The Leadership Playbook Behind Scaling a National Retail Portfolio - Jahan Moslehi - CEO & Co-Founder - Bridge33 Capital

Jan 20, 2026

Jahan Moslehi, Co-founder and CEO of Bridge33 Capital, shares his remarkable journey from an Iranian immigrant to a leading voice in retail real estate. He discusses how mentorship and hands-on operation helped transform his struggling first deal into a thriving national portfolio. Jahan emphasizes the importance of tenant relationships, rebuts misconceptions about retail's decline, and highlights the resilience of select retail spaces. His insights on decision-making amidst uncertainty and the operational intensity required to succeed are invaluable for aspiring entrepreneurs.

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ANECDOTE

Tow-Driver Lead Turned A Struggling First Deal

Jahan and Andy bought a 19,000 sq ft, 30%-leased strip center in Everett with $2.75M from 20 investors.
A tow-truck driver named Ralph led them to sign a 15-year lease with Jimmy Mac's, turning the deal profitable fast.

INSIGHT

Operator-Led Growth From Distressed CMBS

Bridge33 grew from syndications to funds, scaling nationally by buying mismanaged CMBS and REO retail.
Hands-on operations made those mispriced assets profitable despite being spread across many states.

INSIGHT

COVID Revealed Retail Strengths

During COVID, hands-on tenant contact revealed many suburban retailers thrived, flipping defense into acquisition offense.
That intel justified a rapid, conviction-driven buy in 2020–2021.

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In this episode of The Distribution, Brandon Sedloff sits down with Jahan Moslehi to explore the long arc of building a retail real estate platform rooted in relationships, conviction, and operational discipline. Jahan shares his journey from immigrating to the US as a child to founding Bridge33 Capital, detailing how mentorship, trust, and hands-on execution shaped the firm’s growth. The conversation traces Bridge33’s evolution from its very first deal to a national portfolio, while unpacking why retail has proven far more resilient and misunderstood than many investors assume. Along the way, Jahan offers a candid look at scale, tenant relationships, and the realities of operating through multiple market cycles.

They discuss: • How Bridge33 Capital was built from a single, highly challenged first deal into a national retail platform • Why retail real estate is fundamentally a relationship-driven business and how scale changes competitive dynamics • Lessons learned from mentorship, early conviction, and making decisions with imperfect information • The operational intensity of retail and why hands-on ownership matters more than financial engineering • Common misconceptions about retail and why select retailers and open-air centers continue to thrive

Links:

Jahan on LinkedIn - https://www.linkedin.com/in/jahan-moslehi-5ba04017/

Bridge33 Capital - https://www.bridge33capital.com/

Brandon on LinkedIn - https://www.linkedin.com/in/bsedloff/

Juniper Square - https://www.junipersquare.com/

Topics:

(00:00:00) - Intro (00:03:22) - Jahan's early life and immigration story (00:04:44) - Academic journey and career shift (00:06:43) - Entering the real estate sector (00:08:45) - Founding Bridge33 Capital (00:09:37) - Challenges and early successes (00:29:01) - Unexpected success with leasing (00:32:54) - Building Bridge33's portfolio (00:38:13) - Expanding and raising funds (00:46:31) - The importance of relationships in retail (00:52:32) - Future of Bridge33 and retail insights