Beyond the Deal

  This episode is a best-of compilation featuring our favorite conversations and lessons from past episodes recorded on the golf course. Over five years of building and scaling a real estate syndication business, these moments capture the insights that mattered most. We cover why you should always be raising capital, how our investor marketing evolved from word of mouth to CRMs, ads, and automatio...

In this episode of Beyond the Deal, hosts Michael Wagman and Mike Angelo dive into a topic every entrepreneur struggles with: how your physical and mental health directly affects your business performance. Recorded on a sunny day at the golf course in Phoenix, they break down the habits, routines, and mindset shifts that helped them manage stress, stay focused, build discipline, and perform at the...

In this episode of Beyond the Deal, hosts Michael Wagman and Mike Angelo hit the course in Gilbert, Arizona to reflect on five years of real estate syndication — the wins, the mistakes, and the lessons that changed everything. They break down how their approach to raising capital, managing debt, choosing partners, and operating assets has evolved through market cycles, interest rate spikes, and sh...

In this episode of Beyond the Deal, host Michael Wagman and his business partner Mike Angelo hit the course at Aguila Golf Club for another “9 Holes, 9 Questions” edition — this time diving deep into leadership, culture, and team building. Between drives and putts, they unpack what it really means to lead effectively, from hiring and accountability to systems, motivation, and communication in a po...

In this episode of Beyond the Deal, host Michael Wagman sits down with James Bates, founder and CEO of AdviNOW Medical, an AI-driven healthcare company optimizing how medical practices operate. James shares how AdviNOW uses advanced artificial intelligence to automate 70% of the administrative tasks doctors and staff handle, from data entry to documentation, freeing physicians to focus on what tru...

In this episode of Beyond the Deal , Michael Wagman and Mike Angelo take to the golf course once again for another “9 Holes, 9 Questions” edition — this time breaking down the most popular real estate asset classes and their pros and cons. From self-storage to boutique hotels, industrial, medical offices, and even land development, they explore what makes each asset class unique, where the best op...

In this special episode of Beyond the Deal, Michael Wagman and his business partner Mike Angelo hit the golf course for a unique format: nine questions over nine holes. Between swings, they dive deep into today’s real estate market, capital raising, and investing strategies heading into late 2025. From multifamily headwinds and the rise of boutique hotels, to how AI is transforming investor relati...

In this episode of Beyond the Deal, host Michael Wagman sits down with Trevor Mauch, founder and CEO of Carrot.com, the leading platform powering real estate investor websites across the U.S. and Canada. Trevor shares his raw journey of building Carrot into a multimillion-dollar company serving thousands of flippers, wholesalers, and agents—while battling burnout, doubt, and the rollercoaster of e...

In this episode of Beyond the Deal, host Michael Wagman reconnects with Amy Cooper, co-founder of GlampHER, who left the corporate property management world to build a thriving business in RV parks and glamping destinations. Amy shares how she transitioned from managing thousands of multifamily units to owning and scaling parks across Texas, Colorado, Tennessee, and Arkansas. She breaks down the u...

In this episode of Beyond the Deal, host Michael Wagman sits down with his business partner, Mike Angelo, to break down the differences between multifamily operations and real estate development. From ground-up multifamily projects to retail redevelopments, they share lessons learned, costly mistakes avoided, and what it really takes to create something from nothing in today’s market. 👇 Want the...

What happens when you leave a high-paying tech job, move across the country, and live in a spider-filled hotel just to get your dream off the ground? In this episode of Beyond the Deal, Michael sits down with real estate investor and operator Tim Ensmann, who shares how he went from corporate sales to building a thriving boutique hotel portfolio, starting with the bold decision to live on-site dur...

In this episode of Beyond the Deal, Michael Wagman sits down with entrepreneur and author Carson Jones to talk about his unconventional journey—from broke and pitching marketing services door-to-door, to running restaurants, investing in oil and gas, and now thriving in real estate syndication and brokerage. Carson shares the hard-won lessons that inspired his new book, The Red Flag Playbook, a gu...

In this special compilation episode of Beyond the Deal, host Michael Wagman brings together insights from six real estate entrepreneurs who’ve mastered the art of buying, scaling, and managing real estate across different asset types. You’ll learn: ✅ How to spot hidden market gaps ✅ The power of exclusivity in acquisitions ✅ Creative ways to build community and boost tenant retention ✅ What ma...

