Bill Douglas doesn't sugarcoat it: most CRE owners are sitting on a goldmine of data they don't control, don't understand, and can't monetize while vendors quietly profit from it.

In this episode, the CEO of OpticWise and co-author of Peak Property Performance pulls back the curtain on the messy reality of digital strategy in commercial real estate. From buildings running 17 systems on 13 networks with zero integration, to property management firms recommending tech they've invested in without disclosure, Bill breaks down the conflicts of interest and missed opportunities that are costing owners millions.

Bill also opens up about his near-death skiing experience, his wife's cancer battle, and why he lives by the motto: "Life is a gift. Work to live, don't live to work."

If you've ever felt overwhelmed by vendor pitches, suspicious of PropTech promises, or unsure how to turn building data into actual NOI, this conversation will give you the framework to take control.

Show Notes:

0:10: Introducing Bill Douglas

1:39: Skiing and fatherhood - the "truth serum" of ski lifts

4:17: Why the CRE industry is at a critical crossroads

8:23: Status quo bias and why owners wait for fines to act

12:05: Case Study - 17 systems, $50K+ wasted, hidden savings

15:47: The 5C method for digital strategy

20:25: Dreamers on stage vs. doers in the audience

24:50: The AI bubble and 12 critical questions for vendors

37:08: Who should be the digital champion inside your firm?

40:38: Why do firms ghost vendors then scramble last minute?

47:31: How Bill unplugs and the gift of life

52:07: "Busy doesn't mean successful" - rethinking work-life balance

57:33: Ryan's takeaways

If you love what you hear, please take a moment to rate and review us. Your feedback helps us grow and improve!

Be sure to visit our website at ⁠www.creunplugged.com⁠ for all the latest news and updates. Have thoughts or suggestions?

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This episode is sponsored by our awesome partner, ⁠HILO⁠, making connectivity and engagement a breeze in commercial real estate.

How AI is transforming pre-construction, and why precision matters as much as speed in construction tech.

A conversation on AI, risk reduction, and building durable software for real estate development.

In this Founder Series episode, Ryan Elazari sits down with Paul Zeckser, Co-Founder and CEO of LightTable, to explore how AI is changing one of the most expensive and error-prone phases of real estate development: pre-construction.

Drawing on decades of leadership experience, Paul shares why building the company later in his career shaped everything from product focus to pricing, and why precision is the real advantage in construction tech.

The discussion spans the challenge of building vertical software as foundational models evolve, what it takes to earn adoption across developers, architects, and contractors, and why in-person collaboration still matters as the industry enters its next technology cycle.

Show Notes:

00:00 – Introducing Paul Zeckser

02:37 – Why building a company later in your career can be an advantage

06:01 – Assembling teams with deep domain expertise

08:33 – Leadership, transparency, and prioritizing goals over being liked

10:16 – Why most construction problems originate in pre-construction

15:40 – Can vertical solutions survive as foundation models evolve?

20:37 – Why LightTable chose unlimited-user pricing over traditional SaaS

24:05 – Being bullish on the office: collaboration, culture, and outcomes

28:32 – CU Boulder, the Deming Center, and a full-circle founder moment

31:10 – Postgame Recap

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Interested in being featured on the Founders’ Series?

We’re always looking to spotlight bold leaders and founders who are building the future of commercial real estate. If you’re solving real problems, challenging outdated norms, or reshaping how this industry operates, we want to hear from you.

In the debut of the Founders’ Series, Ryan and Nadine sit down with William Sankey, CEO of Northspyre, to unpack what it really takes to build a tech company inside one of the most conservative industries: commercial real estate.

William shares the moment he knew he had to build Northspyre, the messy leap from idea to execution, and whether, after a decade of lessons, he would choose the founder path again. They explore hiring for intangibles, why CRE negotiates SaaS contracts like construction deals, and how developers succeed or stumble when pivoting into hot asset classes like data centers and affordable housing.

He also highlights the industry shifts people are overlooking, from the real impact of AI to the regulatory pressures that will shape the future of development.

If you want an unfiltered look at what it takes to build in CRE, this episode delivers.

Show Notes:

00:10: Welcome to the Founders’ Series

2:04: Introducing William Sankey

2:31: “I have to build this”: William’s origin moment

11:09: From idea to execution: the messy middle

17:14: Would he become a founder again?

21:30: Hiring for intangibles in an early-stage company

30:44: Why negotiating SaaS contracts in CRE is so uniquely challenging

34:40: Developers chasing “hot” asset classes: when it works and when it burns

40:39: Underhyped shifts: AI, regulation, and capital

47:14: Postgame Recap (actionable insights)

50:06: Closing thoughts & where to reach us

If you love what you hear, please take a moment to rate and review us. Your feedback helps us grow and improve!

Be sure to visit our website at www.creunplugged.com for all the latest news and updates.

