The Industrialist

At the Texas Tech University REO Conference, Jeremy Mercer (The Industrialist) and Conrad Madsen (The C-Suite Show) teamed up for a rare joint conversation with industry icon Jack Fraker. From his early days working overseas on the Alaskan pipeline and in Saudi Arabia, to the cold call that led Nokia to Alliance, to building one of the most respected brokerage careers in industrial real estate—Jack shares lessons learned, pivotal deals, and timeless advice on persistence, work ethic, and relationships. This crossover episode delivers wisdom for both students entering the industry and veterans looking to sharpen their edge.

In this episode of Confessions of a Street Broker, Jeremy Mercer sits down with Andrew Wiesemann, a real estate agent who specializes in the leasing, acquisition, and disposition of industrial properties across the country. Andrew’s core focus is IOS and industrial private equity-related businesses, leveraging his market knowledge and negotiation skills to deliver long-term value for clients.

Jeremy and Andrew dive into Andrew’s journey from residential and commercial investment management into the industrial brokerage world, exploring everything from handling vacancies and development challenges to the rise of institutional buyers. Andrew also reflects on the discipline that has shaped his career—from giving up drinking to embracing clarity, patience, and persistence in business.

This week on Shop Talk, the mics were taken over by a new duo—Will Narduzzi and Thomas Mercer.

With Jeremy and Jeff both traveling, Will and Thomas held it down, covering market updates, sublease opportunities, and diving into everything from rate cuts to real estate stocks.

They also brought plenty of personality—sports picks, a debate on LinkedIn culture, and even a discussion on “creative sellers.”

Tune in to hear a fresh perspective from the next generation of voices at Matador.

In this week’s Shop Talk, the guys covers the latest in real estate and markets alongside the start of football season. They discuss jobless claims, REIT performance, and energy prices before shifting into commercial real estate news, including foreclosure auctions in Texas and CMBS delinquency rates hitting new highs.

The conversation also touches on motivated sellers, the challenges in today’s lending environment, and what the data means for multifamily, office, and industrial assets. Mixed in are college football picks, NFL talk, and the usual Shop Talk banter.

From construction sites in Amarillo to the leadership halls of Texas Tech, Sebastian Gutierrez’s story is one of grit, hustle, and vision.

Sebastian grew up working alongside his father in the construction business, learning responsibility early and helping to flip houses and manage rentals before he even graduated high school. That drive carried him to Texas Tech, where he’s double-majoring in finance and accounting, serving as President of the Real Estate Organization, and engaging in the Scovell Business Leadership Program.

In this episode, we dive into:

• How growing up in a hardworking immigrant family shaped Sebastian’s mindset

• Building a real estate portfolio before college

• The impact of Texas Tech’s programs, professors, and network

• Lessons learned from internships at Woodbine and the road ahead with PwC in New York

• Why the underdog mentality can be your greatest asset

Sebastian’s journey is proof that with grit, faith, and the right community behind you, you can build your own path—no matter where you start.

Connect with Sebastian on LinkedIn here.

Connect with Jeremy on LinkedIn here.

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This week on Shop Talk we break down the markets, REIT performance, and the latest noise around Jerome Powell and interest rates. The term of the week is “Flywheel”—a self-reinforcing loop that builds momentum and drives growth. We dive into how investors are using flywheels in real estate strategy and where it shows up in today’s market. Of course, we mix in college football hot takes, a wild Kansas State family brawl, high school football matchups, and some betting picks for the weekend.

In this episode of Confessions of a Street Broker, Jeremy sits down with Robert Blankinship, Executive Vice President at NAI Robert Lynn who works the Trinity/Brookhollow submarket of Dallas.

Robert grew up in Dallas, started his career with Wilkerson Properties in Lubbock, and by his mid-20s had already managed over 3 million square feet and generated $11 million in sales.

Since joining NAI Robert Lynn in 2008, he has completed more than 250 transactions totaling nearly 9 million square feet and over $400 million in volume.

We talk about his path into industrial real estate, the lessons he learned early on, what it takes to track every tenant and deal in your market, and some of the unique experiences that shaped his approach to business.

On this week’s episode of Shop Talk, Jeremy, Jeff, and Will break down what’s moving in the markets, from housing and REITs to oil and debt. They dive into why banks are racing to build new branches, Taylor Sheridan’s massive studio project in Fort Worth, and finish with a full preview of the Big 12 football season.

Articles Mentioned:https://therealdeal.com/texas/fort-worth/2025/08/13/taylor-sheridan-ross-perot-jr-tap-texas-film-incentives/

https://product.costar.com/home/news/1858422611?tag=18

In this week’s The Industrialist: Retail Recap, Jeremy, Bob, and Rob welcome special guest Zach Spletter, Senior Real Estate Manager for T-Mobile, for a deep dive into retail site selection, tenant mix, and the changing competitive landscape. They swap stories from hundreds of T-Mobile deals, small-town expansion strategies, and why outparcels still rule.

The conversation shifts to retail market trends—from Starbucks, Chipotle, and 7-Eleven performance to the “Buc-ee’s effect” and the latest QSR rankings.

The guys also cover lease negotiations, bankruptcy fallout, co-tenancy battles, and Dallas-Fort Worth’s fiercely competitive brokerage scene.

Last but not least they give updates dates on bonus depreciation, Rollertown Beer Works’ massive new Frisco facility, Paper City’s top Dallas pizza picks, and what’s driving today’s restaurant, banking, and service leasing boom.

Connect:

⁠Jeremy Mercer LinkedIn⁠

Rob Franks LinkedIn

Bob Moorhead LinkedIn

Zach Spletter LinkedIn⁠

This week on The Industrialist: Shop Talk, Jeremy, Jeff, and Will cover everything from industrial leasing headaches to college football season previews.

The guys break down why their 27,000 SF heavy industrial listing isn’t moving, the realities of a rent correction in the IOS space, and the challenge of standing out in a crowded DFW market. In market updates, they hit CRE stock performance, ETF skepticism, and the “Term of the Week”: Family Office—what it is, what it isn’t, and why $100M might be the magic number.

From there, the conversation runs through ACC football storylines, key matchups for Clemson, SMU, Florida State, Miami, UNC, and Pitt, plus some nostalgic detours on legendary players. Wrapping up, they spotlight two big industry moves: the launch of Eider Creek, a Texas-focused industrial investment and development firm, and S2 Capital’s acquisition of Fort Capital’s industrial platform.

Link to Articles Mentioned: https://therealdeal.com/texas/dallas/2025/08/11/dallas-industrial-real-estate-veterans-launch-eider-creek/

https://s2cp.com/s2-capital-enters-definitive-agreement-to-buy-industrial-real-estate-platform-fort-capital/