#45: Embark on an extraordinary journey with Jonathan Meads, VP at Streetside Development, a cornerstone of the venerable Qualico legacy. From the charm of English pub gatherings to the corridors of boarding schools, we trace Jonathan's path, exploring his childhood dreams of aviation and the unexpected twist that led him to Vancouver's vibrant real estate scene.

As we unravel the layers of Qualico's 73-year-old history and its affiliated vertical companies like Foxridge Homes, Streetside, and more, Jonathan unveils the strategic brilliance behind the vertical integration approach. Discover how Streetside stands out with its commitment to end-user satisfaction, sustainability initiatives, and the groundbreaking 10% deposit offer that's revolutionizing home ownership in Surrey. Join us in exploring Streetside's visionary outlook, featuring Net Zero townhomes, innovative carbon-consuming concrete, and a dedicated focus on community-centric development. Jonathan Meads takes us on a captivating journey through the ever-evolving landscape of real estate, offering a deep dive into the industry's past, present, and Streetside's pioneering role in shaping its future.

• 00:00:13 Start time

• 00:01:14 Jonathan's life in England

• 00:02:54 Private pub parties in England

• 00:03:51 Boarding Schools

• 00:04:24 A banker for a father

• 00:05:13 Are the schools in England like Harry Potter?

• 00:07:04 Jonathan was blazing the trail for his siblings growing up

• 00:07:15 The wooden spoon method

• 00:09:48 Jonathan's current family

• 00:11:01 Jonathan's journey to real estate

• 00:11:12 Started the journey wanting to be a pilot

• 00:11:42 Building Surveying

• 00:14:50 UK infrastructure planning

• 00:18:04 The rat race

• 00:19:46 London lifestyle: Going anywhere at any time and always finding something to do in London

• 00:20:39 The first career opportunity for Jonathan when he landed in Canada

• 00:21:19 The power of coffee and connects

• 00:22:27 Jonathan's first project in Osoyoos

• 00:24:06 Old school recruiting

• 00:25:43 Union pension funds at Concert Income Properties

• 00:27:54 Culture within the Union side

• 00:31:15 Commuting

• 00:31:58 Working on lifes distractions

• 00:32:50 The importance of being face-to-face with your peers & manager

• 00:33:31 Streetsides in office policy

• 00:35:43 Qualico is amazing

• 00:36:02 History of Qualico

• 00:37:41 Verticle companies attached to Qualico: Foxridge Homes, Streetside, etc.

• 00:38:53 Journeying across Canada

• 00:40:56 Functions of Qualico: Star, Rancho, Qualico Properties

• 00:44:32 Pros of the verticals approach

• 00:48:23 Pros to a buyer using this approach

• 00:52:14 Learning from the mistakes

• 00:53:22 Using reviews to improve

• 00:58:58 The Family Home Dream

• 01:00:17 Competitor scores

• 01:02:15 Choosing Surrey

• 01:03:43 Sustainability in the real estate industry

• 01:04:11 KEY’s Google review

• 01:05:25 Rancho's involvement

• 01:10:41 Juno amenities

• 01:10:57 360 views in Surrey

• 01:11:56 The Boroughs

• 01:13:10 The benefits of truly focusing on the end user

• 01:15:29 Junos offerings

• 01:16:29 Offering 10% vs 15% vs 20% and what it does for the end user

• 01:20:52 10% gives a chance for people to get on the property ladder

• 01:21:20 How could Streetside get the 10%?

• 01:23:08 Construction lender's role and what they need to consider

• 01:26:34 Juno is not just a cliche deal

• 01:28:45 Vision for Streetside

• 01:30:44 First Net Zero townhomes

• 01:31:35 Addressing carbon

• 01:34:17 Carbon-consuming concrete

• 01:37:27 Selling induction

• 01:42:56 Level 5 leader

#44: Dive into Rocky Sethi's 25 years of real estate, development, and construction expertise in this immersive podcast. With a rich background spanning land acquisition, construction, and sales—ranging from high-end custom homes to master-planned projects across Western Canada—Rocky shares a vibrant tapestry of insights.

Rocky's stories transcend the traditional real estate narrative, delving into the intricacies of rental affordability, policies, and the allure of Penticton. His enthusiasm for Penticton's potential and the Stryke and Tien Sher masterplan community offers a glimpse into a burgeoning real estate phenomenon. Exploring Masstimber's potential to transform construction and design, Rocky envisions BC's role as a leader in this space.

From fractionalizing real estate to fostering digital neighborhoods, Rocky's discussions paint a holistic picture of community building within real estate projects. His insights encompass technological advancements, family anecdotes, and a forward-thinking approach that bridges innovation with the essence of creating thriving spaces.

In this podcast episode, Rocky Sethi's journey unfolds as a testament to the power of industry relationships, multifaceted experiences, and a forward-thinking approach. Listeners gain insights into the evolving realms of real estate, technology, and community-building, leaving inspired to navigate change and create vibrant, innovative spaces, with a special focus on the promise held in Penticton's real estate landscape.

