The data center industry is losing the public narrative, and CENSAI has the survey numbers to prove it.

In this Founder Series episode, Ryan Elazari sits down with Devin Boesen, Director of Population and Migration Products, and Jon Liggett, Head of Data and Partnerships at CENSAI, to dig into what population intelligence actually reveals about how Americans move, where they avoid, and why the stories being told about climate migration and data center opposition don't always match the data.

CENSAI was built during COVID, when census data was stale, U-Haul surveys were passing as market intelligence, and nobody could answer basic questions about where people were actually going, at the income level, the building level, or the zip code level. Devin and Jon explain how individual-level address history going back to 2009 became the foundation of a platform now used for multifamily diligence, student housing underwriting, and Snowbird market analysis across South Florida.

The conversation covers climate migration in detail: why the prediction of a great Midwest exodus isn't showing up in the data, what is actually happening along the Gulf Coast and in markets like Tampa and Orlando, and how insurance cycles interact with, but don't fully explain, where people move. They also address AI, specifically what has changed inside CENSAI in the last three months and why the real advantage isn't the chat layer everyone is bolting onto their products. And they share fresh survey data on data center sentiment: 44 percent of respondents oppose a data center near their home, a more negative reaction than they have to power plants, gas lines, battery storage facilities, or nuclear reactors.

What do brokerages actually want from technology? Ashley Stinton, Managing Partner of NAR REACH, decides which real estate technology companies get to scale across the largest organized real estate market in the world. Here is what she sees most founders getting wrong. Trillions of dollars are flowing into PropTech, but the gap between a great demo and real Realtor adoption is where most companies die.

In this episode of CRE Unplugged, host Ryan Elazari sits down with Ashley Stinton, Managing Partner of NAR REACH for a ground-level breakdown of what brokerages actually want from technology and where residential real estate innovation is heading next.

The conversation covers the two biggest mistakes founders make when selling into brokerages, why the top down approach into franchise brands rarely translates to agent adoption, and why a champion inside the organization is the difference between a tool that gets used and a tool that gets forgotten. Stinton also tackles where robotics are realistically headed in construction and multifamily, why the digitization of the real estate transaction is finally accelerating, and how AI photo disclosure policy is reshaping the trust conversation between brokerages and consumers.

The power grid holding America's AI future together was built decades ago and it was never designed for this. Two of the sharpest minds in data center development just told us exactly what's coming. Trillions of dollars are flooding into data center development, but most of the people chasing that capital do not understand the fundamentals.

In this episode of CRE Unplugged, host Ryan Elazari sits down with Dillon Zahler, co-founder of Colossus Data Center Advisors, and Nathaniel Persky, Senior Director of Project Development at Dataprana, for a ground-level breakdown of what is actually happening in the data center market and what most people are getting wrong.

The conversation covers the real risk profile of AI-driven demand, why the anticipated power wall around 2030 is more serious than most developers are pricing in, and why natural gas remains the backbone of the energy mix despite the industry's renewable commitments. Zahler and Persky also tackle the community education gap that is generating moratoriums and misinformation at the local government level, and explain why data centers are in fact subsidizing grid upgrades that should have been completed decades ago.

Small businesses aren't credit risks. They're cash flow timing risks. And the commercial real estate industry has been treating them like the same problem for decades.

In this episode of the CRE Unplugged Founder Series, Ryan Elazari sits down with Alix Maurin and Joseph Thalinjan, Co-Founders of RentFlow, a Y Combinator-backed platform giving small business tenants flexible, cash flow-aligned rent payment solutions while ensuring landlords still get paid on the first of the month. Two former McKinsey consultants who discovered that nearly 50% of small businesses are late on rent, not because they can't pay, but because of a structural mismatch between when money comes in and when rent is due.

The conversation covers how RentFlow uses bank transaction data and AI to analyze actual payment behavior rather than outdated credit proxies, what landlords miss when they rely on traditional underwriting, and why the rigid monthly rent cycle built for 1950 is quietly damaging commercial portfolios today. Alix and Joseph also open up about product-market fit, navigating the transition from corporate to founder life, and what it really means to build through doubt.

Ryan closes with his Moneyball take: the landlords who adopt a data-driven approach to tenant relationships early will have the same competitive edge the Oakland A's had. This is that inflection point for commercial real estate.

How a founder with no real estate experience built a vertically integrated platform now powering the future of multifamily living. A conversation on bootstrapping, resident expectations, and why the best PropTech founders stay close to customers.

In this Founder Series episode, Ryan Elazari sits down with Konrad Koczwara, Founder and CEO of ElevateOS, to explore how he went from complete industry outsider to building the vertically integrated resident experience platform in multifamily real estate.

Konrad shares why he bootstrapped ElevateOS without outside capital, how his Polish roots shaped his relentless work ethic, and why he stays deeply involved in sales and customer relationships as the company scales.

