HOW YOUR NETWORK EQUALS NET WORTH, A GUIDE TO MENTORSHIP AND PROFESSIONAL GROWTH

[00:00:00] Andreas Senie: welcome back to this month's round table. All things, technology, marketing, cybersecurity, capital finance. You're all in one, one stop shop for the real estate industry. Joining me this month. Round table hosts, Anna Marie Kowalik and Rebecca Carlson. Two of my favorite people not to mention two people need to honor this month as it's women's history month.

And there is no other space where women have, have gone farther and are the as commercial real estate, Rebecca and Anna Marie. Welcome. 

[00:00:51] Bekah Carlson: It's great to see you. Andrew 

[00:00:53] Anna Maria Kowalik : should be 

[00:00:53] Andreas Senie: First, Anna Marie happy birthday and to our. 

[00:01:02] Anna Maria Kowalik : That point in life, but 

[00:01:05] Andreas Senie: as long as we're still celebrating, right?

That's the important thing, uh, to our show hosts, a couldn't make it, we look forward to seeing you next month and as is always the tradition with our show. It's a three-part show introduction. What's happening in each of our respective business sectors, any top news, uh, top shifts, uh, small focus today, or big focus rather on women in real estate.

If you will indulge me the two of you and part three, what does it all mean and how to take this and your business to the next. Straight from some of the industry experts here and the different news we all care about. So with that and welcome Ann Marie for your first real estate round table, for anyone who missed it, you can tune into the sector interview with Anna Maria and I on anywhere you get your podcasts or LinkedIn.

And I'm real with that, with that. Could you introduce yourself to our listeners for the first floor? 

[00:02:02] Anna Maria Kowalik : I ran a Maria koala and I, uh, am with the inland green capital group. Uh, we are part of the greater inland real estate group of companies. Uh, The over 50 years experience and expertise in every facet of the real estate industry.

And so, uh, our latest and greatest iteration is inland green capital, which is, uh, uh, a financier of C paced projects across the nation. Uh, C pace being commercial property assessed, clean energy. It's a very unique and niche financing tool that, uh, helps to, uh, promote sustainability projects across the nation, whether retrofit or new construction, uh, we can finance up to a hundred percent at a fixed rate.

Long-term uh, financing of any, uh, energy, high energy efficiency, uh, renewable energy, water conservation, or resiliency project. 

[00:03:12] Andreas Senie: I love that that's, uh, you know, 20, 25 years, I don't want to birthday and all, I don't want to quote too many years here. 25 years in the, in the space and property management, as well as read.

[00:03:23] Anna Maria Kowalik : Absolutely. And, uh, and I think that brings a great perspective to what I do currently, because having had all of that project experience and, uh, uh, you know, having to budget for all of those kinds of scenarios, uh, now I get to give you the money for it. 

[00:03:44] Andreas Senie: I love it. I love it. Uh, full cycle acquisition, disposition management, and now you're actually helping others funding do bigger and better things or more advanced in the green space.

I should say. 

[00:03:57] Anna Maria Kowalik : I hope, 

[00:03:59] Andreas Senie: uh, impact, impact and profits. Uh, it's not very often those aligned, but when they do it's, it's quite a wonderful thing. And Rebecca Carlson, my favorite marketer, uh, marketing, maybe favorite marketing. Could it be what introduced to those tuning in for the first time and say hello to those tuning in every month.

[00:04:20] Bekah Carlson: I'm Becca Carlson and I'm the owner of a company called Carlston integrated. My background is exclusively in commercial real estate. I started my company five years ago after spending 14 years, in-house at an investment firm, acquiring shopping centers and parking structures across the country. I love telling the story of a commercial real estate.

Companies and that their teams and this. So it's been a wonderful time in a niche where I get to stay very actively involved. I'm also a licensed managing broker. I got to stay actively involved in the industry that I love and I get to work with a lot of. So it's a really, really wonderful cross section.

And my team, there are 10 of us, uh, women who are working on sharing stories about properties and projects and people and great real estate companies across our 

[00:05:09] Andreas Senie: country and a great lunch in every year at, uh, I C a C in Vegas invites are going 

[00:05:15] Bekah Carlson: out next week. 

[00:05:17] Andreas Senie: Oh, this is fantastic. So, uh, thank you too, for joining and being a part of the round table.

As I, as I like to say, this is my favorite show, my favorite opportunity to hear firsthand from you and to learn more about the industry, see where I can improve and as our show audience proofs. So do our listeners. So with that, what Anna Maria, what is the, what is the biggest change coming down from your side over at inland?

You're looking you're financing. Personally, I don't see the inventory to buy projects right now. They're hard to find, but are things speeding up? What does it look like on your side of the table? Well, because 

[00:05:53] Anna Maria Kowalik : we're financing, uh, improvements, uh, primarily to existing, uh, properties. Uh, we do, uh, some work in the.

New construction space, uh, as a part of the capital stack filling gap, or, uh, replacing a higher, uh, mezzanine financing, uh, or construction loan financing, uh, as well as, uh, sometimes taking out part of private, uh, or a part of owner equity, if, um, you know, the, the situation warrants. Uh, the energy efficiency projects are really beginning to speed up here.

