Experienced Businessman and Entrepreneur
The Loneliness at the Top: Navigating Entrepreneurial Isolation
There's a conversation that doesn't happen enough in business circles, the one about how isolating leadership can be. We talk endlessly about strategy, growth, market trends, and scaling operations, but we rarely address the quiet reality many entrepreneurs and CEOs...
Navigating Economic Uncertainty: How Real Estate Developers Can Thrive During Market Volatility
Economic uncertainty has become the new normal in today's real estate landscape. Fluctuations in interest rates, changing market dynamics, and unpredictable capital flows have created an environment where traditional development strategies often fall short. However,...
The Hidden Power of Hiring: Part 2 – Building Your Leadership Team
In Part 1, we examined the essentials of hiring, beginning with self-awareness and creating a team that matches your company's culture and tempo. However, as your business expands, the stakes become higher. Hiring entry-level and mid-level workers is one thing;...
Retail’s Renaissance: Partnering with Cities for Community Revival
For years, we heard the same story: brick-and-mortar retail was dying, physical stores were becoming outdated, and the future was fully digital. But now, in 2025, something extraordinary is happening along America's commercial corridors. Retail isn't just surviving;...
The Perpetual Student: Why Leaders Must Never Stop Learning
During the twenty-five years of building businesses, I've learned one crucial truth: the moment you think you know everything is when you become irrelevant. I call myself a lifelong learner, not out of false modesty, but because it's the only way I know how to lead....
Terra Quest: Charting Untapped Potential – A Quarterly Series – Volume 1
Most CEOs conduct market research from boardrooms and spreadsheets. I believe you can only truly understand a market by driving its streets, walking its sidewalks, and experiencing its communities firsthand. My Colleague Victor and I have logged thousands of miles...
Leading with Purpose: How San Francisco’s Daniel Lurie Is Bringing a Fresh Approach to City Hall
San Francisco has a new mayor, and his story is quite remarkable in today's political landscape. Daniel Lurie, who took office in January 2025, isn't following the usual path to public office. He's a problem-solver who spent nearly twenty years developing solutions...
The Joy of Being a Commercial Real Estate Developer in California: Riding the Golden State’s Real Estate Waves
There's something uniquely thrilling about being a commercial real estate developer in California. Every morning, I wake up knowing that I'm working in one of the world's most dynamic and demanding markets where innovation meets opportunity, and where the next project...
Renting vs. Buying: Rethinking the American Dream
The American dream has long been synonymous with homeownership, the white picket fence, the mortgage payments that build equity, and the pride of owning your slice of the pie. Yet today, 36% of American households rent their home, representing millions of people...
The Psychology of Hospitality: Lessons from Setting the Table by Danny Meyer
By Akki Patel As a real estate developer and investor with a strong presence in hospitality, I’ve always believed that success in our industry is about more than just location, design, and amenities. It’s about how we make people feel. Danny Meyer’s Setting the Table...