Raise the Bar

When you're first starting out as a passive investor, it's easy to focus on one thing. Projected returns. But a higher projected IRR doesn't necessarily mean a better investment. In this conversation with Ben Fraser of Aspen Funds, I break down what passive investors should actually look for when reviewing a real estate syndication, from understanding the Private Placement Memorandum (PPM) and Ope...

When markets get difficult, a lot of investors start looking for the next opportunity. They leave one asset class, jump into another, and assume the problem was the strategy instead of the market cycle. In this conversation, Seth Bradley and Joe Fairless break down why specialization still matters, why constantly moving from one investment strategy to another can prevent investors from building re...

Multifamily has been one of the most popular real estate strategies for years. But when the market shifted, Mike Stohler went looking for a better opportunity. In this episode of Raise the Bar Radio, I sit down with Mike Stohler, co-founder of Gateway Private Equity Group, to break down why he pivoted from multifamily into hotels, and why he’s now investing in boutique hotels and historic properti...

Raising $1 billion in capital doesn't come from having a better deal. It comes from building a better system. In this episode of Raise the Bar Radio, I sit down with Craig Cecilio, founder and CEO of DiversyFund, to break down what it actually takes to raise capital at scale, and how technology, trust, investor relationships, and AI are changing the game. Craig is a three-decade operator who has r...

Buying real estate outside the U.S. sounds exciting. But once you get past the beaches and lifestyle, the questions get real fast. In this episode, Seth Bradley sits down with Rebecca Clower, founder and CEO of Blue Water Properties of Costa Rica, to break down what it actually takes to buy, build, finance, and invest in real estate abroad. Rebecca shares how she left a successful Tampa real estat...

The last real estate cycle made a lot of bad deals look good. Cheap debt, aggressive rent growth assumptions, compressed cap rates, and short hold periods allowed operators to make the numbers work. Then the market changed. In this episode of Raise the Bar, we sit down with Shannon Robnett, founder and CEO of Shannon Robnett Industries, to talk about what separates the operators who survived the l...

Most people think success comes down to having the perfect plan. But what if taking action before you have everything figured out is actually the advantage? In this episode, Seth Bradley sits down with Jeffrey Holst to break down the mindset and decision-making principles that helped him build financial freedom, scale a real estate portfolio, and design a life around experiences instead of waiting...

Should you launch a fund or a syndication? It's one of the first questions every capital raiser asks. But before you can answer it, you need to understand something even more important: Is your deal actually a security? In this live keynote, we walk through the legal framework behind raising private capital, from the Howey Test and joint venture analysis to choosing between syndications, funds, fu...

The difference between a joint venture and a security can completely change how your deal needs to be structured. If everyone involved is an active partner with meaningful decision-making and managerial rights, you may have a true joint venture. But the moment passive investors enter the equation, the legal framework changes. In this conversation, we break down the difference between joint venture...

For years, capital raisers used the co-GP model to bring investors into real estate deals and participate in the upside. But that model has changed. If your only role in a deal is raising capital, and your compensation is based on how much you raise, you may be crossing into broker-dealer territory. In this conversation, we break down why the traditional co-GP model came under regulatory scrutiny,...

If you're raising capital for real estate deals, syndications, or private funds, understanding the legal framework isn't optional, it's essential. In this conversation, Seth Bradley joins Marcin Drozdz to break down one of the most misunderstood areas of private capital: syndications, securities laws, investor communications, and compliant capital raising.  Together, they discuss the legal structu...

Most people overcomplicate raising capital. They spend months trying to decide between a fund or a syndication, worry about legal structures, and get stuck in analysis paralysis before they ever launch. The truth is, the right structure becomes much clearer once you understand the framework behind it. In this live keynote, we walk through the complete decision-making process for raising capital co...

Before you raise capital for an operator, you need to know who you're putting your reputation behind. Because investors aren't just investing in the deal. They're trusting you. In this Q&A segment, securities attorney, fund manager, and entrepreneur Seth Bradley breaks down how to properly vet an operator before raising capital for their deals. You'll learn how to evaluate an operator's track...

