Brandmarch Podcast: Behind The Lease

Elam Freeman didn't fit the traditional brokerage mold. Where most firms reward individual production, she wanted something more collaborative — a place where knowledge gets shared, where a rising tide lifts all ships, and where the client benefits from the full weight of the team, not just the broker in the room. So in July 2020, in the middle of a pandemic, she started Ojas Partners. Today Ojas...

In this episode of Behind the Lease , we’re joined by Lane Chaplin, Head of Real Estate at EVgo, the nation's largest public fast charging network, to discuss how the electrification of the American parking lot is fundamentally changing the retail real estate landscape. Lane is laser-focused on turning "dead space into power centers" by maximizing dwell time and strategic co-tenancy. Key Topics Co...

In this episode, we sit down with Jono Lapat, Managing Principal at SRS Real Estate Partners, to deep dive into the dynamic Boston retail market. Jono shares his candid perspective on the city's growth, his client-first philosophy, and the proprietary technology that gives his team a competitive edge. This episode is a must-listen for retail real estate brokers, national brands, and landlords look...

Andy Moffitt serves as the Senior Managing Director at Newmark Mountain West in Salt Lake City, Utah. He specializes in both landlord and tenant representation, working with sophisticated global retailers and major development projects across the Mountain West. Formerly considered a "flyover" or tertiary market, the Salt Lake City area has transitioned into a primary/secondary position due to stro...

Kyle Kavanaugh, founder of the boutique brokerage Main and Main, shares insights from over 30 years in the Los Angeles retail scene, emphasizing the importance of mentorship and active listening. He explores the shift toward an "experience" economy where digital transformation and the "influencer effect" accelerate neighborhood trends and prioritize authentic customer service in physical spaces. W...

John Vance specializes in retail real estate, specifically focusing on the Downtown Chicago/CBD urban environment, which he was drawn to for its visibility and the interesting "characters" of retailers and developers. He brings a dual perspective to his work, having been active on both the brand (tenant) side and the landlord/asset side. This experience allows him to understand the information ten...

Robert Gould (VP US Operations, IAM Properties) and Chris Speciale (National Leasing Advisor, Open Realty Advisors) join Brett to pull back the curtain on the decade-long journey behind the Corners of Brookfield, Wisconsin's number one destination for specialty retail. Robert brought his vision for a European-style market square to suburban Milwaukee after a successful run funding nine Mariano's g...

Many teams assume strong demographics and visible locations are enough. In practice, what matters just as much is how a market actually functions day to day —how people move, how infrastructure holds up, and how local patterns shape demand. In this episode of Behind the Lease , Brett sits down with Sarah Williams of Council Real Estate in Atlanta to talk about what retail strategy looks like at gr...

Matthew Clark, who leads the Urban Division at Colliers International, shares his incredible journey and passion for retail real estate. From his early days working on historic infill projects to now managing $4 billion in mixed-use real estate, Matthew has become a leading voice in the Jacksonville market. In this episode, they discuss: The Power of Merchandising : How thoughtful retail curation...

Retail expert Maria Royer (Principal at Real Retail) explores the unique "local first" consumer culture in Seattle where national restaurants struggle due to the strong foodie scene, high minimum wage, and "no tip credit" state status. Maria, a true market authority and Principal at Real Retail, has been shaping the Seattle skyline for over 30 years. She is the force behind the retail strategies f...

The wellness real estate sector is booming, and we're diving deep into the movement that is [solidcore]. On this episode of ‘ Behind the Lease’ , we sit down with Josh Rainey, Head of Real Estate for [solidcore], who is leading their massive expansion and shares the strategy behind opening 27 new studios in 2025 alone. Josh discusses [solidcore]'s growth, accelerating post-COVID from its 2013 DC o...

In this episode of ' Behind the Lease' , we sit down with retail real estate expert Jeremy Zidell for an in-depth look at his career journey, current brand collaborations, and a definitive breakdown of two major retail markets: Dallas's Knox Street and the massive, highly-curated Dublin Village project in Columbus. The Dublin Village Project Zidell details the vision for Dublin Village, a project...

Retail demand in many U.S. markets is strong again. The challenge isn’t finding brands—it’s finding space. In this episode of Behind the Lease , we sit down with Erik Christopher, a Denver-based retail real estate broker with decades of experience working across landlord, tenant, and national brand roles. Erik shares how his career started leasing shopping centers in the Baltimore area, why workin...

What does it actually take to build (and sustain) one of the strongest high streets in the country? In this episode of Behind the Lease , Brett Robinson sits down with David Waldman, a broker and developer who has spent more than three decades shaping downtown Westport, Connecticut. From historic restorations to national retail leases, David has worked both as an owner and as a street retail broke...

Retail expansion often looks fast from the outside. In reality, it’s slow, local, and full of tradeoffs. In this episode of Behind the Lease , we sit down with Jennifer Price , one of Washington, DC’s most experienced high-street retail brokers, to talk about what actually drives success on streets like Georgetown and 14th Street. Jennifer shares how she broke into retail real estate, why DC rewar...

Dave's Hot Chicken has grown fast, but not by accident. In our conversation, Dannon Shiff , SVP of Real Estate, shared why the real differentiator is selecting sites for long-term success. He highlighted how Dave’s considers modern customer behavior, third-party delivery, in-person traffic, and the responsibility of protecting franchisee investments. It’s a strategic approach shaped by a brand tha...

Ethan Pacewiczh , Senior Real Estate Manager at DICK'S Sporting Goods , made one point clear in our conversation: brick and mortar is not dead. It has simply changed its purpose. House of Sport works when landlords think beyond filling a box and start thinking about the experience and traffic they want to create. In one market, converting a former Sears to House of Sport drove a roughly 30 percent...

In this conversation, Cynthia Kratchman shares what she’s seeing on the ground right now in Detroit and Birmingham, and why both markets are drawing serious brand attention. Cynthia is a principal at Mid-America Real Estate Group with more than thirty years in retail brokerage. The spaces she’s bringing to market today reflect how demand is evolving and what brands are prioritizing when they choos...

This week we sit down with Adam Williams, a Charlotte native who has watched South End evolve from a corridor of barred windows and break ins to one of the most competitive retail streets in the Southeast. Adam grew up in the neighborhood long before Patagonia planted a flagship and long before national brands lined up for space along the light rail. He walks us through the turning points how the...

Episode Two of Behind the Lease features Bob Baker, senior broker at BMW Realty and one of the key players shaping El Paseo in Palm Desert. In this episode, Bob walks through the repositioning of the Shops at El Paseo, from replacing underperforming luxury tenants to prioritizing restaurants that reset traffic patterns across the street. We cover real rent ranges, ownership dynamics, historic low...

JEFF GAUL IS LIVE ON BEHIND THE LEASE. In our first episode, Jeff Gaul shares how site selection fundamentals stay the same whether you are building global brands like Nike and Sephora or scaling fresh food concepts. Different products, same customers, same trade areas, same decisions that drive results. www.brandmarch.com