Episodes

Lisa Picard is a woman with a vision. Thanks to technology, the office development space has evolved from a B2B market to B2C, and she’s on the front lines of in an industry resistant to change. “We’re really not producing products per say; we’re creating ideas. And so, … organizations’ access to ideas is really through collaboration, connection, of having really high-quality talent.” CuriosityLisa grew up in Southeast L.A. County with her twin sister and Depression-era parents who taught her ...

Jon Geanakos grew up in Ipswich, Massachusetts, raised mainly by his Greek immigrant grandparents. They gave him a strong sense of ethnicity and hard work, speaking Greek predominantly in their home and running a local grocery store and ice cream parlor. He was recruited to play lacrosse at the University of Lowell and it was there that he found himself embracing leadership. As the captain of his lacrosse team, he excelled at helping the right people work together to achieve their goal. His lac...

Ron Terwilliger’s outstanding career and legacy didn’t end when he retired from Trammell Crow, it only grew. Coming from a low-income family with little expectations of wealth, he wanted to give back and affordable housing seemed to be the most natural place for his philanthropic interest to bloom. “As I started to get wealthy in my late forties and fifties, I began thinking: what should I do with my time and wealth?” From his $100 million legacy gift to Habitat for Humanity, chairing Habitat...

In today’s episode, Ron Terwilliger, a great influencer in the apartment sector and dedicated philanthropist, shares part one of his story: his leadership at Trammell Crow Residential and how he literally spawned the next generation of the business. A Strong FoundationRon TerwilligerRon Terwilliger grew up in Arlington, Virginia in the late forties and fifties. He played baseball and basketball at Wakefield High School, and despite a back defect which was thought to be the end of his playing ca...

Chip Conley started one of the country’s first boutique hotel chains, Joie de Vivre, when he was just 26 years old. After selling the company, he joined the startup Airbnb at age 52, despite the fact that the young founders were primed to disrupt his industry. Read more about Chip’s leadership Read more about Chip’s role at Airbnb Pre-order Chip’s newest book, Wisdom @ Work: The Making of a Modern Elder Learn more about Chip’s other books *This is a rebroadcast of our previous interview with C...

Clara Brenner is the Co-founder and Managing Partner of the Urban Innovation Fund, a venture capital firm that provides seed capital and regulatory support to the tech startups addressing the challenges facing urban dwellers. Clara and I had a wide-ranging discussion about her career, business, and the startups and technologies in which her firm has invested. Real Estate and GovernmentGrowing up in Washington, D.C., Clara was surrounded by real estate and government, and found herself drawn to ...

Karl Polen did not start out with his sights on real estate. He left his Midwest roots for Nashville at 19, eventually playing with the likes of Charlie Daniels and Johnny Cash. “One of the highlights of my life is that I actually met and chatted with Johnny Cash. He was an incredibly gracious guy.” Karl credits music for shaping his professional career by teaching him the type of discipline and focused effort it takes to become successful. Opening New DoorsWhen he needed a steadier paycheck,...

Note from the host- In this episode, you will actually hear me being interviewed, rather than me doing the interview. Jeff Large is the editor of Season 2 of Leading Voices. He interviewed me on his podcast, The Jeff Large Podcast, where he talks about tech, podcasting, and running a business. I get to discuss how this relates to real estate from both a recruiting and leadership standpoint. Enjoy! Terra Search PartnersI founded Terra Search Partners in 2006, a highly consultative executive sear...

Joe Fraiman and Andrew Kitchell, the Co-Founders of Lyric, While it is tempting to compare their startup business to Airbnb, it is actually quite different. Lyric is a highly curated, highly designed, professionally-operated version of rentals where they have total control over the supply, design, and experience of their guests. The Connection:With a background in software and finance, Joe moved West and started Tastemaker, a company created to help people find the right interior designer. At t...

Ken grew up in Northern California’s Bay Area, eventually receiving his M.B.A. and Ph.D. from Stanford in Business. Simultaneously, he obtained a California Brokers License because he was drawn to real estate. He was aware of the self-storage industry in California, but when he moved out to Boston after college he saw that there was a gap in the market on the East Coast. This piqued his interest in the industry. After opening up the first Extra Space Storage in Billings, MT in 1977 in a partner...

Jane Graf is the President and CEO of Mercy Housing based in Denver and operating nationally, one of the country’s largest nonprofit affordable housing organizations. Jane’s work in affordable housing began early, as she founded the nonprofit Specialized Housing that built affordable housing for those with disabilities before she was 30. When her husband was relocated to San Francisco for his job, she began working for Catholic Charities, which eventually led to her joining Mercy Housing during...

