SF Commercial Property Conversations

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 a...

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 clien...

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 Ca...

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 ...

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 poli...

In this lively episode, Bruce Bean sits down with Patrick McIntyre to explore his fascinating path through multiple careers—from football fields and nursing floors to the dynamic world of commercial finance.

Patrick opens up about his Midwest roots, growing up in California, and a pivotal moment at a Janis Joplin concert that indirectly led his family west. After earning a business finance degree from San Diego State, Patrick’s ear...

In this energizing episode, Bruce Bean welcomes back leadership strategist and author Monique Lecomte to explore the power of becoming an “expert generalist.” With warmth and humor, Monique reflects on key life lessons, from growing up in a religious household to managing pools at the YMCA—all of which helped shape her into a resilient and intuitive leader.

Listeners will learn:

• Why adaptability is a leadership superpower

• H...

In this episode of SF Commercial Property Conversations with Bruce Bean, we sit down with Michelle Colbert, a real estate agent whose path to real estate took her from military bases to Hollywood stages and ultimately into the heart of Los Angeles real estate.

Michelle shares how growing up in a military family taught her the survival skills that later helped her navigate a male-dominated entertainment industry—working behind the s...

Ever wonder what the stats in those flashy real estate headlines really mean? In this episode, Bruce Bean welcomes economic and real estate expert Patrick Duffy for a behind-the-scenes look at the trends shaping commercial and residential property markets across the U.S.

Patrick shares how a background in economics and a few key internships launched his decades-long career analyzing the housing market. From uncovering why Omaha, Ne...

In this episode, Bruce Bean welcomes Rocio Luna, a dynamic commercial insurance broker based in Southern California. Rocio shares her unique journey into the world of insurance—starting from the ground up with zero experience, facing challenges head-on, and eventually transitioning from claims management to a thriving career in sales.

Rocio explains the significance of the EMR (Experience Modification Rate) in the world of contract...

In this episode, Bruce Bean chats with Tim Chen, co-founder of Connected Companies, about his incredible journey from China to becoming a real estate entrepreneur in the U.S. Tim opens up about moving to the States with little English, failing early ventures, and how he finally broke into the commercial real estate world through sheer persistence.

He shares stories of cold-calling, learning on the job, and how he landed his first b...

In this episode, Bruce Bean chats with former athlete turned real estate entrepreneur, Javorn Ferrell, about his fascinating journey from pro basketball courts in Europe to leading build-to-rent housing developments across the U.S. Javorn shares how a desire to make a lasting community impact led him to Google “how to get rich”—and how that search brought him straight to real estate.

Javorn breaks down how he transitioned from sing...

In this episode of SF Commercial Property Conversations, host Bruce Bean sits down with Bryan Marks, a real estate investor, home flipper, and realtor with a unique journey. From windsurfing instructor to advertising professional, pilot, and eventually a real estate entrepreneur, Bryan shares how his unexpected start in real estate led to a successful career in flipping homes and helping others build wealth through property investm...

How do shopping centers, commercial properties, and mixed-use spaces keep up with the rapid evolution of digital technology? In this episode, Bruce Bean sits down with David Blumenfeld, co-founder of NextRivet, to discuss how his company is bridging the gap between digital innovation and physical spaces.

With years of experience in San Francisco’s tech scene and as part of Westfield Labs' founding executive team, David shares his i...

1031 exchanges can be complicated, but what if they could also be... fun? In this episode, Bruce Bean sits down with Kayla Frerking, a true leader in 1031 exchanges and a key player at Leader 1031, a subsidiary of Leader Bank. Kayla breaks down the complexities of 1031 exchanges, shares how she’s making tax code exciting, and talks about her unique "Deal or No Deal" game show approach to educating brokers, attorneys, and investors.

In this episode of SF Commercial Property Conversations, host Bruce Bean sits down with Jonathan Mitchell, a dynamic real estate developer in San Diego. Jonathan shares his journey from running a multimillion-dollar solar company to diving headfirst into real estate development. With a passion for transforming distressed properties into thriving multi-family units, Jonathan discusses how San Diego’s zoning laws allow for increased ...

From a small Wisconsin town to moving multi-billion-dollar infrastructure deals, Chris Groves shares a story packed with grit, hustle, and a sharp eye for where the money’s going next. In this episode, Bruce and Chris dive into infrastructure lending—a space Chris calls one of the most exciting and under-the-radar investment frontiers today. Chris walks us through his journey from real estate to launching Groves Capital with his wi...

In this episode of SF Commercial Property Conversations, host Bruce Bean sits down with Shantelle Cabir, a powerhouse in the insurance industry who has built her career serving blue-collar businesses. From starting as a telemarketer at 16 to becoming a top producer at Newfront, Shantelle shares her incredible journey, the lessons she learned along the way, and why she’s so passionate about helping businesses navigate risk managemen...

In this episode of SF Commercial Property Conversations with Bruce Bean, we sit down with Marc Ampil, a former supply chain consultant turned real estate investor and commercial real estate agent. Marc shares his journey from working long hours in consulting to finding financial freedom through real estate investing.

Marc dives into how he got started in real estate, the strategies he used to build his portfolio, and why Memphis, T...