Have thoughts or suggestions?

We'd love to hear from you! Drop us a line at info@creunplugged.com.

Subscribe to our YouTube channel at @CREUnplugged1 and be sure to follow CRE Unplugged on LinkedIn and Instagram!

Interested in being featured on the Founders’ Series?

We’re always looking to spotlight bold leaders and founders who are building the future of commercial real estate. If you’re solving real problems, challenging outdated norms, or reshaping how the real estate industry operates, we want to hear from you.

Real estate’s future won’t be built by code alone. It will be built by people who know how to connect it all.

In this episode of CRE Unplugged, Ryan Elazari sits down with Richard Reyes, CEO of OSCRE International and VP of Digital Strategy at ConnexFM, to discuss how data, culture, and collaboration are reshaping the built environment.

From his Texas ranch roots to leading digital transformation across real estate, Richard shares how hard work and hands-on experience shaped his mission to “assemble people, not just systems.” He explains the idea behind a “smart data highway,” why culture, not technology, is the biggest barrier to innovation, and how events like FutureBuilt are breaking down silos between trades and technology.

A grounded and inspiring conversation about leadership, digital strategy, the evolution of the built environment.

Show Notes:

0:10: Introducing Richard Reyes

2:19: Texas roots and developing a strong work ethic

4:21: How his ranch upbringing shaped the man he is today

6:30: Clean eating

7:29: “Assembler of people”

10:58: Data blind spots

15:40: Understanding culture within an organization

19:06: FutureBuilt, a ConnexFM Event

25:25: Advice for younger professionals in the world of AI

27:33: Are we seeing a future of more skilled laborers?

32:40: Shifting companies’ mindset toward data sharing

35:34: How does Richard unplug?

41:22: Ryan’s takeaways

If you love what you hear, please take a moment to rate and review us. Your feedback helps us grow and improve!

Be sure to visit our website at www.creunplugged.com for all the latest news and updates. Have thoughts or suggestions?

We'd love to hear from you! Drop us a line at info@creunplugged.com.

Subscribe to our YouTube channel at @CREUnplugged1 and be sure to follow CRE Unplugged on LinkedIn and Instagram!

This episode is sponsored by our awesome partner, HILO, making connectivity and engagement a breeze in commercial real estate.

To learn more about the FutureBuilt event and how it’s bringing together leaders from across the built environment, visit futurebuilt.io.

Everyone loves to say retail is dead. Beth Azor is here to say: not so fast.In this episode, Nadine and Ryan sit down with the indomitable "Canvassing Queen" to break down why retail’s not dying, but rather, evolving. From the rise of “competitive socializing” and medtail to the real story behind retail occupancy rates, Beth brings receipts, red blazers, and a whole lot of truth.

We talk through her famous 5 F’s driving tenant demand, why personal branding in CRE is less about polish and more about showing up, and how Twitter (yes, still Twitter) landed her great deals.

Whether you're a retail skeptic or superfan, this conversation might just change how you see your local strip center.

Show Notes:

0:10: Introduction

1:10: Nadine's launch of the CRE AI Studio, a new AI learning platform

6:30: The REAL story on retail - it's not dead, it's just shifting

7:48: Introducing Beth Azor "The Canvassing Queen"

8:15: The biggest myth about retail real estate

13:00: The real story behind retail occupancy and sales

15:27: Beth's 5 "F's" of tenant demand

18:25: The shifting narrative around shopping centers

21:40: "Competitive socializing" and its role in retail

25:04: The rise of "medtail"

30:47: Creative development tactics in challenging times

34:44: The impact of cannabis on retail; are we in a bubble?

39:40: Tips to leveraging social media in CRE

45:09: The birth of "The Canvassing Queen"

49:35: Personal branding in CRE

53:42: How does Beth unplug?

If you love what you hear, please take a moment to rate and review us. Your feedback helps us grow and improve!

Be sure to visit our website at ⁠⁠creunplugged.com⁠⁠ for all the latest news and updates. Have thoughts or suggestions?

We'd love to hear from you! Drop us a line at info@creunplugged.com.

Subscribe to our YouTube channel at ⁠⁠@CREUnplugged1⁠⁠ and be sure to follow CRE Unplugged on⁠⁠ LinkedIn⁠⁠ and ⁠⁠Instagram⁠⁠!

This episode is sponsored by our awesome partner, ⁠⁠HILO⁠⁠, making connectivity and engagement a breeze in commercial real estate.

What if the real fix for America’s housing challenges isn’t just more supply, but better-designed towns?

In this episode, Nadine and Ryan sit down with Casey Roloff, the visionary behind Seabrook, Washington, a walkable coastal town built from scratch on the principles of New Urbanism. From starting with a $500 land option and a cold-calling hustle, Casey shares how his early experiences shaped a mission to build places that prioritize people over cars.

They explore why free “third places” are the social infrastructure we overlook, how zoning and capital markets make human-scale communities harder to replicate, and what developers often miss when trying to foster authentic connection. Casey also shares lessons from studying towns abroad, what he’d do differently if he built Seabrook today, and why the future of housing may look a lot more like the past.

This episode is for anyone rethinking what livability actually means and how to build communities that feel like home from day one.

Show Notes:

0:10: Introduction

1:30: Best practices for the conference circuit

9:17: Why we need a different kind of town?

11:02: How growing up with limited resources inspired Casey Roloff to build a new kind of town

19:20: From painting houses for college tuition to designing and building houses

25:35: Let’s build a town! New Urbanism and Seaside, FL

26:20: The birth of cars and the death of town building

29:35: From vision to reality; designing the town Casey wanted to live in

37:05: The biggest misstep in modern day American developments

42:15: What policy updates are needed to bring back the art of town building

48:26: Striking the balance between effective town building and technology

55:00: Drawing inspiration from international travels for domestic town building

59:39: A preview of Casey’s Blueprint talk

1:00:46 How does Casey unplug?

If you love what you hear, please take a moment to rate and review us. Your feedback helps us grow and improve!

Be sure to visit our website at ⁠creunplugged.com⁠ for all the latest news and updates. Have thoughts or suggestions?

We'd love to hear from you! Drop us a line at info@creunplugged.com.

Subscribe to our YouTube channel at ⁠@CREUnplugged1⁠ and be sure to follow CRE Unplugged on⁠ LinkedIn⁠ and ⁠Instagram⁠!

This episode is sponsored by our awesome partner, ⁠HILO⁠, making connectivity and engagement a breeze in commercial real estate.

In this special episode, the gang break down three policy shifts with major implications for real estate. We start with Trump’s AI Action Plan, which fast-tracks data center, semiconductor, and energy infrastructure development. Next, we cover Boston’s proposed driverless car ban and its clash between job protection and innovation, a decision that could set a precedent for AV deployment nationwide. We then dive into NYC’s property tax imbalance, discussing proposals to ease the burden on multifamily housing and encourage new development. Insightful, fast-paced, and capped off with a fun "Real Estate Family Feud" showdown.

Show Notes:

0:10: Introduction

1:27: The White House AI Action Plan

15:02: Boston's ban of driverless cars

27:23: Property Tax Burden on Multifamily in NYC

36:27: Real Estate Family Feud
If you love what you hear, please take a moment to rate and review us. Your feedback helps us grow and improve!

Be sure to visit our website at www.creunplugged.com and www.thesisdriven.com for all the latest news and updates.

Have thoughts or suggestions? We'd love to hear from you! Drop us a line at info@creunplugged.com.

Subscribe to our YouTube channel at @CREUnplugged1 and be sure to follow CRE Unplugged on LinkedIn, Instagram, TikTok, and X!This episode is sponsored by our awesome partner, HILO, making connectivity and engagement a breeze in commercial real estate.

We sit down with Sandhya Espitia, COO of REBNY, to explore how the $1.4 trillion industry is reshaping New York. From Local Law 97 and retrofits to debunking the “developer as villain” myth, Sandhya highlights real estate’s role as a civic partner in keeping NYC livable and competitive. We cover her journey from Colombia to COO, why most real estate tech company fail in NYC, and how she balances tradition with diversity, innovation, and public trust. Whether you’re navigating sustainability mandates, curious about policy, or figuring out how to break into NYC real estate, this conversation is a crash course in how the city really works.

Show Notes:

0:10: Ryan goes suburban, Nadine goes nomadic

2:42: Taking our show to Blueprint!

3:40: NYC’s complex real estate landscape

5:25: Sandhya’s path from Colombia to powering REBNY

10:48: REBNY’s commitment to housing, sustainability, and safety

13:10: Reviving REBNY’s 1980s ties with NYC Government

15:45: The Impact of the FARE ACT

21:10: How to overcome challenges of adopting tech in NYC

34:10: Advancing Sustainability through NYC’s LL97

39:46: Honoring heritage, embracing diversity

48:20: Biggest Threat to NYC Real Estate?

53:44: Sandhya’s Panel at Blueprint!

55:56: How does Sandhya unplug?

1:00:39: Nadine & Ryan’s Takeaways Have thoughts or suggestions?

If you love what you hear, please take a moment to rate and review us. Your feedback helps us grow and improve!

Be sure to visit our website at www.creunplugged.com for all the latest news and updates. Have thoughts or suggestions?

We'd love to hear from you! Drop us a line at info@creunplugged.com.

Subscribe to our YouTube channel at @CREUnplugged1 and be sure to follow CRE Unplugged on LinkedIn and Instagram!

This episode is sponsored by our awesome partner, HILO, making connectivity and engagement a breeze in commercial real estate.

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