The Dealmakers’ Edge with A.Y. Strauss

Mark B. Murphy is the CEO of Northeast Private Client Group, a national financial planning and wealth management firm serving entrepreneurs and business owners. He specializes in strategic financial planning and helping clients build multi-generational wealth. In 2025, Forbes ranked Mark #1 among Best-in-State Financial Security Professionals in New Jersey, #10 on its Best-in-State Wealth Advisors list, and #15 nationally among Top Financial Security Professionals.

Mark is also a bestselling author and speaker whose book, The Ultimate Investment: A Roadmap to Grow Your Business and Build Multigenerational Wealth, reached #1 on Amazon. He holds a B.S. in Finance from Indiana University and the CLU®, ChFC®, and NFLPA Registered Player Financial Advisor designations. He serves on several corporate boards and is a past president of the Association for Advanced Life Underwriting.

Insights from Mark Murphy on Entrepreneurial Growth and Wealth Creation

When Mark Murphy started in financial services, he was told that networking was the way to build a client base. He decided to take a different approach. Rather than attending events looking for his next client, he focused on making connections and adding value for others, sometimes for years before seeing anything in return. He calls it "net weaving," an approach built around giving first and letting relationships develop over time.

More than 35 years ago, Mark decided he wanted to focus on serving entrepreneurs. He began collaborating with others who shared that goal, building a network where each relationship could contribute to a broader client experience. That model became a way to expand the business beyond what Mark could deliver on his own, and he credits it with helping Northeast Private Client Group grow geometrically rather than arithmetically.

In this episode of The Dealmakers’ Edge, Aaron Strauss and Mark Murphy discuss how Mark developed his approach to networking and collaboration over decades. They also explore the discipline behind entrepreneurial growth, how he evaluates business investments, and why maintaining liquidity matters when building multi-generational wealth.

1:23 - Mark's early background and the foundation of Northeast Private Client Group

2:23 - Choosing net weaving over networking

3:19 - Building collaboration networks around serving entrepreneurs

7:05 - Focusing on unique ability and investing in yourself

9:12 - Northeast Private Client Group and Mark's approach to work-life fulfillment

11:24 - Four questions Mark uses to evaluate new opportunities

12:20 - Learning from failure and recognizing opportunities in setbacks

14:51 - Emotional intelligence, social intelligence, and adversity quotient

16:50 - Why long-term relationships matter in business

20:08 - Using EOS to hire, develop talent, and build company culture

24:55 - Managing wealth through tax strategy and fact-based decisions

29:14 - Overcoming worry and building confidence in yourself and others

Mentioned In The Entrepreneurial Advantage: Building Businesses and Multi-Generational Wealth with Mark Murphy

Northeast Private Client Group | LinkedIn

Mark B. Murphy on LinkedIn

Traction by Gino Wickman

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Aaron Kurlansky is a co-founder and Principal of Sheridan Capital, where he oversees portfolio decision-making, asset acquisition and management, and the firm’s commercial loan origination business. He currently manages more than $750 million in assets and has originated more than $10 billion in commercial loans over the course of his career.

Aaron began his real estate career in property management at Crescent Heights of America in 2000 before moving into mortgage lending with First Meridian Mortgage, where he later became Senior Vice President. After the financial crisis, he and his partners spent nearly a decade acquiring distressed debt across commercial real estate before shifting their focus to senior bridge lending in 2019.

Insights from Aaron Kurlansky on Bridge Lending and Sponsor Selection

When rates move and a loan no longer pencils the way it did a few days earlier, Aaron Kurlansky pays close attention to what happens next. Sheridan Capital may have to resize the loan or change the structure, and the sponsor’s response tells Aaron something he cannot get from a model. Some understand that the market changed and start working through the problem. Others push back as if nothing has moved.

That distinction matters because Sheridan is not originating loans and handing them off. The firm holds and services what it lends, which means Aaron and his team have to think beyond getting a deal to the closing table. Their background in distressed debt also means they have seen what happens when business plans break down, sponsors stop executing, or a loan becomes a workout. That experience still shapes how they look at credit today.