Um, you know, especially in, uh, Illinois, uh, since the new law was passed, enabling guy. Electrical vehicle, uh, uh, progression here with infrastructure and charging. Uh, uh, this is certainly going to be a next step for us because, uh, that is a possible, uh, kind of a project to assume. Uh, we also, uh, have seen recently a lot of solar projects getting done now that the S recs are back.

And, and so, uh, We're seeing a good uptick in projects happening and, and where there are projects happening there's money required. So that's a 

[00:07:22] Andreas Senie: good as always the case that for those tuning in that don't understand what an ass rack is. Oh, 

[00:07:28] Anna Maria Kowalik : sure. Uh, so those are, uh, the solar recoverable energy credits or something or other, something like that.

Um, I think is the acronym, uh, but certainly, uh, anyone who does the solar projects has certain incentives and basically. Here, uh, we, as the finance years of the project, don't necessarily get involved with the incentives. Uh, typically your solar vendor will do that for you. Uh, they'll go so far as to apply for them to make sure you get all of the ones you need and the right ones.

And so, uh, Uh, you know, it's, it's always a real collaboration and partnership with many, uh, people and pieces in the, uh, commercial deal. 

[00:08:18] Andreas Senie: Uh, absolutely. Uh, 16 different real estate professionals come together across the life cycle of an asset. It seems like you're a key one. As we talked on earlier in our last show, one of the.

For any developer investor, even owner looking to do a capital, a capital investment into their property. Why not see if, see if your money costs less, which it should, and more rebates, which it has and taking a part of that capital stack, where I can put less of my own money as a developer or. Into the property or amortize it out.

Well, it's always a nice thing. And Becca, on your side, also in Illinois, a lump here in Connecticut. Nice and cold, but nothing compared to you to what, uh, how has things in marketing integrated same on the brokerage world? 

[00:09:03] Bekah Carlson: Well, thanks with Bennet. We Fossette, we've seen an escalation and an increase in activity.

We've seen an increase in clients needing services and. There's a lot of fluidity in hiring, which we've talked about before on the show over the past several months of how hard it is to get to attract and retain members to your team. Uh, marketing seems to be similarly fluid is so we're finding that companies might have some gaps in house and are calling us as part of that.

We're able to see some of the, some interesting projects that are coming through and. One piece that I'm hearing repeatedly is that because there is an expectation that the interest rates will continually rise this year and that's been well-documented and as well expected that the earlier part of the year is showing a little bit more, uh, flight to expediency of getting deals started in.

So for instance, I have a client that raised a fund in and finished their capital raise in December, and they think they're going to have it deployed in April or March. 

[00:10:13] Andreas Senie: Wow. So no, so no, no issues on asset acquisition. You're finding the inventory you need. 

[00:10:19] Bekah Carlson: Shaman. Certainly it depends on your strategy. So whether you're acquiring core core, plus whether you're value add, there are opportunities.

And of course it matters which sector you're investing in. I think that some are becoming a little bit more creative geographically on what they're pursuing and certainly, you know, some markets have. Uh, fallen out of favor downtown Chicago is one of those by being diplomatic. I feel like I'm being really good at being diplomatic right now.

[00:10:53] Andreas Senie: I didn't notice until you brought up the diplomatic part, but, but longer term investors might still be interested. Longer-term check out what I'm hearing. I'd argue here. Not to jump in, but do you consider pace programs for your clients? Because now that we've got you, 

[00:11:09] Bekah Carlson: I love talking about C pace. I introduce everybody I can to Anna Maria, because she's so smart and it's such an important element.

And I know I'm not going to, to steal a SaaS vendor since he's not here, but he would talk all day about these sort of incentive programs that are so smart, that the best part is he paces. It runs with the land. 

[00:11:34] Anna Maria Kowalik : Absolutely. And, and, uh, well, Becca and I, uh, you know, go back a ways. Uh, we're, we're very friendly and, uh, just kind of miss seeing each other and all those in person events we used to attend together.

But, um, you know, we've, we've talked about, pays from the very beginning. Uh, she, she kind of watched me come into this position four years ago. 

[00:11:59] Andreas Senie: Wow. Uh, and five years at Carlson integrated. So literally both were, were starting in the different areas, so to speak and growing well. So let's given it's women's history month.

I have to ask five years, four years in this space, many years in the, in the industry. What, um, what's changed. I mean, everywhere I look, I see forward-thinking. Incredibly smart women then in the space doing new things, a whole new generation of real estate professionals. But as it's, it is women's history month.

I'd love to ask you guys right from you. What, what do you see changing? And what's your advice to those coming into the space? So that's calling you for business? 

[00:12:37] Anna Maria Kowalik : Well, I would have to say that, um, Uh, so I grew up in a time, you know, where, uh, Helen Reddy song I am woman, you know, was, was kind of judge the rage and, and it was like, oh yes.

You know, and, and, uh, kind of the women's lib and my dating myself, um, kind of thing. And, and so really. I was always so full of fervor, um, uh, for, uh, women's rights and, and, uh, and helping other women along. Uh, and, and I always took to the mentor role. Um, and yeah. I always looked for, uh, female mentors, uh, as I went along, uh, I think my stint in the, uh, Catholic school system, uh, had me looking up to the wonderful nuns that were teaching me.

