SF Commercial Property Conversations

From Silicon Valley roots to Facebook and LinkedIn IPOs, then leading SPACs and crypto deals — Dan Nash shares what really happens behind the numbers.
What we cover
Dan’s path: Pinewood → UPenn → Intel → Riverstone Networks IPO → Berkeley Haas → BofA/Merrill real estate → tech/Internet banking
Front-row seat to the 2010s IPO wave (LinkedIn, Facebook) and building Wells Fargo’s Internet investment banking practice (Carvana, marketplaces)
Jump to the operator seat as CFO at Machine Zone — and why he returned to banking
SPACs: how he caught the early wave, what went wrong in the boom/bust, and a playbook for doing them right
Today’s market: the IPO backlog, why de‑SPACs can be more flexible than traditional IPOs, and where boutique banks win
Crypto & new verticals: why certain disruptive sectors fit the SPAC product
Tokenization in real estate: how fractional ownership and liquidity could open access for retail investors
------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- We’re excited to feature your voice in the conversation about building wealth and legacies through commercial real estate. Join us to share your journey and insights with our growing audience! Learn more and apply at https://sfcommercialconversations.com/guest

In this episode, Bruce sits down with seasoned investor and developer Brian Baniqued to dive deep into his inspiring journey from buying his first fourplex in college to scaling up to 60, 80, even 100+ unit properties and development projects. Brian opens up about how he used creative financing to get started, the model he shared with clients to help them build wealth, and how he created multiple vertically integrated companies to support and expand his real estate operations.
Listeners will gain insights into:
How Brian bought his first fourplex at 18 with just 3% down
Why he believes multifamily is a wealth-building cornerstone
The power of 1031 exchanges and scaling real estate portfolios
His experience raising capital and developing projects
Navigating today’s challenges like rising insurance costs and shifting interest rates
His take on syndication trends, CRMs, and even his venture into filmmaking with “Trees of Peace” on Netflix
 
------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- We’re excited to feature your voice in the conversation about building wealth and legacies through commercial real estate. Join us to share your journey and insights with our growing audience! Learn more and apply at https://sfcommercialconversations.com/guest

In this episode of SF Commercial Property Conversations with Bruce Bean, we dive into the remarkable journey of Jack Rowell—from working on F-111s and F-16s in the Air Force to navigating the fast-paced world of residential real estate in San Diego. Jack shares how his military training shaped his work ethic and how a spontaneous call from an old friend led him into home flipping—and eventually into a career he loves.
Bruce and Jack explore the key differences between residential and commercial real estate, the emotional side of helping first-time buyers, and what it's like doing deals across one of California’s largest counties. Jack also offers insights into lead generation, marketing strategies that work, and the current state of the real estate market.
Whether you're a real estate pro, veteran, or simply someone who loves a good underdog story, this episode will inspire and inform.
 
 
------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------ We’re excited to feature your voice in the conversation about building wealth and legacies through commercial real estate. Join us to share your journey and insights with our growing audience! Learn more and apply at https://sfcommercialconversations.com/guest

In this powerful episode, Bruce welcomes real estate investor Vessi Kapoulian, whose story spans from growing up behind the Iron Curtain in Bulgaria to managing multimillion-dollar multifamily properties across the U.S. Vessi shares her inspiring journey of learning English to earn a scholarship, attending college in the U.S., and ultimately shifting from corporate lending to building her own portfolio of stable, income-producing apartments.
You'll hear how she identifies strong investment opportunities, vets operators, and provides hands-on strategic guidance as a general partner. Her approach emphasizes due diligence, market analysis, and realistic risk assessment—especially in today’s evolving commercial real estate environment. Vessi also discusses current market dynamics, cap rate trends, and why she believes we’re in a "higher for longer" interest rate environment.
 
------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------ We’re excited to feature your voice in the conversation about building wealth and legacies through commercial real estate. Join us to share your journey and insights with our growing audience! Learn more and apply at https://sfcommercialconversations.com/guest

What do you get when a teenager starts learning construction in his dad’s office? A future titan in commercial property development. In this episode, Brad Kollar, now with Upright Construction, shares how a quiet place to do homework sparked a journey from teenage estimator to leading massive builds for Amazon and Tesla.
Brad recounts the early days of working on blueprints at 14, running payroll for over 80 employees, and landing his first real job after high school with a mentor who taught him the industry ropes. That hands-on education paid off. Brad went on to build a company, lead major Amazon projects during the pandemic boom, and now oversees massive tilt-up and industrial projects with Upright Construction.
We dig into what it takes to supply 8,000 amps of power to robotics-filled warehouses, how estimating tech is evolving, and why AI might be on the brink of disrupting the construction world. Plus, Brad gives a peek at Tesla’s unique facility needs and shares what keeps Upright’s business thriving in a cautious market.
 
