The Walker Webcast

In this episode, Willy Walker, Chairman, and CEO of Walker & Dunlop, gives the opening remarks at the Walker & Dunlop Summer Conference 2022 in Sun Valley, Idaho.The presentation starts with Willy thanking his team for successfully organizing this yearly event. He opens with a disclaimer, informing the audience that he will share opinions about politics. He compares the current state of the world to a "three-headed animal," with inflation rates, the war in Ukraine, and a massive political divide filling in news headlines. He says it is worth remembering that we are in a better place than we were two years ago. The US economy has improved, which Willy calls on for resolving supply chain issues and controlling rising rates. He states that cable television and the money behind it is what's driving the political divide. Les Moonves once said, "Trump may not be good for the United States, but he is good for CBS." He cites the significance of former governor Bill Haslam's insights on looking for solutions in governance: "Getting to the right answer is more important than our answer." With hordes of angry commentators and extreme supporters, Willy believes that more complex and nuanced solutions are what we truly need to solve issues. He retells his experience responding to a tweet about the Supreme Court's decision regarding the Brett Kavanaugh case, arguing that the ones who never contemplated their votes are the real problem, not the individuals who struggled with their decision made a hard call. He says that the middle is the place where we have to be to be able to "pull everyone together and start to find solutions." He fears that the divisiveness of US politics will only get worse.Listen to the replay!If you have any comments or questions, please reach out to your main Walker & Dunlop point of contact. We are all available to answer questions and provide assistance. Additionally, if you have topics you would like covered during one of our future webcasts, we would be happy to take your suggestions. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

In this special episode, Willy welcomes Jamie Lee Curtis. She is an actress, producer, director, inventor, and author. With an illustrious career spanning four decades, she has appeared in widely loved films, such as "Halloween," "Trading Places," "True Lies," "Knives Out," and A24's highest-grossing film to date, "Everything Everywhere All At Once." She has starred in numerous sitcoms, such as "Anything But Love," "The Heidi Chronicles," and "Scream Queens." She has written 13 children's books, narrated for Audible's "Letters From Camp," and is the host and producer of "Good Friend," an iHeartMedia podcast. She is an amateur photographer and an advocate for children, animals, and the environment. Happily married for 37 years to Christopher Guest, she now has two adult children. The podcast begins with Jamie sharing her stepfather's influence on her when it comes to business. Bob Brandt was an ex-marine and a self-made businessman who taught Jamie the value of money and the greatest finance lesson of her life: "Save every penny you've ever made." She continues to talk about her mother, Janet Leigh, popularly known as Marion Crane from the cult-classic horror film "Psycho." She remembers her mother as someone who "came from nothing" and was discovered by Tom Cruise but goes out of her way to memorize the names of everyone around her and get to know them deeply – a trait that Jamie has emulated. Jamie's thoughts about social media revolved around it being a poison to the youth and how it should be "about standing for something." She wants to relate to others on both sides as "that's the goal of America." When it comes to comments, she advises, "Don't read the comments. Period. Say what you mean. Mean what you say. Don't say it mean. And get the f*** out." Working with her mother made her strive to honor her parents by doing her best in everything she was set to do. She uncovers a downside to fame as she says, "Fame doesn't disappear…. But what made you famous goes away," expressing her heartbreak over what her parents have experienced in showbiz. Jamie attests to putting one foot out the door so that she can leave anytime if the limelight is not where she belongs anymore. She is grateful for staying relevant even in her sixties. She talks about the difference between earning TV money and movie money. She advises everyone to give their money away while they're still alive and use it to live life to the fullest. "I want to die fully alive… manifest my destiny so I can leave a little bit of goodness in the world before I go. She shares her experience working for Blumhouse for the "Halloween" movies, being "a final girl," and acting with fake blood in most of her films. She retells her fairy-tale-like experience of marrying Christopher Guest and the interesting aspects of filming kiss scenes. She touches on her latest movie, "Everything