The Dealmakers’ Edge with A.Y. Strauss dives deep into the world of commercial real estate, bringing you exclusive stories, insights, and strategies from the industry’s top investors, developers, and dealmakers. Hosted by Aaron Strauss, founder and managing partner of A.Y. Strauss, a leading real estate law firm, this podcast offers a behind-the-scenes look at what drives success in commercial real estate. From uncovering the unique edge of industry leaders to exploring the challenges and triumphs they’ve faced, this podcast is a must-listen for commercial real estate investors, developers, brokers, and professionals looking to sharpen their skills and stay ahead in the competitive market. Whether you’re navigating real estate law, structuring deals, or scaling your portfolio, The Dealmakers’ Edge delivers actionable insights and inspiring stories to help you take your career to the next level. Tune in to gain valuable knowledge and discover what it takes to thrive in commercial real estate today.
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September 3, 2026Episode 8632 min
Family Offices & Purpose-Driven Capital: A Conversation with Ron Diamond
Ron Diamond is the Founder and Chairman of Diamond Wealth, a syndicate of more than 100 family offices ranging in size from $250 million to $30 billion, with whom he has invested for more than 20 years. The firm focuses on private markets, including private equity, real estate, venture capital, credit, and special situations. He is also the Founder, Host, and CEO of Family Office World Media and helped create the Family Office Program for TIGER 21. Ron currently serves on the Advisory Board and Steering Committee for the University of Chicago Booth School of Business Family Office Initiative and has taught family office courses at Oxford, Stanford, Harvard, and Chicago Booth. Earlier in his career, Ron founded Pinnacle Capital, a $250 million hedge fund, and held roles at Bear Stearns and Drexel Burnham Lambert. He graduated Magna Cum Laude from Northwestern University with a degree in Economics. Insights from Ron Diamond on Professionalizing Family Offices Ron Diamond has spent more than 20 years investing alongside family offices, and he believes the model has an advantage traditional private equity cannot fully match. Family offices can hold assets longer, avoid the pressure of a fixed exit timeline, and make decisions around long-term compounding instead of a fund clock. The problem is that too few family offices currently have the governance, infrastructure, and execution needed to make that advantage meaningful. That gap is a big part of what Ron is working to change. Through initiatives at Stanford and the University of Chicago Booth School of Business, he has helped build family office education around governance, investing, succession, and best practices. At Booth, that work has grown from a family office course into a broader initiative with an advisory board and conferences designed to bring families together around education rather than pay-to-play deal flow. In this episode of The Dealmakers’ Edge, Aaron Strauss and Ron Diamond discuss why family offices are becoming more important across private markets, how professionalization could help them compete more effectively with private equity, and why better governance and education matter as more wealth moves to the next generation. They also get into the longer-term impact Ron believes family offices could have on how companies are financed and how philanthropic capital is deployed. 1:48 - Starting at Drexel Burnham and launching a hedge fund after its collapse 3:08 - Getting into the family office space 4:39 - How Diamond Wealth aggregates capital across more than 100 family offices 5:53 - Matching investment opportunities with families by asset class 6:40 - How larger family offices source and diligence deals 7:55 - Why family offices can compete differently than private equity 11:10 - Giving business owners a third option beyond private equity or strategic buyers 14:21 - Why professionalization is critical to the future of family offices 15:41 - Building an education-first family office initiative at Stanford 18:10 - Creating the Family Office Initiative at Chicago Booth 21:21 - How family offices could change philanthropy and real-world problem solving 26:12 - Governance, succession planning, and what should happen after a liquidity event 28:35 - How much capital it takes to make a single-family office economically viable 30:22 - The Go-Giver, gratitude, and advice for the next generation Mentioned In Family Offices & Purpose-Driven Capital: A Conversation with Ron Diamond Diamond Wealth | LinkedIn Ron Diamond on LinkedIn The Go-Giver Enjoy the show? Have a guest in mind? Email us at podcast@aystrauss.com to let us know your feedback and who you want to hear on the next episode. Connect with Aaron and the A.Y. Strauss team: Our website ( www.AYStrauss.com ) Aaron's website bio page ( Aaron's bio page ) Aaron's LinkedIn account ( LinkedIn ) Our Twitter account ( @AYStrauss )