In this episode of The Dealmakers’ Edge, Aaron Strauss and Aaron Kurlansky discuss how Sheridan evaluates sponsors, how the firm responds as lending conditions change, and where AI can improve analysis without replacing the judgment that comes from having worked through deals when things go wrong.

0:50 - Aaron’s path from property management to distressed debt and bridge lending

3:43 - Focusing on middle-market bridge loans from $10 million to 30–40 million

4:54 - Lending across South Florida, New York, the Midwest, Sunbelt, and West Coast expansion

6:16 - Growing Sheridan’s team and using AI in analysis and asset management

8:45 - Where AI helps and where sponsor judgment still matters

12:04 - Backing experienced sponsors and the difference between syndicators and family capital

13:52 - Adjusting credit decisions as rates and market conditions change

16:38 - Avoiding the race to the bottom and expanding beyond multifamily

18:43 - Why today’s basis is starting to make sense again for equity investors

21:16 - Managing chaos, lender expectations, and complex bridge transactions

26:02 - What real estate professionals need to know about AI, modeling, and markets

Mentioned In Bridge Lending in a Changing Market: Sponsor Selection and Credit Discipline with Aaron Kurlansky

Sheridan Capital Partners | LinkedIn

Aaron Kurlansky on LinkedIn

Enjoy the show? Have a guest in mind?  Email us at [email protected] to let us know your feedback and who you want to hear on the next episode. 

Connect with Aaron and the A.Y. Strauss team:

• Our website (www.AYStrauss.com)  
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Sebastian Post, CFA, is Managing Partner and Co-Head of Investments at Lionheart Strategic Management, where he is responsible for sourcing new investments, capital raising, and managing operations. He also serves on the firm’s Investment Committee. Lionheart invests across real estate credit and equity strategies throughout the United States.

Sebastian joined Fisher Brothers in 2011 and was involved in the creation of Lionheart Strategic Management, which launched its third-party fund management business in 2017. Over his tenure, he has worked across the origination and execution of real estate equity and credit investments, helping grow the platform to more than $1 billion in assets under management.

Insights from Sebastian Post on Real Estate Credit and Deal Flow

There is still strong appetite for real estate credit, but finding the right deals has become the bigger challenge. Sebastian Post sees roughly 1,000 opportunities come across Lionheart Strategic Management’s desk each year, and the firm ultimately closes only about 15 to 20 of them.

That selectivity shapes how Sebastian approaches deal flow and underwriting. Lionheart would rather spend another month or two sourcing than force capital into a transaction that does not fit its thesis. The team leans on direct relationships, banks, and brokers to find opportunities, then looks for situations where its development and operating experience can help navigate more complicated transactions without stretching for the last dollar of leverage.

In this episode of The Dealmakers’ Edge, Aaron Strauss and Sebastian Post discuss what makes a credit opportunity worth pursuing, why deal flow has become a bigger constraint than capital, how Lionheart approaches complicated construction and transitional loans, and where Sebastian is seeing opportunity in the current market.

1:22 - Joining Fisher Brothers and helping build Lionheart Strategic Management

3:02 - How Lionheart’s deal activity has shifted across market cycles

4:04 - More competition in credit and the move toward whole loan executions

5:26 - Lionheart’s deal size sweet spot and senior banking relationships

7:24 - Why credit capital remains available while equity fundraising stays difficult

10:01 - Where Lionheart’s best deal flow comes from

11:02 - Filtering roughly 1,000 deals down to the opportunities worth pursuing

13:35 - Managing the mental side of dealmaking and delivering bad news fast

15:49 - The Gotham deal and navigating a major construction setback

18:49 - Why Sebastian expects rates to stay higher for longer

22:53 - Revisiting Southern markets and renewed opportunity in California and Chicago

24:47 - Why relationships with your peers compound over a career

Mentioned In Real Estate Credit & Deal Flow: Finding the Right Opportunities with Sebastian Post

Lionheart Strategic Management | LinkedIn

Sebastian Post on LinkedIn

Enjoy the show? Have a guest in mind?  Email us at [email protected] to let us know your feedback and who you want to hear on the next episode. 

