The Best Ever CRE Show

Join Steven Wear, the Chief Marketing Officer of SSSE, a Chicago-based self-storage investment firm, as he dives into innovative strategies in the self-storage market. He discusses targeting smaller markets to avoid competition and how local moratoriums can support his firm's growth. Explore SSSE's use of creative seller-financing techniques and how solar power and geothermal energy are revolutionizing storage facilities into power-generating assets. Steven reveals insights on maximizing returns and the future of self-storage in an evolving energy landscape.

Join Spencer Carpenter, founder of Outlier Audio and a master of podcasting for real estate, as he shares his insights on optimizing networking strategies for conferences. He discusses defining ideal client profiles and the importance of outcome-based podcast campaigns. Spencer also covers practical tips like using email drips to boost follow-up efficiency and reframing networking as pipeline-building rather than small talk. With strategies for lead magnets and scripts, this conversation is a treasure trove for anyone looking to shine at conferences.

Ryan Floyd, a portfolio manager at Barca Capital, delves into the nuances of investor relations, spotlighting its often-overlooked role in capital raising. He critiques common pitfalls like boilerplate messaging and a lack of candor. Instead, he advocates for more detailed, segmented data and storytelling to foster investor trust. Highlighting Edward Tufte’s principles, Ryan emphasizes the importance of well-designed visuals over generic slides. He also discusses the value of personal communication, encouraging video updates over cold emails to strengthen relationships.

John Chang dives into key insights from the Urban Land Institute’s Emerging Trends report, spotlighting top markets like Dallas and Miami. He discusses the appeal of sectors such as seniors housing and small bay industrial over data centers, especially in light of AI's energy demands. Chang emphasizes potential investment opportunities in markets like Tampa and Nashville, while also analyzing risks in Chicago and New York. He suggests that current lending conditions may set the stage for strong returns, urging investors to act strategically.

