Have you ever wondered why proformas play a crucial role in the world of land development? 

In today's episode, Shane Melanson unveils the significance of realistic assumptions when embarking on a development project, shedding light on how entrepreneurs are transforming investments into lucrative net worth and passive monthly cash flow. Discover the challenges of obtaining reliable information gaining insights into navigating competitive environments, seeking mutually beneficial partnerships, and anticipating underground civil complexities. 

This episode unveils invaluable advice for those aspiring to achieve success in the realm of development.

[00:00 - 06:42] Navigating Proformas and Assumptions

• A proforma is considered a story that encompasses all the assumptions of a development project, enabling developers to gauge the authenticity of the numbers involved
• Developers can manipulate certain figures in a proforma, such as interest rates, rental rates, cap rates, and costs, to create desired outcomes, highlighting the need for careful analysis and scrutiny
• When considering new development opportunities, developers should thoroughly examine the assumptions underlying the proforma, particularly regarding costs and rents, to make informed decisions and ask relevant questions
• Obtaining reliable information and connecting with experienced individuals in the industry can be difficult, requiring trust-building and understanding the motivations of those involved

[06:43 - 11:58] Thriving in a Competitive Environment

• Developers operate in a competitive landscape with limited land and development sites, so it’s important to understand the competitive nature of the industry
• It's crucial to identify trustworthy individuals for guidance and information while recognizing that their experiences and perspectives may vary
• By asking the right questions and gaining practical experience, developers can refine their assumptions over time
• Understanding costs, revenue, and debt and prioritizing cash-on-cash returns helps developers make informed decisions, avoiding manipulation of metrics like IRR and cap rates

You can connect with me on LinkedIn, follow me on Twitter, and watch my videos on YouTube. If you want to go even deeper into the world of commercial real estate, head over to Shane Melanson, a roadmap to investing in commercial real estate! Get my book Club Syndication - How The Wealthy Invest Their Money 

LEAVE A REVIEW + help someone invest in commercial real estate with confidence by sharing this episode or clicking here to listen to our previous episodes.     

Follow The Game for Real Estate Developers & Investors Podcast on all Streaming platforms. Deezer, Apple Podcasts, Google Podcasts, Spotify, or visit our YouTube Channel.  

Tweetable Quote:

"And so when you combine the right questions with the right people, that's when you can start to formulate and put together your own set of assumptions," - Shane Melanson

Ready to Master Commercial Real Estate Investing?

Discover the eight non-negotiables for success in commercial real estate investing, gain strategies, including market demand analysis, and build key relationships to create substantial wealth.

Don't miss this vital conversation - tune in now!

[00:00 - 04:46] 8 Non-Negotiables for Investing in Commercial Real Estate - Learn How to Create Significant Wealth Today!

• Three fundamental principles to look for when identifying a commercial property

• Strategies and practices to create wealth investing in commercial real estate

• Shane's eight non-negotiables to investing in commercial real estate

• Principles include: size, control, functionality, and below replacement value

• Opportunity to download Shane's eight non-negotiables

[04:46 - 08:46] Understanding the Demand From Tenants

• Shane focuses on adding value and forcing appreciation by finding opportunities that others don't see

• When looking for a deal, consider location, property (functional, title/legal), and tenants (demand)

• Apartment buildings are the easiest to understand but also saturated

[08:47 - 12:56] Understanding the Market

• Understanding the demand is key, not just going after one asset class

• Retail is not popular due to e-commerce and online buying

• Mitigating risk and going after the right tenants can create tremendous opportunities

• Relationships are important for understanding the market and taking risks out of deals

• Industrial real estate can be a great investment opportunity

[12:56 - 17:01] Verifying Demand in the Market

• Control the deal to dictate the terms of the deal and become part of the general partnership

• Understand the demand for the asset class in your market

• Create a list of personal connections, leasing agents, and owners

• Become an expert in your market area

• Bring in the best agents to sell the product

[17:02 - 20:51] Exploring Unfair Investing Advantages and the Risk of Commercial Real Estate Agents

• Verifying demand for a market is important to understand before investing

• Unfair investing advantage can be achieved by understanding the tenant's needs and exploiting gaps in the marketplace

• Relationships and connections with owners, commercial brokers, and business owners are key to success.