The discussion covers the evolution of resident expectations, why today's renters demand hotel-like experiences, how AI is transforming multifamily technology, and strategies for generating revenue beyond rent. Konrad also reflects on co-chairing the Emerging Leaders program at RETTC and why integrated tech stacks matter for onsite teams managing disconnected platforms.

How a founder with no real estate experience built a vertically integrated platform now powering the future of multifamily living. A conversation on bootstrapping, resident expectations, and why the best PropTech founders stay close to customers.

In this Founder Series episode, Ryan Elazari sits down with Konrad Koczwara, Founder and CEO of ElevateOS, to explore how he went from complete industry outsider to building the vertically integrated resident experience platform in multifamily real estate.

Konrad shares why he bootstrapped ElevateOS without outside capital, how his Polish roots shaped his relentless work ethic, and why he stays deeply involved in sales and customer relationships as the company scales.

The discussion covers the evolution of resident expectations, why today's renters demand hotel-like experiences, how AI is transforming multifamily technology, and strategies for generating revenue beyond rent. Konrad also reflects on co-chairing the Emerging Leaders program at RETTC and why integrated tech stacks matter for onsite teams managing disconnected platforms.

Bill Douglas doesn't sugarcoat it: most CRE owners are sitting on a goldmine of data they don't control, don't understand, and can't monetize while vendors quietly profit from it.

In this episode, the CEO of OpticWise and co-author of Peak Property Performance pulls back the curtain on the messy reality of digital strategy in commercial real estate. From buildings running 17 systems on 13 networks with zero integration, to property management firms recommending tech they've invested in without disclosure, Bill breaks down the conflicts of interest and missed opportunities that are costing owners millions.

Bill also opens up about his near-death skiing experience, his wife's cancer battle, and why he lives by the motto: "Life is a gift. Work to live, don't live to work."

If you've ever felt overwhelmed by vendor pitches, suspicious of PropTech promises, or unsure how to turn building data into actual NOI, this conversation will give you the framework to take control.

How AI is transforming pre-construction, and why precision matters as much as speed in construction tech.

A conversation on AI, risk reduction, and building durable software for real estate development.

In this Founder Series episode, Ryan Elazari sits down with Paul Zeckser, Co-Founder and CEO of LightTable, to explore how AI is changing one of the most expensive and error-prone phases of real estate development: pre-construction.

Drawing on decades of leadership experience, Paul shares why building the company later in his career shaped everything from product focus to pricing, and why precision is the real advantage in construction tech.

The discussion spans the challenge of building vertical software as foundational models evolve, what it takes to earn adoption across developers, architects, and contractors, and why in-person collaboration still matters as the industry enters its next technology cycle.

In the debut of the Founders’ Series, Ryan and Nadine sit down with William Sankey, CEO of Northspyre, to unpack what it really takes to build a tech company inside one of the most conservative industries: commercial real estate.

William shares the moment he knew he had to build Northspyre, the messy leap from idea to execution, and whether, after a decade of lessons, he would choose the founder path again. They explore hiring for intangibles, why CRE negotiates SaaS contracts like construction deals, and how developers succeed or stumble when pivoting into hot asset classes like data centers and affordable housing.

He also highlights the industry shifts people are overlooking, from the real impact of AI to the regulatory pressures that will shape the future of development.

If you want an unfiltered look at what it takes to build in CRE, this episode delivers.

Real estate’s future won’t be built by code alone. It will be built by people who know how to connect it all.

In this episode of CRE Unplugged, Ryan Elazari sits down with Richard Reyes, CEO of OSCRE International and VP of Digital Strategy at ConnexFM, to discuss how data, culture, and collaboration are reshaping the built environment.

From his Texas ranch roots to leading digital transformation across real estate, Richard shares how hard work and hands-on experience shaped his mission to “assemble people, not just systems.” He explains the idea behind a “smart data highway,” why culture, not technology, is the biggest barrier to innovation, and how events like FutureBuilt are breaking down silos between trades and technology.

A grounded and inspiring conversation about leadership, digital strategy, the evolution of the built environment.

Everyone loves to say retail is dead. Beth Azor is here to say: not so fast. In this episode, Nadine and Ryan sit down with the indomitable "Canvassing Queen" to break down why retail’s not dying, but rather, evolving. From the rise of “competitive socializing” and medtail to the real story behind retail occupancy rates, Beth brings receipts, red blazers, and a whole lot of truth. We talk through her famous 5 F’s driving tenant demand, why personal branding in CRE is less about polish and more about showing up, and how Twitter (yes, still Twitter) landed her great deals. Whether you're a retail skeptic or superfan, this conversation might just change how you see your local strip center.

What if the real fix for America’s housing challenges isn’t just more supply, but better-designed towns? In this episode, Nadine and Ryan sit down with Casey Roloff, the visionary behind Seabrook, Washington, a walkable coastal town built from scratch on the principles of New Urbanism. From starting with a $500 land option and a cold-calling hustle, Casey shares how his early experiences shaped a mission to build places that prioritize people over cars. They explore why free “third places” are the social infrastructure we overlook, how zoning and capital markets make human-scale communities harder to replicate, and what developers often miss when trying to foster authentic connection. Casey also shares lessons from studying towns abroad, what he’d do differently if he built Seabrook today, and why the future of housing may look a lot more like the past. This episode is for anyone rethinking what livability actually means and how to build communities that feel like home from day one.

In this episode of CRE Unplugged, we’re going retail and we’ve got the perfect guide. Nick Harbaugh, VP International at Flexecution and the creator of The Retail Nomad on YouTube, joins us to unpack the evolving world of brick-and-mortar across continents. With over 200,000 locations under his belt and more than 200 videos capturing retail trends worldwide, Nick blends hands-on expertise with an eye for storytelling. We dive into Nick’s unlikely origin story (spoiler: it started with getting kicked out of engineering school), his pivot to project management and entrepreneurship, and why he moved to Costa Rica to launch a global retail media brand before it was cool. From tech-enabled storefronts to cross-cultural insights, Nick breaks down what makes physical retail matter in a digital-first world and why “honoring your authenticity” might be the best strategy of all.

The crew kicks things off with a fiery debate on NYC’s shifting political tides, unpacking Zohran Mamdani’s stunning victory over Andrew Cuomo in the Democratic mayoral primary. They dive into what this means for commercial real estate, and whether being labeled a “socialist” still sparks fear or just change. From there, the gang shifts gears to explore the current state of CRE fundraising, dissecting who's still raising, where capital is flowing, and why LP sentiment might be turning a corner. Then it’s on to the evolving education landscape within the industry, as more professionals seek alternative pathways to level up their skills. The episode wraps with a laugh-out-loud round of PropTech Price is Right, where Brad and Nadine go head-to-head guessing recent funding rounds, some close, some wildly off.

In this episode of CRE Unplugged, we’re going retail and we’ve got the perfect guide. Nick Harbaugh, VP International at Flexecution and the creator of The Retail Nomad on YouTube, joins us to unpack the evolving world of brick-and-mortar across continents. With over 200,000 locations under his belt and more than 200 videos capturing retail trends worldwide, Nick blends hands-on expertise with an eye for storytelling. We dive into Nick’s unlikely origin story (spoiler: it started with getting kicked out of engineering school), his pivot to project management and entrepreneurship, and why he moved to Costa Rica to launch a global retail media brand before it was cool. From tech-enabled storefronts to cross-cultural insights, Nick breaks down what makes physical retail matter in a digital-first world and why “honoring your authenticity” might be the best strategy of all.

The gang explores how niche assets like data centers, healthcare housing, and music buildings are creating new opportunities for investors seeking resilient, high-yield returns. They break down the capital market forces driving these sectors, examine signals of a possible recession, and debate New York City’s ambitious Local Law 97 and its impact on building owners. The episode wraps with a fun round of Real Estate Tech Survivor, where our hosts weigh in on which technologies are built to last.

What does the next chapter of real estate tech really look like? We sit down with Alon Gorbonos, founder of RE Angels and veteran of the global investing scene, for a candid convo on the evolution of venture capital, the AI-fueled startup wave, and what it actually takes to scale innovation in a tighter, tougher CRE market. From PropTech to ConTech to FinTech (and a few dad jokes in between), we unpack where tech meets traction—and why the smartest bets are getting smaller, scrappier, and more sustainable.

In this CRE Unplugged x Thesis Driven crossover, Ryan, Nadine, and Brad unpack the ripple effects of newly imposed tariffs and the fresh wave of uncertainty hitting the market. They dig into the hype (and reality) of reshoring manufacturing—and whether bringing production back home could actually reshape industrial demand and CRE investment strategy.

The construction industry is evolving fast—and at the center of it all is the race to build smarter, faster, and more responsibly. In this episode of CRE Unplugged, hosts Nadine Ezzie and Ryan Elazari sit down with Josh Hullum, Executive Director of Construction at Affinius Capital to unpack how teams are navigating grid constraints, shrinking carbon footprints, and making smarter bets on materials and markets.

In this episode of the CRE Unplugged x Thesis Driven collab series, Nadine, Ryan, and Brad dive into four hot-button issues shaking up U.S. cities—and the real estate world. We continue to unpack NYC’s embattled congestion pricing plan (with a surprise Trump twist), break down Cambridge’s landmark rezoning and its impact on housing affordability, and ask the big question: why are mayors of America’s top cities floundering?