SF Commercial Property Conversations

In this episode, Bruce Bean sits down with Rebl Risty, founder of REBL Labs and a dynamic force in the marketing and AI space, to explore how artificial intelligence is transforming the way commercial real estate professionals work. Rebl shares her journey from growing up as an Army brat to leading marketing teams and eventually founding her own AI-focused agency. You'll hear how she helps CRE bro...

In this episode, Bruce Bean talks with Morry Eghbal, founder of Successors Data, about his remarkable journey from escaping post-revolution Iran to becoming a pioneering force in real estate data technology. Morry shares how his early dreams of being an artist led to his escape from Iran, a refugee journey through Turkey and Austria, and finally landing in Los Angeles in the early 1980s. His exper...

In this episode, host Bruce Bean sits down with Rick Cunningham, a real estate powerhouse who leads 22 Keller Williams offices across California. Rick shares how his upbringing on a working farm shaped his work ethic and ambition, eventually guiding him to launch a career in landscape architecture, urban revitalization, and ultimately real estate brokerage and technology innovation. Rick discusses...

In this episode of SF Commercial Property Conversations, Bruce Bean chats with Asher McInerney, a San Francisco-born developer with deep family roots in construction and a unique twist—he also sells real estate on the French Riviera. Asher shares how he started “on a bulldozer,” learning the ropes in his family's building business, and how that early exposure shaped his career in real estate devel...

In this insightful conversation, Bruce sits down once again with Adam Gower—real estate syndication strategist and founder of GowerCrowd. Adam shares his deep expertise on modern capital-raising practices, from mastering general solicitation to building digital systems that drive scalable investor engagement. He explains how the 2012 JOBS Act reshaped the rules of the game and how sponsors can now...

From folding clothes at Nordstrom to advising real estate developers on multimillion-dollar insurance programs—Skylar Romines has had one incredible journey. In this episode, Bruce sits down with Skylar to hear how she unintentionally fell into the world of insurance and eventually launched her own firm, ATW Advisors. Skylar shares how a “temporary college job” became a thriving consulting busines...

In this engaging episode of SF Commercial Property Conversations with Bruce Bean, we sit down with Jeff Schween and his daughter Kelsey McCaffrey to talk shop—and legacy. Jeff brings over 35 years of real estate experience in Santa Rosa, including deep involvement in the post-2017 Tubbs Fire rebuild. Kelsey, a former educator and school principal, shares how her career pivot has brought fresh insi...

In this episode of SF Commercial Property Conversations, host Bruce Bean sits down with East Bay real estate expert Gabriel Galiothe to dive into the current state of Oakland’s multifamily market. Gabe shares how he got his start in real estate after studying urban land development at Fresno State and how his journey led him to become a key player in Oakland's commercial real estate scene. From sh...

Kamyar Rezaie joins Bruce for a timely update on the lending landscape. With interest rates showing some signs of retreat and banks eager to lend, Kamyar shares how borrowers with strong reserves are securing attractive financing terms. He also dives into the dynamics of construction lending, noting a shift toward bridge and hard money loans as traditional financing begins to loosen. The conversat...

In this episode of SF Commercial Property Conversations, host Bruce Bean chats with Steven Bloom, founder of Rent TV, a web-based media platform for commercial real estate professionals. From his early days working on developments in New York City to launching a video-first CRE media company in Southern California, Steven shares his incredible journey of entrepreneurship, innovation, and grit. You...

J. Hickingbotham joins Bruce Bean to share his unique journey from growing up in Menlo Park to selling real estate in Lake Tahoe, and ultimately managing a 400-unit portfolio with properties across Oakland, Reno, and beyond. With deep roots in the industry and hands-on experience in both brokerage and property management, Jay offers real insights into how to build wealth through real estate — espe...

In this episode, Bruce Bean sits down with Ryan Sudeck, whose journey spans from Stanford rower to Wall Street dealmaker, to real estate innovator leading one of the most exciting strategies in the market: converting underused hotels into affordable workforce housing. Ryan shares how his passion for real estate started with buying small multifamily properties on weekends while juggling a demanding...

In this engaging episode, Bruce Bean sits down with Jason Piazza—co-founder of WeCann and longtime commercial real estate agent based in Orange County—to explore the intersection of cannabis and commercial property. Jason shares how his upbringing shaped his views on cannabis, what led him to pivot from generalist real estate work into the cannabis sector, and how the market has evolved dramatical...

In this episode of SF Commercial Property Conversations with Bruce Bean, we sit down with Anthony Shell, a seasoned commercial real estate broker who has carved a unique path in the Bay Area market. Anthony opens up about how his older brother inspired his career, his early days at Cushman & Wakefield, and his transition to leadership roles at Avison Young and now Colliers.   -----------------...

In this episode, Bruce sits down with David Berneman, the founder and CEO of Golden Bee Properties, a Los Angeles-based real estate investment and management firm. David shares his journey from urban planning and environmental science to managing over 1,500 multifamily units. You’ll hear how a childhood spent tagging along with his parents on maintenance runs sparked a lifelong interest in real es...

In this episode, Bruce Bean talks with Patrick Butler, a civil engineer with Kimley-Horn, about his journey from aviation projects to becoming a key player in the data center development boom. Patrick shares how he helps clients vet sites, navigate zoning hurdles, assess infrastructure, and even plan for unique utilities like water and power usage. He also reveals which Bay Area cities are open to...

In this candid and compelling episode, Bruce Bean sits down with commercial real estate broker Dante Giacomini, who shares his unique journey from UC Santa Cruz political studies to becoming a high-performing agent in the Bay Area's competitive CRE landscape. Dante’s story begins with hands-on construction jobs and unpaid internships and quickly evolves into seven-figure deals and deep market insi...

In this episode of SF Commercial Property Conversations with Bruce Bean, we dive deep into the world of retail real estate with Heath Binder of LBX Investments. From a post-9/11 pivot in New York to a strategic career in investor relations, Heath shares how his early experiences in brokerage, research, and crowdfunding shaped his unique skillset in real estate investing. He walks us through LBX’s...

What does the future of commercial workspaces look like? In this episode of SF Commercial Property Conversations with Bruce Bean, we dive into that very question with Jacob Bates, a global real estate veteran turned co-working innovator. From Salt Lake City to San Diego, Jacob’s journey includes major stints with Nike and JLL before launching Rubix, a white-label co-working and flex office operato...

In this lively and inspiring episode of SF Commercial Property Conversations with Bruce Bean, we welcome back the legendary Patty McGuigan. This time, we’re not just talking real estate—we’re talking legacy. Patty takes us behind the scenes of her memoir Scraps Build a Pile, a collection of stories tracing her unlikely, unforgettable path through the heart of Silicon Valley’s CRE boom. From her fi...

In this episode of SF Commercial Property Conversations with Bruce Bean, we sit down with John Gessford—a seasoned broker and the tech mind behind CREOP. From launching his career at CBRE to creating a powerful AI-driven tool that simplifies Offering Memorandum (OM) creation, John shares his unique journey that blends commercial brokerage with innovative tech solutions. We dig into: John's early d...

In this episode, Bruce Bean sits down with John Protopappas, one of Oakland’s most prolific real estate developers, to unpack a 40-year journey in value-add multifamily development and adaptive reuse. John shares how a single fourplex in East Oakland launched what would become a $750 million real estate portfolio across multiple U.S. markets. He walks us through his early deals, like converting a...

In this episode of SF Commercial Property Conversations with Bruce Bean, Bruce sits down with James Chung, a seasoned retail broker and founder of The Econic Company. From hitchhiking to Newport Beach to surf as a teen to navigating the ever-evolving world of commercial real estate, James shares how his journey from Tallahassee to the Bay Area shaped both his personal and professional life. Listen...

In this episode, Bruce Bean sits down with Marc Lipsett of Walker Realty Capital to explore a truly unique career path in commercial real estate. Born and raised in San Francisco, Marc shares how his career started in post-Soviet Russia and led to a long-term impact on the Bay Area’s real estate lending scene. They talk about the evolution of lending standards, Marc’s first ventures in real estate...

In this episode of SF Commercial Property Conversations with Bruce Bean, we sit down with Mitchell Rice, founder of Elkhorn Capital Partners, whose journey from a small town in Idaho to overseeing multimillion-dollar real estate ventures is nothing short of inspiring. Mitchell shares how his early exposure to real estate through his father's side projects planted the seed for a booming career in c...