[20:51 - 22:10] Enhance Your Commercial Real Estate Reputation

• Investing in commercial real estate requires protecting your reputation

• Get a copy of the 8 non-negotiables included in the Commercial Real Estate Scorecard

• The scorecard is a 5-page document with graphics and mind maps

• Contains information from over 15-20 books on commercial real estate investing

• Get it by visiting club syndication.com and entering your name and email

You can connect with me on LinkedIn, follow me on Twitter, and watch my videos on YouTube. If you want to go even deeper into the world of commercial real estate, head over to Shane Melanson, a roadmap to investing in commercial real estate! Get my book Club Syndication - How The Wealthy Invest Their Money 

LEAVE A REVIEW + help someone invest in commercial real estate with confidence by sharing this episode or clicking here to listen to our previous episodes.     

Follow The Game for Real Estate Developers & Investors Podcast on all Streaming platforms. Deezer, Apple Podcasts, Google Podcasts, Spotify, or visit our YouTube Channel.  

Tweetable Quote: 

"Just because it's the easiest does not necessarily mean it's the best asset class to be in." - Shane Melanson

Get ready for an insightful and dynamic podcast episode as we sit down with Shane Melanson to unravel his secrets for wealth creation through commercial real estate. Delve into the world of club syndications, direct deals, and passive investments. Discover the power of a strong corporate culture and values and how leading by example fosters a united and success-driven environment. Shane will also reveal strategies for building long-term client partnerships and ditching traditional RFPs for more fruitful relationships.

Join us as we explore the art of wealth creation and preservation through the captivating realm of commercial real estate!

[00:00 - 02:06] Kalmoir's Long-Term Partnerships

• Kalmoir's approach is to create long-term partnerships with clients.

• Investing time and energy into creating a successful partnership is more beneficial than going through the RFP process.

• Shane Melanson's goal is to give strategies and practices to create wealth investing in commercial real estate.

[02:06 - 04:17] Understanding the Importance of Culture

• Bringing new people in, noticed frustration when they don't have the same beliefs and values

• Taking responsibility for creating culture and expectations

• Example of his daughter making top tier soccer team: culture was very different - playing to win, fully committed, expectations were clear

[04:18 - 06:23] Lead by Example and Set Clear Expectations

• Leading by example

• Setting clear expectations

• Tom Coughlin's rule of showing up 5 minutes early for meetings

[06:23 - 08:32] Building Lasting Partnerships

• Creating a strong culture is key

• Aligned values are important

• Values should be simple and have a clear "why" behind them

• Partnerships with clients should be long-term

[08:33 - 10:50] Creating a Culture of Partnership: The Key to Long-Term Success

• Partnership is important to make decisions.

• Creating corporate culture is a learning process.

• How you conduct business will influence people.

• Pay consultants on time and don't nickel and dime them.

• Be consistent with your actions so people know who they're dealing with.

• Attract and build a team that buys into your culture.

You can connect with me on LinkedIn, follow me on Twitter, and watch my videos on YouTube. If you want to go even deeper into the world of commercial real estate, head over to Shane Melanson, a roadmap to investing in commercial real estate! Get my book Club Syndication - How The Wealthy Invest Their Money 

LEAVE A REVIEW + help someone invest in commercial real estate with confidence by sharing this episode or clicking here to listen to our previous episodes.     

Follow The Game for Real Estate Developers & Investors Podcast on all Streaming platforms. Deezer, Apple Podcasts, Google Podcasts, Spotify, or visit our YouTube Channel.    

Tweetable Quote:  

"What you do is who you are" - Shane Melanson

This episode of the Investing Advantage Podcast examines how to calculate the worth of a real estate development project. This episode explores the seven-step process for calculating a back-of-the-envelope (BOE) analysis to evaluate a new townhouse project. Learn about key terms such as cap rate, debt cover ratio, and cash on cash return and how to use leverage to maximize returns. Receive tips on hiring consultants and understand return expectations as well as testing assumptions and understanding risk profiles.

Tune in now to get the advice you need for investing in commercial real estate!

