Leaders in Real Estate Podcast

Nick Carman
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This series is for anyone who wants to improve their leadership credentials in REAL ESTATE. Nick Carman hosts LEADERS from across the US to share what's gone right, what lessons have they learnt and the tool kits they have built to meet the challenge of leading complex projects, investments and teams across all asset classes. Nick Carman is a headhunter, founder of VELOP, a Culture First hiring platform. He is passionate about mentoring rising stars and future leaders in the Real Estate sector. He has interviewed more than 5,000 real estate professionals in his 20 years of headhunting.

Episodes

  1. 3d ago ·  Video

    Lessons from Failure to Epic Success with Dave Martin, President of Swire Properties USA

    Dave Martin lasted eight months at Westfield in New York, a big career set back, that he turned into an epic win. He had spent 20 years winning in Asian retail real estate, so he walked in expecting to succeed. The lessons he learnt have shaped his role and success today. He is President of Swire Properties USA, the Hong Kong-listed developer that has shaped Miami's Brickell neighbourhood since 1979. In this episode Dave goes back over his career highlights including running a luxury retail repositioning in Bangkok at 25 with LVMH, managing through SARS in Hong Kong, and the ability to keep pushing his career forward whilst showing real loyalty to his employers. He also explains why he doesn't pass his stress on to his team, why he talks to the guy on the loading dock, and the one trait he looks for in every hire. His advice to anyone who feels overlooked is blunt: be in the office, volunteer, and say yes. If you are stepping into your first leadership role, this is a mentor in your pocket.   Chapters 00:00 "Eight months on my resume" 00:20 Introducing Dave Martin, President, Swire Properties USA 01:12 Swire in Miami and the Residences at Mandarin Oriental 03:00 First taste of leadership: Bangkok at 25 with LVMH 06:26 "Did you feel ready?" 07:07 Why moving countries (even to the US) means starting from scratch 09:04 What drove him: leaving the UK and the three-year itch 13:57 Calm under pressure and not transferring stress 17:09 Building bonds from the loading dock to the boardroom 20:43 The Westfield episode 24:18 How to shake off a setback 25:48 Rapid fire: the number one trait he hires for 27:37 School taught me to lead, Oxford taught me to think 28:47 Feeling overlooked? Be present and volunteer 31:03 Wrap

  2. Aug 3 ·  Video

    From New York Lawyer to Co-Founder of BH3 | Daniel Lebensohn on Building Through the Financial Crisis

    Daniel Lebensohn, co-founder of BH3, landed his first Miami deal by buying a stranger's seat on a JetBlue flight so he could sit next to the investor who had already said no. That deal, a 117-unit distressed condominium at 60th and Collins, was backed by MSD Capital, Michael Dell's family office, and it gave BH3 its name. Daniel and his partner Greg Freedman launched the South Florida investment and development firm in November 2009, in the depths of the financial crisis, with no staff and no recognizable track record. Today BH3 has invested billions of dollars across Florida and New York. In this episode of Leaders in Real Estate, Daniel explains how he learned leadership by keeping a journal on the bosses he worked for, and where his resilience comes from: his father's childhood escape from wartime Europe. He shares the multi-year litigation behind Privé at Island Estates in Aventura and what it taught him about partners who rise in adversity. He also explains why he hired a persistent unpaid intern who became his right hand, and why AI makes authenticity more valuable, not less. His advice to anyone weighing the leap into leadership: this is not a dress rehearsal. Get experience, but don't wait too long to jump. If you are stepping into your first leadership role, this is a mentor in your pocket. Chapters 00:00 Introducing Daniel Lebensohn, Co-Founder, BH3 01:48 Leadership as an evolution: learning by watching your bosses 02:51 Two founders, zero staff: launching BH3 in 2009 04:32 "A candy store on sale": opportunity in the financial crisis 06:02 No track record, no capital: cracking the first deal 06:57 His superpower: "A no is a bridge to yes" 07:43 Where his resilience comes from 10:08 Zero expectation, 10,000% aspiration 11:39 Tenacity is a muscle: the "energized or drained?" check-in 13:38 The JetBlue story: buying a stranger's seat to land MSD Capital 19:06 How BH3 got its name 21:24 Biggest setback: the Williams Island litigation 27:02 Don't waste energy on retribution 28:17 What BH3 looks for in a hire 29:43 The unpaid intern who got "paid to learn" 31:18 AI and why authenticity is your edge 33:42 Is leadership worth it? "This is not a dress rehearsal" 35:18 "I just want to get an A in life" Listen and connect Show notes and more episodes: https://velop.us Apple Podcasts: https://podcasts.apple.com/gb/podcast/leaders-in-real-estate-podcast/id1846614525 Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/show/2kuRaMkD59qAkooQmfKRiM Daniel Lebensohn on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/daniel-lebensohn/ Hiring in real estate? Velop assesses personality and cognitive ability at the start of every search: https://velop.us At the time of recording ([Month Year]), Daniel Lebensohn was Co-Founder of BH3. #RealEstateLeadership #MiamiRealEstate #CareerAdvice

  3. Jul 16 ·  Video

    From Prologis to FRP Holdings: Mark Levy on Servant Leadership and the Long Game

    Mark Levy, Chief Investment Officer of FRP Holdings, had leadership titles for years before he understood what leadership actually meant. His teams didn't feel empowered, and the results showed it. In this episode of Leaders in Real Estate, Mark explains how a career coach at Prologis introduced him to emotional intelligence and servant leadership, and how that changed the way he led. He goes back to his first job at a large Japanese conglomerate, where colleagues saw him as self-serving, and the journal of lessons he has kept ever since. He also explains why colleagues say he "rarely chooses the easy path," and why he believes good instincts in real estate come from preparation, not gut feel. Today he oversees capital deployment at FRP Holdings, an industrial development and acquisitions platform focused on New Jersey and Florida, which he joined when FRP acquired Altman Logistics, the business he founded. Mark mentors students at the University of Miami and the University of Pennsylvania, and his advice is direct: know your value proposition, show up in person, and stay curious. He also shares the one trait he hires for above all others, the historical thinkers he reads instead of self-help books, and why he keeps a personal board of directors. His message for rising leaders: this is a long game. Be the best at the role you have today. If you are stepping into your first leadership role, this is a mentor in your pocket. Chapters 00:00 Introducing Mark Levy, CIO, FRP Holdings 00:59 What a CIO does at FRP Holdings 02:16 His first leadership role at Prologis: "more title than actuality" 05:15 The career coach who introduced emotional intelligence 08:51 What drove him: a WWII veteran father and "failure is not an option" 12:39 How his early teams saw him, and the journal of lessons 17:25 The lesson he wishes he'd learned sooner: listen more, talk less 18:43 "Mark rarely chooses the easy path" 21:47 Good instincts come from preparation, not gut feel 25:52 Learning from other leaders' failures 26:41 What drives him today: helping others succeed 28:41 Advice for students: know your value proposition 32:13 Why working from home holds young professionals back 35:21 The number one trait he hires for: intellectual curiosity 38:12 "If you and I agree on everything, one of us is useless" 40:39 What to read: Marcus Aurelius, Dale Carnegie and lifelong learning 44:26 Building a personal board of directors 45:09 The one takeaway: it's a long game 47:41 Wrap Listen and connect Show notes and more episodes: https://velop.us Apple Podcasts: https://podcasts.apple.com/gb/podcast/leaders-in-real-estate-podcast/id1846614525 Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/show/2kuRaMkD59qAkooQmfKRiM Mark Levy on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/markglevy/ Hiring in real estate? Velop assesses personality and cognitive ability at the start of every search: https://velop.us At the time of recording ([Month Year]), Mark Levy was Chief Investment Officer of FRP Holdings.

  4. 12/15/2025 ·  Video

    From a Job Trailer to President of Prologis US West | Megan Creecy-Herman on Leadership