Everywhere All At Once," and how her friends thought it was "the worst movie they have ever seen." She adds that sitcom work is her favorite job and that James Cameron wrote "True Lies" with her in mind. She describes the director as someone who "can do every single job on a movie except acting, which is why actors love working for him." She developed a close friendship with Arnold Schwarzenegger on set and described the challenges of portraying Helen Tasker. She ends the show with a touching message: "The most important thing is who we are as human beings, with other human beings." Even in today's troubled times, she believes respect and humanity should come first above all else. Tune in to this new episode of the Walker Webcast — Behind the Scenes with Jamie Lee Curtis. ▶️Listen to the replay!If you have any comments or questions, please reach out to your main Walker & Dunlop point of contact. We are all available to answer questions and provide assistance. Additionally, if you have topics you would like covered during one of our future webcasts, we would be happy to take your suggestions. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Willy welcomes Peter Linneman. He is the principal of Linneman Associates, KL, Realty, and American Land Fund. Having been a member of the Wharton School of Business’s faculty at the University of Pennsylvania for 32 years, he is the Albert Sussman Emeritus Professor of Real Estate, Finance, and Business Public Policy and is the co-founding editor of The Wharton Real Estate Review, publishing 80 articles. He is cited as one of the 25 Most Influential People in Real Estate by Realtor Magazine and one of the 100 Most Powerful People in New York Real estate by the New York Observer. He is a highly sought-after speaker and author, with his quarterly research, The Linneman Letter, the most respected publication in real estate for the past 11 years. The Walker Webcast begins with Peter emphasizing inflation is transitory with supply lagging demand due to 23% of the workforce collecting unemployment insurance. Also, industrial output is only 3% in Q1. Expanding output would be profitable, but most companies are not following through. Oil prices would normalize when production increases. The US remains the largest producer of oil in the world, and the situation of $260 a barrel is unlikely because supply is predicted to adjust. Besides, the US exports weapons and food, which Southeast Asian countries will highly favor due to tensions with China. Peter advises giving the supply 3-4 years of adjustment. The Federal Reserve System would not have control over long-term interest rates as $5 trillion in cash is set aside. He describes how debt should not be the main concern but “getting your money’s worth” and continues to say how federal debt is largely misunderstood. The higher the debt is, the bigger the political problems are because debt is owed by US citizens individually, not the state. Tune in to this new episode of the Walker Webcast — The Best Hour in CRE with Peter Linneman, Leading Economist, Former Wharton Professor. ▶️ Key Points In The Webcast: 00:35 Willy welcomes Peter Linneman 03:21 Inflation is transitory, and supply lags demand 08:02 Decrease in oil prices due to supply adjustment 10:33 The US posed to export more weapons, oil, and food 14:21 Why the Fed has no control over long-term interest rates 20:19 Peter’s opinion on national debt concerns 26:13 Significant growth exists despite COVID-19 32:06 Stress tests and fear holding banks back from lending 34:33 Lowering debt to cope with interest 38:14 The strength of the US dollar 41:20 Returning to office and productivity vs. profit 45:29 Generation gap and what inflation means in real estate 49:45 The trend of moving to coastal gateway cities 52:57 The economic state under Joe BidenListen to the replay!If you have any comments or questions, please reach out to your main Walker & Dunlop point of contact. We are all available to answer questions and provide assistance. Additionally, if you have topics you would like covered during one of our future webcasts, we would be happy to take your suggestions. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

In this episode, Willy welcomes Bill Haslam. He is the former two-term mayor of Knoxville, Tennessee and former two-term governor of Tennessee, reelected in 2014 with the largest victory margin of any gubernatorial election in Tennessee history. During his tenure, Tennessee became the fastest improving state in the country in K-12 education and the first state to provide free community college or technical school for all of its citizens. The state also added 475,000 net new jobs during his term. Haslam serves on the boards of Teach for America and Young Life and is a visiting professor of political science at Vanderbilt University. He is the author of Faithful Presence: The Promise and Peril of Faith in the Public Square. Bill is a graduate