Uh, they were very strong. Women, very smart women, so educated and so knowledgeable, uh, on so many different levels. And I think they further instilled in me a greater, um, want and desire to. Uh, be out there and, uh, and promote women in any position. And then, uh, once I started in the real world, uh, especially in commercial real estate, I noticed that it was quite the man's world and, uh, Uh, but then, you know, there weren't too many women interested, particularly, uh, in finance, uh, as well.

And I think that's changed over the years. You now have a wonderful real estate programs in universities across the nation. You have. Uh, wonderful mentorship programs like the Goldie scholarship here locally and it's, um, and the promotion of, uh, women from all walks of life, all, uh, ethnicities, uh, It's already DEI without trying to be.

Um, it's just naturally, so, and then I have personally, and then, you know, uh, Becca can, it can speak to her own experience, but I've been very fortunate to work. Um, and at a company which, and I've worked even in my prior career in property management, it was still under the real estate group, uh, the inland real estate group.

So, uh, there, I, I I'll tell you more than 50% of, uh, the officers are with. Uh, they've been a great company to be able to, uh, promote women across the board. Um, and then this industry, I work with some very strong, impactful women. Uh, One is running the, uh, Virginia program. Another is running the Texas program, uh, for C pace, uh, their, uh, work, uh, a pair of women who started one of my competitors, uh, companies and, uh, and still are at the health.

Even after having merged with, uh, an extremely large financial, uh, institution. And so, uh, just to say that, you know, I'm surrounded by women, uh, doing wonderful things and I'm, I'm so proud to be a part of all of 

[00:16:30] Andreas Senie: that.

Becca. I'd love to hear your, your, your take on it through the, through the, through your career before I, you, you hit a great point, Anna Maria, and I'm going to come back to it on education and groups, but that's my point. It's come back to Becca. I'm also in Chicago, also in some of the same circles. What about you in your, in your walk through commercial and marketing?

[00:16:58] Bekah Carlson: So I actually echo a lot of Anna-Maria sentiments as it relates to seeing women in strong women in leadership positions throughout my career that have been the kind of women who give a hand and help you up. And. Introduce you to people and welcome you when you want to grow. And, and I certainly had that situation where I was, I, I took a three-day temp job and stayed 14 years.

So every role I had at my old company was something that I was like, oh, I want to do this too. So I didn't mean I wasn't trying to be pushy. I just was bored. And so I just wanted to do more and more and more and more, but I could never have done that if it weren't for our managing director. More than happy to take me along, even when I was learning and didn't have a background in business and it didn't have a background in commercial real estate.

I thought I was going to be a political science professor. I had no idea I was going into business ever. So I just, I didn't know, commercial real estate was out there. I didn't know real estate was out there. I, my step dad was a pastor. We had a very, um, We had a very intellectual home, but we didn't have a very business oriented home.

You can imagine given the, that kind of a role. And so I didn't understand coming into the field, some of the nuances and in some ways I think that was a really big blessing because I was able to just blast through them because I didn't know that they were there. I didn't know there was any, there was supposed to be an obstruction.

Ignored if there was one, because I didn't think it was supposed to be there in the first place that being said, I did it. I have found that my mentors have actually all been male people. I would categorize as mentors because I also didn't know I was supposed to look for a mentor. And so I just I've been, I think I would say nurtured in my career.

Through really, really wonderful males around me, just as often as females around me, that some of the differences I see today that I didn't see that is that there is a prevalence to mentoring programs that they're more out there. I get to serve as a mentor, which is so amazing. I have a really awesome young lady at CVRE that I mentor and.

Being able to provide opportunities that I didn't know were out there when I started in my career is a change in a growth element. And I love that that exists more frequently now because I think there's a reality that. In business, whether male or female, it helps to have people around you supporting you and guiding you that are in the industry.

It's amazing to have family and friends and they love you dearly and they'll encourage you and give their advice and wisdom. But when it comes to navigating the commercial real estate industry, which is a challenging industry from a, uh, from an intellectual standpoint, what we do is difficult. It's not.

Some of the tenants are simple, but what we do is actually rather complex. So explaining where you're at and getting advice from people who aren't in the industry, isn't nearly as helpful to someone who actually has done it. 

[00:20:26] Andreas Senie: Oh, absolutely. Well, and, and that, that was the pin of, uh, early on trainer that I worked with Bob.

Uh, it's been educating for years out of California. What is is called the famous dedicate yourself to mastery. And I borrowed it. I'd taken it. I use it, and it was a great one, but dedicating yourself to mastery five years ago, 10 years ago, 15 years ago. How. Everybody knows who CCIM is in commercial real estate, even that, but then it was, uh, to Anna Maria's point.

It was just them. If you knew about them, you could go there. And that, that was the big one. There weren't these great education programs at every university and a, to, to point there weren't. There wasn't transparency on, Hey, this is your mentor. You should, you should go into this mentoring program where you even think about mentoring programs.