Connect with Aaron and the A.Y. Strauss team:

• Our website (www.AYStrauss.com)  
• Aaron's website bio page  (Aaron's bio page) 
• Aaron's LinkedIn account (LinkedIn) 
• Our Twitter account (@AYStrauss)

Eli Edwards is a Managing Director and Head of Real Estate Equity, US at Fortress Investment Group, based in Menlo Park. Since joining Fortress in 2011, he has focused on opportunistic equity and distressed debt acquisitions across property types and markets throughout the United States.

Prior to joining Fortress, Eli worked in real estate investment banking at Barclays and previously worked at Bank of America on defaulted CMBS loans. He received a B.S. in Economics from Duke University, where he graduated Magna Cum Laude.

INSIGHTS FROM ELI EDWARDS ON MARKET SELECTION AND INVESTMENT STRATEGY

Having the ability to invest across the capital structure creates a different kind of challenge. The opportunity set is broad, so the discipline comes from deciding where the risk is actually worth taking. Eli Edwards has spent years at Fortress making those calls, and one of the clearest lessons from that experience is that distress by itself is not enough.

That distinction has shaped where Fortress has been willing to lean in and where it has stayed away. Eli points to Class B office as an area where cheaper pricing did not outweigh weak long-term fundamentals, while San Francisco multifamily and senior housing presented a different setup. In those cases, the short-term disruption came with enough long-term support to justify building a thesis and putting resources behind it.

In this episode of The Dealmakers’ Edge, Aaron Strauss and Eli Edwards discuss how Fortress identifies real estate markets and investment themes, why some distressed assets become value traps, where Eli sees opportunity in senior housing and multifamily, and how interest rates and growth factor into equity investment decisions.

1:36 - Starting at Bank of America during the Global Financial Crisis

3:46 - Moving from CMBS servicing to real estate investment banking at Barclays

5:03 - Joining Fortress to move from advising companies to making investment decisions

6:17 - How Fortress evolved across debt, equity, and public real estate investing

9:49 - How Fortress structures its real estate equity team around investment theses

10:40 - Why not all real estate distress creates a good investment opportunity

12:03 - Building the San Francisco multifamily thesis after COVID

14:30 - Finding dislocations before the broader market catches on

15:09 - Why Fortress moved into senior housing and built operational expertise

19:12 - Entering the 1031 exchange and DST market

21:26 - Where Fortress sees multifamily opportunity and why it is avoiding the Sunbelt for DSTs

23:26 - How Eli is thinking about interest rates over the next 6 to 12 months

25:14 - Staying clear-headed through the stress of real estate investing

27:30 - Balancing interest rates and growth when choosing the next investment theme

MENTIONED IN DISTRESSED ASSETS, REAL RETURNS: EXPLORING REAL ESTATE RISKS & OPPORTUNITIES WITH ELI EDWARDS OF FORTRESS INVESTMENT GROUP

Fortress Investment Group | LinkedIn

Eli Edwards on LinkedIn

Enjoy the show? Have a guest in mind?  Email us at [email protected] to let us know your feedback and who you want to hear on the next episode. 

Connect with Aaron and the A.Y. Strauss team:

• Our website (www.AYStrauss.com)  
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• Our Twitter account (@AYStrauss)

Ron Diamond is the Founder and Chairman of Diamond Wealth, a syndicate of more than 100 family offices ranging in size from $250 million to $30 billion, with whom he has invested for more than 20 years. The firm focuses on private markets, including private equity, real estate, venture capital, credit, and special situations. He is also the Founder, Host, and CEO of Family Office World Media and helped create the Family Office Program for TIGER 21. Ron currently serves on the Advisory Board and Steering Committee for the University of Chicago Booth School of Business Family Office Initiative and has taught family office courses at Oxford, Stanford, Harvard, and Chicago Booth.