of Emory University. He and his wife of 40 years, Crissy, have three children and ten grandchildren.The podcast begins with Bill sharing how he changed his mind about becoming a teacher and going to the seminary. His father advised him to work in the family company, Pilot Corporation, to hone his communication and business skills, which he found to be a more “interesting and challenging environment”. He is optimistic about the trajectory of the business despite pointing out America’s supply-and-demand issue. In the early days of internet retailing, he moved on to be the CEO of Saks Fifth Avenue, seeing it as a fresh and different challenge. The Friday Five, a peer support group he created with a lawyer, banker, salesman, and dentist, held weekly meetings and encouraged him to run for the Knoxville mayoral position. Bill explains how crucial it is to be surrounded by people who know you well before making life-changing decisions as they give the best advice. He continues to explain how Americans have forgotten the importance of governing and institutions to a public democracy due to extreme divisiveness. He urges everyone to support officials with a history of problem-solving. As a mayor, he emphasizes the significance of vulnerability that although it is uncomfortable, it allows him to examine himself in new ways.Listen to the replay!If you have any comments or questions, please reach out to your main Walker & Dunlop point of contact. We are all available to answer questions and provide assistance. Additionally, if you have topics you would like covered during one of our future webcasts, we would be happy to take your suggestions. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

In this episode, Willy welcomes Taylor Heinicke. He is the quarterback of the Washington Commanders of the National Football League. Previously playing college football at Old Dominion University (ODU), he was signed by the Minnesota Vikings as an undrafted free agent after the 2015 NFL Draft. He has also been a member of the New England Patriots, Houston Texans, Carolina Panthers, and the St Louis Battle Hawks of the XFL. The Walker Webcast begins with Taylor reminiscing about his early start at ODU, receiving the offer during his senior year, and committing to it immediately. He attributes his confidence and tenacity to his parents. Starting out disliking football, he gave it a chance and fell in love with the sport. He explains that back then, people associated football with South Georgia, and as someone from the North and of smaller stature, it became a chip on his shoulder and proved his talent and skills. He describes playing in high school and college as not having much difference, but only when moving up levels are the players much stronger and smarter. It pushes him “to be good all the time, not just some of the time”. He retells his comeback as a “bizarre game” but “was a lot of fun” as he threw for 730 yards, five touchdowns, ran for another 60, and another touchdown. His collegiate injuries included a concussion and an AC joint separation, but he never missed any games in his career. In his mind, he believed he had to “grind through it”. He mentions coach Scott Turner of Minnesota as someone who showed interest in him early on, keeping him on the team. Taylor retells meeting Tom Brady during his stint with the Patriots. “He’s already in there with a coffee in his hand,” Taylor says, “I got to kind of pick his brain and be around him… which was a really cool experience.” Debuting in the NFL on Christmas Day was a surprise for Taylor as he was thrown into the team after T.J. Yates’ injury. He describes his feelings while playing on national television as an “Oh my God moment” but also blacking out and then getting into a state of focus. Despite a concussion, he moved to the Carolina Panthers, seeing it as “a second start,” where he learned from his previous mistakes and improved on them. COVID-19 halted most of Taylor’s activities, but he still continued to train in hopes of receiving a call. In terms of signing contracts, when presented with one from the Redskins, Taylor would ensure terms were guaranteed, and his hard work would not go to waste. However, he would not base his excellent performance on bonuses and incentives alone.Listen to the replay!If you have any comments or questions, please reach out to your main Walker & Dunlop point of contact. We are all available to answer questions and provide assistance. Additionally, if you have topics you would like covered during one of our future webcasts, we would be happy to take your suggestions. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

