POWERS

Chris Powers

POWERS brings you inside the minds of world-class leaders who have built, battled, and succeeded at the highest levels. POWERS digs beyond the surface with questions driven by curiosity, uncovering stories and insights rarely shared publicly. Each episode delivers timeless wisdom and hard-earned lessons that apply across business and life. The show has earned a reputation for asking the right questions at the right moment. The focus is on timeless principles, proven through years of discipline and risk, not on shortcuts. Each conversation is direct, deliberate, and designed to leave listeners sharper than when they arrived. The aim is simple: to deliver insights that matter and can be carried into business and life. Since its launch, POWERS has drawn a high-caliber audience of builders, investors, and decision makers. Past guests have represented companies such as Starwood Capital, JLL, Hillwood Capital, Chick-fil-A, Morning Brew, Founders Podcast, Tiny Capital, Permanent Equity, Fort, Matthews REIS, Bonobos, and ConvertKit. At its core, POWERS is a celebration of leadership, of work that matters, and of the American spirit that makes it possible.

  1. #394 - Alex Robinson - Co- Founder & CEO @ Juniper Square - The New Survival Code for GPs (Private Markets Are Rapidly Being Disrupted)

    2D AGO

    #394 - Alex Robinson - Co- Founder & CEO @ Juniper Square - The New Survival Code for GPs (Private Markets Are Rapidly Being Disrupted)

    In today’s episode, I sit down with Juniper Square Co-Founder & CEO Alex Robinson for a conversation on the seismic shifts reshaping private markets and the future of investing.  We dig into the impact of interest rate changes, the rise of retail investors, and why GPs face both opportunity and disruption in today’s environment. We also go deep on artificial intelligence, how it’s already transforming knowledge work, and the role it will play in redefining private market operations. Alex shares both a macro view of these changes and the mindset he’s using as a CEO to navigate them inside Juniper Square. We discuss: - How rising rates have affected private credit, real estate, and venture capital differently - Why retail investors will be a defining force in the next decade of private markets - The tension between becoming a mega-cap manager or staying a differentiated sharpshooter -Why liquidity is one of the hardest challenges to solve for private investors - How AI will fundamentally rewire every role inside a GP and beyond Links: Alex on LinkedIn - https://www.linkedin.com/in/alexrob22/ Juniper Square - https://www.junipersquare.com/ Topics: (00:00:00) - Intro (00:04:43) - The state of the private markets (00:16:35) - How Juniper Square is tackling LP Liquidity simplification (00:24:48) - The state of AI (00:34:27) - How AI will impact the typical GP (00:40:52) - Alex’s perspective on AI as a CEO (00:52:28) - Building JunieAI Support our Sponsors Collateral Partners: https://collateral.com/fort Ramp: ⁠https://ramp.com/fort Chris on Social Media: Chris on X: https://x.com/fortworthchris Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/thefortpodcast LinkedIn: https://bit.ly/45gIkFd   Watch POWERS on YouTube: https://bit.ly/3oynxNX Visit our website: https://www.powerspod.com/ Leave a review on Apple: https://bit.ly/45crFD0 Leave a review on Spotify: https://bit.ly/3Krl9jO  POWERS is produced by https://www.johnnypodcasts.com/

    1h 1m
  2. #393 - Alex Nyhan - CEO @ First Washington Realty - $9B Portfolio: How Neighborhood Centers Became the Most Resilient Asset in Real Estate

    SEP 16

    #393 - Alex Nyhan - CEO @ First Washington Realty - $9B Portfolio: How Neighborhood Centers Became the Most Resilient Asset in Real Estate

    Alex Nyhan is the CEO of First Washington Realty and an owner in FWR's entities. FWR owns interests in and manages approximately $9 billion of top-quality grocery-anchored shopping centers across the United States. Alex is one of the sharpest minds in real estate and this episode is proof of that.  I’ve had the good fortune of learning from Alex for many years and is someone who always brings good insight.  We discuss: - Lessons from structuring complicated public-private development projects - The investment philosophy behind First Washington’s 22 million square feet of neighborhood retail - Why grocery-anchored shopping centers have proven so resilient - How demographics, education levels, and supply constraints shape long-term value - The role of relationships and human connection in both tenant selection and consumer experience Links: First Washington Realty - https://www.firstwash.com/ Alex on LinkedIn - http://linkedin.com/in/alex-nyhan-b2b4914/ Topics: (00:00:00) - Intro (00:04:02) - Alex’s background and early career (00:15:19) - Alex’s DC Convention Center Hotel project (00:23:32) - First Washington Realty overview (00:25:25) - Investment strategy and deal selection (00:29:21) - Focus on grocery-anchored shopping centers (00:31:05) - Case study: Kansas City suburbs (00:32:04) - Navigating supply constraints (00:32:34) - The resilience of retail in the e-commerce era (00:33:20) - The impact of e-commerce on malls and neighborhood centers (00:35:11) - The competitive landscape of retail investments (00:39:05) - Risk management in retail deals during COVID (00:41:38) - The value of tenant relationships in retail (00:44:49) - Balancing risk with mom and pop tenants (00:50:14) - The importance of education and demographics in retail (00:52:51) - Government intervention and retail development (00:57:04) - Consumer spending trends and market dynamics (01:02:10) - The role of human interaction in retail success (01:04:21) - Concluding thoughts on retail investment strategies Support our Sponsors Ramp: https://ramp.com/fort Collateral Partners: https://collateral.com/fort Chris on Social Media: Chris on X: https://x.com/fortworthchris Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/thefortpodcast LinkedIn: https://bit.ly/45gIkFd Watch POWERS on YouTube: https://bit.ly/3oynxNX Visit our website: https://www.powerspod.com/ Leave a review on Apple: https://bit.ly/45crFD0 Leave a review on Spotify: https://bit.ly/3Krl9jO  POWERS is produced by https://www.johnnypodcasts.com/

    1h 5m
  3. #392 - Jason Baxter - Co-Founder @ Fostr AI - What Elite CEOs Know About AI That Others Don’t

    SEP 4

    #392 - Jason Baxter - Co-Founder @ Fostr AI - What Elite CEOs Know About AI That Others Don’t

    My Co-Founder, Jason Baxter, joins me once again to discuss the growth at FOSTR and how our team is thinking about the future of AI inside companies. Since our last conversation, Jason has sharpened his perspective on where the real value lies for businesses—moving beyond surface-level AI use cases to building the infrastructure that allows organizations to actually compound knowledge over time. We dig into how FOSTR is solving the data problem, why knowledge graphs are critical, and what it means for the next wave of AI adoption in business. We discuss: Why messy data is the biggest barrier for companies adopting AI The role of knowledge graphs in creating context and compounding company knowledge Why CEOs need to think about AI as infrastructure, not just a tool What’s next for FOSTR as it rolls out to more companies Topics: (00:00:00) - Intro (00:03:52) - How FOSTR has evolved since the last time Jason was on the show (00:10:02) - FOSTR’s infrastructure stack (00:21:51) - The importance of clean data (00:28:03) - FOSTR’s Knowledge graph (00:44:00) - How FOSTR would work in a Real Estate Brokerage firm (00:49:34) - Who owns the data? (00:57:34) - What’s coming from FOSTR in the next 45-60 days Links: Request early access to FOSTR - https://fostrai.com/ Reach out to ceonetwork@fostrai.com for notifications on the Slack Community Launch Chris on Social Media: Chris on X: https://x.com/fortworthchris Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/thepowerspodcast/   Watch POWERS on YouTube: https://bit.ly/3oynxNX Visit our website: https://www.powerspod.com/ Leave a review on Apple: https://bit.ly/45crFD0 Leave a review on Spotify: https://bit.ly/3Krl9jO POWERS is produced by https://www.johnnypodcasts.com/

    1h 3m
  4. #391 - Chad Lavender - President of Capital Markets, North America @ Newmark

    SEP 2

    #391 - Chad Lavender - President of Capital Markets, North America @ Newmark

    Chad Lavender is the President of Capital Markets - North America @ Newmark. In this episode we talk about his journey through commercial real estate, from starting out in development during the 2008 financial crisis to building one of the leading senior housing brokerage and advisory practices in the country. We cover how he navigated tough markets early in his career, the lessons he learned from cold calling legends of the industry, and the growth of alternative asset classes like senior housing, medical office, and data centers. Chad also shares his perspective on current real estate markets, from multifamily and industrial to the resurgence of office and the expansion of build-to-rent housing. We discuss: Starting in high-rise development in 2008 and learning through the downturn Building a senior housing brokerage business from scratch and winning early deals with Starwood and Carlisle Moving from ARA to HFF to Newmark and helping create the alternative assets platform How recruiting, persistence, and long-term relationships drive success in brokerage Current insights on data centers, senior housing, office recovery, build-to-rent, and industrial demand Links: Newmark - https://www.nmrk.com/ Chad on LinkedIn - https://www.linkedin.com/in/chad-lavender-03551bb/ Topics: (00:00:00) - Intro (00:04:22) - Chad’s career and background (00:06:39) - The rise of Alabama in real estate (00:09:24) - Breaking into the multifamily market (00:11:42) - Building a seniors housing brokerage team (00:20:13) - The evolution of senior housing (00:27:27) - Joining Newmark and leading alternative assets (00:34:35) - The power of passion and persistence (00:37:49) - Winning business (00:40:36) - Data centers and infrastructure (00:46:37) - The office market rebound (00:51:45) - Build-to-rent trends and challenges (00:57:46) - Capital markets and future outlook (01:05:04) - Final thoughts Support our Sponsors Ramp: https://ramp.com/fort Collateral Partners: https://collateral.com/fort Vesto: https://www.vesto.com/fort Chris on Social Media: Chris on X: https://x.com/fortworthchris Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/thepowerspodcast/   Watch POWERS on YouTube: https://bit.ly/3oynxNX Visit our website: https://www.powerspod.com/ Leave a review on Apple: https://bit.ly/45crFD0 Leave a review on Spotify: https://bit.ly/3Krl9jO   POWERS is produced by https://www.johnnypodcasts.com/

    1h 6m
  5. #390 - Barrett Linburg - Founder @ Savoy Equity Partners - Big Beautiful Opportunity Zones

    AUG 26

    #390 - Barrett Linburg - Founder @ Savoy Equity Partners - Big Beautiful Opportunity Zones

    We welcome back Barrett Linburg to the podcast for a deep dive into the evolution of Opportunity Zones and also his firm, Savoy. Barrett shares how his focus on Opportunity Zone projects has shaped Savoy, why these tax-incentivized investments are so compelling for long-term real estate strategies, and how his team has expanded into property management, construction, and development. The discussion also highlights the transformation of Dallas neighborhoods, navigating legislation, and lessons learned from working with contractors and city partnerships. We discuss: How Barrett discovered opportunity zones and built a firm around them The redevelopment of Bishop Ridge in Dallas and the strategy behind choosing locations Key changes from Opportunity Zone 1.0 to 2.0 and what they mean for investors Building out complementary businesses in property management, renovations, and construction Combining opportunity zones with PFC structures to maximize returns and affordability Links Barrett on X - https://x.com/DallasAptGP Barrett on LinkedIn - https://www.linkedin.com/in/barrett-linburg-32070310/ Savoy Equity Partners - https://savoyequity.com/ Barrett’s first appearance on the show - https://youtu.be/6WkWK3BldgI Topics (00:00:00) - Intro (00:05:52) - Barrett's real estate journey (00:07:12) - Opportunity zones in practice (00:21:08) - Case study: Bishop Ridge (00:26:21) - Future of opportunity zones (00:34:51) - Understanding OZ tax benefits (00:35:16) - Clarifying misconceptions about OZ investments (00:36:55) - Step up in basis explained (00:38:46) - Investing in opportunity zone businesses (00:43:47) - Challenges with general contractors (00:48:42) - Expanding Savoy Equity Partners (00:58:31) - Navigating PFC and OZ deals (01:04:33) - Conclusion and contact information Support our Sponsors Ramp: https://ramp.com/fort Collateral Partners: https://collateral.com/fort Vesto: https://www.vesto.com/fort Chris on Social Media: Chris on X: https://x.com/fortworthchris Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/thefortpodcast LinkedIn: https://bit.ly/45gIkFd   Watch POWERS on YouTube: https://bit.ly/3oynxNX Visit our website: https://www.powerspod.com/ Leave a review on Apple: https://bit.ly/45crFD0 Leave a review on Spotify: https://bit.ly/3Krl9jO  POWERS is produced by https://www.johnnypodcasts.com/

    1h 6m
  6. JUN 24

    #389 - Imran Khan - Founder @ Proem Asset Mgmt - Investing In The Fourth Industrial Revolution

    Imran Khan is the Founder at Proem Asset Management. In this episode we explore the arc of his remarkable career—from his early days as one of Wall Street’s top-ranked analysts to leading global IPOs and eventually launching his own hedge fund.  We discuss: - Why gross margins are a critical indicator of fundamental shifts in a business - How he met Joe Tsai and helped lead Alibaba’s record-setting IPO - The vision Evan Spiegel had that made Snap a generational product - His criteria for identifying high-quality public companies and warning signs to avoid - How private market hype has skewed investor incentives—and why that might be changing Links: Proem Asset Management - https://www.proemasset.com/ Imran on LinkedIn - https://www.linkedin.com/in/dotkhan/ Imran on X - https://x.com/dottkhan Support our Sponsors: Ramp: https://ramp.com/fort Vesto: https://www.vesto.com/fort BetterPitch: https://bit.ly/42d9L0I Topics: (00:00:00) - Intro (00:03:17) - Becoming a great research analyst (00:06:44) - The difficulty in controlling gross margins (00:08:25) - How to research companies to invest in (00:12:53) - Are there similarities today in technology to the 2001 tech bubble? (00:17:11) - The state of AI investing (00:20:04) - The America/China AI race (00:23:26) - Imran’s experience with Alibaba (00:26:26) - The state of China’s inevitability (00:31:11) - Imran’s experience working at Snap (00:39:09) - Leaving Snap (00:40:26) - Imran’s fund structure (00:43:00) - Being drawn to bias (00:45:05) - Mercenaries vs. missionaries (00:47:07) - The market likes to fool the greatest number of people (00:50:18) - The pendulum of private and public market investing Chris on Social Media: The Fort Podcast on Twitter/X: https://x.com/theFORTpodcast Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/thefortpodcast LinkedIn: https://bit.ly/45gIkFd Watch The Fort on YouTube: https://bit.ly/3oynxNX Visit our website: https://bit.ly/43SOvys Leave a review on Apple: https://bit.ly/45crFD0 Leave a review on Spotify: https://bit.ly/3Krl9jO

    55 min
  7. JUN 17

    #388 - Mark Toro - CVO @ Toro Development Co. - Developing Generational Mixed Use "Fortresses"

    Today’s guest is Mark Toro, Chief Vision Officer @ Toro Development Co, based in Atlanta, GA.   Mark unpacks the philosophy, economics, and human-centered detail behind some of the most successful mixed-use developments in the country. We talk through his journey from building suburban power centers to pioneering immersive experiences like Avalon, Colony Square, and the upcoming Medley.  Mark shares how the 2008 financial crisis sparked his rethinking of real estate as a service business rather than just a physical asset—and how ideas like hospitality, branding, and community integration became central to his playbook.  This episode is packed with specific examples, war stories, and lessons on what it really takes to develop places people never want to leave. We discuss: - Why demographics and household income drive everything in site selection - How do vertically integrated, mixed-use developments function financially and operationally - The importance of patios, music, and concierge-level service in creating “third places” - Why tenant selection is both science and art—and what betting on the right jockey really means - How a bottle of tequila became a company tradition symbolizing intentionality and pride in execution Topics: (00:00:00) - Intro (00:03:43) - Mark’s career and background (00:08:03) - The gutted middle in retail (00:09:38) - Site selection criteria for a “fortress” (00:18:45) - Seamless integration (00:26:27) - The art of pitching tenants (00:31:42) - Mark’s approach to “opening” dates (00:33:28) - Betting the farm on tenants (00:35:46) - Office (00:40:18) - Parking strategies (00:41:51) - Hospitality vs. real estate (00:45:23) - Being Disney-esque (00:49:22) - Low-hanging fruit that properties can implement today (00:54:17) - Marketing funds (00:57:55) - Equity partners (00:58:56) - Why isn’t this model scalable? (01:04:10) - How much more profitable can a fortress be than other mixed-use areas (01:07:12) - Eric Weatherholtz & extending patio season (01:10:49) - The tequila story Support our Sponsors: Ramp: ⁠https://ramp.com/fort⁠ Vesto: ⁠https://www.vesto.com/fort⁠ BetterPitch: ⁠https://bit.ly/42d9L0I⁠ Links: Mark Toro on LinkedIn - ⁠https://www.linkedin.com/in/marktoro/⁠ Toro Development Co. - ⁠https://torodevco.com/⁠ Chris on Social Media: The Fort Podcast on Twitter/X: ⁠https://x.com/theFORTpodcast⁠ Instagram: ⁠https://www.instagram.com/thefortpodcast⁠ LinkedIn: ⁠https://bit.ly/45gIkFd⁠ Watch The Fort on YouTube: ⁠https://bit.ly/3oynxNX⁠ Visit our website: ⁠https://bit.ly/43SOvys⁠ Leave a review on Apple: ⁠https://bit.ly/45crFD0⁠ Leave a review on Spotify: ⁠https://bit.ly/3Krl9jO⁠

    1h 14m
  8. JUN 3

    #387 - Ken Hersh - Co-Founder NGP Energy Capital Management - The Godfather of Energy Private Equity

    Since 2016, Ken Hersh has served as President and CEO of the George W. Bush Presidential Center which houses the George W. Bush Library and Museum and the George W. Bush Institute.  In 1988, he co-founded NGP Energy Capital Management, one of the nation’s largest natural resources private equity firms which pioneered private capital investing in the sector. Until 2016, he served as CEO, investing over $12 billion, earning a 27-year 30% annualized rate of return, making it one of the nation’s leading private investors.  In 2023, the Oil and Gas Investor magazine inducted Ken into its Hart Energy Hall of Fame as one of the top 50 “pioneering men and women who have shaped energy over the last half century.” Additionally, Ken manages his family office that invests across multiple industries. He sits on numerous corporate and not-for-profit boards, including the Texas Rangers Baseball Club. He sits on the Board of Overseers of the Hoover Institution and is a member of the Council on Foreign Relations. Links:  George W. Bush Presidential Center - https://www.bushcenter.org/ Support our Sponsors Ramp: https://ramp.com/fort Vesto: https://www.vesto.com/fort Topics: (00:00:00) - Intro (00:03:53) - Ken’s early career (00:16:36) - Richard Rainwater and creating NGP (00:29:25) - The original thesis for NGP (00:34:55) - Scaling NGP (00:46:36) - The Shale revolution (00:49:29) - Horizontal Drilling in 2025 (00:51:45) - The importance of having a great business partner (00:54:01) - Is “Let’s back teams” still the best investment model? (00:55:01) - Ken’s approach to raising capital (00:56:37) - Is there a modern-day Richard Rainwater? (00:58:34) - When a deal goes wrong (01:06:04) - The global state of energy in 2025 Chris on Social Media: The Fort Podcast on Twitter/X: https://x.com/theFORTpodcast Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/thefortpodcast LinkedIn: https://bit.ly/45gIkFd   Watch The Fort on YouTube: https://bit.ly/3oynxNX Visit our website: https://bit.ly/43SOvys Leave a review on Apple: https://bit.ly/45crFD0 Leave a review on Spotify: https://bit.ly/3Krl9jO

    1h 17m
4.9
out of 5
495 Ratings

About

POWERS brings you inside the minds of world-class leaders who have built, battled, and succeeded at the highest levels. POWERS digs beyond the surface with questions driven by curiosity, uncovering stories and insights rarely shared publicly. Each episode delivers timeless wisdom and hard-earned lessons that apply across business and life. The show has earned a reputation for asking the right questions at the right moment. The focus is on timeless principles, proven through years of discipline and risk, not on shortcuts. Each conversation is direct, deliberate, and designed to leave listeners sharper than when they arrived. The aim is simple: to deliver insights that matter and can be carried into business and life. Since its launch, POWERS has drawn a high-caliber audience of builders, investors, and decision makers. Past guests have represented companies such as Starwood Capital, JLL, Hillwood Capital, Chick-fil-A, Morning Brew, Founders Podcast, Tiny Capital, Permanent Equity, Fort, Matthews REIS, Bonobos, and ConvertKit. At its core, POWERS is a celebration of leadership, of work that matters, and of the American spirit that makes it possible.

You Might Also Like