August 21, 2026Episode 8531 min
From Caravan to Empire: The Remarkable Ascent of Alfie Best
Alfie Best is the founder of Wyldecrest Parks, a residential mobile home park operator with 120 parks across the UK. He has built the company into Europe’s largest residential park operator, with a business valued at more than £1.2 billion, and is now planning to establish operations in the United States. Born into a Romani Gypsy family in Leicestershire, Alfie started buying and selling cars and vans at 14. After nearly losing his property portfolio during the 1990 recession, he rebuilt through the mobile phone industry, growing an 18-store business before selling it to a Vodafone subsidiary. He later moved into commercial real estate and purchased his first mobile home park in Essex in 2001. Insights from Alfie Best on Scaling Residential Parks and U.S. Expansion A bad deal or market turn can take more than capital. It can consume your time, cloud your judgment, and leave you unable to think clearly. Alfie Best has been through that position more than once, including the 1990 recession when interest rates doubled, property values fell, and he came close to bankruptcy. His response was not simply to keep pushing in the same direction. Alfie talks about stopping, cutting out outside noise, confronting the worst possible outcomes, and deciding whether the next move is to continue or pivot. That approach helped him rebuild, grow Wyldecrest Parks to 120 locations across the UK, and prepare for the company’s expansion into the United States. In this episode of The Dealmakers’ Edge, Aaron Strauss and Alfie Best discuss rebuilding after financial collapse, knowing when to keep moving and when to pivot, evaluating investments without relying on blind trust, scaling a residential park business, and pursuing growth in the U.S. market. 1:38 - Building Wyldecrest Parks from the ground up 6:05 - Growing up in a Romani Gypsy family and starting in business at 14 7:38 - Building a property portfolio before the 1990 recession 11:17 - Rebuilding through an 18-store mobile phone business 13:22 - Creating an affordable housing model through residential parks 15:06 - Acquiring and redeveloping older park properties 19:01 - Investing with knowledge instead of relying on blind trust 23:34 - Confronting the worst and best outcomes after a bad deal 27:59 - Thinking beyond the next six months when building a business 29:01 - Declaring Wyldecrest the UK’s number one operator with one park Mentioned In From Caravan to Empire: The Remarkable Ascent of Alfie Best Wyldecrest Parks | LinkedIn Alfie Best on LinkedIn Enjoy the show? Have a guest in mind? Email us at podcast@aystrauss.com to let us know your feedback and who you want to hear on the next episode. Connect with Aaron and the A.Y. Strauss team: Our website ( www.AYStrauss.com ) Aaron's website bio page ( Aaron's bio page ) Aaron's LinkedIn account ( LinkedIn ) Our Twitter account ( @AYStrauss )
August 6, 2026Episode 8427 min
Building a Multifamily Platform Through Market Cycles with Ryan Brome
Ryan Brome is the Chief Operating Officer of Investments at Forum Investment Group, an institutional platform with nearly $6.5 billion in total capitalization. He leads investment management operations across Forum’s development, ownership, and credit businesses, overseeing the investment lifecycle from sourcing through portfolio management and helping align the teams, processes, and risk controls supporting the platform’s growth. Ryan has more than 15 years of experience across real estate and capital markets. Before becoming COO of Investments, he served as Forum’s Senior Managing Director and Head of Capital Strategy and previously led Capital Development. Earlier in his career, he held roles at HFF, Real Capital Solutions, and McWhinney, where he served as Vice President of Capital Markets and Investor Relations. He earned a Bachelor of Arts with an emphasis in Finance from the University of Colorado Boulder. Insights from Ryan Brome on Multifamily Investing Through Market Cycles Multifamily just absorbed one of the largest waves of new supply the country has seen, yet occupancy across Forum Investment Group’s portfolio has climbed from roughly 93% to 95% and 96%. Rent growth is beginning to return, concessions are becoming less necessary, and Ryan Brome sees improving fundamentals even as heavily supplied markets continue to face distress. That uneven market requires more than a single investment strategy. Forum has built its platform to move between lending, acquisitions, and development based on where the strongest risk-adjusted opportunities are emerging. The result is a business designed to remain active as different parts of the multifamily cycle open and close. In this episode of The Dealmakers’ Edge, Aaron Strauss and Ryan Brome discuss how to read the next phase of the multifamily cycle and how Forum prepared during the downturn to deploy capital as market conditions improve. 1:29 - Starting in capital markets and entering real estate through HFF 2:43 - The lunch that led Ryan to Forum Investment Group 4:38 - How Forum evolved from regional syndication into an institutional platform 5:38 - Building a multifamily business designed to invest through market cycles 8:14 - Where multifamily recovery is taking hold and where distress remains 10:55 - Integrating development, ownership, and credit across the investment team 13:54 - Why investor demand for 1031 exchanges and DSTs is growing 19:30 - Building Forum’s infrastructure during the real estate downturn 22:47 - How experience and organizational culture build resilience through difficult cycles 25:38 - Why relationships remain the differentiating factor as AI adoption grows Mentioned In Building a Multifamily Platform Through Market Cycles with Ryan Brome Forum Investment Group | LinkedIn Ryan Brome on LinkedIn Podcast Disclosures This communication is intended for informational purposes only, does not constitute investment advice or a recommendation, and should not provide the basis for any investment decision. Investments in such transactions noted within this communication will be made solely by means of offering materials provided to the recipient by Forum or its affiliates. This material does not constitute a part of the offering materials. The term “Portfolio” used throughout this communication means Forum’s collection of direct syndication, stabilized multifamily investments; excluding properties sold and acquired during the quarter as well as multifamily developments closed, under construction and in lease-up as of the date of this communication, unless disclosed otherwise within this communication. Discussion of 1031 exchanges is for informational and educational purposes only and should not be construed as an offer to sell, or a solicitation of an offer to buy, any security, nor as investment, tax, or legal advice. Individual tax situations vary; please consult your tax professional regarding your specific circumstances. Investment in these transactions involves a high degree of risk, and investors should not invest in such transaction unless they can afford to lose their entire investment. IN MAKING AN INVESTMENT DECISION INVESTORS MUST RELY ON THEIR OWN EXAMINATION OF THE TRANSACTION AND THE TERMS OF THE OFFERING, INCLUDING THE MERITS AND RISKS INVOLVED. THESE TRANSACTIONS HAVE NOT BEEN RECOMMENDED OR APPROVED BY ANY FEDERAL OR STATE SECURITIES COMMISSION OR REGULATORY AUTHORITY. FURTHERMORE, THESE AUTHORITIES HAVE NOT PASSED UPON THE ACCURACY OR ADEQUACY OF THIS COMMUNICATION. ANY REPRESENTATION TO THE CONTRARY IS A CRIMINAL OFFENSE. THE U.S. SECURITIES AND EXCHANGE COMMISSION DOES NOT PASS UPON THE MERITS OF ANY SECURITIES OFFERED OR THE TERMS OF THE OFFERING, NOR DOES IT PASS UPON THE ACCURACY OR COMPLETENESS OF ANY OFFERING CIRCULAR OR SELLING LITERATURE. INVESTORS SHOULD CAREFULLY CONSIDER THE RISK FACTORS. THE NON- MANAGING MEMBERSHIP INTEREST SHOULD BE PURCHASED ONLY BY INDIVIDUALS FAMILIAR WITH THE CONTENTION OF THESE TRANSACTIONS AND WHO ARE ABLE TO BEAR THE RISKS ASSOCIATED WITH SUCH TRANSACTIONS. FORWARD-LOOKING STATEMENTS This communication contains certain forward-looking statements that are based on current expectations (but which are not based on any prior operating history). In light of the numerous factors that can materially affect results, including those set forth in this communication, the inclusion of any such forward looking information herein should not be regarded as a representation by Forum, its manager or any other person that the Forum objectives will be achieved. Forward-looking statements contained herein, or other statements made for or on behalf of Forum or their affiliates, from time to time, are not guarantees of future performance and involve certain risks, uncertainties, and assumptions that are difficult to predict. Therefore, actual outcomes and results may differ materially from what is expressed or forecasted in such forward-looking statements. Webpage Disclosures This podcast is for informational purposes only and should not be used or construed as an offer to sell, a solicitation of an offer to buy, or a recommendation to buy, sell or hold any security, investment, investment strategy, or market sector. This material is intended only to provide a broad market overview for discussion purposes. Discussion of 1031 exchanges is for informational and educational purposes only and should not be construed as an offer to sell, or a solicitation of an offer to buy, any security, nor as investment, tax, or legal advice. Individual tax situations vary; please consult your tax professional regarding your specific circumstances. An investor should not construe the contents of this material as legal, tax, investment, or other advice. Investing involves risk, including the possible loss of principal and fluctuation of value. In considering any performance data contained herein, each recipient should bear in mind that past performance is not indicative of future results, and there can be no assurance that an investment program will achieve comparable results or will achieve any projected, estimated, or targeted results. Any projections, market outlooks, or estimates in this podcast are forward- looking statements and are based upon assumptions that are subject to inherent limitations. This podcast reflects our views and opinions as of the date herein. Which are subject to change at any time based on market and other conditions. We disclaim any responsibility to update these views. Any projections, outlooks, or assumptions should not be construed to be indicative of the actual events which will occur. Enjoy the show? Have a guest in mind? Email us at podcast@aystrauss.com to let us know your feedback and who you want to hear on the next episode. Connect with Aaron and the A.Y. Strauss team: Our website ( www.AYStrauss.com ) Aaron's website bio page ( Aaron's bio page ) Aaron's LinkedIn account ( LinkedIn ) Our Twitter account ( @AYStrauss )
July 23, 2026Episode 8324 min
From Legal Execution to Business Leadership with Andrew Morris
Andrew Morris is a Managing Director at Blue Owl, where he supports the firm’s Real Assets business as a member of the Legal Team. His work spans the firm’s net lease, real estate credit, and digital infrastructure strategies. Before joining Blue Owl, Andrew served as Associate General Counsel and Chief Compliance Officer at First Eagle Alternative Credit. Earlier in his career, he practiced at Kirkland & Ellis LLP and Davis Polk & Wardwell LLP, advising private fund sponsors on legal, regulatory, fund formation, and capital markets matters. He earned his JD, cum laude, from the University of Pennsylvania Carey Law School and his BA in International Affairs, magna cum laude, from The George Washington University. Insights from Andrew Morris on Moving from Legal Execution to Business Leadership Technical expertise can take someone a long way in commercial real estate. The next level requires something different. Leaders have to understand how the business fits together, how decisions affect multiple stakeholders, and where their team can create value beyond the work immediately in front of them. Andrew Morris has built his career around that broader view. As his role expanded, so did the questions he was responsible for answering. The work became less about executing one transaction or solving one legal issue and more about helping people make better decisions, stay aligned, and move the platform forward. In this episode of The Dealmakers’ Edge, Aaron Strauss and Andrew Morris discuss the shift from technical execution to business leadership, what it takes to earn trust across an investment platform, how leaders manage competing priorities, and why understanding the whole picture matters as responsibilities grow. 1:39 - Starting in finance during the financial crisis and finding his path into investment management 3:08 - Advising fund managers at Kirkland and learning how their businesses operate 4:25 - Moving to Chicago and transitioning from outside counsel to an in-house role 6:18 - Joining Blue Owl after the Oak Street acquisition 8:29 - How the role changes from legal execution to managing people and process 10:06 - Staying focused on durable, income-oriented assets in an uncertain market 11:59 - Where digital infrastructure fits within the mission-critical asset strategy 13:37 - Seeing the whole picture and creating value beyond transaction execution 17:58 - Learning the real estate business and earning trust after joining Blue Owl 19:59 - Why understanding a client’s business is the foundation of trust 21:06 - Building a culture where people feel valued and empowered 22:23 - Developing the next generation as the platform continues to grow Mentioned In From Legal Execution to Business Leadership with Andrew Morris Blue Owl | LinkedIn Andrew Morris on LinkedIn Enjoy the show? Have a guest in mind? Email us at podcast@aystrauss.com to let us know your feedback and who you want to hear on the next episode. Connect with Aaron and the A.Y. Strauss team: Our website ( www.AYStrauss.com ) Aaron's website bio page ( Aaron's bio page ) Aaron's LinkedIn account ( LinkedIn ) Our Twitter account ( @AYStrauss )
July 13, 2026Episode 8224 min
Strategic Capital Solutions in a Recalibrating Market with Seth Fisher
Seth Fisher is a Principal and Head of Special Situations at Prime Finance and a member of the firm’s Special Situations Investment Committee. He is responsible for investment, portfolio construction, and asset management activity for the strategy, which Prime now refers to as Strategic Capital Solutions. Prior to joining Prime Finance, Seth was Chief Investment Officer of Equity Investments for Starwood Property Trust’s REIS segment, where he led middle-market investment activity tied to CMBS exposure and commercial real estate special situations. Earlier in his career, he held roles across predecessor business lines at LNR Property, including credit investment activities, note sales, and loan workouts. Seth graduated from the Wharton School at the University of Pennsylvania with a B.S. in Economics. Insights from Seth Fisher on Strategic Capital Solutions A borrower may need a stretched senior loan, preferred equity, mezzanine debt, structured equity, or another capital solution altogether. For Seth Fisher and the team at Prime Finance, the advantage is being able to match the capital structure to the sponsor, the asset, and the situation. That flexibility matters in a market where commercial real estate capital structures are still recalibrating for a normalized rate environment. Banks are being more strategic with capital, borrowers are hesitant to lock into long-term fixed-rate debt, and private credit is playing a larger role in how real estate borrowers solve for flexibility. Prime’s rebrand from Special Situations to Strategic Capital Solutions reflects a business that includes secondary loan acquisitions and partnership capital for complex situations. In this episode of The Dealmakers’ Edge, Aaron Strauss and Seth Fisher discuss how today’s recapitalization environment is shaping private credit, why Prime shifted from Special Situations to Strategic Capital Solutions, how flexible capital solutions are structured in practice, and why repeat relationships remain central to deal flow, credibility, and execution in commercial real estate. 1:53 - Learning real estate basics in industrial brokerage 3:15 - How the GFC shaped Seth’s view of risk and downside protection 4:14 - Building the three legs of special situations investing 6:31 - Moving back to Chicago and joining Prime Finance 7:57 - Strategic Capital Solutions and the specialized platform model 10:27 - The current era of recapitalization 16:58 - Rebranding from Special Situations to Strategic Capital Solutions 21:18 - Building relationships before you need them 23:18 - Managing stress by breaking problems into smaller pieces Mentioned In Strategic Capital Solutions in a Recalibrating Market with Seth Fisher Prime Finance | LinkedIn Seth Fisher on LinkedIn Enjoy the show? Have a guest in mind? Email us at podcast@aystrauss.com to let us know your feedback and who you want to hear on the next episode. Connect with Aaron and the A.Y. Strauss team: Our website ( www.AYStrauss.com ) Aaron's website bio page ( Aaron's bio page ) Aaron's LinkedIn account ( LinkedIn ) Our Twitter account ( @AYStrauss )
June 18, 202631 min
Best Of: How Courage and Consistency Close Deals with Henry Stimler
Henry Stimler serves as an Executive Managing Director on Newmark’s Capital Markets Strategies team, where he specializes in originating and structuring in multifamily debt and equity with an emphasis on large bespoke portfolio transactions. Based in the firm’s New York headquarters, Stimler is known for guiding traditions Tri-State investors into new high growth markets across the U.S., including the Midwest, Texas and South Florida, while also sourcing global equity from key international cities like London, Tel Aviv and Johannesburg. Prior to joining Newmark, Stimler founded and served as Director of London Green Capital, a debt origination firm. Insights from Henry Stimler on How Courage and Consistency Close Deals Henry Stimler runs a full calendar. Client meetings, travel, prospecting, closings, and pipeline follow-ups take up most days, yet he still takes calls from young professionals, makes time for anyone genuinely trying to learn the business, and sees mentorship as part of the job. That mindset was shaped by starting from zero after the 2008 crash. He went from a thriving business to being overdrawn at the ATM and had to rebuild his career piece by piece. It taught him to focus on real opportunities, protect his time and rely on a team where everyone brings a different strength. In this episode of The Dealmakers’ Edge, Aaron talks with Henry about rebuilding from the ground up, sourcing and structuring large multifamily transactions, and keeping deals on track in challenging market conditions. Henry discusses rejection, resilience, mentorship and what it takes to close complex deals. 1:50 – Henry’s background growing up in London and leaving the traditional path 2:35 – Discovering an arbitrage opportunity and building Phoenix 2:50 – The 2008 crash and losing everything, including assets and business 3:20 – Rebuilding through club promotion, opening venues, and returning to finance 3:53 – Turning a shuttered Chinese restaurant into one of NYC’s hottest nightclubs 6:12 – Closing his first deal and earning a $25K commission before his son was born 6:21 – Transition to Newmark when Cantor rolls platforms together 7:03 – Building a national platform and taking NYC investors into new markets 7:57 – Success is not linear and why connection skills drive outcomes 10:51 – How to spot time wasters and protect your capacity 12:12 – “Fish with a net” and why small maybes drain time 14:24 – Making time for students and early-career outreach 16:35 – Keeping a billion-dollar pipeline moving toward closing 18:53 – Team structure in practice and the yin and yang with Bill Weber 21:32 – Developing junior talent and the cold outreach that led to a $230M closing 29:02 – The perspective and humility carried forward from the 2008 crash Mentioned In How Courage and Consistency Close Deals with Henry Stimler Newmark | LinkedIn Henry Stimler on LinkedIn Enjoy the show? Have a guest in mind? Email us at podcast@aystrauss.com to let us know your feedback and who you want to hear on the next episode. Connect with Aaron and the A.Y. Strauss team: Our website ( www.AYStrauss.com ) Aaron's website bio page ( Aaron's bio page ) Aaron's LinkedIn account ( LinkedIn ) Our Twitter account ( @AYStrauss )
May 28, 2026Episode 8131 min
Finding the Right Partners and Building for Generations with Sharon Solomon
Sharon Solomon is a principal at Northlake Development Group, a family office development business with a pipeline of residential and multifamily projects across Santa Fe, New Mexico and South Florida. At Northlake, Sharon leads development strategy, capital planning, and partnership structuring, building the firm alongside her two sons as a multi-generational platform. Prior to launching Northlake, Sharon spent 25 years in financial services, including 11 years at RBC Capital Markets, where she served as US Head of Brand and Client Strategy. Before RBC, she was a member of the executive team at Carlin Financial Group and a founder of predecessor firm Nextgen Trading. She began her career as a Product Manager at Goldman Sachs Asset Management. Sharon is a CPA and holds a BS in Accounting from Brooklyn College. Insights from Sharon Solomon on Finding the Right Development Partners Sharon Solomon spent two years getting to know a Dallas-based developer before structuring a JV for a 430-unit multifamily project in Santa Fe. She needed a partner with experience in mountain west markets who was also willing to share decision-making with a family that wanted to be deeply involved. That combination took time to find, and the structure they built together reflects it. Not every project in her pipeline needed that same approach. In Naples, she hired a local developer as a consultant and brought in a builder with deep roots in the market. In Titusville, a planned JV converted into a fee builder arrangement when the structure didn't make sense. The thread across all of them is matching the partnership to what each project actually requires, and making sure the people involved are incentivized well enough to treat it like their own. In this episode of The Dealmakers' Edge , Aaron Strauss and Sharon discuss how she evaluates what kind of partnership each project needs, why cutting a developer's fees can backfire on the project they're building for you, and how she's building a multi-generational development business with her two sons designed to outlast any single deal. 1:25 - Growing up in a family of Holocaust survivors and starting at Brooklyn College 5:05 - Starting in New Jersey with value-add rentals and Airbnb units 7:05 - Bringing her sons in and committing to a multi-generational development business 10:50 - The Santa Fe assemblage and why Los Alamos job growth drove the thesis 12:35 - Spending two years getting to know RCR before structuring the JV 14:10 - The Hutchinson Island oceanfront assemblage and looking for the right partner 16:01 - Titusville and a planned JV that converted into a fee builder arrangement 18:06 - Decision-making rights and negotiating co-developer status 22:17 - Getting ahead of Opportunity Zone 2.0 before the next designations 25:37 - Managing the ups and downs of development over years and decades Mentioned In Finding the Right Partners and Building for Generations with Sharon Solomon Northlake Development Group | LinkedIn Sharon Solomon on LinkedIn Enjoy the show? Have a guest in mind? Email us at podcast@aystrauss.com to let us know your feedback and who you want to hear on the next episode. Connect with Aaron and the A.Y. Strauss team: Our website ( www.AYStrauss.com ) Aaron's website bio page ( Aaron's bio page ) Aaron's LinkedIn account ( LinkedIn ) Our Twitter account ( @AYStrauss )
May 14, 2026Episode 8022 min
Raising Capital and Co-GP Investing with Abraham Cooper
When Abraham Cooper left JLL in January 2020 to launch Polly Park Capital, the world shut down within weeks. He saw it as an opening. By summer, he had financed Hudson Heritage, a $65 million construction loan for a ShopRite-anchored mixed-use community in upstate New York and one of the few retail construction loans to close anywhere in the country during the pandemic. Polly Park was built as a merchant bank with two business lines. On the advisory side, Abraham has placed capital for transactions ranging from a $360 million construction financing for a senior living community in Tysons Corner to a $75 million programmatic joint venture for a Wilmington-based operator scaling to 10,000 units. On the principal side, he co-invests alongside local operators on ground-up development, anchored by a high-net-worth partner and focused on the New York tri-state and South Florida. In this episode of The Dealmakers' Edge, Aaron Strauss and Abraham Cooper discuss how Polly Park's merchant banking and co-GP businesses work together, why he targets East Coast coastal cities where capital and tenancy understand the product, how he vets operating partners on co-GP deals, and the grounding that keeps him steady through the stress of dealmaking. 1:16 - Polly Park Capital and the merchant bank model 1:50 - Starting at CBRE and moving to JLL capital markets 2:16 - Launching Polly Park in 2020 and seeing the pandemic as an opportunity 2:50 - Financing Hudson Heritage during the pandemic 3:28 - How brokerage experience at CBRE and JLL shaped the principal mindset 6:47 - Having $200 million of advisory runway going into the pandemic 7:55 - Splitting time between merchant banking and co-GP investing 8:42 - Range of advisory transactions from Tysons Corner to Nashville to Wilmington 9:59 - Vetting local operators and structuring co-GP deals 11:34 - Targeting East Coast coastal cities where capital and tenancy understand the product 12:28 - Equanimity and grounding through the stress of dealmaking 15:00 - Reading the market and why better days are ahead 16:52 - Scaling from high-net-worth to institutional capital 18:39 - Using AI to augment, not replace, human underwriting 20:22 - Sticking to core markets and what's exciting ahead Mentioned In Building a Raising Capital and Co-GP Investing with Abraham Cooper Polly Park Capital | LinkedIn Abraham Cooper on LinkedIn Enjoy the show? Have a guest in mind? Email us at podcast@aystrauss.com to let us know your feedback and who you want to hear on the next episode. Connect with Aaron and the A.Y. Strauss team: Our website ( www.AYStrauss.com ) Aaron's website bio page ( Aaron's bio page ) Aaron's LinkedIn account ( LinkedIn ) Our Twitter account ( @AYStrauss )
April 23, 2026Episode 7934 min
Raising Common Equity and Building an Investor-First Practice with Adam Steinberg
Adam Steinberg is a Principal at Ackman-Ziff Real Estate Group, where he co-heads the equity business and chairs the equity approval committee. Since joining in 2004, Adam has focused exclusively on raising common equity for clients, closing transactions aggregating billions of dollars of capital across traditional and alternative asset classes. Prior to Ackman-Ziff, Adam spent four years as a principal at Partners Group, investing on behalf of an opportunity fund. Before that, he helped build a capital markets group at AEW Capital Management and worked as a capital advisor at Boston Financial Group, which was later acquired by Lend Lease. Adam began his real estate career as a financial analyst in the real estate group at Salomon Brothers during the early 1990s. He holds a degree from Dartmouth College and an MBA from Cornell University. Insights from Adam Steinberg on Raising Common Equity When Ackman-Ziff's equity team evaluates a new assignment, the first question isn't whether the deal is good. It's whether they can win. Adam Steinberg and his partners treat time the way other firms treat capital. It's the scarce resource, and every deal that comes through the door gets measured against the probability of getting it done. The process starts with investors. Before sourcing deals, Adam's team goes to equity partners first, asking what's on their shortlist and what they can actually get through their investment committee. That investor-first approach has pushed the practice into alternative asset classes like powered land, clustered student housing, and solar and battery storage, where risk-adjusted returns are more compelling than in traditional deals. In this episode of The Dealmakers' Edge, Aaron Strauss and