Earlier in his career, Ron founded Pinnacle Capital, a $250 million hedge fund, and held roles at Bear Stearns and Drexel Burnham Lambert. He graduated Magna Cum Laude from Northwestern University with a degree in Economics.

Insights from Ron Diamond on Professionalizing Family Offices

Ron Diamond has spent more than 20 years investing alongside family offices, and he believes the model has an advantage traditional private equity cannot fully match. Family offices can hold assets longer, avoid the pressure of a fixed exit timeline, and make decisions around long-term compounding instead of a fund clock. The problem is that too few family offices currently have the governance, infrastructure, and execution needed to make that advantage meaningful. 

That gap is a big part of what Ron is working to change. Through initiatives at Stanford and the University of Chicago Booth School of Business, he has helped build family office education around governance, investing, succession, and best practices. At Booth, that work has grown from a family office course into a broader initiative with an advisory board and conferences designed to bring families together around education rather than pay-to-play deal flow. 

In this episode of The Dealmakers’ Edge, Aaron Strauss and Ron Diamond discuss why family offices are becoming more important across private markets, how professionalization could help them compete more effectively with private equity, and why better governance and education matter as more wealth moves to the next generation. They also get into the longer-term impact Ron believes family offices could have on how companies are financed and how philanthropic capital is deployed.

1:48 - Starting at Drexel Burnham and launching a hedge fund after its collapse

3:08 - Getting into the family office space

4:39 - How Diamond Wealth aggregates capital across more than 100 family offices

5:53 - Matching investment opportunities with families by asset class

6:40 - How larger family offices source and diligence deals

7:55 - Why family offices can compete differently than private equity

11:10 - Giving business owners a third option beyond private equity or strategic buyers

14:21 - Why professionalization is critical to the future of family offices

15:41 - Building an education-first family office initiative at Stanford

18:10 - Creating the Family Office Initiative at Chicago Booth

21:21 - How family offices could change philanthropy and real-world problem solving

26:12 - Governance, succession planning, and what should happen after a liquidity event

28:35 - How much capital it takes to make a single-family office economically viable

30:22 - The Go-Giver, gratitude, and advice for the next generation

Mentioned In Family Offices & Purpose-Driven Capital: A Conversation with Ron Diamond

Diamond Wealth | LinkedIn

Ron Diamond on LinkedIn

The Go-Giver

Enjoy the show? Have a guest in mind?  Email us at [email protected] to let us know your feedback and who you want to hear on the next episode. 

Connect with Aaron and the A.Y. Strauss team:

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Alfie Best is the founder of Wyldecrest Parks, a residential mobile home park operator with 120 parks across the UK. He has built the company into Europe’s largest residential park operator, with a business valued at more than £1.2 billion, and is now planning to establish operations in the United States.

Born into a Romani Gypsy family in Leicestershire, Alfie started buying and selling cars and vans at 14. After nearly losing his property portfolio during the 1990 recession, he rebuilt through the mobile phone industry, growing an 18-store business before selling it to a Vodafone subsidiary. He later moved into commercial real estate and purchased his first mobile home park in Essex in 2001.

Insights from Alfie Best on Scaling Residential Parks and U.S. Expansion

A bad deal or market turn can take more than capital. It can consume your time, cloud your judgment, and leave you unable to think clearly. Alfie Best has been through that position more than once, including the 1990 recession when interest rates doubled, property values fell, and he came close to bankruptcy.

His response was not simply to keep pushing in the same direction. Alfie talks about stopping, cutting out outside noise, confronting the worst possible outcomes, and deciding whether the next move is to continue or pivot. That approach helped him rebuild, grow Wyldecrest Parks to 120 locations across the UK, and prepare for the company’s expansion into the United States.

In this episode of The Dealmakers’ Edge, Aaron Strauss and Alfie Best discuss rebuilding after financial collapse, knowing when to keep moving and when to pivot, evaluating investments without relying on blind trust, scaling a residential park business, and pursuing growth in the U.S. market.