Before investing in a syndication, fund, or private placement,  you may be handed more than 100 pages of legal documents.  But what are those documents actually telling you,  and what should you be looking for before you sign? In this session of the Alternative Investing Mastery Series, Patrick Grimes is joined by securities attorneys and capital-raising professionals Seth Bradley, Bethany LaFlam,...

There’s a massive opportunity unfolding right now. According to projections, private markets could grow from roughly $15 trillion today to more than $65 trillion by 2032. That means trillions of dollars flowing into real estate, private equity, private credit, infrastructure, and alternative investments over the next several years. The question is: will you be positioned to benefit from it? The la...

For years, capital raisers have been told that becoming a co-GP is the solution. Except it's not. The reality is that many co-GP structures are built on shaky ground. If your primary role is introducing investors and your compensation is tied to the amount of capital raised, you may be creating risks that most operators never fully understand. In this episode, securities attorney, fund manager, an...

If you're raising capital for real estate deals, syndications, or private funds… compliance isn't optional. And getting it wrong can cost you far more than a deal. In this live masterclass, I break down the legal framework behind raising capital compliantly, including 506(b) offerings, 506(c) offerings, joint ventures, syndications, funds, and fund of funds. You'll learn how securities laws actual...

Everyone says you need a track record to raise serious capital. But they’re wrong. Some first-time sponsors raise millions with no prior exits, no performance history, and no institutional experience. Meanwhile, experienced operators with years of successful deals sometimes struggle to raise a fraction of that amount. Why? Because investors aren’t evaluating your track record first. They’re evalua...

Most people think raising their first million is a handful of calls and a solid pitch deck. You send the deck. You hop on a few conversations. Maybe you follow up once or twice. And commitments start rolling in. That’s the version people believe going in. The reality? Raising your first $1M takes far more conversations, follow-ups, and trust than most sponsors expect. In this video, I break down w...

If your real estate deal can’t raise capital right now… it’s probably not the market. Capital is still moving. Deals are still closing. And while you’re watching this, someone just wired money into a syndication or fund… it just wasn’t yours. In this video, I break down the real reason investors stall, ghost deals, and say “let me think about it” before disappearing completely. Because most raises...

If you’re raising capital for real estate deals, syndications, or private funds… there are legal mistakes that can destroy your raise before it ever scales. And most people making them don’t even realize it. In this video, I break down the 5 biggest legal myths about raising capital that continue to expose operators, syndicators, and fund managers to serious compliance risk. From fake “joint ventu...

If you want to raise capital, invest in multiple deals, and scale fast… this is the model you need to understand. Fund of funds. You raise capital → deploy into other deals → scale without operating. But here’s the catch: If you structure it wrong, you can violate laws like the Investment Company Act of 1940 and the Investment Advisers Act of 1940. Here’s what actually matters: • Use the right exe...

Most entrepreneurs struggle to build real authority and grow a meaningful platform without sounding salesy or inauthentic. That’s exactly what this episode solves. Mitch Matthews, keynote speaker, bestselling author, and host of the Dream Think Do podcast, shares a proven strategy for turning your unique brilliance into influence, impact, and income while staying true to who you are. In this conve...

Most entrepreneurs think going public is the endgame. But what if it was actually the beginning? In this episode, Seth Bradley sits down with Callum Laing to break down a strategy almost no one talks about using a public listing as a growth tool, not an exit. After working on 100+ acquisitions and generating over half a billion dollars in shareholder value, Calum reveals how traditional IPO thinki...

Cherif Medawar breaks down one of the most overlooked commercial real estate strategies today, how to control deals, secure national tenants, and create massive upside before you even close. After 35+ years in the game and building a $100M+ portfolio, Cherif reveals how he: * Locks up vacant retail properties with minimal risk * Brings in national tenants to instantly increase value * Refinances t...