John Casmon interviews Bronson Hill. Bronson shares how he walked away from a high-paying medical sales career to pursue time freedom, eventually raising over $50 million for multifamily, oil and gas, debt funds, and development deals. He and John dig into the core reasons investors should define their goals around cash flow, capital preservation, and tax benefits instead of blindly chasing returns, and how to properly vet operators and opportunities across different asset classes. Bronson also explains his “fire yourself” framework, the concept of wealth worthiness, and why mindset and service-driven capital raising are critical to building a diversified, resilient passive income portfolio. Bronson HillCurrent role: Founder and CEO, Bronson Equity Based in: Los Angeles, California Say hi to them at: https://bronsonequity.com/ | YouTube | LinkedIn Alternative Fund IV is closing soon and SMK is giving Best Ever listeners exclusive access to their Founders’ Shares, typically offered only to early investors. Visit smkcap.com/bec to learn more and download the full fund summary. Join the Best Ever Community  The Best Ever Community is live and growing - and we want serious commercial real estate investors like you inside. It’s free to join, but you must apply and meet the criteria.  Connect with top operators, LPs, GPs, and more, get real insights, and be part of a curated network built to help you grow. Apply now at ⁠www.bestevercommunity.com⁠ Podcast production done by ⁠Outlier Audio⁠ Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Matt Faircloth interviews Mark Kenney. Mark opens up about Think Multifamily’s rapid growth, the lending and partnership challenges that led to major losses, and the hard-won lessons that came out of it. He explains how rising interest rates, canceled tax programs, and lender aggressiveness created a perfect storm for multifamily operators, and why ignoring those red flags proved costly. Mark also discusses his personal low points, the importance of transparent communication with investors, and how he’s now rebuilding his business with a renewed focus on long-term stability, fixed-rate debt, and vertically integrated operations. Mark KenneyCurrent role: Co-Founder and CEO, Think MultifamilyBased in: Dallas, TexasSay hi to them at: https://thinkmultifamily.com/ | https://www.linkedin.com/in/mark-kenney-566065142/ Alternative Fund IV is closing soon and SMK is giving Best Ever listeners exclusive access to their Founders’ Shares, typically offered only to early investors. Visit smkcap.com/bec to learn more and download the full fund summary. Join the Best Ever Community  The Best Ever Community is live and growing - and we want serious commercial real estate investors like you inside. It’s free to join, but you must apply and meet the criteria.  Connect with top operators, LPs, GPs, and more, get real insights, and be part of a curated network built to help you grow. Apply now at ⁠www.bestevercommunity.com⁠ Podcast production done by ⁠Outlier Audio⁠ Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Pascal Wagner interviews Michael Alberse. Michael walks through his journey from earning $161 a month in high-yield savings interest to building over $6,000 a month in passive income through a “Frankenstein” mix of cold storage, micro private equity, small business loans, covered-call ETFs, mobile home parks, multifamily, and private money lending. He shares both the 9x home-run exit from a cold storage deal and painful lessons from chasing yield in risky rideshare and cupcake business loans, highlighting why he now prioritizes experienced, obsessive operators and better downside protection. Michael also talks about using masterminds and education to level up his due diligence, hiring a CPA, capping his check size per deal, and keeping his Google job so active income can continue to fuel his passive income portfolio and long-term lifestyle freedom goals. Michael AlberseCurrent role: Google Cloud Account Executive and creator of Micro Investing Based in: Atlanta, Georgia. Say hi to them at: https://investingmicro.com/ | https://www.instagram.com/micro.investing/ | i Alternative Fund IV is closing soon and SMK is giving Best Ever listeners exclusive access to their Founders’ Shares, typically offered only to early investors. Visit smkcap.com/bec to learn more and download the full fund summary. Join the Best Ever Community  The Best Ever Community is live and growing - and we want serious commercial real estate investors like you inside. It’s free to join, but you must apply and meet the criteria.  Connect with top operators, LPs, GPs, and more, get real insights, and be part of a curated network built to help you grow. Apply now at ⁠www.bestevercommunity.com⁠ Podcast production done by ⁠Outlier Audio⁠ Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Amanda and Ash interview Charlie Kao. Charlie shares how growing up as “free labor” on his dad’s properties eventually led him back into commercial real estate, where he’s now best known for self-storage. He explains why he’s cautious on self-storage at a national level, how overbuilding and new alternatives are changing demand, and why he’s leaning into highly localized markets where he has an unfair advantage. Charlie also walks through innovative ways he’s turning basic storage into a true service business, from accepting and placing medical shipments to offering boat/RV add-ons, all while using feasibility studies and data-driven pricing to stay ahead of the competition. Charlie KaoCurrent role: Principal and Asset Manager, Twin Oaks CapitalBased in: Grand Rapids, Michigan Say hi to them at: https://www.twinoakscap.com/ | LinkedIn Alternative Fund IV is closing soon and SMK is giving Best Ever listeners exclusive access to their Founders’ Shares, typically offered only to early investors. Visit smkcap.com/bec to learn more and download the full fund summary. Join the Best Ever Community  The Best Ever Community is live and growing - and we want serious commercial real estate investors like you inside. It’s free to join, but you must apply and meet the criteria.  Connect with top operators, LPs, GPs, and more, get real insights, and be part of a curated network built to help you grow. Apply now at ⁠www.bestevercommunity.com⁠ Podcast production done by ⁠Outlier Audio⁠ Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Richard McGirr kicks off a Capital Classroom solo session by translating big-name marketing frameworks from Russell Brunson and Alex Hormozi into practical strategies for capital raisers. He explains why LPs aren’t really buying deals, but certainty of outcomes, and how stacking proof can 2–3x your conversions by de-risking the downside and building what he calls a “trust bank account.” Richard breaks down Hormozi’s value equation and shows how debt funds, clear track records, and transparent reporting can dramatically increase the perceived likelihood of achievement for investors. He then walks through a concrete “proof sprint,” covering everything from monthly distribution tables and raw testimonials to live property tours, inspection reports, and third-party verification so your deal rooms and webinars become long-form proof engines instead of generic sales pitches. Alternative Fund IV is closing soon and SMK is giving Best Ever listeners exclusive access to their Founders’ Shares, typically offered only to early investors. Visit smkcap.com/bec to learn more and download the full fund summary. Join the Best Ever Community  The Best Ever Community is live and growing - and we want serious commercial real estate investors like you inside. It’s free to join, but you must apply and meet the criteria.  Connect with top operators, LPs, GPs, and more, get real insights, and be part of a curated network built to help you grow. Apply now at ⁠www.bestevercommunity.com⁠ Podcast production done by ⁠Outlier Audio⁠ Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Richard McGirr interviews Julia Anderson. Julia shares her journey from running restaurant operations to launching Capital Catalyst, a fractional CMO firm helping real estate operators scale their marketing systems. She explains how effective CRM design, investor journey mapping, and consistent communication create trust that converts cold leads into long-term investors. Julia and Richard dive into practical strategies for marrying sales and marketing, building a white-glove investor experience, and knowing when your business is ready for paid ads or a full marketing department. Julia AndersonCurrent role: Founder of Capital Catalyst; Marketing Account Manager at Lightmark MediaBased in: Gilbert, ArizonaSay hi to them at: https://capitalcatalyst.com | https://lightmarkmedia.com Alternative Fund IV is closing soon and SMK is giving Best Ever listeners exclusive access to their Founders’ Shares, typically offered only to early investors. Visit smkcap.com/bec to learn more and download the full fund summary. Join the Best Ever Community  The Best Ever Community is live and growing - and we want serious commercial real estate investors like you inside. It’s free to join, but you must apply and meet the criteria.  Connect with top operators, LPs, GPs, and more, get real insights, and be part of a curated network built to help you grow. Apply now at ⁠www.bestevercommunity.com⁠ Podcast production done by ⁠Outlier Audio⁠ Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices