Tech Nest: The Proptech Podcast

I never intended to publish over 200 podcast episodes. I truly thought I'd do 30 or 40—at most—and then move on to something else. However, the constant support I received across the entire industry motivated me to keep going. I love this industry and intend on going nowhere anytime soon. But the time has come to set the podcast aside and focus more energy into something else. I want to continue s...

In this special episode, you'll get to listen in on conversations I had while attending Blueprint Conference, 2024.  Here's the list of guests in this Part 4 of my Blueprint Conversations series. Brad Pilgrim, Co-founder and CEO, Parity https://www.linkedin.com/in/bradpilgrim/   https://www.paritygo.com/  Vikas Gupta, CEO, Azibo https://www.linkedin.com/in/vikas-a-gupta/  https://azibo.com Matt El...

In this special episode, you'll get to listen in on conversations I had while attending Blueprint Conference, 2024.  Here's the list of guests in this Part 3 of my Blueprint Conversations series. Pierre Calzadilla, Co-founder & COO at Upfront https://www.linkedin.com/in/pierrecalzadilla   https://myupfront.com Mukund Venkatakrishnan, Co-founder & CEO at Upfront https://www.linkedin.com/in/...

In this conversation I'm joined by Zumper Co-founder and CEO, Anthemos Georgiades. We discuss the evolving landscape of the rental market, highlighting the record supply of rental units in 2024 and the implications for renters and property management companies. I was excited to discuss the latest partnership between Zumper and Airbnb, exploring how this collaboration reflects the convergence of lo...

In this conversation, I talk with Nicholas Johnson, Founder and CEO of Orange Charger, about the challenges and opportunities in the EV charging industry, particularly for multifamily homes. He describes the importance of user experience, connectivity, and the role of software in managing energy consumption. We also get into the evolving landscape of property management as it relates to EV chargin...

Peter Gudmundsson, CEO of BeHome 247, discusses the challenges and opportunities in the short-term rental and vacation rental industry. He emphasizes the importance of delivering a consistently excellent guest experience and the need for brand consistency. Gudmundsson also addresses the impact of local zoning regulations on the industry and the role of technology in improving operations and guest...

In this special episode, you'll get to listen in on conversations I had while attending Blueprint Conference, 2024.  Here's the list of guests in this Part 2 of my Blueprint Conversations series. Kenon Chen, EVP of Strategy and Growth at Clear Capital https://www.linkedin.com/in/kenon-chen-72201b4/ https://www.clearcapital.com/ John Rogers, Chief Data & Analytics Officer at CoreLogic https://w...

In this episode, Dana Dunford, Co-founder and CEO of Hemlane, joins the show to discuss the evolving landscape of property management for self-managing real estate investors. Hemlane is a venture-backed platform that simplifies rental property management by offering tools for inspections, repairs, tenant coordination, and more, all in one place. Dana shares how Hemlane differentiates itself from t...

In this epsidoe, I talk with Jason Griffith, Co-founder and Co-CEO of Synco, to explore how they simplify communication for property management teams. With the overload of emails and messages, Synco offers a real-time messaging platform to streamline collaboration and organize conversations. It lets users control inbox notifications and easily include external parties like contractors. Synco offer...

Gene Eidelman, Co-founder of Azure, discusses how they are using 3D printing technology to create and build prefab homes. They use recycled polymers and fiberglass instead of traditional materials, making their homes faster to build and more affordable. We also get into the national housing shortage, affordability crisis, and reducing environmental impacts. Gene explains their construction process...

In this episode, I chat with Andrew Becker, CEO and Co-founder of Billions, a real estate operations platform built for high-volume teams. We explore how Billions automates data tracking and enhances team efficiency, especially in today’s challenging market. Andrew shares his journey from the Air Force to building a successful real estate team and dives into why modular tech and AI are game-change...

More about each guest in this special episode: Bo Lais, Founder and CEO at Lula Bo Lais is a serial entrepreneur and current CEO/Founder of Lula, a proptech company focused on reinventing maintenance for property managers and investors. Rental property maintenance technology and software powered by a network of vetted contractors.  Connect with Bo Check out Lula   Heather Harmon, Founder, Investor...

