
The Lead Sponsor - Real Estate Investing Through Syndications and Funds
Welcome to The Lead Sponsor Podcast where host David T. Robinson interviews $100M+ real estate investors, syndication sponsors, and investment fund managers from all across the country. We extract their strategies, systems, and secrets to help you on your commercial real estate investing journey.
Latest episodes

Jan 3, 2023 • 43min
$450M in Real Estate Projects, Strong Towns Development Concept, and Virtual Cold Calling Team - with Thomas Staub | TLS238
Guest Bio:Tom Staub is the CEO and Managing Principal of Red Oak Development Group, overseeing project underwriting, financial planning, debt and equity strategy, company expansion, and project development. Tom has 15 years of business expertise and focuses on project viability, partnerships, and investor relations. Red Oak has funded eight projects and has six active projects with 489 acres and 2,200 lots, with a total valuation of $188M.Show Highlights:How he got started in the real estate businessHow his business is structured and what they focus on.His integrated engineering company.Why he’s looking to bring construction in house. How he runs his company like a tech company.The key KPI’s he focuses on.How his VA’s are tasked with making 1800 calls to land owners per quarter. Why he moved out of the single family investment world and moved into more passive investingHis ideal project today and what he’s looking for in the deal and how he finds the deal. Case Study: 700 acres Stong Town Development in Lockhart, Texas. $40M in acquisition on the dirt, Exit valuation of $2B to $3B by 2030Connect with our Guest:Redoakvc.comARE YOU A PASSIVE INVESTOR LOOKING FOR PRE-VETTING COMMERCIAL MULTIFAMILY INVESTMENT OPPORTUNITIES? VISIT CANOVOCAPITAL.COM TO CONNECT WITH US LOVE THE SHOW? Please subscribe, rate, review and share! Thank you!

Dec 27, 2022 • 53min
Buying 1 Billion in 5 Years; Navigating the 2008 Recession; Explosive Growth Strategies - with Gideon Pfeffer | TLS237
Guest Bio:Gideon Pfeffer serves as the CEO and Managing Partner for The GSH Group, a full-service real estate investment firm focusing on existing residential multi-family apartment communities. Gideon is responsible for strategic partnership initiatives and ventures, equity and debt opportunities, overseeing investment performance, and approving decisions on investments and acquisitions. He also oversees daily operations. Under Gideon's leadership and direction, the GSH Group has raised and placed over $300 million of equity and assembled a portfolio of over 7400 apartment units in five states, worth over a billion dollars.Show Highlights:His business structure - 3 partners, 25 employees, 7400 units under managementHis buying criteriaHis journey from mortgage broker, to fix and flip, to buying thousands of foreclosure homes for institutional buyers, and his transition to multifamily. How he navigated the previous recession. How he built his business and acquired 1 Billion in multifamily in 5 years. Predictions for the multifamily market in the next 12 months.Advice for up-and-coming sponsors. Connect with our Guest:https://gshrealestate.com/ARE YOU A PASSIVE INVESTOR LOOKING FOR PRE-VETTING COMMERCIAL MULTIFAMILY INVESTMENT OPPORTUNITIES? VISIT CANOVOCAPITAL.COM TO CONNECT WITH US LOVE THE SHOW? Please subscribe, rate, review and share! Thank you!

Dec 20, 2022 • 40min
30 Years, 2 Billion in Acquisitions; Pooled Investment Funds; Fund Administration - with Matt Burk | TLS236
Guest Bio:Matt Burk is the CEO of Fairway America and Chairman of its affiliate, Verivest. Originally founding Fairway Financial Services in 1992, Mr. Burk has led their growth from a small operation to the robust market leaders they are today. He is a passionate industry coach, advising many middle-market real estate entrepreneurs, fund managers, and sponsors on all aspects of 506 Regulation D fund business. Additionally, Mr. Burk authored the seminal book on capital raising for middle-market real estate entrepreneurs, Capital Attraction.Having spent his full professional career in real estate finance, he has expansive exposure to all real estate asset classes, structured finance, distressed debt acquisition, disposition, real estate syndications and pooled investment funds. A former basketball player and lifelong sports fan, Matt received a Bachelor of Science degree in economics from the University of California, Davis.Connect with our Guest:matt.burk@fairwayamerica.com or matt.burk@verivest.comARE YOU A PASSIVE INVESTOR LOOKING FOR PRE-VETTING COMMERCIAL MULTIFAMILY INVESTMENT OPPORTUNITIES? VISIT CANOVOCAPITAL.COM TO CONNECT WITH US LOVE THE SHOW? Please subscribe, rate, review and share! Thank you!