Adam Steinberg discuss how the equity advisory business has evolved over two decades, why common equity is harder to raise than preferred, what it takes to get a deal done, and how sponsors can position themselves to attract institutional capital for the first time. 3:18 - First real estate job as a financial analyst at Salomon Brothers during the early nineties recession 4:23 - Three lessons from Salomon Brothers that still drive how he works today 5:36 - Cornell, investment sales, and building a capital markets group at AEW 7:30 - Joining Ackman-Ziff in 2004 and growing the equity business 10:17 - How the practice evaluates deals and why time is the scarce resource 13:06 - Common equity versus preferred and mezzanine 15:04 - Reverse engineering deal flow by going to investors first 18:22 - Programmatic versus one-off deals and what a successful program requires 21:41 - When to stay with friends-and-family capital and when to move to institutional 23:26 - Using a recapitalized asset as a seed deal for an institutional partner 26:24 - Where the common equity market stands today 30:47 - Finding the mental break that forces you fully off the deal Mentioned In Raising Common Equity and Building an Investor-First Practice with Adam Steinberg Ackman-Ziff Real Estate Group | LinkedIn Adam Steinberg on LinkedIn Enjoy the show? Have a guest in mind? Email us at podcast@aystrauss.com to let us know your feedback and who you want to hear on the next episode. Connect with Aaron and the A.Y. Strauss team: Our website ( www.AYStrauss.com ) Aaron's website bio page ( Aaron's bio page ) Aaron's LinkedIn account ( LinkedIn ) Our Twitter account ( @AYStrauss )
April 9, 2026Episode 7845 min
Cannabis Law and Commercial Real Estate with Jennifer Cabrera and Sahar Ayinehsazian
Cannabis is showing up in more CRE conversations than ever, and most of the people having those conversations are figuring it out as they go. The asset class looks familiar enough on the surface that standard deal instincts seem to apply. They rarely do. Jennifer Cabrera and Sahar Ayinehsazian have guided landlords, lenders, and investors through enough of these deals to know where the assumptions break down. The financing options exist but require a different approach to find. The regulatory framework is specific enough that getting local counsel early changes outcomes. And the market is maturing in ways that are creating real opportunity for the people paying attention. In this episode of The Dealmakers' Edge, Aaron Strauss is joined by Jennifer Cabrera and Sahar Ayinehsazian to discuss what landlords need to know before signing a cannabis lease, how lenders are approaching cannabis-related properties, and where the real opportunities are as more state markets mature. For a deeper dive into the regulatory outlook for the year ahead, Jennifer and Sahar are hosting a webinar on April 21st. 3:09 - Retail leasing trends and what makes a cannabis-zoned property valuable 5:01 - The landlord, lender, and tenant triangle and why transparency with your lender matters 8:08 - How to find a bank willing to finance a cannabis-related property 9:45 - Financing options for operators and sponsors without institutional backing 13:35 - What a cannabis lease actually needs to cover and why standard counsel isn't enough 16:03 - Local approval in New Jersey and why planning boards get it wrong 19:07 - Building lease exit provisions for regulatory surprises outside anyone's control 20:42 - Default post-occupancy and the opportunity a departing cannabis tenant can leave behind 23:31 - Why cannabis operators have no bankruptcy protection and what landlords should plan for instead 25:56 - The unlicensed market problem and what happened in Los Angeles 30:13 - Landlord liability for unlicensed cannabis tenants 31:36 - Advertising restrictions for cannabis and what billboard and signage owners need to know 34:08 - When to call cannabis counsel and what it actually costs to wait 37:29 - Market maturation, the liquor store model, and the hemp beverage loophole closing 41:21 - Why market maturation is improving the quality of cannabis investment opportunities Mentioned In Cannabis Law and Commercial Real Estate with Jennifer Cabrera and Sahar Ayinehsazian A.Y. Strauss | LinkedIn Jennifer Cabrera on LinkedIn Sahar Ayinehsazian on LinkedIn Sign up for the April 21st webinar - A.Y. Strauss Presents: The 2026 Cannabinoid Compass: Legal, Compliance & Regulatory Concerns Enjoy the show? Have a guest in mind? Email us at podcast@aystrauss.com to let us know your feedback and who you want to hear on the next episode. Connect with Aaron and the A.Y. Strauss team: Our website ( www.AYStrauss.com ) Aaron's website bio page ( Aaron's bio page ) Aaron's LinkedIn account ( LinkedIn ) Our Twitter account ( @AYStrauss )
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