John Rahaim grew up in Detroit. His high school day of community service inspired him to understand the city more, and he went on to receive his B.S. in Architecture from the University of Michigan and a Masters in Architecture with an emphasis on Urban Design from the University of Wisconsin-Milwaukee. The Urban Design program focused on man-environment systems which especially fascinated John. "It’s all about the interaction of human behavior and the environment and how each one affects the ...

A Technology Foundation Fred Tuomi was born in Minnesota, and went on to attend high school and college in Georgia, receiving a B.A. in Business Information Systems and a Masters in Business Administration from Georgia State University. While working for the Computer Sciences Corporation doing consulting, Fred connected with John Lie-Nelsen of Consolidated Capital and Johnstown Properties. This opportunity led to Fred creating the very first automated, apartment management system. “The idea wa...

Gerald Hines founded his business in 1957 as a developer of office properties. His namesake company now has a presence in 201 cities and 24 countries, and manages over $110 billion in property. Hines is renowned for not only creating the highest quality buildings in the market, but for partnering with the world’s best architects. The Beginning:Born in Gary, IN in 1925, Hines was the child of parents who came on a boat from Nova Scotia. Growing up, he ran cross country and track and is proud to ...

Community Building Music was everywhere. We played music, we were encouraged to play music, we sang in the car. But that was also the 70’s. Dar grew up in Chappaqua, NY during the 70’s. It was developing and becoming more progressive as a commuter city to New York City. Her parents were involved in city politics but also enjoyed art, gardening, and music. Through volunteering and fundraising, her parents exemplified community building, her father specifically holding an instrumental role in b...

Jim was born and raised in the Detroit suburbs. He has positive memories of the dynamic neighborhood full of families raising their kids and a strong public school environment. Also clear in his memory is a downtown visited on special occasions or to shop at Hudson’s, once America’s largest department store. Transit:Jim attributes Detroit’s early lack of public transportation to the fact that it was the hub for automotive companies, making car ownership king. He wonders how different things mig...

Creating and Building: Born in McComb, MS, Keith says he could have written the book “Hillbilly Elegy,” about his own life. Since his parents weren’t really in the picture, his grandmother raised him from a young age in Pasadena, TX. He went on to graduate from the University of Texas, receiving his MBA with a concentration in real estate shortly thereafter. “I was just intrigued always with the idea of creating and building things.” After working as a management consultant at Deloitte, he in...

Sam Zell, one of the most storied names in real estate, describes his riveting journey from his parents’ escape from Poland in 1939 as Hitler invaded to how he built his real estate empire at Equity International, created the modern REIT, and lead the industry public. More about Equity Group Investments Forbes Magazine on Sam Zell’s success Am I Being Too Subtle?: Straight Talk From a Business Rebel

A-P Hurd was not planning on going into the real estate industry. After working in journalism and on the trading floor, she then landed a leadership role at Touchstone. Her unique perspective on business encourages people to use their skillsets to allow them to do their best work. Executive Q+A: A-P Hurd’s Urban Expression Read more about AP’s book The Carbon Efficient City

After growing up in Israel and serving in the army, Gadi Kaufmann came to the U.S. on a scholarship to Brigham Young University. His drive led him to an interview with RCLCO during college; and now, after 38 years and four careers at RCLCO, he has transitioned to the current managing director and CEO. Read Gadi’s biography

Ellen Winkler became an accidental developer when she moved her video production firm to Denver and failed to find a fun, yet collaborative work environment. Now she is creating coworking spaces all around the city. Read more about Ellen’s background Read more about Drumbeat

Jonathan Rose left his family’s multigenerational real estate company to start his own for-profit mission-driven development firm. His passion for creating communities of opportunity is strengthened through the belief that we all share a compassion that makes the world a better place. More information on the Rose Companies More information on the Well Tempered City

Leaving a legacy is easy for Phil Freelon, who founded one of the largest African American–owned architecture firms. With numerous cultural institutions under his belt, including the newest Smithsonian museum, he is motivated to design places where the public can convene. Phil Freelon’s bio Read more about the Smithsonian National Museum of African American History and Culture Read more about Phil Freelon

Mary Ann Tighe didn’t know what commercial real estate was until she was 36 years old. With a successful career in the Carter/Mondale White House before launching the A&E network, she recognized her knack for deal-making and is now one of the country’s most prolific brokers. Read Mary Ann Tighe’s bio Read more about Mary Ann’s career