In this Walker Webcast, Willy welcomes Adi Ignatius. As the Editor in Chief of the Harvard Business Review Group and the publisher of HBR Press, he oversees the editorial activities of HBR, HBR.org, and its book-publishing unit. Before getting onboard HBR in 2009, he was the #2 editor at TIME. Two books he edited, President Obama: The Path to the White House and Prisoner of the State: The Secret Diaries of Premier Zhao Ziyang, became New York Times’ Bestsellers. Living and working overseas, he previously worked as an editor of TIME’s Asian edition and Beijing Bureau Chief and Moscow Bureau Chief for the Wall Street Journal. With HBR turning a century old in 2022, the publication aims to be credible and valuable, publishing the best ideas and research. From gathering ideas in their inbox to being more proactive, Adi explains that the editors strive to write about relevant topics while delivering long-form content. Their digital domain has garnered more attention as the physical copies took a setback. With their active Instagram presence, Adi says they want to “give people a nugget that has value then provide a link to go deeper,” providing an option to consume short pieces or in-depth research. He attributes their revenue success to their dedicated paying subscribers.Listen to the replay!If you have any comments or questions, please reach out to your main Walker & Dunlop point of contact. We are all available to answer questions and provide assistance. Additionally, if you have topics you would like covered during one of our future webcasts, we would be happy to take your suggestions. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

In this episode, Willy welcomes Governor Jared Polis. Before serving as the 43rd governor of Colorado since 2009, his political experience spans from being a Colorado State Board of Education member to a United States representative from Colorado’s 2nd congressional district. He is an entrepreneur at heart, founding ProFlowers in 1998 and TechStars in 2006. As an openly gay man, he advocates for LGBTQ+ and racial equality in Colorado. He has committed to ensuring all Coloradans have the opportunity to pursue their dreams by opening schools for at-risk students and new students and starting nonprofits for war veterans. The podcast begins with Governor Polis emphasizing “Colorado for All” and how people of all races and genders are the foundation of making the state“an amazing place.” His mother, Susan Polis Schutz, wrote Depression and Back, an integral influence on Governor Polis’ mental health policies. “We inherited an overly complicated and inefficient behavioral system…First days in the office, [I said] let’s fix this.” Reshaping the bureaucracy was a challenge, yet he believes that “getting things done at state-level is possible,” as he pushed for accountability and transparency. He proudly describes Colorado’s implementation of the red flag law, which allows families to temporarily confiscate guns from loved ones experiencing a mental health crisis. He supports universal background checks but points out a loophole: “You can drive an hour and a half to an open-air gun show in Wyoming and purchase a weapon without a background check.” As an entrepreneur, he enjoys how the private sector is always innovating but also finds the public sector fulfilling as it gives him a chance to improve people’s quality of life. With the previous governor, John Hickenlooper’s entrepreneurial background, Colorado has become a startup-friendly state, eliminating the costs of opening a business. Colorado's ranching and farming communities are fundamental to its economic growth, so Governor Polis prioritizes rural-urban unity. He continues to empower the agricultural technology sector with new practices and equipment as the state also depends on outdoor recreation. Governor Polis opposes buy-and-dry efforts and pushes for water conservation. In terms of natural disasters, Colorado has improved its rapid response and additional mitigation after experiencing three large wildfires in 2020. Governor Polis wants to create a better outdoor lifestyle experience, initiating the revitalization of main streets post-pandemic. Colorado aims to be 100% renewable energy by 2040. As COVID-19 infection numbers are dwindling, Governor Polis has stayed in the middle ground regarding wearing masks and lockdowns, giving people the freedom of choice. He focuses on reducing health care and pharma costs with a reinsurance program and talks with the FDA. With the positive effects of the cannabis industry, the Safe Banking Act aims to allow financial services even with businesses outside of state laws. Forbes ranked Colorado Springs and Boulder in the top five of the 100 Best Cities in America, increasing the volume of people moving into the state and driving housing affordability concerns. Governor Polis’ solution is to build more infrastructure to avoid disrupting the quality of life. His superb intellect fuels his desire to surround himself and delegate creative people to his side. He expresses no interest in running for national office due to his fiery passion for protecting Colorado’s urban and rural landscape for the newer generations to come.Listen to the replay!If you have any comments or questions, please reach out to your main Walker & Dunlop point of contact. We are all available to answer questions and provide assistance. Additionally, if you have topics you would like covered during one of our future webcasts, we would be happy to take your suggestions. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

In this episode, Willy welcomes John Hope Bryant. He is the founder, chairman, and CEO of Operation Hope, a nonprofit aiming to empower the youth and adults with financial literacy and economic education. He is the CEO of Bryant Group Ventures and The Promise Homes Company, the largest for-profit minority-owned single-family rental home operator in the United States. He retells his humble beginnings as an African-American entrepreneur in his bestselling books on economics and leadership, such as How the Poor Can Save Capitalism and Up from Nothing. Named the 2016 Innovator of the Year by American Banker magazine, he is currently the first entrepreneur scholar in residence at Clark Atlanta University. The podcast begins with John emphasizing the importance of energy and relationships in every aspect of our lives. He narrates his childhood of finding out his genius IQ score but never internalizing it as he continued to hustle his way to success. He attributes his self-esteem to his mom’s unwavering expression of love as he believes that achievements are not “so much about being smart but are about being resilient.” He shares a story about Mike Maples, Jr. to drive home the point of having a winning mentality. “You don’t create a business to sell to Disney, but to buy Disney,” Mike Maples, Sr. said. John also highlights the significance of creating an environment of positive role models for children. “Brilliance is transferable everywhere,” he says. After a period of working in the entertainment business, John proceeded to do banking and finance. He believes capitalism can be a force for transformational change. With the privilege of education and setting up a candy shop, John realized his entrepreneurial dream and desire to give back to his community. “The color should not be red, blue, black, or white – but how do we all get some green… My calling is to unleash the untapped potential of the bottom of the pyramid.” He points out that the solution to poverty isn’t to distribute wealth but to teach others how to create it. He calls for giving children the incentive to study by teaching business creation and computing and providing internships. In the Great Resignation, more small businesses emerged since 2004, and 38% were owned by Black women. John has mastered the art of developing long-standing relationships with his deep heart for people. “You’ve got to live with something larger and more important than yourself.” He has also tapped into his intuition in his decision-making process as he thinks it’s “God speaking to you through you.” He practices treating everyone equally and being open to different perspectives – be it Republican, Democratic, poverty, wealth, local, or global. Upon talking to his pastor, the notable piece of advice he received was, “Take your business skills… and build wealth and opportunity in our neighborhoods.” Greed predisposes most people to financial failure, and he urges companies to offer financial coaching to their employees. On his journey to becoming an inspirational leader, he credits it to his ability to manage failure. He calls out to the United States to focus on building rather than thinking of what divides us. Love should be prioritized above all else as it is “the only self-renewing energy on the planet.”Listen to the replay!If you have any comments or questions, please reach out to your main Walker & Dunlop point of contact. We are all available to answer questions and provide assistance. Additionally, if you have topics you would like covered during one of our future webcasts, we would be happy to take your suggestions. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

In this episode, Willy welcomes Thomas Daniels. Previously a managing director and senior banker for investment banking recruiting at JPMorgan, Thomas is motivated to “discover and develop talent for a better future.” As a senior director and partner at Spencer Stuart, he has served on the firm’s audit and risk and cybersecurity committees and worked on executive search, succession planning, executive assessment, and board assignments for large multinationals, midcap private equity, and asset management firms. He is a speaker and panelist and has contributed to several articles, such as “Recruiting the Next Generation of Financial Experts to Boards” and “Lessons and Advice for Today’s CFO”. The podcast begins with Thomas explaining how the Great Resignation has impacted Spencer Stuart. Although negative on the surface, he believes there is “more liquidity than ever in human capital markets,” as Gen Z and millennial employees are upskilling and more concerned with work-life balance. To retain top talent, enlightened companies are proactive in getting people engaged and prioritizing a culture of purpose, mentorship, and recognition. Despite the surge of remote meetings, more people are moving across states for greener career pastures. Spencer Stuart experienced a 19% surge of board meetings in 2021, which Thomas connects to unprecedented issues caused by the pandemic. The hybrid model has expanded the firm’s pool of potential directors. As 70% of CEOs in the S&P 500 had no prior C-level experience, the criteria for effective CEOs have shifted from an extensive background experience to self-awareness and thinking agility. Thomas enumerates the firm’s methods for spotting the outstanding ones: deep dive assessments, off-channel references, and executive intelligence interviews.Listen to the replay!If you have any comments or questions, please reach out to your main Walker & Dunlop point of contact. We are all available to answer questions and provide assistance. Additionally, if you have topics you would like covered during one of our future webcasts, we would be happy to take your suggestions. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

In this episode, Willy welcomes Michael Bennet. Holding public office as the U.S. Senator for Colorado since 2009, Michael is driven by “an obligation to create more opportunity for the next generation.” He has built a strong reputation as a source of pragmatic and independent thinking, uniting Democrats and Republicans in tackling the country’s toughest issues, such as early childhood education, climate change, healthcare, and national security. His unfailing heart for service began even before his senatorial stint, helping to restructure failed businesses and creating the world’s largest movie theater chain, AMC. Starting off, Willy asks Michael about the reasons behind his career choice as a politician. Michael expresses gratitude to have contributed to Denver Public Schools as a superintendent, describing his past work experiences have widened his perspective on business and service. Being born in New Delhi, he disbelieves it to be a hurdle in his 2019 presidential campaign. He fondly talks about his father, Douglas J. Bennet, and his term as an editor for Yale Law Review, describing it as “the most luxurious three years of his life.” Michael then retells his experience working with Dick Celeste and how he reached the conclusion, “I wasn’t put on this earth to practice law. I just didn’t enjoy it.” He continues his journey by buying up Regal Cinemas, creating the largest motion picture exhibitor in the world. Michael reminisces on the day he was sworn in as senator, describing how former Colorado governor Ben Ritter made the historical appointment possible. He characterizes Colorado as “a crucible of American politics” as he relentlessly strives to protect the honor of Ritter’s decision. Michael remains firm on his stance on exerting more efforts on climate change and how the West is suffering from a water shortage. “One of my great frustrations is that we’ve done a terrible job,” he says. Another pressing issue is the negative effects of inflation on the current U.S. economy as the average American citizen works tirelessly yet is still unable to afford housing, healthcare, and education. He urges the market to consider onshore manufacturing to maintain ethically-run supply chains. As one of the powerful forces behind the Build Back Better Act, Michael laments that “it’s going to be very hard to get it over to the finish line.” He also provides his two cents on the Russian-Ukrainian conflict, stating it as solid proof that democracy will always win over totalitarianism. He believes underestimating the Ukrainian people was a huge mistake on Putin’s part and that balance in leadership is needed to figure out the best strategy for overcoming nationwide attacks. As a qualified lawyer, Michael gives his perspective on the Roe v. Wade leak and the importance of voting for people who believe in women’s rights and are pro-choice. Even as a gun owner himself, Michael supports the move for universal background checks in connection to Colorado’s dark history with gun violence. Despite this, he voted against Dianne Feinstein’s legislation as he believed it was “an obsolete approach.” For the 2024 presidential elections, Michael predicts Joe Biden and Donald Trump running once again. Willy and Michael end the episode with Michael looking back on his viral speech on the Senate floor in 2013, speaking against Ted Cruz’s call for a government shutdown.Listen to the replay!If you have any comments or questions, please reach out to your main Walker & Dunlop point of contact. We are all available to answer questions and provide assistance. Additionally, if you have topics you would like covered during one of our future webcasts, we would be happy to take your suggestions. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices