Leo Simpser: Alignment, Learning What Drives Success, and Putting Relationships First
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In our conversation, Leo shares his journey with LLJ Ventures, grounded in the lessons learned from his earlier private company, HNMA, which provided residential mortgages to underserved Hispanic borrowers. With a unique mix of “zoom in, zoom out” as described by Jim Collins, Leo remains community-oriented and purpose-driven while focusing on the finer details of execution. His intellectual rigor and ability to connect strategic vision with day-to-day tactics is a cornerstone of LLJ’s success.
Eric Naslund: An Architectural Legacy for Our Grandkids
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Today, I’m thrilled to have Eric Naslund, the Co-founder and Principal of Studio E, joining me on the podcast. With over 37 years of experience, Studio E stands as a beacon of architectural excellence in San Diego, boasting a talented team of 30 individuals. Explore their impressive portfolio on studioearchitecture.com to witness the transformative projects Eric and his team have brought to life, spanning housing, mixed-use developments, civic structures, institutional buildings, and urban planning initiatives.
Ben Miller: I don’t care about your deal. Software will eat real estate. Go. Learn. Scale.
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Welcome, everyone, to another episode of Offshoot. Today, I have the pleasure of hosting Ben Miller, the Co-founder and CEO of Fundrise, on the podcast. Fundrise is a real estate, credit, and tech crowdfunding platform. It was founded in 2010 and launched in 2012, making it one of the pioneers in the crowdfunding space. Currently, Fundrise owns $7 billion worth of real estate and manages $3.3 billion in equity from over 400,000 investors and 2 million active users. Fundrise’s mission is to simplify and make the investment into alternative asset classes accessible and cost-effective for traditional, non-institutional investors.
Sarah Kruer Jager: Working with Great People, Relentlessly
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Welcome to Episode 17 of Offshoot with Sarah Kruer Jager. Sarah came into her family business, not by design, but via circumstance. Since joining the firm, she’s become an absolute powerhouse in the commercial real estate industry and an epic role model for those aspiring to get into the juiciest part of the apartment business.