1:38 - Building Wyldecrest Parks from the ground up

6:05 - Growing up in a Romani Gypsy family and starting in business at 14

7:38 - Building a property portfolio before the 1990 recession

11:17 - Rebuilding through an 18-store mobile phone business

13:22 - Creating an affordable housing model through residential parks

15:06 - Acquiring and redeveloping older park properties

19:01 - Investing with knowledge instead of relying on blind trust

23:34 - Confronting the worst and best outcomes after a bad deal

27:59 - Thinking beyond the next six months when building a business

29:01 - Declaring Wyldecrest the UK’s number one operator with one park

Mentioned In From Caravan to Empire: The Remarkable Ascent of Alfie Best

Wyldecrest Parks | LinkedIn

Alfie Best on LinkedIn

Enjoy the show? Have a guest in mind?  Email us at [email protected] to let us know your feedback and who you want to hear on the next episode. 

Connect with Aaron and the A.Y. Strauss team:

• Our website (www.AYStrauss.com)  
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• Aaron's LinkedIn account (LinkedIn) 
• Our Twitter account (@AYStrauss)

Ryan Brome is the Chief Operating Officer of Investments at Forum Investment Group, an institutional platform with nearly $6.5 billion in total capitalization. He leads investment management operations across Forum’s development, ownership, and credit businesses, overseeing the investment lifecycle from sourcing through portfolio management and helping align the teams, processes, and risk controls supporting the platform’s growth.

Ryan has more than 15 years of experience across real estate and capital markets. Before becoming COO of Investments, he served as Forum’s Senior Managing Director and Head of Capital Strategy and previously led Capital Development. Earlier in his career, he held roles at HFF, Real Capital Solutions, and McWhinney, where he served as Vice President of Capital Markets and Investor Relations. He earned a Bachelor of Arts with an emphasis in Finance from the University of Colorado Boulder.

Insights from Ryan Brome on Multifamily Investing Through Market Cycles

Multifamily just absorbed one of the largest waves of new supply the country has seen, yet occupancy across Forum Investment Group’s portfolio has climbed from roughly 93% to 95% and 96%. Rent growth is beginning to return, concessions are becoming less necessary, and Ryan Brome sees improving fundamentals even as heavily supplied markets continue to face distress.

That uneven market requires more than a single investment strategy. Forum has built its platform to move between lending, acquisitions, and development based on where the strongest risk-adjusted opportunities are emerging. The result is a business designed to remain active as different parts of the multifamily cycle open and close.

In this episode of The Dealmakers’ Edge, Aaron Strauss and Ryan Brome discuss how to read the next phase of the multifamily cycle and how Forum prepared during the downturn to deploy capital as market conditions improve.

1:29 - Starting in capital markets and entering real estate through HFF

2:43 - The lunch that led Ryan to Forum Investment Group

4:38 - How Forum evolved from regional syndication into an institutional platform

5:38 - Building a multifamily business designed to invest through market cycles

8:14 - Where multifamily recovery is taking hold and where distress remains

10:55 - Integrating development, ownership, and credit across the investment team

13:54 - Why investor demand for 1031 exchanges and DSTs is growing

19:30 - Building Forum’s infrastructure during the real estate downturn

22:47 - How experience and organizational culture build resilience through difficult cycles

25:38 - Why relationships remain the differentiating factor as AI adoption grows

Mentioned In Building a Multifamily Platform Through Market Cycles with Ryan Brome

Forum Investment Group | LinkedIn

Ryan Brome on LinkedIn

Podcast Disclosures

This communication is intended for informational purposes only, does not constitute investment advice or a recommendation, and should not provide the basis for any investment decision. Investments in such transactions noted within this communication will be made solely by means of offering materials provided to the recipient by Forum or its affiliates.

This material does not constitute a part of the offering materials.

The term “Portfolio” used throughout this communication means Forum’s collection of direct syndication, stabilized multifamily investments; excluding properties sold and acquired during the quarter as well as multifamily developments closed, under construction and in lease-up as of the date of this communication, unless disclosed otherwise within this communication.

Discussion of 1031 exchanges is for informational and educational purposes only and should not be construed as an offer to sell, or a solicitation of an offer to buy, any security, nor as investment, tax, or legal advice. Individual tax situations vary; please consult your tax professional regarding your specific circumstances.

Investment in these transactions involves a high degree of risk, and investors should not invest in such transaction unless they can afford to lose their entire investment.

IN MAKING AN INVESTMENT DECISION INVESTORS MUST RELY ON THEIR OWN EXAMINATION OF THE TRANSACTION AND THE TERMS OF THE OFFERING, INCLUDING THE MERITS AND RISKS INVOLVED. THESE TRANSACTIONS HAVE NOT BEEN RECOMMENDED OR APPROVED BY ANY FEDERAL OR STATE SECURITIES COMMISSION OR REGULATORY AUTHORITY. FURTHERMORE, THESE AUTHORITIES HAVE NOT PASSED UPON THE ACCURACY OR ADEQUACY OF THIS COMMUNICATION.

ANY REPRESENTATION TO THE CONTRARY IS A CRIMINAL OFFENSE. THE U.S. SECURITIES AND EXCHANGE COMMISSION DOES NOT PASS UPON THE MERITS OF ANY SECURITIES OFFERED OR THE TERMS OF THE OFFERING, NOR DOES IT PASS UPON THE ACCURACY OR COMPLETENESS OF ANY OFFERING CIRCULAR OR SELLING LITERATURE. 

INVESTORS SHOULD CAREFULLY CONSIDER THE RISK FACTORS. THE NON- MANAGING MEMBERSHIP INTEREST SHOULD BE PURCHASED ONLY BY INDIVIDUALS FAMILIAR WITH THE CONTENTION OF THESE TRANSACTIONS AND WHO ARE ABLE TO BEAR THE RISKS ASSOCIATED WITH SUCH TRANSACTIONS.

FORWARD-LOOKING STATEMENTS

This communication contains certain forward-looking statements that are based on current expectations (but which are not based on any prior operating history). In light of the numerous factors that can materially affect results, including those set forth in this communication, the inclusion of any such forward looking information herein should not be regarded as a representation by Forum, its manager or any other person that the Forum objectives will be achieved. Forward-looking statements contained herein, or other statements made for or on behalf of Forum or their affiliates, from time to time, are not guarantees of future performance and involve certain risks, uncertainties, and assumptions that are difficult to predict. Therefore, actual outcomes and results may differ materially from what is expressed or forecasted in such forward-looking statements.

Webpage Disclosures

This podcast is for informational purposes only and should not be used or construed as an offer to sell, a solicitation of an offer to buy, or a recommendation to buy, sell or hold any security, investment, investment strategy, or market sector. This material is intended only to provide a broad market overview for discussion purposes. Discussion of 1031 exchanges is for informational and educational purposes only and should not be construed as an offer to sell, or a solicitation of an offer to buy, any security, nor as investment, tax, or legal advice. Individual tax situations vary; please consult your tax professional regarding your specific circumstances.

An investor should not construe the contents of this material as legal, tax, investment, or other advice. Investing involves risk, including the possible loss of principal and fluctuation of value. In considering any performance data contained herein, each recipient should bear in mind that past performance is not indicative of future results, and there can be no assurance that an investment program will achieve comparable results or will achieve any projected, estimated, or targeted results. Any projections, market outlooks, or estimates in this podcast are forward- looking statements and are based upon assumptions that are subject to inherent limitations. This podcast reflects our views and opinions as of the date herein. Which are subject to change at any time based on market and other conditions. We disclaim any responsibility to update these views. Any projections, outlooks, or assumptions should not be construed to be indicative of the actual events which will occur.

Enjoy the show? Have a guest in mind?  Email us at [email protected] to let us know your feedback and who you want to hear on the next episode. 

