SF Commercial Property Conversations

What does it take to walk away from a lucrative career and build a $2.4 billion real estate portfolio from scratch?
In this episode of SF Commercial Property Conversations with Bruce Bean, we sit down with Zach Haptopstall, co-founder and CEO of Rise48 Equity, to hear his extraordinary story. From reporting sports and marketing for hospice care to managing over 10,000 apartment units, Zach shares how he bootstrapped his way into multifamily real estate syndication.
You’ll hear:
Why Zach quit a 6-figure healthcare job to chase a real estate dream
The first 36-unit deal that started it all—and how he survived 14 months with no income
His team’s rinse-and-repeat approach to value-add multifamily deals
How Rise48 built out its own property management and construction companies
Strategies for scaling across Phoenix, Dallas, and North Carolina—and next steps into Florida
Tips for managing investor relations and raising over $1 billion in equity
 
-------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- 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

This episode of SF Commercial Property Conversations with Bruce Bean features Anthony Price, a former environmental consultant turned commercial real estate broker based in Ventura County, California. Anthony shares his unique path from environmental science into the world of commercial real estate, and how his background gives him a rare edge in navigating deals with environmental complexities.
Listeners will learn:
How Anthony’s 23+ years in environmental consulting inform his CRE work today.
The surprising story of a hidden underground tank and how Anthony saved a deal from falling apart.
Why trust and relationship-building are the backbone of his business model.
His thoughts on market conditions and how “Survive to 25” became a mantra for today's brokers.
The role his CRM and personal outreach play in business development.
And yes, we even talk roast beef sandwiches and Willie Nelson birthdays.
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- 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 a London detective, a self-published novelist, and a California real estate pro have in common? Meet Don Spillane. In this episode, Don takes us on a journey from Scotland Yard's gritty East End to the sunny streets of Huntington Beach. With gripping tales of taking down hitmen, navigating the ups and downs of commercial real estate, and writing his international thriller Hustling the Mob, Don's story is anything but ordinary.
Hear how Don transitioned from law enforcement to media, to wealth management, and finally to becoming an author. He shares insights on business succession planning, the realities of self-publishing, and how real-life crime stories shaped his fiction. Whether you’re in business or just love a great story, this episode offers plenty of both.
 
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- 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 Eric Wassmann to uncover a fascinating journey from East Coast ski slopes to the fast-paced world of commercial real estate finance. Eric’s career path weaves through snow-covered peaks and Silicon Valley startups, revealing a unique blend of adventure, hustle, and innovation.
Why should you listen?If you've ever wondered how someone pivots from ski bum to Silicon Valley innovator and then builds a thriving commercial lending business, this is a conversation you won't want to miss. Eric shares hard-earned lessons and insights into the world of soft money funding and mortgage tech.
Key takeaways:
Eric’s early days chasing powder in Utah and Colorado
Transition from Wall Street to title insurance to mortgage brokering
Creating a tech-driven loan application process in the late '90s
Founding Soft Money Funding and GeniusLoans.ai
How Eric sees the current and future state of real estate finance
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- 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 happens when a seasoned tech entrepreneur trades Silicon Valley for real estate investing in the Midwest? In this episode, Bruce sits down with Rodrigo Serzedello, a Brazilian-born tech veteran who made a bold transition from building RFID startups to flipping homes in Cincinnati—and he's doing it with smart strategy and a tech-savvy edge.
Rodrigo shares how selling his company, Instafob, gave him the runway to dive into real estate, and why he chose out-of-state properties over San Diego’s high prices. He breaks down the BRRRR strategy (Buy, Rehab, Rent, Refinance, Repeat) that’s helping him scale his portfolio, and dishes on his latest ventures: launching an AI real estate agent and lighting up the skies with drone light shows.
From practical investment tactics to futuristic tech applications, this episode covers:
Why Rodrigo left tech and went all-in on real estate
How the BRRRR strategy enables rapid portfolio growth
His AI platform to help homebuyers find smarter deals
How drone light shows are creating a new entertainment industry
 
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- 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
Insights into investing in San Diego’s real estate market

In this engaging episode, Bruce Bean sits down with Sam Lauter, founding partner of BMWL & Partners, to trace a unique career path that started with political activism before grade school. Raised in a deeply political household, Sam shares how early exposure to national figures and movements led him to a lifelong passion for public affairs.
Listeners will get a behind-the-scenes look at Sam’s journey—from walking precincts at age four to founding a powerhouse public affairs firm in San Francisco. Sam recounts his time working for legendary political figures like Phil Burton, Joe Biden, and Nancy Pelosi, and the pivotal moment he helped shut down a major power plant in SF—negotiating a secret deal that would transform a toxic site into a future community asset.
This episode is rich with lessons on strategy, advocacy, and the human side of government relations. Hear how Sam navigates the intersection of politics and real estate, why developers seek his counsel, and what he thinks about state vs. local control on housing.
 
 
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- 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 chats with Jimmy Rios, the dynamic founder behind Rios Business Advisors. With over two decades of experience and a passion for serving underserved communities, Jimmy shares his journey from starting in a small Arizona room to building a multifaceted financial services empire. His company offers everything from credit repair and wealth management to real estate and tax strategy—all designed to help clients achieve financial freedom and business success.
Jimmy discusses how his firm’s “Eye Level to High Level” program helps small to midsize businesses transform financial disarray into structured growth by leveraging innovative investment and credit strategies. He also breaks down how hedge fund-style investing and AI-driven systems are used to generate compounding returns for clients, helping them fund real estate deals, pay off debt, and build generational wealth.
What You’ll Learn in This Episode:
How Jimmy evolved from managing properties to building a multi-vertical advisory firm
The philosophy behind “Eye Level to High Level” and how it empowers clients
Using credit and financial education as tools for transformation
How AI and hedge fund strategies are leveraged in modern investing
Jimmy’s vision for long-term, community-driven growth through trust and education
 
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- 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

From surfboards to site plans, Ryan Gautereaux’s career path is anything but typical. In this episode, host Bruce Bean sits down with Ryan, a Development Manager at Dedeaux Properties, to explore how his early days running a surf camp led to a passion for real estate development.
Ryan walks us through his unique journey—from teaching kids to surf in Malibu to managing the construction of logistics and distribution centers across California. He shares insights into project management, commercial kitchen design, the complexities of entitlement processes, and how he evaluates sites for development. Ryan also discusses current market challenges like tariffs, financing pauses, and the importance of strategic partnerships in navigating the industrial real estate landscape.
If you're curious about what it takes to thrive in industrial development, especially in a market as dynamic as California, this conversation is full of insights and inspiration.
 
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- 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 sit down with Laurance Lee, a San Francisco native whose unique path from biochemistry at Harvard to the world of real estate investment offers fascinating insights.
Laurance shares how personal life changes led him from a biotech career into real estate, initially investing in Salt Lake City before expanding his efforts to the East Bay and now Phoenix. He dives into the challenges and opportunities of urban development, including dealing with slow permitting in the Bay Area and the appeal of faster-moving markets like Phoenix.
We explore:
Why Laurance shifted from science to real estate
His ground-up multifamily project in Utah
Insights on the Phoenix market and why it’s his new focus
Lessons learned on financing, 1031 exchanges, and managing partnerships
 
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- 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
His passion for scalable, repeatable real estate strategies

From Perth to LA, Michelle Ganaden has traveled the world and built a remarkable career in commercial insurance. In this episode, Bruce Bean sits down with Michelle to hear her inspiring journey from Australian educator to Director of Risk Management in Texas, and now, a broker with Gallagher—the third-largest insurance brokerage globally.
Michelle shares how she transitioned into the insurance industry, helped shape insurance policies for the State of Texas, and now supports clients at Gallagher through dynamic property and casualty programs. She gives a behind-the-scenes look at reinsurance challenges, risk management strategies, and what it's like managing billion-dollar portfolios.
Key Topics Covered:
Michelle’s leap from education to insurance
Building state-wide insurance programs in Texas
Working with Lloyd's of London and Gallagher
Navigating today’s insurance market
Property & casualty trends and risk management
Personal insights: cross-country love, family, and food
 
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- 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