Real Estate REality Check | Real Estate & Business Career Success Education and Training

Introduction:

Today's guest is Maury Golbert, co-chair of the real estate group and partner in the tax department of Berdon LLP, ranked among the top 15 accounting firms in the New York metropolitan area and top 100 in the United States. Maury is certainly not what one would describe as an underachiever, given his CPA, JD, and LLM. He is looked upon by his real estate (and other) clients for advice pertaining to all facets of a transaction, including due diligence, structuring, wealth preservation and enhancement, and workouts as well. When Maury's not busy being a rock star in the world of accounting and taxation - in addition to spending as much time as possible with his wife Gail and their two daughters - Maury is passionate about biking and truly great wines.

Episode Notes:

At 2:55, Maury notes that a majority of real estate developers and entrepreneurs give off a sense of optimism and positivity. At 3:51, Maury explains why sometimes the most valuable piece of advice to give someone is a "no." At 4:49, Golbert shares that there is no shortcut within his industry as the learning curve is long and flat, and as a result one must continuously be learning on a daily basis. At 7:09, he uses the sports analogy of the "game slowing down" and being able to see the defense in comparison to when one is repeatedly practicing and putting in work. At 9:05, Maury reveals his career "oh my moment" of him essentially working on a complex transaction all by himself. At 13:32, Golbert channels Winston Wolf of Pulp Fiction, and tells us that clients come to him with problems, not with solutions. At 15:55, he touches upon long-time clients and forming multi-generational relationships, how expectations vary with time, and the importance of being responsive to clients. At 19:11, Maury advises on the uncertainty and complexity of changes to the recently enacted Tax Cuts and Jobs Act of 2017, and shares that there are opportunities to be had, but many pitfalls exist as well. At 23:57, Golbert speaks about making a difference for others through education, and strongly believes that in this country everyone should have a clean place to sleep and should not be going to bed hungry. At 30:57, he discusses giving people skills that put them in a position to help themselves. At 32:09, Maury feels that there is no substitute to understanding what is in front of you, as one must always be properly prepared. At 34:59, Golbert notes the pertinence of being likeable in business, and the ability of connecting with people on a personal level while having some fun while doing so. At 36:36, he shares that he is not a natural networker, but his accessibility and resourcefulness has helped him a great deal in forming and cultivating relationships. At 42:40, Maury divulges how he finds the balance between leveraging technology and old school methods of communication. He believes that there is no substitute for picking up the phone. At 47:05, Golbert mentions that he enjoys both road and mountain biking, snowboarding, and any activity that forces him to detach from his phone or work while getting his adrenaline going. At 50:08, Maury Golbert closes the podcast with a duel message: (1) every day is a new day, and (2) one possesses complete control of his or her own destiny.

Introduction:

Today we have with us a real estate rock star who on a daily basis channels my "Albert Einstein-Snoop Dogg-Drake Bring Your A-Game Theory," given that he strives to not only be a man of value to his clients, but one who takes Snoop's line, "If it's flipping hamburgers at McDonald's, be the best hamburger flipper in the world. Whatever it is you do you have to master your craft" to heart, as he knows that if he does not, his iPhone will no longer "Light Up" with calls from his clients, and even worse, he will no longer have access to his "Hotline Bling." Yes my friends, today's guest is Brad Wolk, Executive Managing Director, Co-Head of Integrated Consulting Strategies at Savills Studley. Brad, an attorney by education and training, is able to maximize leverage throughout the tenant representation process - with a little help from the title of an old Lionel Richie and the Commodores song - by leaning on the "Brick House" of knowledge he acquired while working for five years in real estate development, exclusively representing commercial owners in the acquisition, disposition and leasing of various commercial properties.

On a personal note, this is not the first time I have sat down with Brad for an interview, as the last time was nearly 20 years ago, back when we both had full heads of hair. Like the dog and pony shows he puts on when attempting to secure new business, his was one of the most engaging, informative and off-beat interviews I ever had ... so good in fact that I hired him for my old real estate development firm right out of law school. More importantly, I take great pride in knowing that (1) career wise, the pupil has definitively exceeded the mentor, and (2) he met his amazing wife Jen, who worked at another of my firm's offices, while at our old company.