In this episode of Beyond the Deal, Michael sits down with his former student turned deal partner, Jacobo Hernandez, to share the story behind their newest acquisition, a 59-unit motel in Eureka Springs, Arkansas that they’re converting into a boutique hotel. They break down: ✔️ How they found the deal after reviewing 2,000+ properties ✔️ Why baby boomer-owned commercial assets are a goldmine ✔️ T...

In this special behind-the-scenes episode of Beyond the Deal, host Michael Wagman is joined by his business partner Mike Angelo to break down one of their most unique projects to date: transforming a neglected warehouse in Casa Grande, Arizona into a thriving entertainment and retail hub called The Terminal. They walk through: ✅ How they discovered the opportunity during a multifamily development...

In this special compilation episode of Beyond the Deal, host Michael Wagman brings together six powerful voices sharing the real habits that keep them sharp, steady, and successful. From sleep routines and mindset rituals to social media limits, fitness commitments, and purposeful journaling, you’ll hear the small daily decisions that create massive long-term impact. These aren’t hacks, they’re su...

In this special compilation episode of Beyond the Deal, we bring you five powerful origin stories from real estate entrepreneurs who took very different paths, but all ended up building a business in real estate. From gut-wrenching personal loss to casual curiosity, each guest reveals the pivotal moment that made them rethink their future and take the leap. You’ll hear from: A former car dealershi...

In this episode of Beyond the Deal, host Michael Wagman sits down with Cyndee Harding, a capital raiser who discovered her true calling in asset management. After helping raise over $5 million in her first year, Cyndee realized the real challenge wasn’t just getting into deals—it was managing them responsibly after the close. She shares how stepping into asset management gave her a deeper sense of...

In this episode of Beyond the Deal, host Michael Wagman sits down with Sylvia Khoury, a single mother of three who turned to real estate to support her family—while caring for her terminally ill parents and navigating a demanding pharmacy career. Sylvia shares how she transitioned from buying rental homes to investing in multifamily properties, why COVID exposed the fragility of her income, and ho...

In this episode of Beyond the Deal, host Michael Wagman sits down with Brian Dordevic, an immigrant from Serbia who went from earning $4/hour as a virtual assistant to leading a 20+ person SEO team in the U.S. Brian shares his incredible journey, from working in South Side Chicago to building a thriving business that helps local service providers dominate Google search. But this conversation goes...

In this episode of Beyond the Deal, host Michael Wagman sits down with Tyler Harding, a multifamily operator who left retail management to build a thriving real estate portfolio alongside his entire family. From a spreadsheet plan to buy single-family homes one by one, to managing 750+ units today, Tyler’s story is a crash course in scaling smarter—not harder. He shares how a shift in mindset arou...

In this episode of Beyond the Deal, host Michael Wagman sits down with David Hrizak—a serial operator and acquirer who’s built his career by mastering the fundamentals: great partnerships, operational excellence, and long-term thinking. David shares how he transitioned from contractor gigs to acquiring companies, why he bets on people first, and how he structures deals for both growth and sustaina...

In this episode of Beyond the Deal, host Michael Wagman sits down with Jacobo Hernandez, the entrepreneur who unknowingly launched Michael’s coaching journey. From building a 7-figure Amazon business and weathering supplier sabotage, to scaling Airbnbs with social media-style tactics, Jacobo reveals the mindset and strategies that helped him thrive through risk and reinvention. Now focused on bout...

In this episode of Beyond the Deal, Michael Wagman speaks with Sid Shamim—an engineer-turned-entrepreneur who walked away from a high-paying oil and gas job to take control of his first underperforming apartment complex. That decision sparked a 10+ year journey to building a vertically integrated real estate firm managing over $500 million in assets and 4,300+ units across Texas and Arizona. Sid b...

In this episode of Beyond the Deal, host Michael Wagman sits down with Pat Zingarella, founder of InvestClearly, a platform that’s changing the way Limited Partners (LPs) evaluate General Partners (GPs) in real estate syndications. Pat shares how his own experience with a fraudulent operator inspired him to create a review platform for LPs, where verified investors can rate and review GPs based on...