At least here in the east coast, they just didn't exist. Even for me, looking around there was always another one of Bob McCombs, and I'll throw it out. There was you want to teach people how to fish, not throw, throw bones. So you bring on and I've trained 30, some odd agents now, commercially, and you always want to teach them how to go build their business, because if you're throwing them bones, What happens when you don't have enough bonds, then they, then they're just happy.

They can't get their job done and so on and so forth. So, I guess the shout out to the mentor on the car for two of us in great networkers, Jonathan Stein, I know, you know, Jonathan as well. Uh, so we can't talk networking and net worth network without bringing up Johnston's 

[00:22:01] Anna Maria Kowalik : and even backed by nose. And in fact, I think it was Becca you and I had met through him the very first time.

[00:22:08] Bekah Carlson: That's how I met. Right. Because I was a one year assistant with an eight week old baby at home. And I was at ICSE and because Jonathan Stein is completely egalitarian, he literally just came up and said, hello, because I was standing by myself at the inland party in LA. I didn't know a single soul there I'd been dragged there by our old marketing director.

And then she ditched me and Jonathan Stein came over and said, hello. And then he continued every six months to ask me to coffee, to ask about my career and to 

[00:22:44] Anna Maria Kowalik : mentor me, wonder. 

[00:22:47] Andreas Senie: No Jonathan, similarly, Jonathan and I bombed into each other at a show. And then in other instances, um, and he to this day is a hard guy to follow at these shows.

He moves fast, but he does know everything. And it, it is, uh, is proof in the process of networking with Jonathan. So Jonathan, if you're listening, which it should be to their favorite people,

Um, the hat tip to you here, uh, fun outside. So outside of that, you both in commercial, you're both learning, you're both have mentors of different sizes shapes as you. Aptly pointed out outside of the industry advice. It's hard. Everybody thinks they know, and they don't know it is a very complex business built around relationships, not even going into the difficulties of the CPS programs and educating people in that area.

I'm not, I'm not touching. Um, but what, uh, did you, you know, uh, commercial real estate women has, has grown tremendously the, the creation of, or the adoption of, I should say, um, clubhouse, things like that. Is this something you see growing more and more groups like this, I'm still a member of CCIM and others.

I'm just curious for you guys, or is it more mentorship? One-on-one less groups more. 

[00:24:07] Anna Maria Kowalik : No, I think it's, uh, the same amount of both increasing at the same time, because each of those organizations too, I'm thinking of crew, for example, and, and, uh, other women's organizations, then they, they do have breakout.

Um, uh, groups that do mentoring or, you know, individually. And so, um, in order to, uh, be a member of crew, you know, you have to be recommended by two other members and, uh, you know, and so there's some automatic, uh, interaction, uh, taking place from. From the get-go. And so, um, I just see more and more growing with both components because it's important to have the one-on-one, but then it's also important to bring that then into a greater networking group.

And, and I think it's important to have the group because everyone brings a different perspective. And, and you might find out about a deal or a project or, um, uh, some piece of information, uh, you know, just randomly that you might not have gotten otherwise. And so, uh, you know, I always say I go to so many events and so does Baca.

Um, if you come away with one person or one ID, That you didn't know before it's a success, a huge success. 

[00:25:40] Andreas Senie: Oh, I couldn't agree more. The, uh, at the, you meet someone and it's not to say you're going to do a deal tomorrow. I mean, I've been back and Jonathan is always a good people, helping where we could, in what way we could, this is what we can do.

And eventually deals just come out of that in one way or another.

[00:26:02] Anna Maria Kowalik : And women do relationship particularly well, if I may say so myself from, for women's month and in celebration of us and, and, uh, and in fact, uh, so I, uh, just, you know, you'll ask me, what am I doing for my birthday tonight? Well, I'm actually visiting, uh, one of my married. Uh, who lives up here in Michigan and we're going to a women's church conference.

And, and so as soon as I leave here, my son-in-law's gonna drop me off there and it's all day tomorrow as well. And, and so I, it's just really, really topical, uh, and very important for women to gather together, uh, All levels, uh, of life and, uh, uh, whether it be work or family or church, or, you know, and, and just, uh, bring our power together and all that energy, 

[00:27:06] Andreas Senie: the, uh, talking about all levels of life, you are in your pioneering, or at least in a very niche space and working in finance, let alone in the pay, see pace programs.

Does it change your day to day at all? I mean, your, your, your co-pilots on these deals, what does it all look like? 

[00:27:26] Anna Maria Kowalik : So,

As far as my day-to-day it, I end up wearing so many hats that I have to, you know, switch out. Um, and, and so that, that can get kind of crazy sometimes because, um, not only, uh, am I part of the, uh, Pace financing group, uh, that we have, but also we, uh, are founding members of program administration for C pace here in Illinois.

And so that is a non-profit organization. And my role there is to promote and educate on C pace. And so I'm flipping hats during my professional day. And, and then afterwards, Uh, wife, mom, grandma, uh, you know, and, and caregiver for my elderly parents who by the way, are going to celebrate 65 years of marriage next month.

And mom will be 93 weeks later and it's like, Wow. I'm so blessed just to even have them. And it's amazing. I'll never get there. That's for sure. 

