PropTech isn’t always kind to outsiders—and that’s exactly why so many great ideas come from insiders. In this episode, Blake sits down with Andrew Ackerman—strategic advisor and head of REACH Labs at Second Century Ventures (the venture capital arm of the National Association of REALTORS®)—to unpack how real estate pros are turning pain points into venture-scale startups.Andrew shares his zig-zag path from consulting to founding startups, running Dreamit’s accelerator, and now helping NAR-backed programs scout and scale construction tech and property tech worldwide.
We also dive into his new book, The Entrepreneur’s Odyssey: A Novel Guide to Startup Success—a “business fable” that shows what entrepreneurship feels like when your bank account is shrinking and the product isn’t quite there… yet.
What we cover:
-Why proptech/construction tech favors industry insiders—and how realtors can leverage that edge-Second Century Ventures & REACH: how the NAR ecosystem connects startups to customers, distribution, and credibility
-VC vs. bootstrapping vs. debt: making the right capital choice (and why “skin in the game” matters)
-Underwriting a startup without collateral: betting on problem, solution, and team—together
-Pricing models explained with a subway ride (freemium, per-use, RBP, share-of-savings)
-Building hardware in proptech: smart units, sensors, and heavy equipment realities
-The book behind the mic: why Andrew wrote a novel for entrepreneurs (and who it’s for -- The Entrepreneur's Odyssey available on Amazon)
🔔 Subscribe for expert insights and valuable knowledge🔔
FOLLOW ME TO GET MORE UPDATES!
========================================
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/blake.shultz.9
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/blakeshultz
TikTok: https://www.instagram.com/blakeshultz
========================================