Experienced Businessman and Entrepreneur
The Question I Ask Before Every Development Decision: Will This Place Still Make Sense in 20 Years?
Before a single site plan is drawn, before a capital stack is assembled, before a single square foot of ground is broken, I ask the same question: Will this place still make sense in 20 years? It sounds simple. It isn't. Most development decisions are made within a...
What Running Restaurants Taught Me About Developing Hotels, And Vice Versa
People sometimes look at me sideways when I mention that I've operated quick-service restaurants and developed hotels. To them, these feel like entirely different industries; one is a $12 transaction with a two-minute service window, the other is a...
The Drive-Thru Dilemma: Balancing Traffic Flow, Community Aesthetics, and Profitability
Balancing traffic flow, community aesthetics, and profitability in an era when the drive-thru is more valuable and more contentious than ever. Drive-thrus are having a moment. What was once a convenience feature has become the single most sought-after amenity in...
Why QSR Assets Are Among the Most Sought-After Investments
In the ever-evolving world of commercial real estate and alternative investments, few asset classes have matched the resilience, consistency, and yield of Quick Service Restaurant (QSR) properties. Whether you're a seasoned investor or just beginning to explore...
Why Portland and Seattle Need More Community-Focused Retail Spaces
Downtown vacancy tells only half the story. The real opportunity lies in the neighborhoods, where retail is built to serve people, not just foot traffic counts. Walk through downtown Portland on a Tuesday afternoon, and you'll notice something the numbers have been...
From Drive-Thrus to Destinations: How Fast-Casual Concepts Are Redefining Nevada’s Retail Centers
The Anchor Has Changed For three decades, Nevada's neighborhood retail centers operated on a simple principle: anchor with a grocery store or large retailer, surround it with service and specialty shops, and rely on the anchor's traffic to benefit the whole center....
Tech Campuses & Commercial Real Estate: Lessons from Seattle’s Evolution
How Amazon, Microsoft, and a generation of startups rewrote the rules of urban development, and what it means for developers everywhere. Seattle didn't become a tech capital by accident. What was once defined by Boeing's manufacturing might quietly transformed into...
Why the Mountain States Are the Next Gold Mine for QSR Investors
The Numbers Don't Lie The Mountain West has been one of the fastest-growing regions in the country for five consecutive years. Cities across Idaho, Utah, Montana, and Wyoming consistently rank among the top metro areas for population growth, and the smaller...
Beyond the Strip: Why Nevada’s Suburban Growth Corridors Are the Next Fast-Casual Frontier
Nevada Has a Second Story Worth Telling When most people think about Nevada commercial real estate, their focus is on Las Vegas. The Strip, the resort corridor, and the gaming-driven economy have defined the state's identity for decades. That story is true, but it's...
Navigating the Pacific Northwest’s Complex Permitting Landscape: A Developer’s Guide
If you've developed real estate across multiple markets, you know that permitting complexity varies greatly from state to state, and sometimes county to county. But few regions test a developer's patience, preparation, and political skill quite like the Pacific...