Change is good. It could be a little scary, but ultimately the anxiety brought on by the unknown gives way to success fueled by nose-to-the-grindstone work, solid planning and impeccable knowledge of the sector you are trying to conquer.
That was the case when LRE & Companies decided to diversify its portfolio about five years ago. My family organization had obtained unmatched knowledge of the real estate landscape over nearly two decades in business, and the time was right for expansion.
Here’s a little background. I founded LRE & Companies in 1999 shortly after I became the owner of my first restaurant at the age of 20. I drew inspiration from my father, an immigrant from India, who built smaller developments for middle-income families.
The lessons he taught me were invaluable as LRE & Companies grew over the next twenty years to operate more than 95 restaurants with development rights of more than 850 restaurants. We knew the field inside and out. Our food and beverage arm is comprised of franchise restaurants and master agreements for national franchises.
The deep knowledge we obtained over two decades in business allowed us to enter the hospitality space, which led to the inception of the Real Estate Investment & Development arm of LRE & Companies. Our portfolio has since expanded to include office buildings, retail properties, multi-family holdings and the aforementioned hospitality.
My diverse and dynamic team has undertaken in a short time span a number of projects – , primarily in Northern California and northwest Nevada – with partnerships with national hotel brands. They include AC by Marriott in downtown Sacramento, Courtyard by Marriott in Woodland, H2 Suites by Hilton, a 38-unit apartment in Sacramento, and retail and two hotel developments in Roseville.
All of our target investments are chosen to target low volatility and high returns, which results in strong performance throughout different economic cycles. We evaluate every element of the development process, which allows us to view the whole picture and confidently select the optimal path. We also manage the development process as an owner and investor and conduct in-depth market analysis of the risks and rewards of development which meets or exceeds investment objectives.
But the key to LRE & Companies’ sustained success in franchising is community. We consider the people who live in the cities and towns where our company operates as partners that we need to uplift. We identify potential owners from among employees; provide business counseling, financing, training and operational support to new owners; raise funds for local food banks; provide free meals to First Responders, as well as low-cost, wholesale groceries to neighbors in need.
We take time to understand each community, which eventually becomes our community too. We identify needs and opportunities so that each project contributes to the economic vitality and social improvement of the city. We don’t just build buildings, we build communities.
LRE & Companies’ Diversified Portfolio Allows for More Community Building