    Megan Creecy-Herman, President of the US West region at Prologis, had her first taste of leadership in a job trailer on a development site, where she wasn't the oldest person in the room and didn't have the biggest title. Today she leads a team of around 220 people and roughly $55 billion of assets under management, covering more than 260 million square feet from Los Angeles and the Inland Empire to Seattle, Denver and Phoenix. In this episode of Leaders in Real Estate she explains how learning to influence without authority made her a better leader once she had the title, and why her first step with anyone she leads is to listen. Megan shares what her most challenging bosses taught her about how not to lead, why the traits that make a great dealmaker aren't always the ones that make a great leader, and how she builds the trust that lets her give candid feedback. She also looks back on her biggest mistake, driving too much change too fast, and the steepest learning curve of her career: taking over operations for the whole West Coast at the start of COVID, leading senior people who knew their markets better than she did. Her advice for new leaders: listen more than you talk, treat feedback as a favor, and read Mindset by Carol Dweck. If you are stepping into your first leadership role, this is a mentor in your pocket. Chapters 00:00 Introducing Megan Creecy-Herman, President, Prologis US West 01:16 Her role: $55 billion AUM and a team of 220 02:31 First taste of leadership: influencing without authority 03:55 What drove her: wanting something tangible to point to 04:41 Early challenges: getting people to follow without a title 06:08 How to lead without authority: listen first 08:14 What challenging bosses taught her 09:50 Dealmaker vs leader: why the traits differ 10:22 "She reignites passion in her team": trust and candid feedback 13:53 Building a culture of personal development 14:52 Leading in a VUCA world 16:26 Why great leadership beats great dealmaking 17:13 Handling resistance: "Feedback's a favor" 18:44 Biggest mistake: too much change, too fast 20:48 The traits she looks for in future leaders 22:14 Steepest learning curve: leading West Coast operations through COVID 24:58 Books and resources for new leaders 26:16 Her challenges as a senior leader today 28:45 What she had to let go of: the to-do list 30:40 Looking ahead: 2026 and the next industrial cycle 32:55 Wrap Listen and connect Show notes and more episodes: https://velop.us Apple Podcasts: https://podcasts.apple.com/gb/podcast/leaders-in-real-estate-podcast/id1846614525 Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/show/2kuRaMkD59qAkooQmfKRiM Megan Creecy-Herman on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/megan-creecy-herman-2673a912/ Hiring in real estate? Velop assesses personality and cognitive ability at the start of every search: https://velop.us At the time of recording December 2025, Megan Creecy-Herman was President of the US West region at Prologis.

  5. 12/01/2025 ·  Video

    From Security Capital to EQT: Todd Carter on 25 Years and 100 Million Square Feet of Industrial

    Todd Carter, Senior Managing Director for the Southeast at EQT Real Estate, has transacted more than 100 million square feet of industrial real estate. Asked what drove him early on, he doesn't dress it up: "It was money. Cold hard cash." Todd now oversees acquisitions, development and leasing for a portfolio of around 100 million square feet across the Carolinas, Tennessee, Georgia, Alabama and Florida. In this episode of Leaders in Real Estate he traces the mentors who shaped him: a former Salomon Brothers banker who drilled in a Wall Street work ethic, the industrial REIT training ground of Security Capital (now Prologis) in Denver, and eight years at Majestic Realty, where there was no exit, so every mistake came out of your own pocket. He shares the capital call that taught him what it really means to own real estate, how he won over older teams who wondered "why am I listening to this kid?", and what it was like joining EQT with a big reputation and an offer letter the whole office saw on the printer. He also explains why he uses humor to calm a tense deal, why he hates being called "the boss," and why he still works deals himself. His advice for rising leaders: this isn't a hard business, it's a tough one. Be disciplined early, and pay it forward. If you are stepping into your first leadership role, this is a mentor in your pocket. Chapters 00:00 Introducing Todd Carter, Senior Managing Director, EQT Real Estate 01:08 His role: a 100 million square foot Southeast portfolio 01:46 First taste of leadership at Majestic Realty 03:39 Why you shouldn't wait for a promotion to lead 04:08 What drove him: "cold hard cash" 04:58 Early challenges: getting older teams to follow 06:53 How he won them over: results, with respect 08:04 The mentors who shaped him: Wall Street, Security Capital, Majestic 10:21 Learning to think through the deal when there's no exit 13:43 What he chose not to copy from his mentors 16:36 "A mistake is when you knew not to do it" 17:53 The capital call that woke him up 19:56 What colleagues say: calm and light-hearted under pressure 21:23 Humor, stress and not projecting outcomes 23:38 The "Todd style" of leadership 24:31 Joining EQT with a big reputation 29:51 What he looks for in future leaders 31:53 What drives him now 33:19 Why he still works deals at his level 34:55 His advice: be disciplined and pay it forward 36:01 Wrap Listen and connect Show notes and more episodes: https://velop.us Apple Podcasts: https://podcasts.apple.com/gb/podcast/leaders-in-real-estate-podcast/id1846614525 Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/show/2kuRaMkD59qAkooQmfKRiM Todd Carter on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/todd-carter-3a7b64a4/ Hiring in real estate? Velop assesses personality and cognitive ability at the start of every search: https://velop.us At the time of recording November 2025, Todd Carter was Senior Managing Director, Southeast Region, at EQT Real Estate.