Episode Notes:

At 2:42, Brad Wolk reminisces about his 2001 interview with Larry Haber for a summer internship position, while still attending law school. At 3:34, Brad shares his appreciation for the underdog mentality of working hard to prove others wrong. At 5:14, Wolk touches upon fear of failure and the need to please others. At 7:34, Brad discusses goal setting, going after challenging assignments, and the importance of prioritizing. At 8:42, he believes that one must respect the competition, and over prepare to win while utilizing an intelligent strategy. At 9:39, Wolk speaks about service and focusing on clients. He advises that one should listen and react, more so than they preach. At 10:49, Brad talks about preparation, drive and negotiation. At 12:00, he reflects on his first boss (Larry Haber), his partnership and relationship with Matt Barlow, founder of Savills Studley's consulting group, and his relationship with Mitch Steir, Chairman and CEO of Savills Studley. At 13:34, he shares how he manages the talent on Savills Studley's Integrated Consulting Strategies (ICS) team made up of 15 diverse professionals. At 14:53, Wolk dives into the topic of whether tenants have altered their strategies as a result of the recently enacted FASB accounting changes. At 17:05, Brad talks about how creating lists of both personal and business tasks, keeps him organized and on top of whatever he sets out to accomplish. At 19:17, he shares the ski mantra of, "If you are not falling, you are not trying." At 21:01, Wolk mentions the importance of paying it forward by spending time with younger professionals or anyone seeking out help. At 23:31, Brad notes his ambition to grow ICS, as well as being a great role model for his three kids. At 25:25, he stresses that one needs to have short memory when dealing with rejection, and that one cannot take the losses to heart. At 26:36, Wolk believes that the key to success and longevity is surrounding yourself with people that are smarter than you. At 27:11, Brad considers any word that resembles an excuse as "nails on a blackboard." At 29:27, he shares that he is blessed to wake up daily, and work with his friends at Savills-Studley. At 30:45, Wolk speaks about working on complex deals, and taking challenging shots down field. At 31:31, he feels that the time of his life is "now," as life continues to get fuller, and is enjoying time with his wife and kids. At 34:16, Brad Wolk closes the door on the podcast with a message that pertains to stamina and extreme focus when on the "5-yard line" of a deal.

Introduction:

Welcome back my friends to Real Estate REality Check. Today we have with us the legendary Bob Knakal, a man who has turned his relentless passion and once stellar pitching career at the University of Pennsylvania - along with two mistakes, one regarding a job interview for his freshman summer internship and the other, asking a real estate owner back when there was no such thing as Google Maps or Waze where 52 Vanderbilt in New York City was - to have formed the groundbreaking Massey Knakal Realty Services. In the earlier part of the decade, he and Paul Massey later sold Massey Knakal to Cushman and Wakefield, where Bob became Chairman of New York Investment Sales. In the fall of 2018, Bob took his talents, along with the vast majority of his team, to Jones Lang LaSalle (JLL), where he is the Chairman of New York Investment Sales.

Episode Notes:

