Erica Groshen knows what's behind the numbers. She served as the 14th Commissioner of the Bureau of Labor Statistics and a Vice President at the New York Fed. The BLS is rarely in the headlines but political assaults on its independence have suddenly made its work front-page news. At stake: whether the data that guide trillions in investment and policy decisions can still be trusted. In our conversation, Erica and I explored five questions that matter not just for CRE professionals, but for anyone trying to make sense of today's economy:

1. What happens to markets when political leaders undermine trust in official statistics?
2. How would a politicized Fed and BLS reshape the cost of capital and risk across the economy?
3. How is the nation's labor data actually gathered?
4. Why does the BLS's data matter so much for the business and CRE cycle?
5. How does the Fed use labor data to set interest rates?

This isn't an abstract debate. For commercial real estate, cap rates, borrowing costs, and deal structures all trace back to the business cycle - and that cycle is measured first and foremost by BLS data. If you want to look beyond today's headlines and hear why institutional trust translates directly into your cost of capital — this is the episode to listen to. *** In this series, I cut through the noise to examine how shifting macroeconomic forces and rising geopolitical risk are reshaping real estate investing. With insights from economists, academics, and seasoned professionals, this show helps investors respond to market uncertainty with clarity, discipline, and a focus on downside protection. Subscribe to my free newsletter for timely updates, insights, and tools to help you navigate today's volatile real estate landscape. You'll get:

• Straight talk on what happens when confidence meets correction - no hype, no spin, no fluff.
• Real implications of macro trends for investors and sponsors with actionable guidance.
• Insights from real estate professionals who've been through it all before.

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