Dec 13, 2022 • 47min
$300 Million in Mobile Home Parks; Park Management Strategies, 270 Unit MHP Case Study - with Sam Hales | TLS235
Sam Hales is a Private Equity Real Estate fund manager with $300M+ AUM and Founder of the Saratoga Group. Saratoga Group was established in 2011 and is exclusively focused on the purchase, revitalization, and operation of Mobile Home Communities.Show Highlights:- Overview of Sam's company (Saratoga Group) - 6100 lots - across 17 states - 97 communities. - His schooling - Undergrad at BYU - Chemical Engineering- His first real estate acquisition- Sourcing Equity from Chinese Investors and buying large amounts of single-family homes. - Why and how he shifted to mobile home parks. - Type of mobile home park he is looking to acquire. - The management challenges and strategies of a scattered portfolio of mobile home parks. - Why he has decided to keep management in-house.- Case Study: 270 unit MHP in Greenville, NC. - His top way to source deals- His prediction for the real estate market over the next 12 months. Guest Bio: Sam Hales is a Private Equity Real Estate fund manager with $300M+ AUM and Founder of the Saratoga Group. Saratoga Group was established in 2011 and is exclusively focused on the purchase, revitalization, and operation of Mobile Home Communities. Sam’s previous real estate experience includes distressed asset workouts, land development, redevelopment, and lease options. Aside from being the lead investor/developer in the entitlement and development of large tracts of land, since 2009, he has been actively purchasing single-family properties in the Sacramento and Bay Area markets. Sam has touched nearly every CRE asset class including industrial, office, hospitality single, and multi-family. But he loves the MH asset class and believes it is a vital part of the solution to today's housing affordability crisis. Sam is passionate about helping local communities. He is an active member of the Auburn Economic Development Council. Sam currently sits on the board for Auburn Sutter Faith Hospital and volunteers with local Boy Scouts and Church youth groups. Sam received his MBA from The Wharton School of Business with an emphasis in Finance and a BS from BYU in Chemical Engineering. Connect with our Guest: https://www.linkedin.com/in/samhalesARE YOU A PASSIVE INVESTOR LOOKING FOR PRE-VETTING COMMERCIAL MULTIFAMILY INVESTMENT OPPORTUNITIES? VISIT CANOVOCAPITAL.COM TO CONNECT WITH US LOVE THE SHOW? Please subscribe, rate, review and share! Thank you!

Dec 6, 2022 • 50min
Selling a 5000 Unit Portfolio; 1000 Units from Mom & Pop Owners; Successful Partnership Structures - with Stewart Beal | TLS234
Stewart Beal is a serial entrepreneur who brings extensive management, marketing, and leadership abilities to all Beal Capital projects. Stewart has been actively involved in real estate, construction, acquisition, development, and management since 1997. When he was nineteen years old, Stewart founded Beal Properties, LLC, and has since founded more than twenty other companies in the real estate and construction industries. Beal Properties has purchased more than 100 properties over the past 17 years - in Ypsilanti, Ann Arbor, Toledo, Detroit, Monroe, and Dundee. His company currently manages over 3,000 apartment units, office spaces, and single-family homes. Beal Properties employs more than 60 team members in Michigan and Ohio. Stewart is a founding member of Watermark Partners, which manages a set of real estate funds that have raised and deployed more than $100 million in equity, closed more than 150 real estate transactions, and acquired more than 6,000 apartments over the past 5 years.Show Highlights:How his business is structured and current portfolioSelling a lawn care business at the age of 19 for $250kHis first real estate investmentBuilding his property management companyAcquiring 300M in his first syndication companySelling the 5000 unit portfolio, dissolving the business, and going off on his own.6 Ways he finds off-market, mom-and-pop deals. What he’s looking for in a good dealConnect with our Guest:sbeal@gobeal.comARE YOU A PASSIVE INVESTOR LOOKING FOR PRE-VETTING COMMERCIAL MULTIFAMILY INVESTMENT OPPORTUNITIES? VISIT CANOVOCAPITAL.COM TO CONNECT WITH US LOVE THE SHOW? Please subscribe, rate, review and share! Thank you!

