GlobeSt Perspectives Podcast

Since joining Berkadia in July, chief revenue officer Blake Okland is leveraging his impressive experience to navigate and succeed in the current multifamily market.

Blake Okland sees himself as a connector of people and departments. He joined Berkadia as chief revenue officer in July, bringing with him a storied career in commercial real estate. In his new role, he aims to drive business goals and client outcomes, despite challenging market dynamics like elevated interest rates and weakening demand-side fundamentals.

In this episode of the Thought Leadership podcast series, Okland talks about opportunities in multifamily, why there is no one-size-fits-all model for investment success, as well as his new role with Berkadia and his journey to joining the company.

You'll also hear:

· - How he plans to drive business forward as a connector within the organization.

· -Why the trends reshaping the multifamily market today are impacting his two-year outlook.

· -How investors should be building a successful capital stack for this cycle and the next.

Daniel Daire and John Otero of 1-800 WATER DAMAGE explain how communication and documentation help to keep restoration claims from turning into expensive disputes.

A water mitigation or restoration event can be stressful for policyholders, and for many homeowners, it's their first time going through the claims process. Miscommunication can quickly turn into frustration, disputes, and potential litigation.

Daniel Daire, owner-operator of 1-800 WATER DAMAGE of Prescott and North Scottsdale, AZ, and John Otero, regional business coach at 1-800 WATER DAMAGE, explain how ongoing communication with adjusters and policyholders helps to protect the claims experience and limit carrier exposure.

In this podcast, you'll learn:

• How 3D scanning can provide adjusters with more visibility into property damage.
• Why scope changes during a claim are a pivotal moment, and how communication may help to reduce risks.
• How IICRC compliance and daily efforts lower the risk of later mold disputes.

Industrial investors are increasingly turning to small-bay and multi-tenant industrial as demand for warehouses wanes, but it takes a specific skill set to unlock outsized returns.

As demand for warehouse and big box spaces dries up, multi-tenant industrial properties have stepped in and stolen the investment spotlight. The niche is delivering outsized returns, but it requires operational excellence to unlock those returns.

Anthony Scavo, CEO and managing partner of Basis Industrial, is no stranger to the multi-tenant space. This year, the firm has already closed $200 million in industrial deals, and it is aggressively growing its portfolio in select markets. Here he talks about the growing competition for the product and what it takes to succeed.

You'll also hear:

· -Why competition is increasing for multi-tenant industrial properties

· -How Basis is underwriting deals in the current economic environment

· -What investors need to be successful in multi-tenant

GlobeSt. Aspiring Leader Tim Donovan explains why investors should stop looking past middle-market properties in the Midwest.

The Midwest region and middle-market properties are typically overlooked by investors, but at the intersection of those spaces, Midloch Investment Partners sees tremendous opportunity. The firm has built a pioneering investment strategy focused on buying middle-market properties in cities across the Midwest.

By focusing on these underserved markets, Midloch co-founder and managing director Tim Donovan, who was recently named an Aspiring Leader by GlobeSt., says that he has found something valuable and increasingly rare in the current market: stability and upside. Donovan talks about the strategy in this episode of the Insiders podcast series.

In the interview, he discusses:

• - What makes the Midwest region an attractive investment market
• - Why middle-market properties are a sweet spot for investment
• - How the firm plans to launch a private credit fund to bolster middle-market investment

The most impactful AI programs are able to manage large-scale operational platforms for property managers.

AI is still new, but it is already evolving. Many companies started implementing AI to solve specific problems or isolated tasks. Now, AI is transitioning from a specific toolkit to something much grander. In this format, AI knows the history of the property and business model, and it can communicate with tools inside the platform. This is a gamechanger for property managers, says Cat Allday, VP of product at AppFolio.

In this podcast, you'll hear:

• How AI is reshaping real estate performance
• Why property operators should create a comprehensive, integrated AI strategy
• Why AI native architecture is essential to creating an impactful AI platform

Real estate connected to women's sports, women's brands and certain international investments have the potential to deliver outsized returns to investors.

As investors continue to search for yield in a constrained environment, attention is shifting toward undercapitalized segments with significant growth potential. Women-centric platforms, from professional sports to consumer brands, are no longer peripheral plays; they represent scalable, high-performing opportunities capable of delivering the returns that have become harder to capture in traditional asset classes.

That's according to high-net-worth investment advisor and 2026 GlobeSt. Woman of Influence Belinda G. Schwartz, executive chair of Herrick and co-chair of the Real Estate Department. Herrick is a full-service commercial real estate law firm based in NYC. Schwartz sat down with us to talk about the award, the state of the industry and how she is strategically advising clients today.

In the podcast, you'll also hear:

• How the current market challenges have changed the investment conversation for high-net worth clients.
• The real estate opportunities in specialty investments, like women's sports and women's brands.
• How law firm leadership is evolving and why diversity remains an important factor in advising clients.

Press play to hear more from Schwartz.

The net lease market has evolved substantially in the last five years, and investors that can adapt to the new market fundamentals are succeeding.

In a market with high interest rates and high inflation, it is becoming increasingly difficult to generate investable risk-adjusted returns. Long-term leases with built-in step increases often don't produce enough cash flow to offset increasing operational costs. ARCTRUST CEO Gary Baumann, however, is continuing to carve a path forward, and he was named a Net Lease Influencer by GlobeSt.com for this innovative investment strategy.

In this episode of the Influencers podcast series, you'll hear:

· - What's included in the ARCTRUST's multi-pronged strategy;

· -How the firm has navigated 40 years in business by building when it is cheaper to build and buying when it is cheaper to buy; and

· - Which practical changes net lease investors need to make to adapt to the current market.

Sigmund Cos. is challenging the status quo in retail investment with alternative investment strategies that are delivering value.

Institutional investors have been hard focused on core grocery-anchored shopping centers for years, but the retail market has attractive opportunities beyond those properties. Under the leadership of managing partner Wright Sigmund, The Sigmund Companies has focused on convenience- and necessity-based retail in edge markets and lifestyle centers in larger markets to deliver the same risk-adjusted returns. Sigmund was recently named a retail real estate influencer by GlobeSt.com for his pioneering strategies that deliver meaningful value in alternative and often overlooked retail assets. Sigmund sat down with GlobeSt.com to discuss investment opportunities in retail including:

• How to underwrite opportunities in necessity-based retail and lifestyle retail centers
• The importance of using tenant mix, lease-up and capital improvements to drive value at the property
• How the firm is using technology and AI to drive efficiency and remain competitive

The commercial real estate (CRE) industry is fervently adopting AI, but a balanced technology strategy is the key to ensuring its success.

CRE companies are widely implementing AI solutions and other emerging technologies to bolster investment strategy and create valuable efficiencies in processes. But in this rapid adoption, commercial real estate companies must remember to balance governance and best practices with experimentation and innovation.

Finding that balance will ensure a successful technology program, according to Damu Bashyam, EVP and Chief Information and Innovation Officer at Berkadia. Bashyam was recently named a GlobeSt. tech influencer, and he's led the launch of Berkie, Berkadia's proprietary generative AI platform. Bashyam sat down with us for an episode of GlobeSt.com's podcast to talk about technology adoption, including:

- -How to turn IT into a strategic growth enabler

- - What commercial real estate companies should do to advance technology programs this year

- -Why creating a balanced technology strategy with best practices is crucial to a successful tech adoption