[00:00 - 07:53] Calculating Your Return on a Townhouse Development

• Cap rate is the return you receive if you purchase a property all cash

• Debt cover ratio is your NOI divided by principle and interest payments

• Cash on cash return is based on whether or not you have leverage debt or no debt

• Factors that influence cap rates include risk, future upside, and future downside

• Debt to yield ratio is helpful to understand the perspective of a bank

[07:53 - 15:32] Calculating a Five-Minute Back of the Envelope for a Townhouse Development Project

• Cap rate is calculated by dividing the NOI by the property value

• Debt to yield is calculated by dividing the income by the debt given

• The art of evaluating properties comes with experience and understanding of the market

• Calculating a five minute BOE involves seven steps such as purchase price, NOI, debt, equity, free cash flow, ROI and principle paydown

[15:33 - 23:09] Understanding the Impact of Leverage on Returns

• Small changes in interest rates, cap rates and rents can affect the valuation significantly

• Run the numbers first before buying land to understand how much you can pay for it

[23:10 - 28:55] Taking the Next Step in Commercial Real Estate Investing

• Understand return expectations and risks associated with the project

• Engage a contractor, lender, commercial broker and leasing agent

• Use financial calculator or app to calculate costs and revenue

• Build a team of professionals who are committed to the project

• Test assumptions and understand risk profile

• Get clarity on cash on cash basic metrics

• Understand discount rates and IRRs

You can connect with me on LinkedIn, follow me on Twitter, and watch my videos on YouTube. If you want to go even deeper into the world of commercial real estate, head over to Shane Melanson, a roadmap to investing in commercial real estate! Get my book Club Syndication - How The Wealthy Invest Their Money 

LEAVE A REVIEW + help someone invest in commercial real estate with confidence by sharing this episode or clicking here to listen to our previous episodes.     

Follow The Game for Real Estate Developers & Investors Podcast on all Streaming platforms. Deezer, Apple Podcasts, Google Podcasts, Spotify, or visit our YouTube Channel.    

Tweetable Quotes:

"There's like a science and an art. Today I'm really just focused on the science which is just the numbers. The art is evaluating the assumptions because as you'll see there's many assumptions. I'm only pointing out a few because literally this is something that takes years to really master." - Shane Melanson

In this engaging podcast episode, Shane covers topics such as the importance of communication, planning, pre-construction process, leveraging consultants and architects to minimize problems and challenges, the role of a foreman and manager in the project, how long the process typically takes, budgeting for unexpected change orders, typical warranty claims, capacity to take on projects up to 2024, whether Kalamoir is bondable and provides references from their projects and more. Get insights into how to make your infill townhouse project a success! Tune in now!

[00:00 - 04:09] How to Earn Good Money Investing in Commercial Real Estate: 10 Questions Answered by Developer and Builder Shane Melanson

• How much money you can make on a project is a loaded question.

• Strategies and practices to create significant wealth investing in commercial real estate are available to accredited investors.

• 10 questions were answered from a new real estate developer looking at building a townhouse.

• Recommendations for mechanical, electrical, energy code survey, geo tax and structural consultants are provided.

• Communication frequency should be every two weeks with onsite meetings and daily/couple of days pictures updates through Procore software.

[04:09 - 07:55] Developer's Guide to Contingency Planning for Infill Projects

• Communication is key to avoiding surprises.

• Generally, a project will have a site supervisor, project manager, and coordinator.

• Hiring an interior designer can make a big difference.

• Infill projects typically take 10-12 months to build.

• Contingency of 5-10% should be used for hard and soft costs.

[07:55 - 11:39] How to Prepare for a Tight Budgeted Project

• Examples of unexpected costs like building code changes, offsite levies, power poles, etc.

• Development is risky and requires eyes wide open and cash on hand

• Common warranty claims include water issues, dishwasher problems, sump backups

• Pre-construction phase gives 4 months to work with developers and value engineer plans

• Construction is a tight margin business and needs to be planned in advance

[11:39 - 17:00] Building Your Dream Project with Biweekly Communication, Expert Staff, and Cost-Effective Solutions

• Generally, clients don't require bondable insurance for projects.

• Cost of insurance is passed on to the developer.

• Consultants are recommended to build a team for the project.

• Communication with client is biweekly both on site meetings and emails.

• Project timeline depends on staff size: foreman/site supervisor, project manager, project coordinator.

You can connect with me on LinkedIn, follow me on Twitter, and watch my videos on YouTube. If you want to go even deeper into the world of commercial real estate, head over to Shane Melanson, a roadmap to investing in commercial real estate! Get my book Club Syndication - How The Wealthy Invest Their Money 

LEAVE A REVIEW + help someone invest in commercial real estate with confidence by sharing this episode or clicking here to listen to our previous episodes.     

Follow The Game for Real Estate Developers & Investors Podcast on all Streaming platforms. Deezer, Apple Podcasts, Google Podcasts, Spotify, or visit our YouTube Channel.    

Quotes: 

"It's very expensive to have delays on your project. So I would just keep that in mind." - Shane Melanson

In today's episode, we explore why hiring a general contractor is worth the investment. Shane Melanson explains that a general contractor can solve problems, prevent mistakes, schedule trades, get better pricing from suppliers, and coordinate and schedule everything, freeing up the developer's time to focus on finding deals and raising capital. The host also highlights the importance of evaluating the contractor's response under pressure and their ability to meet deadlines. However, there are reasons why someone might not hire a general contractor, such as if their cost exceeds the value, poor communication, or lack of experience.

So, if you're considering a construction or development project, be sure to tune in to this episode of Real Estate Insights and learn why hiring a general contractor is worth the investment.

[00:00 - 03:43] Tasks of General Contractor

• Contractors solve problems, prevent mistakes, schedule trades, and get better pricing on materials

• Coordinating and scheduling is not something that developers want to do themselves

• Developers can focus their time on finding deals, raising capital, and overseeing development

• Managing the general contractor and consultants is important for overseeing the project

[03:43 - 07:36] Expert advice on the benefits of a great general contractor for successful construction projects

• Experienced professionals value a great general contractor for managing projects

• Pre-construction involves involving the GC upfront to identify mistakes and offer solutions

• Look for a GC who can add value, get along with the architect, and handle pressure

• Manpower is important for executing projects, including a full-time site super, project manager, and coordinator

[07:36 - 11:26] How to Determine if a General Contractor is Worth the Investment

• General contractors can add value through pre-construction and buying power

• Cost exceeding value, poor communication, and lack of experience are reasons not to hire a GC

• A good contractor should make the client's life easier

• Finding the right contractor is important for successful development projects

[11:26 - 12:34] Developer shares the importance of knowing both sides of the equation in commercial real estate

• Importance of knowing both sides of the equation in construction

• Personal experience as a developer turned partner in a construction company

You can connect with me on LinkedIn, follow me on Twitter, and watch my videos on YouTube. If you want to go even deeper into the world of commercial real estate, head over to Shane Melanson, a roadmap to investing in commercial real estate! Get my book Club Syndication - How The Wealthy Invest Their Money 

  LEAVE A REVIEW + help someone invest in commercial real estate with confidence by sharing this episode or clicking here to listen to our previous episodes.     

Follow The Game for Real Estate Developers & Investors podcast on all Streaming platforms. Deezer, Apple Podcasts, Google Podcasts, Spotify, or visit our YouTube Channel.    

Quotes:

"What a contractor really does, from my experience, is number one; they gotta solve problems."

"The benefits of a general contractor are gonna outweigh what the cost is."

Welcome to today's episode, where we will be discussing how entrepreneurs and professionals can earn good money and create significant wealth through investing in commercial real estate. Throughout this episode, our speaker emphasizes the importance of understanding one's priorities and resources when investing. Identifying whether you are an active or passive investor is critical so you can create a clear path from point A to point B in achieving your investment goals. Whether you're new to commercial real estate or an experienced investor looking to enhance your portfolio, this conversation provides valuable insights into creating a successful investment strategy. So tune in now to learn how to start investing in commercial real estate and take the necessary steps toward creating long-term financial stability!

Highlights:

[00:00 - 06:01] Learning how to create a one-page commercial real estate plan

• Club syndications offer opportunities for wealth creation in commercial real estate

• The one-page commercial real estate plan to define goals and a roadmap for achieving them

• Determining the investor type and asset class for investment

• Private real estate syndications are the focus of discussion

• Successful investors continually adapt and diversify their portfolio

[06:01 - 11:43] Key Concepts and Mistakes to Avoid

• Flexibility is key in designing a plan for commercial real estate investment

• Biggest mistakes for new investors include targeting too many properties, buying on price instead of value, and not understanding the market

• Quality of thinking leads to quality of decisions, actions, and results

• Commercial real estate investing roadmap includes foundation, property selection, debt/capital raising, implementation/optimization

• Three big buckets for investing: making money, growing money, keeping money

[11:44 - 17:19] Setting Goals and Expectations for Investing Success

• Financial goals and examples shared by people

• Starting point: list assets and liabilities, personal net worth, burn rate

• Investing expectations: realistic vs speculative returns

• FU calculator tool to calculate time, capital, and returns for retirement

• Reverse engineering goals based on clarity and obstacles

• Identifying resources, time, capital, knowledge, strengths, and weaknesses

[17:19 - 23:10] Tips for Identifying Your Investing Philosophy and Strategy

• Identifying resources: time, capital, knowledge, and relationships which are factors to consider in investing

• Prioritizing resources based on the scale of expertise

• Determining if you are an active or passive investor and if you will be solo or if you will raise capital

• How to have a clear investment philosophy, focusing on high-growth markets with more demand than supply

• Non-negotiables in decision making, including property functionality, leverage, cash flow potential, buying/building below replacement cost, and control

• Investing has a reasonable expectation of positive return, while speculating has highly uncertain outcomes.

[23:10 - 27:13] Learning the Language of Commercial Real Estate and Creating a Winning Investment Plan

• Betting on rising values in commercial real estate investing

• Understanding key terms (NOI, cap rate, DCR, DCRS) for better conversations with brokers, lenders, and sellers

• Creating a one-page plan: investor type, asset class, location, deal structure

• Framework for achieving the plan: goal, objective, strategy, priorities, actions

• Homework and tools

• Coaching opportunity for those interested in a deeper exploration of commercial real estate investing

You can connect with me on LinkedIn, follow me on Twitter, and watch my videos on YouTube.

If you want to go even deeper into the world of commercial real estate, head over to Shane Melanson, a roadmap to investing in commercial real estate!

Get my book Club Syndication - How The Wealthy Invest Their Money

LEAVE A REVIEW + help someone invest in commercial real estate with confidence by sharing this episode or clicking here to listen to our previous episodes.     

Follow The Investing Podcast on all Streaming platforms. Deezer, Apple Podcasts, Google Podcasts, Spotify, or visit our YouTube Channel.  

Tweetable Quotes: 

"The quality of your thinking is gonna lead to the quality of your decisions. The quality of your decisions will lead to the quality of your actions and that will lead to the quality of your results." - Shane Melanson

"Goal, objective, strategy, priorities, actions." - Shane Melanson

Looking to become a successful real estate investor? In this episode, we're breaking down the competitive nature of the industry and sharing valuable insights on navigating challenges in real estate development and investment. From taking ownership and responsibility to understanding the emotional struggles involved, we've got you covered. So, if you're ready to play the game and win, tune in now!

[00:01 - 08:23] The Game: Navigating Real Estate Development and Business Ownership

• Real estate investing is like a game that requires taking ownership and responsibility.
• The podcast is changing to focus on real estate development and business with a behind-the-scenes look at challenges and struggles.
• The podcast aims to provide a real perspective on investing in commercial real estate and to talk some people out of investing if it doesn't make sense for them.
• The competition in commercial real estate is fierce and new investors should be aware of the vast experience gap between themselves and seasoned players.

 [08:24 - 16:24] Lessons Learned from Real Estate Development Challenges

• Real estate investing is risky - more investors go bankrupt than become billionaires.
• Many millionaires made their money in business before investing in real estate.
• Learning from challenges in real estate investing can save you from investing in the wrong property or person.
• There are always new ideas and strategies to consider in real estate investing, and success depends on being adaptable to changes in local and global markets.

You can connect with me on LinkedIn, follow me on Twitter, and watch my videos on YouTube. If you want to go even deeper into the world of commercial real estate, head over to Shane Melanson, a roadmap to investing in commercial real estate! Get my book Club Syndication - How The Wealthy Invest Their Money 

LEAVE A REVIEW + help someone invest in commercial real estate with confidence by sharing this episode or clicking here to listen to our previous episodes.     

Follow The Investing Podcast on all Streaming platforms. Deezer, Apple Podcasts, Google Podcasts, Spotify, or visit our YouTube Channel.     