Nov 29, 2022 • 45min
From Fix & Flip to $350M Portfolio of Mobile Home Parks and Self Storage - with Jeremiah Boucher | TLS233
Jeremiah Boucher is a value investor who specializes in the acquisition and development of alternative commercial real estate assets. He learned the real estate business from the ground up and currently owns and operates a $350M portfolio of high-performing commercial properties. He has had a hand in retail, office, industrial, multi-family, single-family, and all facets of commercial real estate, which is how he came to the conclusion that alternative commercial real estate assets are the highest-performing, risk-averse investments. He has built his own private equity and real estate management and development company, Patriot Holdings.Show Highlights:His journey from fix and flip and losing everything in 2008 to building a 350M PortfolioThe challenges with manufactured housing and why he moved to self-storageHis management strategy for self-storage facilitiesCase study of a 32k square foot storage facility acquisition in VermontThe most critical role in his business. Connect with our Guest:Jeremiah's Bookhttps://www.patriotholdings.com/ARE YOU A PASSIVE INVESTOR LOOKING FOR PRE-VETTING COMMERCIAL MULTIFAMILY INVESTMENT OPPORTUNITIES? VISIT CANOVOCAPITAL.COM TO CONNECT WITH US LOVE THE SHOW? Please subscribe, rate, review and share! Thank you!

Nov 22, 2022 • 49min
From a Duplex to $390M Portfolio; A-class Value-add Strategy; and 12-Month Market Prediction - with Vehano Joseph | TLS232
Vehano is the Chief Executive Officer and Co-founder of Dreamstone, a rapidly growing multifamily investment firm with bases in Atlanta, Nashville, and Tampa MSA’s. Under his leadership, Dreamstone has moved from emerging to an established player in the multifamily space. Prior to launching Dreamstone, Vehano, Chartered Accountant/CPA from Cape Town, South Africa, was a Fortune 50 financial consultant. He managed business mergers and acquisitions in excess of 5 billion dollars. Vehano brings his exceptional financial acumen and managerial experience to drive favorable investor returns. He has relevant experience in several adjacent industries and has worked with category leaders in commercial banking, consumer goods, private prisons, real estate investment trusts (REITs), environmental engineering, retail manufacturing, and regenerative tissue engineering.SHOW HIGHLIGHTSReview of his Business Structure and PortfolioHis background in the corporate world - M&AHis first investment property -Going all in on real estate295 Unit Class- A Case StudySynthetic Bridge DebtPredictions for the next 12 monthsCONNECT WITH OUR GUEST:Vehano.Joseph@dreamstoneinvest.comARE YOU A PASSIVE INVESTOR LOOKING FOR PRE-VETTING COMMERCIAL MULTIFAMILY INVESTMENT OPPORTUNITIES? VISIT CANOVOCAPITAL.COM TO CONNECT WITH US LOVE THE SHOW? Please subscribe, rate, review and share! Thank you!