  6. 11/24/2025 ·  Video

    From JLL to Student Quarters: Stephanie Lynch on Raising $4.5 Billion and Leading Through Crisis

    Stephanie Lynch, Chief Investment Officer and CFO of Student Quarters, was four days into her new role when a scandal hit the company's Australian corporate partner. Instead of raising capital for student housing deals, she had to help recapitalize the whole company. In this episode of Leaders in Real Estate, Stephanie explains why she considered going back to her old job, why she gave herself 12 months instead, and how the workouts she ran at JLL during the financial crisis prepared her to find Student Quarters a new partner. Over her career she has executed more than $4.5 billion of debt and equity from domestic and offshore sources, and today she leads the firm's investment, capital raising and corporate strategy. She also shares how years of studying piano built her drive to keep improving, why not asking for what you need is a bigger failure than hearing no, and the deal she lost early in her career because she wasn't direct enough about the risks. She explains her approach to negotiation, the traits she looks for in future leaders, and why short-term wins can haunt your reputation. Her advice for rising leaders: be curious, speak up, and embrace change instead of resisting it. If you are stepping into your first leadership role, this is a mentor in your pocket. Chapters 00:00 Introducing Stephanie Lynch, CIO & CFO, Student Quarters 01:06 Her role leading investment and capital raising 01:39 First leadership role: thrown in at the deep end 03:20 What drove her: fear of failure 04:07 Overcoming fear: not asking is the real failure 06:03 What mentors taught her: persistence and creativity 07:17 Getting comfortable with difficult conversations 08:28 "Outworks and outsmarts her peers": what piano taught her 11:02 Four days in: a crisis at the Australian parent company 13:54 Did she think about quitting? 14:54 How financial crisis workouts at JLL prepared her 16:02 Recapitalizing Student Quarters and finding the right partner 17:37 Her approach to negotiation 19:49 Biggest lesson: be direct about the risks 22:36 What she looks for in future leaders 25:04 Negative drivers: the danger of short-term wins 27:09 Books: Think Again and The Widow Clicquot 29:32 Is leadership worth it? 30:55 Looking ahead: Student Quarters' second fund 33:11 What's next personally: travel, music and yoga 33:55 Wrap Listen and connect Show notes and more episodes: https://velop.us Apple Podcasts: https://podcasts.apple.com/gb/podcast/leaders-in-real-estate-podcast/id1846614525 Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/show/2kuRaMkD59qAkooQmfKRiM Stephanie Lynch on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/stephanie-lynch-02b6b69/ Hiring in real estate? Velop assesses personality and cognitive ability at the start of every search: https://velop.us At the time of recording November 2025, Stephanie Lynch was Chief Investment Officer and Chief Financial Officer of Student Quarters. #RealEstateLeadership #StudentHousing #CareerAdvice

  7. 11/17/2025 ·  Video

    Building a 275-Person Property Management Division From Scratch | Lee Hayes Bradford, D.R. Horton

    Lee Hayes Bradford, President of D.R. Horton Property Management, keeps a plaque on her desk that reads "Be brave enough to suck at something new." It went up when she moved from vice president to the top job, building an in-house property management division from scratch for America's largest homebuilder. Four years on, that division manages a $3.2 billion portfolio of multifamily and build-to-rent homes across 35 US markets, with a team of more than 275 people. In this episode of Leaders in Real Estate, Lee explains why she calls herself "a builder" of processes, people and environments, and why she didn't feel ready for her first leadership role at Summit Properties. Her former team members say Lee "never gives you the answer, she leads you to it." She explains how she does it, tells the story of lying on the office floor with a colleague whose project had gone badly wrong, and admits the one time she snapped at a team member, who still remembered it five years later. She also explains why indecision hurts a team more than an unpopular decision, why she's let go of "my way or the highway," and how the DISC profile changed the way she communicates. Her advice for rising leaders: people are always watching how you lead, even when you're not in a leadership role. If you are stepping into your first leadership role, this is a mentor in your pocket. Chapters 00:00 Introducing Lee Hayes Bradford, President, D.R. Horton Property Management 00:54 Her role: multifamily and build-to-rent across 35 markets 01:44 What drives her: "At heart, I'm a builder" 02:41 First leadership role at Summit Properties 03:30 Did she feel ready? Why no one ever does 04:24 Biggest challenge: finding common ground between teams 05:26 The leaders she admired, and the ones who taught her what not to do 06:27 Report card: "Lee never gives you the answer, she leads you to it" 09:00 The office floor story: calm is a learned skill 10:38 The one time she snapped 11:45 First-time leaders: leading friends and making unpopular decisions 15:48 "Be brave enough to suck at something new" 17:43 How she stays bold with $3.2 billion at stake 20:15 Books and tools: Simon Sinek and the DISC profile 22:45 What she doubled down on: asking questions 23:25 What she let go of: "my way or the highway" 25:06 Is leadership worth it? 26:12 What she looks for in future leaders 28:28 Pivotal moments: people are always watching 29:42 Wrap Listen and connect Show notes and more episodes: https://velop.us Apple Podcasts: https://podcasts.apple.com/gb/podcast/leaders-in-real-estate-podcast/id1846614525 Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/show/2kuRaMkD59qAkooQmfKRiM Lee Hayes Bradford on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/lee-hayes-bradford/ Hiring in real estate? Velop assesses personality and cognitive ability at the start of every search: https://velop.us At the time of recording (November 2025), Lee Hayes Bradford was President of D.R. Horton Property Management. #RealEstateLeadership #PropertyManagement #CareerAdvice

  8. 11/10/2025 ·  Video

    Mike Brewer, Former COO of RADCO, on Getting Things Done Through Other People

    Mike Brewer, former COO of RADCO and now COO of Axia Residential at ARC Multifamily Group, hired his first employee for a lawn care business he ran in the early 1990s. He gave him no direction, no training and no expectations, and calls it "a complete disaster." Three decades later, Mike is one of multifamily's best-known voices. He worked his way up from leasing consultant to COO of RADCO, which sold around $3 billion of assets in 2019 and 2020, and he runs the Multifamily Media Network and the long-running Multifamily Collective. In this episode of Leaders in Real Estate he explains the hardest shift any new leader makes: from doing the work to getting it done through other people. A former colleague describes Mike as "unlike anyone else I have worked with. He is a visionary." He explains why that trait has landed him in hot water, how he keeps going when his predictions take longer than expected, and how he helped a team leader rebuild after her first failure. He also shares why authenticity beats adapting to every personality, the three traits he looks for in young leaders, and why he believes technology will make multifamily a relationship business again. His advice for rising leaders: create a purpose in service of others, and never forget that it is an honor to lead people. If you are stepping into your first leadership role, this is a mentor in your pocket. Chapters 00:00 Introducing Mike Brewer 01:23 What he's working on today 02:28 The hardest transition: getting things done through other people 04:30 His first attempt at leadership: the Lawn Ranger 05:24 Learning multifamily from the leasing office up 06:35 "He is a visionary": when foresight gets you in trouble 08:45 How to keep going after a knock 10:47 Helping a leader rebuild after failure: the gap and the gain 13:06 Authentic or adaptable? How to lead different personalities 15:36 Has leadership changed? Five generations and AI 17:00 What to read: Peter Drucker and Tom Peters 18:27 The traits he looks for: curiosity, humility and kindness 19:46 Does command-and-control leadership work? 21:32 What drives him 22:43 Good and bad drivers: a purpose in service of others 24:27 The next multifamily cycle: technology plus human 27:28 "Business exists to serve the people who serve it" 29:09 Wrap Listen and connect Show notes and more episodes: https://velop.us Apple Podcasts: https://podcasts.apple.com/gb/podcast/leaders-in-real-estate-podcast/id1846614525 Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/show/2kuRaMkD59qAkooQmfKRiM Mike Brewer on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/mikebrewer/ Hiring in real estate? Velop assesses personality and cognitive ability at the start of every search: https://velop.us At the time of recording (November 2025), Mike Brewer was COO of Axia Residential at ARC Multifamily Group and founder of the Multifamily Media Network.

  9. 11/03/2025 ·  Video

    Spencer Levy, CBRE: Lessons from 30 Years as a Lawyer, Banker and Real Estate Strategist

    Spencer Levy, Global Client Strategist and Senior Economic Advisor at CBRE, once walked on stage in front of 3,500 people in Denver knowing "this speech is going to change my life, positively or negatively." He ditched the standard economics presentation for pictures, stories and a costume change, and it reshaped his career. Today Spencer travels the world advising CBRE's largest investor and occupier clients, gives around 200 live talks a year and hosts The Weekly Take podcast. In this episode of Leaders in Real Estate he explains why leadership has little to do with the org chart, and why "the most important picture on your wall is your mirror." Spencer is candid about his mistakes. He admits he spoke arrogantly in his early New York years, shares his father's rule that "the minute you raise your voice, even if you're right, you're wrong," and explains why chasing the next rung on the ladder sometimes led him in the wrong direction. He also shares how he manages a brutal travel schedule with one "anchor" task a day, why he admits fear of failure drives him, why corporate real estate should be seen as a revenue tool, and how horse racing made him a better strategist. His advice for rising leaders: think long term, develop your own voice, and prepare for everything. If you are stepping into your first leadership role, this is a mentor in your pocket. Chapters 00:00 Introducing Spencer Levy, CBRE 00:59 His role: advising CBRE's largest investors and occupiers 02:16 The backstory: lawyer, banker and 18 years at CBRE 03:40 Leadership isn't just the org chart 05:10 The speech that changed his career 07:27 Telling the truth: what great mentors did for him 09:33 Tactical mistake: learning to communicate better 13:35 Strategic mistake: life is a jungle gym, not a ladder 16:53 Managing a brutal schedule: one anchor task a day 19:18 Has leadership changed for the next generation? 21:21 Building a personal brand: find your own voice 23:33 Corporate real estate is a revenue tool, not a cost center 26:28 What drives him: fear of failure 28:49 Good and bad drivers: always think long term 31:23 What he looks for: preparation and focus 34:02 What to read, and why you need a hobby 37:49 How to measure success: happiness 39:43 Wrap Listen and connect Show notes and more episodes: https://velop.us Apple Podcasts: https://podcasts.apple.com/gb/podcast/leaders-in-real-estate-podcast/id1846614525 Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/show/2kuRaMkD59qAkooQmfKRiM Spencer Levy on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/spencerglevy/ Hiring in real estate? Velop assesses personality and cognitive ability at the start of every search: https://velop.us At the time of recording (November 2025), Spencer Levy was Global Client Strategist and Senior Economic Advisor at CBRE. #RealEstateLeadership #CommercialRealEstate #CareerAdvice

  10. 10/27/2025 ·  Video

    Matt Tucker, Bridge Investment Group, on Building a Net Lease Business From Scratch

    Matt Tucker, CEO and Co-CIO of Bridge Net Lease at Bridge Investment Group, won three NCAA lacrosse championships at Princeton. The biggest lesson he took from it wasn't about winning: "have a reasonably short memory for pain." Matt grew up in Detroit riding in the back of his mother's car while she showed houses, and lived in the homes she renovated and flipped. In this episode of Leaders in Real Estate he explains how a tough-love coach and a brutally competitive classroom (an 87% in freshman chemistry earned him a C) taught him the grit he relies on today. Before co-founding Bridge's net lease vertical with partner Brandon Flickinger in 2021, he worked at Gladstone Commercial, JP Morgan and Liquid Realty Partners. Matt explains why real estate investors need both offense and defense in today's market, why you never fully "let go" as a leader, and why his co-CIO calls him "not just an investor, a builder." He also shares the two traits he looks for in emerging leaders, why the hardest lesson for producers is that the best deal can be no deal, the only book he's ever given to teammates, and how to know when it's time to move on. His advice for rising leaders: show up, do the work, and ask yourself every month what you'd improve if a hot shot came for your job. If you are stepping into your first leadership role, this is a mentor in your pocket. Chapters 00:00 Cold open: "A short memory for pain" 00:47 Introducing Matt Tucker, CEO, Bridge Net Lease 01:42 Detroit roots, real estate at home and Princeton lacrosse 04:11 His role at Bridge Net Lease 05:20 What Princeton taught him: grit 10:23 Offense or defense in today's real estate market? 12:58 First leadership role, and learning to let go 15:42 "Not just an investor, a builder" 18:33 The traits he looks for: competence and grit 20:48 Can grit be learned? 21:49 His why: family 23:03 Good and bad drivers: when the best deal is no deal 24:29 The one book he gives teammates: Principles by Ray Dalio 26:45 Rapid fire: leadership, delegation and his most painful mistake 28:07 How to know when to stay and when to move on 29:27 Wrap Listen and connect Show notes and more episodes: https://velop.us Apple Podcasts: https://podcasts.apple.com/gb/podcast/leaders-in-real-estate-podcast/id1846614525 Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/show/2kuRaMkD59qAkooQmfKRiM Matt Tucker on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/matt-tucker-9b213a14/ Hiring in real estate? Velop assesses personality and cognitive ability at the start of every search: https://velop.us At the time of recording (November 2025), Matt Tucker was CEO and Co-CIO of Bridge Net Lease at Bridge Investment Group. #RealEstateLeadership #NetLease #CareerAdvice