In this episode, Phil Levin, Founder and CEO of Live Near Friends, shares insights on the importance of proximity in shaping our lives and the potential for multiplayer mode housing. He discusses the benefits of living near friends and family, how transportation influences city design, and the rise of cul-de-sac communities. Phil also touches on the role of ADUs in fostering closer-knit neighborho...

Greg Sack, partner and CMO of Pinch, discusses how Pinch is reshaping the multifamily industry's approach to turnover and common area cleaning. Pinch offers centralized solutions for property management companies, bridging the gap and providing efficient cleaning services. The conversation covers topics such as the challenges of finding cleaners, the need for a B2B avenue in the cleaning industry,...

In this episode, I chat with Landon Cooley, CEO and Co-founder of Pest Share, about the crucial yet often overlooked role of pest control in property management. Landon highlights the challenges of dealing with specialty pests like bed bugs and cockroaches, which can cause major issues in multi-family settings.  Pest Share offers a solution by providing tenants with direct, on-demand access to pes...

In this episode, I chat with Jason Lewis, co-founder of Parcel Labs, about the evolving landscape of real estate data. We dive into the power of real-time housing data, how it's becoming more transparent, and the impact it's having on the market. Jason shares insights on how Parcel Labs is leading the charge by providing unparalleled access to housing information, making it easier for developers a...

This episode is a bit different. I recorded this as an episode for the Triple Win Podcast with Andrew Smallwood, VP of Revenue at Second Nature. So today, I'll be playing the role of guest and Andrew is host. Enjoy this fun discussion on where proptech is headed. -- From the Triple Win Podcast: Few things have changed the property management industry more in the last five years than a growing prop...

Join me as I chat with Ben Lerner, Managing Director of Lerner Associates, about M&A in the proptech industry. Ben shares his unique insights from his background in tech and real estate, focusing on the importance of licenses and the evolving dynamics of user licensing. We discuss the differences between M&A and venture capital markets, highlighting the active M&A scene despite tougher...

Kirill Bensonoff, CEO and Co-founder of New Silver, a fintech company that provides loans for fix and flip projects, joins Tech Nest to discuss the current state of the real estate market, the challenges faced by investors, and how New Silver differentiates itself from other lenders. Kirill explains how their technology, including a pricing engine, streamlines the loan process and offers convenien...

Steve Carroll, CEO and co-founder of Fine Diggs, discusses the issue of rental fraud and its impact on the rental application process. He highlights that 25% of all evictions are attributable to rental application fraud and explains how fraudsters use stolen or fraudulent information to lease properties and wait out the eviction process. Carroll emphasizes the need for comprehensive identity verif...

Lindsay Liu, Co-founder and CEO of Super, discusses the challenges property managers face with busy work and inefficient communication. Property managers spend a significant amount of time on tasks like email and phone calls, which can be automated and streamlined. Super aims to centralize communications and automate tasks for property managers, allowing them to focus on more important work. The u...

In this episode of Tech Nest, I explore commercial real estate auctions with Stephen Jacobs, President of Ten-X. Stephen shares his journey leading Ten-X (which is a really cool story, BTW) and debunks myths about auctions, explaining their strategic advantages beyond just distressed properties. Learn how Ten-X leverages data and technology to streamline the auction process, ensuring faster and mo...

Here's a fun one for y'all. Frank Rohde, Founder and CEO of Ownify, a company working to revolutionize homeownership through fractional ownership joins the show.  Frank shares insights into Ownify's innovative model that helps first-time homebuyers with good income and credit but limited savings gradually build equity in their homes. You'll hear about Frank's diverse background, including his role...

In this episode we dig into the side of real estate that seems to be the big, sleeping topic: insurance.  Valkyrie Holmes, Founder and CEO of Faura, discusses the impact of natural disasters on insurance, the challenges faced by insurance companies, and the innovative solutions offered by Faura. The conversation covers risk assessment, loss control solutions, the impact of climate change, and the...

We've got a solid interview for y'all this week. Raunaq Singh, Founder and CEO of Roam, comes on the show to discuss their platform for purchasing homes using assumable low-rate mortgages.  Raunaq digs into the history of assumable mortgages, the potential size of the market, and the challenges and opportunities for buyers and sellers. Raunaq also explains how Roam is working with agents, and is a...