Connect with Aaron and the A.Y. Strauss team:

• Our website (www.AYStrauss.com)  
• Aaron's website bio page  (Aaron's bio page) 
• Aaron's LinkedIn account (LinkedIn) 
• Our Twitter account (@AYStrauss)

Andrew Morris is a Managing Director at Blue Owl, where he supports the firm’s Real Assets business as a member of the Legal Team. His work spans the firm’s net lease, real estate credit, and digital infrastructure strategies.

Before joining Blue Owl, Andrew served as Associate General Counsel and Chief Compliance Officer at First Eagle Alternative Credit. Earlier in his career, he practiced at Kirkland & Ellis LLP and Davis Polk & Wardwell LLP, advising private fund sponsors on legal, regulatory, fund formation, and capital markets matters. He earned his JD, cum laude, from the University of Pennsylvania Carey Law School and his BA in International Affairs, magna cum laude, from The George Washington University.

Insights from Andrew Morris on Moving from Legal Execution to Business Leadership

Technical expertise can take someone a long way in commercial real estate. The next level requires something different. Leaders have to understand how the business fits together, how decisions affect multiple stakeholders, and where their team can create value beyond the work immediately in front of them.

Andrew Morris has built his career around that broader view. As his role expanded, so did the questions he was responsible for answering. The work became less about executing one transaction or solving one legal issue and more about helping people make better decisions, stay aligned, and move the platform forward.

In this episode of The Dealmakers’ Edge, Aaron Strauss and Andrew Morris discuss the shift from technical execution to business leadership, what it takes to earn trust across an investment platform, how leaders manage competing priorities, and why understanding the whole picture matters as responsibilities grow.

1:39 - Starting in finance during the financial crisis and finding his path into investment management

3:08 - Advising fund managers at Kirkland and learning how their businesses operate

4:25 - Moving to Chicago and transitioning from outside counsel to an in-house role

6:18 - Joining Blue Owl after the Oak Street acquisition

8:29 - How the role changes from legal execution to managing people and process

10:06 - Staying focused on durable, income-oriented assets in an uncertain market

11:59 - Where digital infrastructure fits within the mission-critical asset strategy

13:37 - Seeing the whole picture and creating value beyond transaction execution

17:58 - Learning the real estate business and earning trust after joining Blue Owl

19:59 - Why understanding a client’s business is the foundation of trust

21:06 - Building a culture where people feel valued and empowered

22:23 - Developing the next generation as the platform continues to grow

Mentioned In From Legal Execution to Business Leadership with Andrew Morris

Blue Owl | LinkedIn

Andrew Morris on LinkedIn

Enjoy the show? Have a guest in mind?  Email us at [email protected] to let us know your feedback and who you want to hear on the next episode. 

Connect with Aaron and the A.Y. Strauss team:

• Our website (www.AYStrauss.com)  
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• Aaron's LinkedIn account (LinkedIn) 
• Our Twitter account (@AYStrauss)

Seth Fisher is a Principal and Head of Special Situations at Prime Finance and a member of the firm’s Special Situations Investment Committee. He is responsible for investment, portfolio construction, and asset management activity for the strategy, which Prime now refers to as Strategic Capital Solutions.

Prior to joining Prime Finance, Seth was Chief Investment Officer of Equity Investments for Starwood Property Trust’s REIS segment, where he led middle-market investment activity tied to CMBS exposure and commercial real estate special situations. Earlier in his career, he held roles across predecessor business lines at LNR Property, including credit investment activities, note sales, and loan workouts. Seth graduated from the Wharton School at the University of Pennsylvania with a B.S. in Economics.

Insights from Seth Fisher on Strategic Capital Solutions

A borrower may need a stretched senior loan, preferred equity, mezzanine debt, structured equity, or another capital solution altogether. For Seth Fisher and the team at Prime Finance, the advantage is being able to match the capital structure to the sponsor, the asset, and the situation.

That flexibility matters in a market where commercial real estate capital structures are still recalibrating for a normalized rate environment. Banks are being more strategic with capital, borrowers are hesitant to lock into long-term fixed-rate debt, and private credit is playing a larger role in how real estate borrowers solve for flexibility. Prime’s rebrand from Special Situations to Strategic Capital Solutions reflects a business that includes secondary loan acquisitions and partnership capital for complex situations.