 
------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------ We’re excited to feature your voice in the conversation about building wealth and legacies through commercial real estate. Join us to share your journey and insights with our growing audience! Learn more and apply at https://sfcommercialconversations.com/guest

In this episode of SF Commercial Property Conversations, Bruce Bean sits down with Adam Gower, founder of GowerCrowd, to dive into his globe-trotting career — from raising capital in the '80s to navigating Japan's real estate market in the '90s, to helping banks recover from the GFC and building a platform that’s helped raise nearly a billion dollars for real estate projects.
Adam reveals the signals he saw ahead of the 2008 crash and offers insights into how history repeats itself in real estate — and how savvy investors and sponsors can prepare for downturns. He shares key historical lessons and discusses how digital marketing, sparked by the JOBS Act, changed the capital raising landscape forever.
Key Takeaways:
Why Adam sold all his holdings before the GFC
Lessons from working in Tokyo and with East West Bank, Gaw Capital, and Colony Capital
How a PhD in banking history informs today’s investing strategies
The rise of digital marketing and crowdfunding in real estate
The golden thread connecting successful investors in every downturn
 
 
------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------ We’re excited to feature your voice in the conversation about building wealth and legacies through commercial real estate. Join us to share your journey and insights with our growing audience! Learn more and apply at https://sfcommercialconversations.com/guest

What do bikinis and warehouses have in common? According to Clare Collins—more than you might think. In this episode, Clare shares her unconventional journey from running a game-day bikini line at USC to becoming a leader in industrial real estate with Rexford Industrial, one of Southern California’s top REITs.
Clare recounts her early entrepreneurial days crafting hair bows and bow ties before turning her talents to swimwear manufacturing—navigating LA’s garment district on a beach cruiser and learning everything from laser cutting to outsourcing production. But after a fashion show in class and five years of swimsuit sales, Clare took her father’s advice and pivoted to “real work.”
That shift led her to Kennedy Wilson and eventually to Rexford Industrial, where she now leads customer solutions for a portfolio of over 51 million square feet and 1,600 tenants. Clare and Bruce discuss supply constraints, the power of infill industrial properties, Salesforce strategies, and what makes Rexford’s approach so unique.
 
 
------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------ We’re excited to feature your voice in the conversation about building wealth and legacies through commercial real estate. Join us to share your journey and insights with our growing audience! Learn more and apply at https://sfcommercialconversations.com/guest

In this episode, Bruce Bean welcomes Patrick Hunter—aka "The Viking Professor"—a real estate broker, educator, and lifelong learner with over four decades of experience. From tearing apart radios as a kid to mastering the art of real estate coaching, Patrick shares his unique journey and what drives his passion for helping others succeed.
Patrick opens up about his unconventional path, beginning with a love for learning and a disdain for traditional education. He explains how curiosity led him from engineering curiosities to people—and eventually to real estate, where he discovered that nearly everyone with wealth seemed to have some connection to property.
Throughout the conversation, Patrick offers a no-nonsense guide to thriving in real estate. He covers:
The #1 mistake new agents make
Why knowing your inventory is a game-changer
The true meaning of “helping, not selling”
How coaching and self-awareness can transform your career
His coaching model and how agents can partner with him to close deals and learn fast
 
------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------ We’re excited to feature your voice in the conversation about building wealth and legacies through commercial real estate. Join us to share your journey and insights with our growing audience! Learn more and apply at https://sfcommercialconversations.com/guest

Have you ever felt overwhelmed by the world or wondered if your child experiences emotions more deeply than others? This episode shines a light on what it truly means to be a Highly Sensitive Person (HSP). Bruce Bean welcomes Parastoo Emami, a former tech executive turned life coach, who shares her inspiring journey from the corporate world to becoming an advocate and coach for HSPs.
Parastoo opens up about her own transformation after a life-altering illness, her passion for helping parents understand their highly sensitive children, and the four traits that define this personality type. She dives deep into how sensitivity is not a weakness, but a powerful and innate trait that requires understanding and support.
In this episode, you'll learn:
The four key traits that define a Highly Sensitive Person
How sensitivity differs from ADHD or autism
Simple, everyday techniques to regulate the nervous system
Ways parents can better support and nurture their highly sensitive children
How Parastoo helps people pivot careers and relationships with this understanding
------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------ We’re excited to feature your voice in the conversation about building wealth and legacies through commercial real estate. Join us to share your journey and insights with our growing audience! Learn more and apply at https://sfcommercialconversations.com/guest

In this episode, Bruce Bean sits down with Bryan Devore, a seasoned San Diego residential real estate agent with over 20 years of experience, to unpack the often confusing and emotionally taxing world of probate. Bryan shares how his work with seniors and estate planning attorneys led him into the probate niche and why avoiding probate through a properly structured trust is crucial.
Listeners will learn:
Why having a trust can help you avoid the costly and lengthy probate process
Common mistakes homeowners make—especially after refinancing—that invalidate a trust
What roles trustees and successor trustees play when a loved one passes away
The growing risks of real estate litigation and how to stay protected
Why it’s important to revisit and update your trust regularly
 
------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- We’re excited to feature your voice in the conversation about building wealth and legacies through commercial real estate. Join us to share your journey and insights with our growing audience! Learn more and apply at https://sfcommercialconversations.com/guest