Nov 15, 2022 • 40min
$700M in Self Storage & Mobile Home Parks; Unique Management Strategies; and Deep Value Add Self Storage Case Study - with Ryan Smith | TLS231
Ryan Smith is the co-manager of multiple investment funds, which specialize in investing, both directly and indirectly, in mobile home parks and self-storage assets representing more than 20,000 units located in more than 25 states.Mr. Smith graduated from the University of Tampa with a Bachelor of Science in Computer Science. An athlete, he was highly recruited for both baseball and basketball and was drafted as a senior in high school by the Baltimore Orioles, and again in college by the Anaheim Angels. Mr. Smith pursued his athletic talents by playing baseball throughout his college experience.Mr. Smith currently serves on the board of Young Life College – UCF and is a member of the Advisory Board for the National Christian Foundation’s Orlando chapter. Mr. Smith lives in Orlando with his wife and four children.SHOW HIGHLIGHTS:His background growing up in a real estate familyHow he built an application for his Dad’s real estate company that eventually had 110k users around the worldHow he started investing in Single Family in his early 20’sWhy he decided to move into Mobile Home Parks and Self Storage versus Multifamily.What he looks for in his deals.His unique management structure for his assets.Case study of his deep value add deal in Las Vegas that he acquired for 11.3M in 2021 and recently appraised for 16MHis outlook in the current economy and how he is leading his company through it.CONNECT WITH OUR GUEST:elevationfund.comARE YOU A PASSIVE INVESTOR LOOKING FOR PRE-VETTING COMMERCIAL MULTIFAMILY INVESTMENT OPPORTUNITIES? VISIT CANOVOCAPITAL.COM TO CONNECT WITH US LOVE THE SHOW? Please subscribe, rate, review and share! Thank you!

Nov 8, 2022 • 35min
$250M Portfolio of Student Housing and Multifamily, and Sourcing True Off-Market Deals - with Alix Kogan | TLS230
Alix has been involved in real estate, construction, and development for the last 20 years. Alix started his career in Colorado founding his own high-end construction company and grew it to be the largest and most successful firm in Southwest Colorado. After 20 years in Colorado, Alix had a successful sale and liquidity event in late 2019. Shortly after starting his own building company in 1999, Alix started investing in real estate with single-family spec homes, single-family rentals, and commercial and multifamily rentals. Over the last 15 years, Alix has successfully completed several townhome, mixed-use, and single-family developments. Alix owns over 1700 apartment units as an LP, Co-GP and KP, and self-manages his portfolio of single-family rentals as well as a small portfolio of commercial properties. In addition, Alix invests and owns a substantial portfolio of mortgage notes. Alix has had various multifamily experiences with building, owning, and managing assets. Alix has broad-based experience and knowledge of multiple real estate asset classes and is focused full-time on growing his private equity real estate firm.SHOW HIGHLIGHTS:- His background in construction- Building his Custom Home Building Business- Building a portfolio of small-scale multifamily and single-family rentals.- Exiting his Construction Business- Sourcing True Off-Market Opportunities- His Perspective on the Economy today and how he plans to navigate that.CONNECT WITH OUR GUEST:https://ashlandcapitalfund.com/ARE YOU A PASSIVE INVESTOR LOOKING FOR PRE-VETTING COMMERCIAL MULTIFAMILY INVESTMENT OPPORTUNITIES? VISIT CANOVOCAPITAL.COM TO CONNECT WITH US LOVE THE SHOW? Please subscribe, rate, review and share! Thank you!

Nov 1, 2022 • 47min
$200MM in Deep Value-Add Multifamily Infused with Technology - with Steve Gesis | TLS 229
Steven is responsible for the strategic direction and performance of all teams within Smartland. As EVP Steven is the catalyst for all department directors to ensure the Smartland vision and Smartland standards are being implemented and adhered to. Prior to joining Smartland, Steven was an Operations Administrator at the Cleveland Clinic, where he was instrumental in the implementation of new strategies and efficiencies. Steven holds an MBA from CSU Monte Ahuja School of Business as well as a Bachelor’s degree from The Ohio State University.SHOW HIGHLIGHTS:His background in the corporate world and transition into real estate investingBuilding an property management and investment copy of 1000+ SFR’sThe start of SmartlandHow they utilities technology in their deep value-add dealsCase Study: 251 unit deep value add deal in Akron OH.The biggest challenge he sees over the next 6 -12 monthsCONNECT WITH OUR GUEST:http://www.smartland.comARE YOU A PASSIVE INVESTOR LOOKING FOR PRE-VETTING COMMERCIAL MULTIFAMILY INVESTMENT OPPORTUNITIES? VISIT CANOVOCAPITAL.COM TO CONNECT WITH US LOVE THE SHOW? Please subscribe, rate, review and share! Thank you!