Tech Nest: The Proptech Podcast

I never intended to publish over 200 podcast episodes. I truly thought I'd do 30 or 40—at most—and then move on to something else. However, the constant support I received across the entire industry motivated me to keep going. I love this industry and intend on going nowhere anytime soon. But the time has come to set the podcast aside and focus more energy into something else. I want to continue sharing my work so that others can benefit, but I'm also interested in saying yes to other opportunities such as advising and consulting. I plan on publishing occasionally to my newsletter (Join here: https://technest.beehiiv.com/) and you'll likely see content time to time come from the Tech Nest social channels (until they're rebranded). As a final glimmer of hope, I reserve the right to reverse course. Previously, I'd shutdown the show, only to come back and publish 150 more episodes since then. I don't intend on doing that again, but ya never know. :) Find me on socials:https://Twitter.com/natesmoyerhttps://LinkedIn.com/in/natesmoyer

In this special episode, you'll get to listen in on conversations I had while attending Blueprint Conference, 2024. Here's the list of guests in this Part 4 of my Blueprint Conversations series.Brad Pilgrim, Co-founder and CEO, Parityhttps://www.linkedin.com/in/bradpilgrim/  https://www.paritygo.com/ Vikas Gupta, CEO, Azibohttps://www.linkedin.com/in/vikas-a-gupta/ https://azibo.comMatt Ellis, CEO, Measurablhttps://www.linkedin.com/in/measurabl/https://www.measurabl.com/

In this special episode, you'll get to listen in on conversations I had while attending Blueprint Conference, 2024. Here's the list of guests in this Part 3 of my Blueprint Conversations series.Pierre Calzadilla, Co-founder & COO at Upfronthttps://www.linkedin.com/in/pierrecalzadilla https://myupfront.comMukund Venkatakrishnan, Co-founder & CEO at Upfronthttps://www.linkedin.com/in/mukund-venkatakrishnan-466636a5https://myupfront.comAmber Kahr, Co-founder & COO at Billionshttps://www.linkedin.com/in/amberkahrhttps://joinbillions.comJames Gallagher, Co-founder & CEO at Greenlitehttps://www.linkedin.com/in/jamesabgallagherhttps://www.greenlite.comEthan Lieber, Co-founder & CEO at Latchelhttps://www.linkedin.com/in/ethanlieberhttps://latchel.comNick Durham, General Partner at Shadow Ventureshttps://www.linkedin.com/in/nick-durham-a3708724https://shadow.vc/

In this conversation I'm joined by Zumper Co-founder and CEO, Anthemos Georgiades. We discuss the evolving landscape of the rental market, highlighting the record supply of rental units in 2024 and the implications for renters and property management companies. I was excited to discuss the latest partnership between Zumper and Airbnb, exploring how this collaboration reflects the convergence of long-term and short-term rental markets. Anthemos has been in the trenches of this industry for quite a few years, stays in the data, and have some interesting outlooks for the industry to come. Do not miss this important episode! More about Anthemos and ZumperAfter standing in the rain in London to try and get an apartment in his 20s, Anthemos realized how antiquated yet massive the rental industry was. So, Zumper was founded in 2012 in San Francisco, kicking off at TechCrunch Disrupt, to modernize the rental industry and they are now the largest privately owned rental platform in North America. Zumper is the largest privately owned rental platform in North America with more than 76 million site visits a year. Zumper is on a mission to make renting a home as easy as booking a hotel. To date, Zumper has raised over $178 million from Kleiner Perkins, Goodwater Capital, Headline, Dawn Capital, and the Blackstone Group.Connect with Anthemos on LinkedInFollow Anthemos on TwitterFollow Zumper on TwitterCheck out Zumper

In this conversation, I talk with Nicholas Johnson, Founder and CEO of Orange Charger, about the challenges and opportunities in the EV charging industry, particularly for multifamily homes. He describes the importance of user experience, connectivity, and the role of software in managing energy consumption. We also get into the evolving landscape of property management as it relates to EV charging infrastructure and the future of energy management solutions.More about Nicholas and Orange ChargerOrange Charger is an Energy Management Solution for multifamily homes. Orange's right-sized charging solutions are reliable, affordable, scalable, and purpose-built for these properties.Nicholas is passionate about enabling humans to live carbon-neutral lives without compromising lifestyle. Before starting Orange, he built A.I. software to optimize traffic signals to reduce congestion. He started his career at Tesla as an electrical design engineer, bringing the Model 3 thermal designs to market.Connect with Nicholas on LinkedInFollow Orange Charger on TwitterCheck out Orange Charger