Tweetable Quote:  

“When the chips are down, when things are very difficult, I find that is where you really find out who you want to continue to do business with versus the people that you know will quit when things actually start to get difficult.” - Shane Melanson

Please take a snippet for intro

branded intro

main episode

If you could link to my linkedin profile that would be great in show notes

In this episode, Shane shares insights on observing successful individuals in desired fields. He shares about  Fred, a successful restaurant owner, about his journey to success, emphasizing the importance of choosing the right business model. Capital alone is not a competitive advantage in development, and a unique competitive advantage takes time to develop. Shane reflects on his own journey and warns against following others' goals and values, stressing the need for individual thinking.

[00:00 - 06:36] The Importance of Choosing the Right Business Model

• Valuable insights can be gained from talking to successful people in desired positions over lunch
• The speaker had a conversation with Fred, a successful restaurant owner, and learned about his journey to success
• Fred's success came from owning land underneath his restaurants and working 12-hour days for over 40 years

[06:37 - 11:33] The Realities of Real Estate Development: Why Capital Alone is Not Enough to Succeed

• A lady contacted the speaker about building townhouses in inner city areas and they discussed numbers and potential partnership
• Capital alone is not a competitive advantage in development and a unique competitive advantage takes time to develop
• The speaker realized the importance of having a competitive advantage and pursuing one's true passion
• Following in someone else's footsteps can be a trap and it's important to think for oneself and have clear goals and values

You can connect with me on LinkedIn, follow me on Twitter, and watch my videos on YouTube. If you want to go even deeper into the world of commercial real estate, head over to Shane Melanson, a roadmap to investing in commercial real estate! Get my book Club Syndication - How The Wealthy Invest Their Money 

LEAVE A REVIEW + help someone invest in commercial real estate with confidence by sharing this episode or clicking here to listen to our previous episodes.     

Follow The Investing Podcast on all Streaming platforms. Deezer, Apple Podcasts, Google Podcasts, Spotify, or visit our YouTube Channel.     

Tweetable Quote:  

“Choosing the right direction is far more important than just working hard.” - Shane Melanson

In this episode, Shane shares insights on raising capital for real estate investment projects. He emphasizes the importance of transparency and honesty when approaching potential investors, acknowledging that no property is perfect. Shane delves into 10 crucial questions that smart investors ask before committing their money to a project, and discusses various factors that investors need to consider, including the experience of the GP team, contingency plans, and sensitivity analysis. He also addresses the challenges that real estate investors face in today's shifting market and the importance of considering potential scenarios such as interest rate increases.

[00:01 - 02:41] Uncovering the Real Risks and Challenges

• Smart investors ask questions to evaluate risk and assess the loan-to-value ratio of a property

• Building credibility by avoiding overselling a property is important

• Ten questions to be prepared for when raising capital

• The first two questions are related to risk and commitment

[02:41 - 4:50] Questions to Ask Before Investing in a Property

• Investors should discuss both the pros and cons of a property

• Honesty is key; don't only focus on the positives

• Understanding the exit strategy is important, and there are different types of exits that may attract different groups of investors

• Consider who else is involved in the deal, particularly high net worth investors

[4:51- 07:04] Smart Investing in Real Estate Projects

• Unexpected issues and insufficient funds can lead to project failure, so investors want to know if other experienced investors are also involved

• Cash on cash return is important for limited partners

• Investors consider the GP team's track record and experience working together

• Contingency plans and sensitivity analysis are crucial to manage potential project risks

[07:05 - 10:19] Investors Becoming More Cautious in Today's Shifting Real Estate Market

• IRRs were previously based on cap rate compression and rent increases, but investors are becoming more careful in the current market

• Limited partners seek adequate compensation for the project's duration, while also balancing fairness

• It's important to consider potential scenarios, such as an increase in interest rates

You can connect with me on LinkedIn, follow me on Twitter, and watch my videos on YouTube. If you want to go even deeper into the world of commercial real estate, head over to Shane Melanson, a roadmap to investing in commercial real estate! Get my book Club Syndication - How The Wealthy Invest Their Money 

LEAVE A REVIEW + help someone invest in commercial real estate with confidence by sharing this episode or clicking here to listen to our previous episodes.     

Follow The Investing Podcast on all Streaming platforms. Deezer, Apple Podcasts, Google Podcasts, Spotify, or visit our YouTube Channel.     

Tweetable Quote:  

“Smart investors know that no property is all sunshine and rainbows. Like there are going to be challenges. Like nothing is perfect.” - Shane Melanson