At 1:53, Bob Knakal shares what he learned from his early days in the real estate industry, and admits that he made many mistakes along the way, but fortunately did not make them more than once. At 2:58, Knakal notes that his move to JLL has been great and could not be happier, but calls it difficult and challenging in the same breath. At 3:57, he reveals his "oh my" moment, the second deal that Paul Massey, CEO of B6 Real Estate Advisors, and Bob closed when they were "kids." At 6:29, Knakal believes that the best way to be a hustler is to get to sleep early. Bob speaks highly of his relationship with broker coach Rod Santomassimo (listen to Podcast Episode 016). At 8:57, he advises that there are 165,000 investment properties in New York City, and talks about the territory system he and Paul implemented at Massey Knakal (and how they learned early on that they were in "the information business, not the real estate business"). At 10:34, Knakal describes his goals and aspirations for the JLL investment sales platform. At 11:24, he mentions that doing the right thing, along with possessing integrity and honesty, forms the backbone of both business and life. At 13:09, Knakal talks about the importance of goal setting – writing goals down, focusing on the goals all the time, and having the discipline to achieve them. At 14:01, he touches upon discipline once again, and remaining true to your core values. At 15:46, Knakal notes that when hiring, Massey Knakal looked for "PHDs" (i.e., those that were poor, hungry and driven individuals who were motivated and hungry to succeed). At 18:08, he provides a brief synopsis on the state of the investment sales market in NYC. At 21:19, Knakal discusses employee mentoring and business coaching, and said that "helping people you work with should be a part of any platform." At 22:48, he shares that he turned down a private office at JLL, and instead sits in the middle of the bullpen with the "troops." At 23:19, Knakal compares the world with and without social media and technology, and believes that the brokerage business will fundamentally change within the next 20 years (or sooner). At 26:22, he provides some negotiating pointers, and notes that brokers need to realize that they are the intermediary in a real estate deal. At 27:55, Knakal talks about finding the balance between family, community and work. At 33:21, he explains doing by trial and error early on in his career, and not having the foresight to ask people who have been there and done that for advice. At 35:32, Bob Knakal closes the door on the podcast with a message on learning how to be likeable, as people in business tend to work with people that they like. He strongly believes that courses on likeability, selling and persuasion should be taught formally in an educational setting.

Introduction:

Today we are fortunate to have with us none other than Mike Steer, a self-proclaimed mortgage geek and the guru of risk management and loss mitigation for the mortgage lending community. Mike, a transplanted Texan who a number of years back took his talents to Southern California, is the co-founder and president of MQMR, an acronym for mortgage quality management and research. When Mike isn't making a difference for the mortgage industry, providing strategic support for vendor management solutions or servicing and subservicing surveillance oversight through MQMR's sister company Subsequent QC, he spends as much time as possible with the true passions of his life, namely "Mikey's Angels" (i.e., his wife and high school sweetheart Vanessa and their daughters Makayla and Camila).

Episode Notes:

At 2:21, Mike Steer dives into how he makes the most of his day by balancing family, employees, clients, and building a company. At 3:39, Mike shares how he goes about getting educated through reading about the industry and business every morning and night. At 4:28, he advises that MQMR is constantly asking clients for feedback. He also touches upon creating raving fans and delivering plus one service to clients. At 5:22, Mike talks about his truth - doing the right thing and hiring smarter people that complete him. At 6:03, he believes that regulations within the industry are not going away. At 8:19, Mike confesses to being both a culprit and victim of "phubbing" and notes the importance of "turning off the phone and turning on the family." At 9:14, he discusses teamwork, communication and execution. At 9:55, Mike shares his thoughts as to how he enjoys "building people" and challenging the MQMR team to do better. At 11:55, he expresses that he is generous through the opportunities he provides. At 12:47, Mike conveys that as a leader it is important to recognize the hard work and sacrifices of his team. At 14:00, he said, "Timing is everything. Knowing when to talk and when to listen is a critical skill set to have as a leader." At 14:57, Mike voiced that one has to be open to change and have a sense of awareness as to disruption in the market. At 15:40, he describes how he handles rejection and how rejection helps him grow. At 18:40, Mike shares the times of his life - a semester in Spain learning Spanish, taking a program in Costa Rica, and backpacking in Southeast Asia after graduation. At 20:40, Mike Steer closes out the podcast with a message of: Don't worry, be happy, don't outsource your energy on negative things or people, as life is too short.

Introduction:

It is time my friends to channel one of the many great songs by Billy Joel – namely that of "Keeping the Faith" – as today we are lucky to have with us none other than the "Queen of Retail" herself, a woman whose passion, skill set, leadership and relentless and not-so-shy nature has helped play a significant role in the revitalization of Times Square and Penn Station, as well as that of Fifth Avenue and Madison Avenue ... yes, the one and only "Ya Gotta' Have" Faith Hope Consolo! As Chairman of the Douglas Elliman Retail Group, given her vast global and national retail knowledge, experience and business savvy, Faith continues to make a difference and be a driving force in the retail sector.

Episode Notes:

At 1:58, Faith Hope Consolo shares being one of a handful of women in the commercial real estate industry back when she first started her career in real estate. At 3:07, Faith notes the importance of getting involved in organizations because they can be stepping stones in a multitude of ways. At 4:00, she talks about going back to school at NYU, and getting a degree in real estate. At 5:40, Faith tell us about her initial training in architecture and interior design, and how this background has helped her in the retail space. At 6:43, she said, "I sat at the knee and listened" (to her senior mentors during her training years). At 8:40, Faith discusses one's work ethic, along with the different mindsets of individuals in this industry. At 9:12, she mentions, "I get up every day likes it is the first day, no matter what happened the day before." At 10:09, Faith dives into being a deal junkie, and why she must make the deal no matter the size and/or if it pro bono. At 12:16, she enlightens us as to how she brings unity to the communities she leases space in. At 14:35 and 15:49 respectively, Faith believes that there is enough business to go around, and if one is strong (and you know what kind of person you are), you will prevail. At 16:20, she shares that she is a ferocious reader, who likes to obtain her news in both print and online. At 17:38, Faith talks about everyone wanting to hit the homerun deal, and suggests alternatively, also to try and hit a few singles. At 19:59, she discusses women having a voice, and investing in one self. At 22:52, Faith suggests that listening skills have to be acquired. At 23:50, she notes that the industry is changing all the time, and how one must embrace all available channels (even if you dislike social media). At 27:48, Faith said, "The market moves, and we move with the market." At 29:55, she informs that she doesn't dwell on or beat herself up on the mistakes she has made in the past. At 33:11, Faith closes the door on the podcast with advice for those starting their careers (including the topic of putting your ego aside).

Introduction:

Today we are very lucky to have with us Dr. Joseph Tait, a very unique and gifted man, whose many accomplishments include that of having been a respected veterinarian, University of Pennsylvania graduate, community activist, a groundbreaking leader in the creation of educational initiatives for at risk youth and adults alike and the former long-time president and current Board Director at Harlem Commonwealth Council. Joe and I have sat together on the opposite and same side of the table for roughly 20 years, and together, along with my three older sons and many wonderful volunteers from all walks of life, helped put together a very successful charitable event for Harlem Commonwealth's myriad of amazing programs back in our youth. Whether consciously or subconsciously, Dr. Tait has long channeled the legendary Sam Cooke and his song "A Change is Gonna' Come," and for that matter Eric Clapton's song "Change the World," as he continues to be an agent of change for the betterment of those around him.

Episode Notes:

At 2:30, Dr. Tait notes that he always "argues" with aphorisms and talks about the importance of optics and perceptions. At 3:59, Tait discusses teamwork, leading by example and communicating clearly. At 5:44, he views life as a series of challenges and opportunities to learn from, and notes that the only constant is change. At 7:26, Tait shares a story about his mother teaching him a lesson at 9 years old with the overlying message of, "Be nice. Work hard." At 10:10, he dives into diversity in the workplace and conveys that "If you limit your bench, you limit your possibilities, and even the ability to win." At 10:53, Tait said, "I don't advocate diversity for diversity's sake. Everyone has to make a contribution. Everyone has to earn their keep. Everyone has to be an integral part of the team." At 13:08, he informs that he came to this country back in the 1960's from Jamaica, and noted that we need to have more tolerance to be more educated in our outlook. At 16:43, Tait channels Winston Churchill and describes how he has benefitted from kindnesses, beginning with him coming to this country with $1,500 in his pocket, and how he thereafter attended and formed relationships at NYU. He also shares his persistence in his job search, and why ultimately he went back into Harlem. At 20:31, he enlightens us about being the only African-American veterinarian in New York State in the late 1960's. At 21:26, Tait discusses Harlem Commonwealth Council's creation of educational programs, with the mission of keeping kids out (and off) of probation (in addition to creating programs for foreigners who are not literate). At 22:34, he touches upon how he fights to create opportunities and open doors for others. At 24:13, Tait explains that one must recognize talent in others, and that life in its entirety is a learning experience. At 25:50, in regards to kids reaching their full potential, he believes that parents are not setting the proper example for kids at home, and that the breakdown of our home is the pathology of our nation. At 28:08, Tait talks about his mindset in regards to risk and due diligence. At 30:30, he discusses his happy place of "where I am" (not a geographic location). At 32:13, Dr. Tait closes the door singing Bob Marley's "War."

Introduction:

Today's guest is the Vince Lombardi, Bill Belichick and John Wooden of commercial real estate coaching - yes, that's right my friends - Rod Santomassimo, the founder and president of The Massimo Group and author of "Brokers Who Dominate: 8 Traits of Top Producers" and "Commercial Real Estate Teams Built to Dominate." The man subconsciously channels Christopher Columbus given his talent to help commercial brokers "stop the drift," as he and his team help brokers find a new world by creating a plan and a purpose to secure and make a difference for their clients.

Episode Notes:

At 2:03, Rod Santomassimo shares what he enjoys building, in particular that of an individual's business. At 3:09, Rod notes that one must fail (consistently) in order to grow. At 4:19, he describes how he and his team solve problems through conducting personality and business assessments on clients. At 5:07, Rod points out that one must have optimism and possess the vision to grow, because there is always another way. At 7:15, he discusses that one must be motivated and coachable in order to grow. At 8:40, Rod conveys that establishing goals is the first step in coaching clients, which may include setting short term goals in order to build "winning streaks." At 9:33, he touches upon the meaning of "stop the drift." At 10:59, Rod believes that one must attack the day with a combination of enthusiasm and action. At 12:00, he shares how he finds relaxation through biking and running while listening to an audio book on business (particularly on the topics of motivation and goal setting). He also enlightens us that he is most relaxed when playing lacrosse with friends. At 13:26, Rod notes that when The Massimo Group surveys the real estate industry, the majority of individuals share that they joined the industry because of the money factor. At 17:56, he points out that his firm consistently pauses and reflects before moving forward in its coaching curriculum. At 19:01, Rod informs that The Massimo Group is constantly revisiting its programs and adjusting its methods, based on the needs of its clients and the marketplace. At 21:25, he discusses teaching clients the balance (prospecting and presence), the "ask" for business, and why picking up the phone is productive! At 23:19, Rod said, "Do you live in a world today of scarcity or abundance? [...] Because that's going to craft how you act." At 24:39, he notes that personally he has three coaches, given his belief that there is always room to grow. At 26:47, Rod touches upon the darkness in the market, and the overall dip in velocity. At 28:57, he dishes on careers, one's first job, and the power of networking. At 32:10, Rod explains his truth that "No one is better me, and I am better than no one." At 33:22, he flashes back to 2008, being laid off, and eventually starting The Massimo Group. At 35:01, Santomassimo closes the door with a dual message regarding transformation and investment in oneself.

Introduction:

Today we have with us none other than the ground breaking Sandhya Espitia, who for the last year and a half has been busy moving mountains as the senior VP of brokerage services for the Real Estate Board of New York. Prior to her role with REBNY, Sandhya spent the previous decade, first at Harvard University in program development, and thereafter with the International Council of Shopping Centers (ICSC), as VP of industry education and certification. In line with her mantra of unlocking the status quo, Sandhya thankfully is a way bigger fan of the Red Hot Chili Peppers song "Power of Equality" when it comes to acquiring and passing along knowledge to REBNY and its members, than she is of the lyrics "We don't need no education" by rock n' roll hall of famers Pink Floyd. And just as importantly, in doing so, she accomplishes this in line with another one of her mantras, namely that of "Wherever you are, smile."

Episode Notes:

At 2:52, Sandhya Espitia describes her first job working for a developer who specialized in buying distressed assets. At 4:26, Sandhya shares her energy, work ethic, hustle, and hands on involvement in every single project. At 5:45, she notes her love for technology and the benefit of being connected. At 7:03, Sandhya points out that she is very big on trust, and chats about the advice she received from her former boss at Harvard University that has stuck with her. At 8:15, she informs us of her "Oh my!" moment (namely helping create a start-up within Harvard University, and thereafter partnering with the Dominican Republic to improve their education system). At 10:55, Sandhya said, "Any intention or any aspiration for change requires learning." At 12:47, she discusses being a culprit and victim of "phubbing." At 13:47, Sandhya shares her passion for change management, and her dislike of the status quo. At 14:41, she notes the need to change old practices within the industry, and adopt new ways of thinking. At 16:12, Sandhya believes in the power of the collective, multidisciplinary teams, experimentation and being ok with failure. At 17:37, she shares how she invests in herself, her enjoyment of being busy, and having worked on 5 different continents. At 18:54, Sandhya dives into giving back, and in particular, coaching friends and co-workers. At 21:14, she touches upon gender biases in real estate, and creating access and exposure for women. At 25:09, Sandhya mentions that life is all about purpose - and waking up with a plan. At 26:35, she highlights her attraction in solving complex issues and real problems within organizations. At 28:15, Sandhya dishes on coaching, human interaction, and why it is so critical to treat people starting with a baseline of competence and intelligence (until proven otherwise). At 29:43, she shares lessons learned from her mother and father. At 32:15, Sandhya talks about change of attitude and self-investment. At 33:21, she enlightens us on her dream of going to space in her lifetime. At 34:06, Sandhya informs us on how she finds the balance through exercise, going on walks and spending time with her 3-year-old daughter. At 35:06, Espitia concludes the podcast with a statement on how she is proud to be someone who's always thinking with the future in mind.

Introduction:

Today we are fortunate to have with us none other than the ultra-sizzling Richard Pisnoy, who this past March was named for the 2nd year in a row among Mortgage Professional America Magazine's Hot 100 banking professionals in its annual list of the industry's power players. Rich is the co-founder and principal of Silver Fin Capital, the #1 rated Certified Lender in New York State by Lending Tree (the nation's leading online lender exchange). When Rich isn't busy making a difference for his clients, writing articles for industry publications or being quoted in The Wall Street Journal, The New York Times or The Real Deal Magazine, he is either playing hockey or golf, enjoying a good football game, coaching little league or most of all, spending time with his family.

Episode Notes:

At 2:37, Rich Pisnoy shares his passion for interacting with and really understanding people. At 3:28, Rich notes that when he was a senior in high school, his teacher told him he had the "gift of gab," and at the time didn't know whether or not this was a good or bad thing. At 4:20, he touches upon not having the proper work-life balance early on in his career, which eventually led him to construct a support team that dramatically improved his balance and overall happiness. At 5:28, Rich discusses providing good service, the importance of being available, listening to clients and having the utmost integrity. At 6:30, he talks about the need to be real, good, forthright and forthcoming. He notes that people in the industry are looking to make a quick buck and are selling in fear, while he conversely has a long term outlook. At 8:06, Rich shares that he is all for regulation in the industry, but wishes for a more level playing field. At 9:38, he advises that happiness is important, and that moods and attitudes are contagious in the workplace. At 11:48, Rich touches upon "spillover" within the industry, and short sighted individuals who don't possess a long term vision. At 13:43, he differentiates confidence versus cockiness. At 15:12, Rich channels Herb Brooks while discussing team building within Silver Fin Capital - the name on the front is more important than the name on the back. At 16:44, he discusses having an open mind, partnership, and the impact of being stubborn when it comes to change. At 18:06, Rich shares a self-help story involving his brother and father, which ultimately contributed to him growing up. At 20:36, he informs first time home buyers about "rainy day funds." At 22:50, Rich points out how rejection motivates and propels him forward. At 23:21, he said, "You need to always be moving forward. If you lose something, make up for it. [...]" At 24:23, Rich dishes on job hopping, and what happens when a resume with job hopping comes across his desk. At 26:26, he dives into what he enjoys building. At 28:51, Rich talks about how business is always changing, and how one must adapt to the ongoing changes. At 30:07, he shares that his views on being a child at heart. At 32:03, Rich notes how exercising acts as a daily wake-up call for him. At 32:57, he describes the time of his life, and being a "camp kid." At 34:25, Rich talks about how playing golf and hockey and working around the house helps clear the mind. At 36:10, Pisnoy concludes the podcast with some thoughts on living life to fullest, having fun and being good.

