about something that’s crushing a lot of investors right now: property taxes.

Let’s be real—pricing peaked in 2022, but the tax assessments haven’t caught up. If you’re not actively appealing, you’re probably getting fleeced. Matt and I go deep on how he and the OwnWell team are using AI, machine learning, and real-t...

This one’s for the brokers, investors, and dealmakers who think they know 1031 exchanges—but are still stuck in the “sell-then-buy” mindset. In this real-world deep dive with Chassidy Goolsby, aka The 1031 Gal, we’re breaking past the basics and into the gray areas the IRS doesn’t put in the brochure.

We get into:

• Forward vs. reverse exchanges (and when to use each)
• The 45-day trap most brokers don’t warn you about
• Why im...

On this episode of Commercial Real Estate Secrets, I had the absolute pleasure of catching up with my friend, fellow mom, and one of the sharpest brokers I know—Amy Calandrino. She’s the founder of Beyond Commercial and just released her first book, From Perfect to Real.

Amy and I talk about the pressure to always have it together in commercial real estate—and how admitting you're not okay can actually be your greates...

This week, I sat down with Rod Santomassimo, founder of the Massimo Group and one of the most influential voices in commercial real estate coaching. Rod has helped some of the biggest names in the business—including Bob Knakal—scale their income and sharpen their focus. I’m proud to say I’ve been working with Rod for over a year now, and his impact on my mindset and business has been game-changing.

In this episode, we talk...

This week, I sit down with Topher Stephenson, Head of Operations at Aspire Commercial and author of Chat CRE News—the leading newsletter on AI and tech in commercial real estate. In this episode, Topher breaks down how ChatGPT is becoming a secret weapon for brokers, operators, and owners looking to save time and scale smarter.

What we cover:

• How Topher uses ChatGPT to create bios, draft property descriptions, and even ...

In this episode of Commercial Real Estate Secrets, I sit down with Justin Ryder, a commercial real estate advisor, investor, and media creator based in Kentucky. Justin is the co-host of Sales Life, a new podcast redefining what it means to thrive in brokerage—with a focus on authenticity, consistency, and human connection.

We talk about:
🚀 How content creation brought him repeat deals and long-term clients
🎯 W...

In this episode of Commercial Real Estate Secrets, I sit down with Brent Bowers, land investor and founder of The Landsharks. After deployments and landlord headaches, Brent found a high-margin niche no one was talking about—flipping raw land for massive profits, building passive income, and ultimately, buying commercial properties with cash flow from dirt. 🏞️

We talk about:
🚀 How Brent turned $285 land deals into mu...