The Commercial Builders’ Network (TCBN)

How do commercial real estate investors actually get financing? In Part 2 of my conversation with Kenneth Igwe , Co-Founder of Baker Collins & Co., we take a deep dive into commercial real estate financing , private lending , and what lenders actually look for before approving a deal. With more than $1 billion in commercial real estate debt and equity originated , Kenneth explains how experien...

If you want to understand real estate finance, commercial real estate investing, and how deals actually get funded , this episode breaks it down at a high level. In this episode of The Commercial Builders Network , TaNeshia Reed sits down with Kenneth Igwe, Managing Director of a real estate finance firm that has helped originate over $1 billion in commercial real estate debt and equity . From sta...

What does it take to build a construction and environmental firm from nothing—and sustain it for over 20 years? In this episode of The Commercial Builders Network , TaNeshia Reed sits down with L’Tryce Slade, founder of a multi-state construction, environmental, and geotechnical firm, known as the “Dirt Lady.” From starting her company while on unemployment to leading major projects across multipl...

What does the future of construction look like — and who will help build it? In this episode of The Commercial Builders Network , Dr. Irish Horsey shares her journey through the construction industry, from project management and workforce development to policy, technology, and authorship. As the Director of Industry Advancement at Procore and the bestselling author of You Can Be Here: A Woman’s Gu...

What does a Black commercial appraiser, land acquisition agent, and AI entrepreneur see that most people miss about real estate? In this episode of The Commercial Builders Network , Jessica Brown breaks down how redlining, appraisal bias, infrastructure, land acquisition, and AI all shape property values, business ownership, and access to opportunity. Jessica shares her path from historian to oil...

Are you a residential real estate agent tired of small commissions and low-paying deals, and ready to transition into commercial real estate? In this episode, commercial real estate broker, investor, and developer James Daughrity (SIOR) breaks down step-by-step how he went from the Robert Taylor projects to becoming a top commercial real estate power player, broker, and developer. ​ Most agents st...

Ionnie McNeill—known as “The Baby Billionaire”—joins The Commercial Builders’ Network to break down how real investing works when you’re building wealth on purpose, not hype. In this full conversation, Ionnie walks through the difference between debt vs. equity , what private debt deals actually are, and why she shifted from long-term, public-market investing to cashflow-focused strategies that ca...

The airport is more than planes and passengers — it operates like a full-scale city with constant demand for services, construction, technology, maintenance, and more. In this episode of The Commercial Builders’ Network , Charles Wilson of the Metropolitan Washington Airports Authority (MWAA) explains how small businesses can position themselves for real procurement opportunities inside major airp...

James B. Kynes Jr. is more than a commercial real estate broker — he’s a mission-driven entrepreneur, business coach, and founder of Rushman Moore Real Estate Group. From his early days cutting hair to structuring million-dollar deals, James brings a rare blend of street smarts, spiritual grounding, and sharp business acumen. In this powerful episode of The Commercial Builders' Network , we unpack...

In this powerful episode of The Commercial Builders’ Network, host TaNeshia Reed sits down with general contractor and visionary leader Glinda Jackson —founder of Jackson Management Group and the nonprofit Build Her Legacy, Inc. From building MGM National Harbor to launching construction camps for girls, Glinda shares how she’s rewriting the rules of the industry. ➡️ Hear her plans to expand to th...

If you’re a contractor, real estate investor, or entrepreneur trying to level up — this episode is your cheat code. Tommy Lester is the Atlanta Market Lead for Capital Impact Partners (a national CDFI) and President of Swann Development Partners. With 25+ years in real estate lending, community development, and commercial investment, he breaks down everything from capital stacking and syndications...

What does it take to lead with vision, rise from grief, and create opportunity for an entire community? In this powerful and deeply personal episode of The Commercial Builders Network , host TaNeshia Reed sits down with cultural strategist and nonprofit leader Taneshia Nash Laird to talk about: 🔹 Carrying generational dreams 🔹 Building legacy after loss 🔹 Creating access in commercial real esta...

What does it really take to build wealth, access capital, and leave a legacy — without falling into debt traps? In this powerful episode of The Commercial Builders Network (TCBN) , host TaNeshia Reed sits down with Ivy Hall (Ivy The GREAT) — SBA lending expert, business funding strategist, and legacy-builder — for a no-fluff conversation about money, credit, succession planning, and how business o...

Too many “community” projects check the box on hiring and never change anyone’s life. Dr. Gina Merritt does it differently. She’s a 30-year real estate veteran, principal of Northern Real Estate Urban Ventures , and founder of Project Community Capital® and WFL Collective —an ecosystem that connects underestimated residents to real jobs on real projects, with 94–98% retention on construction sites...

Too many small developers and business owners lose money in commercial real estate — not because the deal was bad, but because the paperwork, zoning, and financing weren’t protected. In this episode of The Commercial Builders’ Network , I sit down with Aisha J. Thomas — a Commercial Real Estate Broker and Real Estate Attorney (Thomas Agency & AJT Law) — to break down the legal mistakes that co...

Black professionals belong in commercial real estate — but nobody shows us the real blueprint. In this episode, KB Yabuku , Vice President at Colliers and 20-year CRE veteran, breaks down the truth about entering the industry, surviving downturns, building real relationships, and creating generational opportunity through commercial real estate. KB has worked across brokerage, investment sales, und...

Black women are building, leading, and reshaping commercial construction — and today, we sit down with one of the women doing it powerfully. In this episode, I interview Amber Lawson , Founder & Principal of Aspire Construction & Design in Atlanta, GA — a boutique commercial design-build firm delivering excellence from concept to permit to reality. Amber breaks down: ✨ What it means to cr...

In this raw and unfiltered debut episode, I share the truth behind why I created  The Commercial Builders’ Network . It’s not pretty, polished, or performative—it’s real. From being burned in real estate to watching so many of our people get boxed out of opportunities, this episode is for the dreamers, the doers, and the builders who’ve had enough. You’ll hear my blunt truth and my deep love for m...

In this episode of The Commercial Builders’ Network , I’m joined by CPA Merrewilned Nichols of Desired Advisors — and she’s giving straight financial game to construction business owners. From mixing personal and business money, to running payroll the right way, to setting up systems that build wealth (not stress), this conversation is full of real, actionable nuggets you don’t want to miss. Wheth...

In this episode of The Commercial Builders’ Network , I sit down with serial entrepreneur Chiko Abengowe — the visionary behind Perfect Office , Perfect Staffing , and Perfect Property . We get into the real side of commercial real estate —the discrimination, the pushback, and the wins that come with refusing to fold. Chiko shares: What it was like being rejected by landlords for being a single Bl...