Introduction:

The time has come to get mellow and kick back my friends, as today we are lucky enough to have with us the Luke Skywalker of the cannabis industry, namely the cannabis pioneer Brad Melshenker. Brad is the founder of California and Colorado based 710 Labs, which in short is a standard-setting collective of passionate artists and cannabis rock stars renowned for its award-winning innovations and obsession with producing a myriad of quality products as they play a starring role in evolving the cannabis craft. On a side note, for those who are non-consumers, new to the industry or simply trivia geeks like myself, "710" happens to be not only the second most popular weed holiday, but "Oil" (i.e., a catch-all term for concentrates, extracts, and other hash products) spelled backwards and upside down. When Brad isn't blazing new trails in the cannabis industry, creating boutonnières or dog collars made primarily of marijuana buds and leaves worn, respectively, by him and his groomsmen and three dogs at his wedding, or metaphorically passing the pipe around the country as he shares his knowledge of the history of glass pipe making and the artists who have created them, in a book aptly titled "This is a Pipe," his passions are those of his wife Lauren and his daughters Callie and Lucy, rooting for THE Ohio State University football team and his beloved 2018 Stanley Cup champions, the Washington Capitals.

Episode Notes:

At 3:25, Brad touches upon incarceration due to cannabis related offenses, and how taxation could alternatively provide tax dollars to improve schools and infrastructure. At 5:01, Brad talks about the "fun rollercoaster" he has been on thus far, and moving to Boulder, Colorado to open the fourth ever dispensary in Boulder (and the first to introduce concentrates to Colorado). At 7:33, he discusses finding a landlord that was ok with his business, and ultimately the "battle" with the landlord that later ensued. At 8:45, Brad describes the situation in which the city of Boulder approached him and notified him that he couldn't operate his business in a mixed-use building due to new code that was put in place. At 8:59, he shares the hurdles he faced in 2014 when his recently relocated 15,000 SF grow facility was robbed overnight, and sadly as a consequence, the city revoked all of Brad's licenses. At 11:09, Brad discusses his failures and the lessons learned along the way, which lead to selling his business in Boulder and relocating to Denver. At 12:39, he touches upon the joy of waking up every day getting to do what he loves. At 14:16, Brad advises how 710 Labs is pushing boundaries, stepping outside of the box, setting trends, and going the extra mile to create quality products. At 15:58, he talks about his great partnership with Jason Post, the financier and active partner behind the business. At 17:12, Brad points out the importance of being true to yourself, happy with who you are, and not trying to be someone that you are not. At 19:33, he dives into how he and 710 Labs master their craft, quality and production. He compares it to the 2011 documentary, Jiro Dreams of Sushi (specifically perfecting one task for some time before moving on to a new task to perfect). At 21:00, Brad gives us his take on risk, how to mitigate it, and why entrepreneurs have to take risk. At 21:54, he said, "We are just [...] entering the first inning of the baseball game. It's been pregame [...]. Now it's really when we have to start addressing those risks a little more seriously." At 23:47, Brad notes that his company is 100% compliant - don't break the law when technically you're breaking law (meaning those of the federal and not state governments)! At 24:10, he sees this business as a once in a lifetime, generational type of business, and would love to see his kids run the business. At 26:01, Brad shares that little or no research has been done on "the plant," and thus far the United States has only given the University of Mississippi a license to grow and conduct research on cannabis. At 27:57, he explains the risk on the real estate side, and how he has to be upfront with his investors in regards to the risk. At 30:44, Brad tells a story of the time where he and his partners purchased a piece of dirt in Desert Hot Springs, California. At 34:08, he talks about branding, evolving products, and 710 Labs newly introduced ice pack program. At 35:18, Brad discusses his recently released book, "This is a Pipe," and how glass artists are taking their games to a new level. At 39:08, he points out that money has never been the driving force, and instead the motivation is in building a successful company and culture where employees are happy and creating great products. At 40:44, Brad touches upon compliance, and not dipping in the grey area. At 42:09, he dishes on how to handle rejection; simply by keeping your head down, blocking out the noise, and pushing forward. At 43:48, Brad informs us of his mantra of not making decisions out of fear or shame. At 44:34, he said that hard work is part of the game. Work at what you love and it will come! At 45:37, Melshenker paints us a picture of his happy place - the crashing waves at the beach.