• 00:00:50 Family

• 00:01:24 Growing boys and their deeper voices and mustaches

• 00:02:21 First cars & jobs

• 00:04:15 Rocky’s first time in the Okanagan

• 00:05:18 Born in England, but grew up with an immigrant mentality

• 00:06:12 Rocky's first career in Real Estate: Bad coffee, mustard-colored suit jackets, and typewriters in a Centry 21 office

• 00:07:06 How Rocky got his license

• 00:07:33 Building his first house realizing he liked building much more than selling

• 00:12:54 Rental affordability & policies

• 00:13:39 Policies across the country

• 00:14:36 Calgary & Edmonton market

• 00:16:34 The vibe in Alberta vs Vancouver

• 00:17:44 Why love Penticton?

• 00:18:56 The beast of real estate that's coming to Penticton

• 00:20:36 The ethos for the Penticton site

• 00:20:56 What exactly is Stryke bringing to the masterplan site

• 00:22:42 Kelowna has the highest crime rate in Canada

• 00:25:02 Starting Stryke, connecting the dots

• 00:25:46 Leaving a CEO job for a new company

• 00:27:04 Getting into mass timber

• 00:27:43 Dimensional framing to TGI

• 00:28:56 Building better buildings (decrafting the business)

• 00:29:38 Wins when working with Masstimber

• 00:30:08 Is CLT the same as Masstimber

• 00:31:43 Designing with Masstimber, the right way

• 00:32:26 Benefits of Masstimber to a Buyer

• 00:33:24 What the spread with Masstimber in a woodframe project

• 00:34:43 Will BC be a leader in Masstimer building

• 00:35:15 Seagate Construction

• 00:35:29 Current leaders in the Masstimber space

• 00:36:58 Loving the opportunity in Real Estate

• 00:37:56 KEYprize

• 00:39:24 Fractionalizing Real Estate

• 00:41:54 Enginuity of young people

• 00:44:44 Logo tournament

• 00:45:32 Building custom ChatGPT

• 00:46:27 Gemini AI system

• 00:50:55 Plugging a brain into an AI system

• 00:51:15 Blue Zones documentary on Netflix

• 00:53:17 Fear of the future in technology

• 00:56:31 Creating a Digital Neighbourhood/Community

• 00:57:26 Embedding community

• 01:00:39 How to create a great community with a presale project

• 01:03:38 Balancing work and family

• 01:06:04 “Never shy about telling the why” Sahil Bloom

#43: Join Cory Wright, the driving force behind William Wright Commercial, as he explores the evolving landscape of Commercial Real Estate. From his daring start in Yaletown to leading 7 BC offices, Cory's journey underscores the power of people as the ultimate business asset. He delves into office models, client priorities, and the reasons behind his brand, emphasizing the importance of hiring for passion and attributes while fostering a culture of success without traditional titles. Discover Cory's insights into organic growth, AI's impact on Real Estate, and the client-first approach that defines William Wright Commercial, offering listeners a wealth of leadership and strategic innovation lessons.

• 00:00:13 Start

• 00:00:22 Cory’s start in the biz

• 00:01:25 Working at Prompton

• 00:02:20 Getting a lease with no credit in Yaletown in 2013 to 7 offices in BC

• 00:03:19 People are your biggest asset

• 00:03:42 KEY’s first office space

• 00:04:34 What does the future office model look like in 2023 and onward

• 00:05:24 Do clients care about a good-looking office?

• 00:05:54 Why start your own brand?

• 00:07:04 Entitlement in the Commercial Real Estate space

• 00:08:30 Hiring on passion and attributes upon hire

• 00:09:29 Communication is KEY in business and personal relationships

• 00:10:54 Looking at the next market and increasing boots on the ground

• 00:12:12 Not playing catching up with COVID

• 00:14:44 Highlighting mentorship

• 00:15:12 Smother people with leadership

• 00:16:07 The people at William Wright Commercial

• 00:17:19 Cam’s family within Lee & Associates

• 00:19:11 Only being as good as your last transaction

• 00:19:30 Growing organically

• 00:20:10 Is Alberta next for William Wright?

• 00:21:09 Generational wealth exchange

• 00:22:35 Getting to know the Commercial Real Estate industry better (multinational, regional, local, resimercial)

• 00:25:09 What are multinational companies offering to brokers?

• 00:27:08 Opportunities in the office vs. not

• 00:28:19 Why leave multinational

• 00:28:38 Creating a broker's first brokerage

• 00:30:41 Becoming complacent

• 00:32:26 Creating a culture of winnings

• 00:33:47 Why so many VPs??

• 00:34:10 Creating a level playing field, William Wright doesn't do titles

• 00:36:26 Looking at the long game

• 00:39:06 People buy what they know

• 00:40:46 Revenue sharing model within William Wright

• 00:45:04 50% of a watermelon is better than 100% of a grape

• 00:45:35 How did the revenue model come about

• 00:47:45 Cory's family

• 00:49:39 People who make shit happen vs the people that have shit happen to them

• 00:50:02 Who does Cory admire

• 00:50:28 The book Execution

• 00:52:26 Company values

• 00:53:01 How to choose the right people

• 00:54:01 A lot of people do not know how to be successful

• 00:57:53 Innovating

• 00:58:17 AI

• 00:58:31 AI in commercial real estate

• 00:58:58 What AI can do

• 01:00:15 Development Land Sales

• 01:01:32 Getting the list back

• 01:04:26 Presale experience

• 01:07:10 Current presale projects

• 01:08:55 Putting the client ahead

• 01:12:53 Is there a conflict of interest?

• 01:13:25 End