[00:28:43] Andreas Senie: Oh, no, I'm sure. I'm sure you're willing surpassed it's it is incredible. Um, What are your, what are your parents do if you don't mind me asking? 

[00:28:54] Anna Maria Kowalik : So my mom was a teacher in Italy, so she's a direct import.

Uh, she came over, so I was, by the way, I was made in Italy and born here. So, uh, I have the traditional Italian blood flowing through my veins. Forget that koala last name, you know, that's my husband, but, um, uh, my dad has. Been in the electronic communications field. And in fact, he had one of the first radar endorsements, uh, in the army back when he served, you know, um, uh, actually in the Korean war.

And, uh, he, uh, And that's where he met mom on furlough from his stint in France. Uh, and, uh, and so they, they came back together and started this family here. So 

[00:29:53] Andreas Senie: well. So given that background, how did you make the jump to real estate? I 

[00:29:58] Anna Maria Kowalik : mean, so, so, and then this is an interesting story too, because such a dichotomy in my household.

My dad, the American born one was, uh, very, uh, Stripped traditionalist. Uh, this is men's place and this is a woman's place. And why aren't you taking home-ec in high school and why? Uh, you know, and, and you should be doing this though. You, a woman doesn't get educated. My mother, the educated one from Italy was my daughter could be first woman president of the United States.

And. I still hope to see that in fact, in my lifetime, not me as precedent, but so, um, but the, the, the fact is. It was this push and pull and tug and, and all of that, uh, drama, Italian drama, uh, that really made me very resilient. And so, um, I had studied international finance and, uh, And modern foreign languages.

They call them at that time, the romance languages. And so then, uh, I went into banking, uh, with the first national bank of Chicago at the time. And, uh, was there for a while until I married, um, kind of helped out with the then family business and they had children and, um, it did a couple of little part-time stints, but I really became.

Did in real estate when I was with Juul, ASCO, uh, companies, and I decided I needed a full-time job because, um, uh, the kids were beginning to be in school and, uh, growing up. And so, um, I, uh, got in with one of their real estate divisions and really enjoyed it. One for my real estate license. And then, uh, next thing I know I heard from inland or that there was a position open and one of my friends recommended me and, uh, the rest is history.

And so I just happened into, it 

[00:32:19] Andreas Senie: happened into, it sounds like you found that your journey. Poly site professor. Now at this point, um, you, how did you end up in real estate? That's quite a jump was the three-day internship, as you mentioned, or three days 

[00:32:38] Bekah Carlson: it was a three-day temp job. And I just, I just stayed.

I loved it. I, I was so focused on academia in college that I literally, I felt like the baseball players going to business classes. So I think. Baseball players and business classes were for dumb people, which is unbelievably biased and embarrassing. It's shocking to say. I actually just assumed that all athletes were meat heads and not particularly intelligent.

And if they could pass business courses, I didn't want to go to those classes. So I truly never took a business course because I thought it wasn't particularly intellectual that the snobbery and the foolishness of a kid, you know, and in there, and your 19 year old knows nothing clearly. Only to go into a real estate office where half of my team were attorneys.

Half of it was an investment firm. Everybody was smart. I was so happy. I felt like I found my people, everybody was so smart and so interesting and so engaged. So it was my first maternity leave that I, I realized that I had no idea. I was tired of going to meetings and not understanding the vernacular.

So I studied to get my real estate license on maternity leave because I couldn't, I was done like not understanding anything I was going to keep up really well. I had every intention of keeping up and I will tell you, I have just met the most wonderful, interesting. Incredibly smart, incredibly kind human beings in my real estate journey.

So I look back at my life and all of the strange steps that got me where I was. And I know I just, I, I found exactly where I was supposed to be in spite of my absolutely absolute foolishness as a 

[00:34:36] Anna Maria Kowalik : student. But don't you feel the same way as I do, uh, Becca that, um, Every day is different in real estate. It has.

You know, and, and there are so many opportunities to help others. And I was always brought up, you know, to help people and, and, and just always had a heart of a servant and, and wanting to, you know, get out there and do something good. And, and so, uh, real estate has allowed that for me. And, uh, I know it has, for many people.

[00:35:15] Andreas Senie: Let's see. So it sounds like if any of you listening are in real estate and you're not in an exciting environment with trusting people, then you have to kind of look around, maybe reach out, find some new mentors. Uh, but it's all very well sent. It's real estate. There's so much, and I don't want to say uncovered talent, but there's so much hidden, hidden excellence in so many of the people I work with because they have Marie's point.

You have to wear a lot of hats, even if you're not also on a nonprofit and also doing political work. To truly understand the deal and work through it and then nurture a relationship. And then also project manage. I'm a big fan of a unofficial project management project manager, everybody in Paul. It is, it is hard.

And I'm back to your earlier statement about, oh, I better go get my license. I will never forget my first. And I won't say which company where we started talking REITs and real estate securities. And I went, oh boy. And I just, I just started writing acronyms down. I said, okay, let me just go back after this call.

I will not allot. And I was surrounded by all the right people, but it was, uh, it was quite, it's quite a turn there's so much here to learn so much. A bit of a tangent for us, but it's given it's women's history month and it's amazing. It's quite all right. As far as, uh, as we 

[00:36:36] Bekah Carlson: come down, you have a female business partner, 

[00:36:39] Andreas Senie: don't you?

I do a business partner in life and best friends by business partner who is now my wife. Uh, we, I told her everything. I've never told my wife, I don't get away with anything anymore. We were attending hand in a little six by eight office doing real estate growing, or a residential team, commercial team and love became in love.

And it was just head over heels and I don't regret a single day. So thank you for the Q over to my personal life there after my embarrassing acronym story. Cause I am dyslexic too. So.

But yes, uh, Emmy, she is my real person. Uh, so, uh, thank you for that. The now you've totally driven all the time out of my head.

[00:37:29] Anna Maria Kowalik : Isn't that wonderful to have someone in your life who totally distracts you from everything else. That's amazing. And that's what I have to, I say my type a personality. Uh, a little lower key, uh, husband, uh, really works out very, very, 

[00:37:48] Bekah Carlson: uh, 

[00:37:49] Andreas Senie: well, my wife is also Italian just to throw that out there. And, uh, since we down, went down this path back to Vegas, um, so, uh, shout out to everyone else on the call.

I think the work-life balance of it all is, is fantastic. You can't get that anywhere else in real estate, you can work and be as great as you want to be. Um, and luckily I get to do lunch. My wife, that's not bad at all. Um, so as far as the industry overall, we've, news-wise adding wise. I mean, what is the we're already at, uh, twenties of the hour?

What is the, the biggest thing on your mind when you know, what is. What is the thing that's that you're worried about, but not necessarily focused on that's changing for your side of the business marketing wise and then Anna Marie, what is same question.

[00:38:48] Bekah Carlson: Okay. So I'm going to tackle it in two areas. Okay. Cause I want to tackle it real estate and. We're definitely going to have to make Saul, watch this because I'm going to like juggle some things that he would normally have a strong opinion on and conversation on. And one piece of that is the state of the union and the, uh, incredible focus on infrastructure.

That I heard there, she, because we know that infrastructure and government funding drives development and drives many things in the future. So as I get out my imaginary crystal ball and think about, you know, but I consider what the future is going to hold infrastructure and the impact on sir, on the real estate around it.

And the focus of the government on. Improving our infrastructure, I think is going to be a driving factor in, in real estate. And I'm very curious to see how that plays out. Now. There was also a lot said about energy. So Anna Maria, I'm not going to talk about that because you can talk about energy, but Saul would say that we should focus on where the government incentives are because that's really a very strong way to build a career in a business in real estate is by focusing on where government incentives.

And then it really dictates the future. On real estate. That's what I've been thinking about. 

[00:40:11] Anna Maria Kowalik : And I would agree with that to a certain extent about the incentives and see pace work side by side, with those incentives, it doesn't replace any of them. It doesn't, but it's a good partner and yes, energy. Whoa.

So exciting. Uh, I can't even begin to talk about it. Uh, it's just that, um, whether it's. And on a small level, uh, of just, you know, replacing HVA season on one building and, and, uh, making the building more efficient, more comfortable for its tenants, uh, with air purification systems that he, uh, the air cleaner, so that, uh, you know, in, in.

Posts we'll hopefully post COVID days. Uh, you know, we, we see more well buildings, um, but, uh, it to the larger Evy, uh, infrastructure, uh, that that's going to need to happen, uh, over the coming years, I think there's just really so much going on and, uh, I mean, I look forward to just trying to keep up with it all.

Uh, it, I, I don't know where we're going to begin or where we're going to end, but, uh, as I said, uh, already projects are beginning to multiply and I just think, uh, there's one way to go and that's up. Um, hopefully, uh, the, the one concern I have, you know, uh, We're in Europe is never a good thing. And, um, uh, and so, you know, um, hearts, our prayers and everything go out to the Ukrainian people and, um, and, and certainly, um, you know, uh, We have yet to see, uh, what, where this goes and what the impact is going to be.

And so, and that could have impact on us as much as I think sometimes we think we're an island here in, in the us. Uh, we're, we're very blessed to be protected by borders of water and, uh, but, um, yeah. We, we just, uh, hope that we learn from the past and, uh, and continue to move forward. 

[00:42:39] Andreas Senie: Uh, well set. Uh, we are citizens of this world and our neighbors in Ukraine and the travesties better going on in the different places.

It does affect us whether you want to believe it or not. Look at the price of crude oil. Um, I mean it'll help to see pace programs inevitably, and things like it. As these things become more expensive as regulation pushes for net zero carbon emissions, uh, as countries say, wait a minute, we can't, we need to take care of our planet.

Uh, how do we do that? So these are all. Yes, we'll point it out ways in areas where people and money as a solid say, you gotta follow the money. Uh, the money is, uh, so, uh, in your pace, in pace, in your space with pace, excuse me, uh,

Room for many more professionals. If we're out there finance professionals, is that an area they should be, they should be looking 

[00:43:37] Anna Maria Kowalik : at? Yeah, absolutely. Because it's going to have exponential growth. It already has over the years. I mean, when you look at the over 2000 just commercial, uh, projects that have been done over the last 10 years, it's only a really tender.

Program the first, um, CPS financings occurred in late 2011, early 2012. So, um, you know, very young, uh, but the bulk of them have happened just in the last couple of years. Uh, I'd say the, the, the biggest growth was between 20 16, 20 17. And then. Uh, so, uh, when you're talking to geometric progression growth like that, uh, I think any type of commercial finance is a wonderful, uh, area for anyone to, uh, seek to, uh, attain a career in because, um, there's a need.

And in fact, we're hiring right now. Uh, in Lynn green capital is hiring. So, uh, we're looking for a financial analyst. So if there's anybody out there who's interested, we're a great group to work with. 

[00:44:56] Andreas Senie: Um, and, and your, your marketing tells a compelling story overall. And Lynn does a great job on social and otherwise, and this story of, and Lynn for another call for teachers and Jonathan just truly wonderful.

So. Becca is, uh, as far as the marketing side, cause you didn't touch on it before, but uh, what's the big worry or what's driving there. I think you gave us the real estate answer. 

[00:45:23] Bekah Carlson: All right. So in the marketing world, I think there are a couple of things that, that I have kind of brought it, brought her overall concern, which I always have.

And one of those is our dependence on social media. Because there is a reality that social media is owned by companies that then own all of the data that we can use for fee or this, that, and the other. But the reality is, is like, you don't own your context. So if you have followers, you don't really actually have them.

Like, because if your social media account was erased, you wouldn't have them anymore. It they'd just be gone. So there's, and that dovetails a little bit into privacy. Because I do recognize that things are changing and they should change for privacy purposes. So there's a lot of movement, but our dependence on some of the newer ways of having relationships without bolstering those historical ways of maintaining relationships, I think, I think is a real failure.

So I would say that. Like a siloed approach, a siloed approach to outbound communication and marketing is really something to be concerned about because I don't know that the future is as clear as some might, might want it to be simply because the, the companies that are hosting every one of these platforms.

They're susceptible to acquisition to government shut down to like there's a, they have risk factors also. And so. I don't like, depending on them as like the only form 

[00:47:17] Anna Maria Kowalik : of various student, uh, beca because, um, you know, I'm very concerned as a grandmother of eight, uh, and, and still growing. Um, uh, the, the fact is, you know, Uh, how, how soon do you enter?

You know, my, my children are dealing with this. How soon do you introduce their children to, uh, technology? Uh, when it's already a part of their lives from the time that they're born and, uh, Uh, there are a lot of concerns. And as Jonathan would say, there's nothing replaces, shaking hands and looking a person in the eye.

And so, you know, and, and I'm a firm believer in that as well. And so I think that, um, while it's important, you know, to participate in a lot of social media and whatnot, but to depend on it solely, or, you know, not to, uh, incorporate all the other. Aspects of marketing and promotion is, uh, is really senseless.

[00:48:25] Andreas Senie: So fall back, fall back to the tried and true, uh, shaking hands and running the conference floor as Jonathan bishops in my mind here. Uh, because that, uh, that, that is, um, it salesman Accurate's it's sales methodology, right? Multiple touches to get a deal. You cannot, um, and forgive me for saying it this way.

As far as marketing. The best marketing job ever done was how important marketing is and it will solve anything. You don't even need sales. 

[00:48:54] Bekah Carlson: That's so frustrating as a marketer, like, like I, I can't replace your sales department. Like for real me posting once a week for you on LinkedIn, it doesn't change the fact that you still have to call people.

[00:49:07] Andreas Senie: That's the thing. Oh no, I'll just throw marketing dollars at it. And I was, I was struck. I was talking with a nonprofit the other day and huge budget for this. And then we're going back and forth and is very successful conversion that donors are coming, it's cooking. Good. And he said, and I said, so what are you worried about?

He goes, well, it's not like throwing. It's not like more money equals more. It's not how it works. And I said, well, what do you mean? Just throw more money. You know, if it's working, he goes, well, no, it doesn't work. You need the people, you need the messaging you have to craft, you have to adjust. There's so much that goes into it.

Uh, and I, I'm a huge fan of, of sales solves all things, uh, and marketing support. Sales. Absolutely. My brokerage days, they still need the developer, the leasing team on the ground selling it. And even, even the pace program, which should sell itself because it's so good. Right. You still got to explain it and teach it.

Um, is there anything, as far as the C pace program, regulation-wise, future-wise, there's nothing but full steam ahead. There there's, 

[00:50:15] Anna Maria Kowalik : it is pretty much full steam ahead because we still have states that happen to enable to pace. So, so far only, uh, 37 states and DC. Uh, come on board. So, uh, we still have the remaining, uh, states to, to win over.

Um, and, and this is not a political, uh, kind of a, an item, uh, because it's economic development, it's business retention. It, it works for everybody. So it really doesn't, uh, have any lines drawn of, uh, uh, politically and, uh, and certainly, um, Uh, states that have joined in early on and, and, uh, kind of restricted it or made it, uh, or tried to govern it too much, uh, you know, put in additional, uh, requirements that, that aren't working.

And haven't been rendering are already beginning to. Update their legislation and amend and, and try to get, uh, you know, back to the simple tenants of what is commercial property assessed, clean energy. It's supposed to be a simple, quick efficient means of, uh, putting private equity investment in a private project.