In this episode of The Dealmakers’ Edge, Aaron Strauss and Seth Fisher discuss how today’s recapitalization environment is shaping private credit, why Prime shifted from Special Situations to Strategic Capital Solutions, how flexible capital solutions are structured in practice, and why repeat relationships remain central to deal flow, credibility, and execution in commercial real estate.

1:53 - Learning real estate basics in industrial brokerage

3:15 - How the GFC shaped Seth’s view of risk and downside protection

4:14 - Building the three legs of special situations investing

6:31 - Moving back to Chicago and joining Prime Finance

7:57 - Strategic Capital Solutions and the specialized platform model

10:27 - The current era of recapitalization

16:58 - Rebranding from Special Situations to Strategic Capital Solutions

21:18 - Building relationships before you need them

23:18 - Managing stress by breaking problems into smaller pieces

Mentioned In Strategic Capital Solutions in a Recalibrating Market with Seth Fisher

Prime Finance | LinkedIn

Seth Fisher on LinkedIn

Enjoy the show? Have a guest in mind?  Email us at [email protected] to let us know your feedback and who you want to hear on the next episode. 

Connect with Aaron and the A.Y. Strauss team:

• Our website (www.AYStrauss.com)  
• Aaron's website bio page  (Aaron's bio page) 
• Aaron's LinkedIn account (LinkedIn) 
• Our Twitter account (@AYStrauss)

Henry Stimler serves as an Executive Managing Director on Newmark’s Capital Markets Strategies team, where he specializes in originating and structuring in multifamily debt and equity with an emphasis on large bespoke portfolio transactions. Based in the firm’s New York headquarters, Stimler is known for guiding traditions Tri-State investors into new high growth markets across the U.S., including the Midwest, Texas and South Florida, while also sourcing global equity from key international cities like London, Tel Aviv and Johannesburg. Prior to joining Newmark, Stimler founded and served as Director of London Green Capital, a debt origination firm. 

Insights from Henry Stimler on How Courage and Consistency Close Deals

Henry Stimler runs a full calendar. Client meetings, travel, prospecting, closings, and pipeline follow-ups take up most days, yet he still takes calls from young professionals, makes time for anyone genuinely trying to learn the business, and sees mentorship as part of the job.

That mindset was shaped by starting from zero after the 2008 crash. He went from a thriving business to being overdrawn at the ATM and had to rebuild his career piece by piece. It taught him to focus on real opportunities, protect his time and rely on a team where everyone brings a different strength.

In this episode of The Dealmakers’ Edge, Aaron talks with Henry about rebuilding from the ground up, sourcing and structuring large multifamily transactions, and keeping deals on track in challenging market conditions. Henry discusses rejection, resilience, mentorship and what it takes to close complex deals.

1:50 – Henry’s background growing up in London and leaving the traditional path

2:35 – Discovering an arbitrage opportunity and building Phoenix

2:50 – The 2008 crash and losing everything, including assets and business

3:20 – Rebuilding through club promotion, opening venues, and returning to finance

3:53 – Turning a shuttered Chinese restaurant into one of NYC’s hottest nightclubs

6:12 – Closing his first deal and earning a $25K commission before his son was born

6:21 – Transition to Newmark when Cantor rolls platforms together

7:03 – Building a national platform and taking NYC investors into new markets

7:57 – Success is not linear and why connection skills drive outcomes

10:51 – How to spot time wasters and protect your capacity

12:12 – “Fish with a net” and why small maybes drain time

14:24 – Making time for students and early-career outreach

16:35 – Keeping a billion-dollar pipeline moving toward closing

18:53 – Team structure in practice and the yin and yang with Bill Weber

21:32 – Developing junior talent and the cold outreach that led to a $230M closing

29:02 – The perspective and humility carried forward from the 2008 crash

Mentioned In How Courage and Consistency Close Deals with Henry Stimler

Newmark | LinkedIn 

Henry Stimler on LinkedIn

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