Peter Gudmundsson, CEO of BeHome 247, discusses the challenges and opportunities in the short-term rental and vacation rental industry. He emphasizes the importance of delivering a consistently excellent guest experience and the need for brand consistency. Gudmundsson also addresses the impact of local zoning regulations on the industry and the role of technology in improving operations and guest satisfaction. He highlights the value of a unified operations platform that integrates various systems and provides real-time visibility for property managers. BeHome 247 provides a unified operations platform for the short-term rental and residential property management industries. The platform integrates various functions such as maintenance, housekeeping, guest communication, and vendor management, improving operational efficiency and customer experience. The CEO, Peter Gudmundsson, emphasizes the importance of thinking systemically and avoiding the purchase of point solutions that lack coordination. He also discusses the role of AI in customer service and the need for a balance between technology and human interaction. Gudmundsson predicts that the industry will see more consistency of delivery and that digital curb appeal will become a critical factor in property judgments.More about Peter and BeHome247BeHome247 provides residential and STR/VR real estate owners/operators and property managers with a tailored operations platform. The technology controls smart devices, operating workflows, and resident communications. Peter Gudmundsson is CEO of BeHome247. He has been running small and medium-sized businesses in technology, content, and human capital for over twenty-five years. Follow Peter on TwitterConnect with Peter on LinkedInFollow BeHome247 on TwitterCheck out BeHome247

In this special episode, you'll get to listen in on conversations I had while attending Blueprint Conference, 2024. Here's the list of guests in this Part 2 of my Blueprint Conversations series.Kenon Chen, EVP of Strategy and Growth at Clear Capitalhttps://www.linkedin.com/in/kenon-chen-72201b4/https://www.clearcapital.com/John Rogers, Chief Data & Analytics Officer at CoreLogichttps://www.linkedin.com/in/john-rogers-a4053a38/https://www.corelogic.com/Brandon Peterson, CEO of Geokeyhttps://www.linkedin.com/in/brandon-peterson-6ab6b997/https://geokeyaccess.com/Amber Kahr, Co-founder of Billionshttps://www.linkedin.com/in/amberkahrhttps://www.joinbillions.comNick Schanbaum, Co-founder of Durango Turnkey Serviceshttps://www.linkedin.com/in/nick-schanbaum-01ab3831/https://durangotks.com/

In this episode, Dana Dunford, Co-founder and CEO of Hemlane, joins the show to discuss the evolving landscape of property management for self-managing real estate investors. Hemlane is a venture-backed platform that simplifies rental property management by offering tools for inspections, repairs, tenant coordination, and more, all in one place. Dana shares how Hemlane differentiates itself from traditional property management by blending human oversight with technology, catering to a market where 72% of landlords self-manage their properties. We also explore how she achieved early traction at Hemlane by leveraging her personal network, testing creative messaging, and focusing on product-led growth. Dana emphasizes the importance of a balanced approach between technology and personal interaction, particularly as AI becomes more prevalent in real estate.  This is a must listen for early-stage founders in the proptech space and those wanting to know what the next iteration for landlord software looks like.More about Dana and HemlaneDana Dunford is the CEO of Hemlane, a venture-backed property management platform with over 27,000 rentals and $1BN in payments processed. She is a strong advocate of purchasing properties anywhere, as the best investments are not typically in your backyard. She supports real estate investors in setting up the most intelligent process to manage rentals from a distance, while connecting them with local, licensed professionals.Follow Dana on TwitterConnect with Dana on LinkedInFollow Hemlane on TwitterCheckout Hemlane

In this epsidoe, I talk with Jason Griffith, Co-founder and Co-CEO of Synco, to explore how they simplify communication for property management teams. With the overload of emails and messages, Synco offers a real-time messaging platform to streamline collaboration and organize conversations. It lets users control inbox notifications and easily include external parties like contractors. Synco offers include real-time translation for seamless multilingual communication and integration with property management software. Synco is also focused on leveraging AI to enhance team collaboration and efficiency, aiming to lead the way in transforming property management communication. This conversation goes deeper than just product features, as you'll hear Jason break down the importance (and complexity) of industry-specific communication products.More about Jason and SyncoSynco is the centralized communication platform that allows property management teams to collaborate effortlessly. When it comes to team communication, property management still runs on email (and usually Teams, text and whatsapp). The result is overloaded inboxes, unnecessary liability, slower issue resolution and missed opportunities for collaboration. Synco is the team communication tool built specifically for property management. It brings corporate teams, on-site staff, vendors and clients together in one seamless application. Synco provides the transparency to never have to ask "where are we on this", the peace of mind in knowing that all communications are securely filed and the advantages of rapid, effective team communication. Jason Griffith is the Co-Founder and Co-CEO of Synco, the real-time, centralized messaging platform built to help property management teams communicate faster and better. Prior to founding Synco, Jason was the Co-Founder and Co-CEO of SiteCompli, a compliance automation platform used across 1M+ residential units & 70% of Class A office properties in NYC that is now part of Inhabit, a collective of property management software companies backed by Insight Venture Partners and Goldman Sachs. Jason is passionate about building great tech solutions powered by great teams. Connect with Jason on LinkedInCheck out Synco

Gene Eidelman, Co-founder of Azure Printed Homes, revolutionizes construction by leveraging 3D printing and recycled materials to create affordable prefab homes. He explains how this innovative technology can combat the national housing shortage and reduce environmental impacts. Gene discusses the efficiency of their construction process and the challenges of gaining acceptance from lenders and insurers. He emphasizes the importance of sustainable practices in home building and shares insights into Azure's growth strategy, projecting significant expansion in the market.