So, uh, I think we're all trying to get back to the basics of reading, writing, and arithmetic, so to speak and 

[00:51:49] Andreas Senie: networking 

[00:51:51] Anna Maria Kowalik : and networking.

[00:51:56] Andreas Senie: Um, it's well, it's, it's been another great round table with both of you and. As we started the call with celebration of women's history month and women in business. And it was just everyone in business. It is such an evolving landscape. And I am blessed with the level of excellence around me. It's astounding when you go to luck, uh, in all facets because we are a networking and driven group in real estate.

Uh, I don't know, a single person in commercial who doesn't know. Identify an obstacle or at least once identified, try to blow through it to pat cause point he didn't know they were there. So it's not an obstacle. Let me just go to the other side of the road. How do I get there? Uh, and that's what you find time and time again in this.

That all being said, Mr. Mendoza, what do you see for women's history month in 10 years with your little daughter? She on camera. There are no shit. Yeah. My, my show producer just left.

She comes, she gets home as soon as the show starts. So as soon as the show starts, she comes wandering in. Hey daddy at home. Um, Uh, you know, I, I see a lot more opportunity. I see, uh, I see a lot of normalization already sort of happening, um, as far as like, uh, gender roles in business and things like that.

Um, because I sit a lot just in school, like things are already kind of, um, changing, I think, as far as like what's expected of girls versus boys, a lot of those sort of. Uh, stereotypes are kind of falling away more and more and more, even to the point that like, when we talk about things like that, where like, you know, uh, uh, W we talk about it in terms of it being sort of like, you know, oh, well that's, that's sort of old school or old fashioned or, oh, that's like an old fashioned way of thinking about it, which is kind of how you explain someone that maybe is like, boys will be boys or something like that.

That's that there's there's truth that it, but it's also a little bit sort of like outdated, you know? Uh, um, and so that's kind of a. That's kind of what I see from, uh, being, uh, a father of a four-year-old. Um, and, uh, yeah, I just, I, I just think that a lot of, a lot of these things are just going to be kind of become more normalized, you know, hopefully within 10, 20 years, by the time she's an adult and joining the workforce, you know, we, we won't have to, you know, think about, um, Consistent pay and things like that stuff will have caught up.

You know, a lot of our ideals will have caught up with our sort of, you know, uh, practical solutions and about that time regulation should catch up with tech. Just kidding. Do any of those tech regulators out there?

That's never going to happen? Um, alright. So, uh, three minutes to go. The one big takeaway I heard from. Anna Maria was. Say yes to pace whether it's professionally to look into it, or even as a real estate owner investor, it's just an add value, no detraction from the value it partners well with everyone, with everything.

I love the fact that you can go in and include it in your capital stack and eliminate some of that skin in the game from my developer hat, from my broker had anytime we can get more funding in the. In play to get the deal done is always a win in those cases. And Becca, to your point of fight her correctly.

Although social and, and marketing isn't, shouldn't be the sole play, which I, I agree entirely. Uh, it is something that people kind of have to be aware of because there's, that reliance is not good. Uh, and I remember having talks with you three years ago on, on dim free show. I think at that point about, uh, Like do I need to be on Twitch?

And I used to, I used to add a marae. You don't know this, but I used to say that Twitter was for people that couldn't write and Instagram for people that can't read, what do I need to, I don't need to be on either of those things here. We are broadcasting to Twitter, Instagram, and all of those things because your audience is there.

So, um, it sounds to me to close the loop on that because people should be paying more attention to not just the, the medium of communication. Making sure that they find ways to double back in a more sales methodology. It's not just because I connect with you on email and that we love our emailing.

Um, and with that, we're at the top of the hour. I am super excited for next month when the rest of the round table hosts come back to join us. And, uh, Maria, welcome to the show officially first episode and counting. I hope you have a wonderful time at. The Nat retreat 

[00:56:55] Anna Maria Kowalik : conference, because it's a women's conference.

It'll be great. Yes. Um, 

[00:57:00] Andreas Senie: which is super exciting and, uh, just a great month with everyone, anything to say to our listeners, as we tune out, I know Regan is going to roll through how to reach you guys. Um, but if you want to jump in and say how and why that, that works as well. 

[00:57:15] Anna Maria Kowalik : Yes. Thank you. Uh, love this group.

Love this audience. Uh, looking forward to coming. 

[00:57:22] Andreas Senie: Fantastic. 

[00:57:26] Bekah Carlson: Well, I want to say happy birthday to Anna Maria is that it's very important. Had a happy birthday to Saul. 

[00:57:32] Anna Maria Kowalik : Yes, 

[00:57:34] Andreas Senie: I'll be safe. Darren and happy 

[00:57:36] Anna Maria Kowalik : birthday to Reagan on Monday, 

[00:57:39] Bekah Carlson: Monday. And congratulations on being in your new home and broadcasting from your home office.

[00:57:47] Andreas Senie: Yes, believe it or not 130 days into it. I finally hung up. Finally hung the microwave in the kitchen instead of using one on the counter. But it's target problems with that. Mr. Mendoza, will you lead us out for this?