  11. 10/16/2025 ·  Video

    Tammy Kelly, MD at EQT Real Estate, on Leadership, Imposter Syndrome and Using Your Voice

    Tammy Kelly, Managing Director and Head of US Multifamily Asset Management and Operations at EQT Real Estate, didn't take the traditional route into commercial real estate. She grew up working the register in her family's store, couldn't go straight to college, and earned her education at night school while working full-time. Over more than 25 years she has completed more than $4 billion of transactions, managed over $2 billion of multifamily assets and led teams of more than 175 people. In this episode of Leaders in Real Estate, Tammy explains how volunteering to open a satellite office in Chicago gave her her first real leadership role, and why leadership isn't only about managing people. A former team member calls her "a ninja" who gets the job done "without any fanfare." Another remembers her mantra: progress over perfection. Tammy explains how she makes her team feel safe to try new ideas, why a leader takes responsibility for mistakes instead of pushing them down, and the communication mistake that still sticks with her. She also shares the 14-hour flight test she uses when hiring, how she thinks about imposter syndrome and family, and why every future leader should make themselves network. Her advice for rising leaders: if something doesn't make sense, ask the question. And if you want something, ask for it. If you are stepping into your first leadership role, this is a mentor in your pocket. Chapters 00:00 Introducing Tammy Kelly, EQT Real Estate 01:16 Her role leading US multifamily asset management 01:45 How her career developed: relationships and hard work 02:03 What drove her: something to prove 02:31 A non-traditional route: the family store and night school 05:46 First leadership role: opening the Chicago office 08:15 Did she feel ready? 08:57 What kind of leader she is 09:25 "Tammy is a ninja" 10:37 The communication mistake that still sticks with her 13:29 Progress over perfection 17:56 Has leadership changed for today's generation? 18:57 The number one trait she hires for: the 14-hour flight test 20:34 What drives her now: culture and camaraderie 22:07 Is it worth it? Family, balance and imposter syndrome 25:07 Advice if you don't feel ready for leadership 26:28 Make yourself network 29:37 What every future leader needs to know: use your voice 30:42 The best way to grow: collaborate and ask for what you want 33:05 Wrap Listen and connect Full episode and show notes: velop.us/podcast/tammy-kelly-eqt-real-estate Apple Podcasts: [link] | Spotify: [link] Tammy Kelly on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/tammyckelly/ Hiring in real estate? Velop assesses personality and cognitive ability at the start of every search: velop.us At the time of recording ([Month Year]), Tammy Kelly was Managing Director and Head of US Multifamily Asset Management and Operations at EQT Real Estate.

  • 11 Episodes

About

This series is for anyone who wants to improve their leadership credentials in REAL ESTATE. Nick Carman hosts LEADERS from across the US to share what's gone right, what lessons have they learnt and the tool kits they have built to meet the challenge of leading complex projects, investments and teams across all asset classes. Nick Carman is a headhunter, founder of VELOP, a Culture First hiring platform. He is passionate about mentoring rising stars and future leaders in the Real Estate sector. He has interviewed more than 5,000 real estate professionals in his 20 years of headhunting.

Information

  • Creator
    Nick Carman
  • Years Active
    2025 - 2026
  • Episodes
    11
  • Rating
    Clean
  • Copyright
    © Copyright 2025 All rights reserved.
  • Show Website
    Leaders in Real Estate Podcast