Matt Baron | From No College Degree to Real Estate Billion-Dollar Deals

Matt Baron | From No College Degree to Real Estate Billion-Dollar Deals

In this episode of Miami Dealmakers, Omar Morales sits down with Matt Baron, founder of Barron Property Group, to discuss building a multifamily development empire spanning New York and South Florida. Matt shares the story of his family's immigration from the former Soviet Union, his unconventional path from cold-calling telemarketer to Morgan Stanley top producer, and how a chance conversation reshaped his understanding of wealth and led him back to school and into real estate. They break down how Matt and his late partner built Simon Baron into a major New York development firm, the lessons learned from a costly first ground-up project, and how Barron Property Group expanded into Miami — including their large-scale projects in Hialeah and the highly anticipated Merrick Park site in Coral Gables. This episode is packed with insights on navigating market cycles, the long-term case for South Florida real estate, and the mindset required to outwork the competition and build lasting success. =================== * 0:00 – Intro * 00:56 – From Food Stamps to Wall Street * 10:54 – Returning to College After Dropping Out & Breaking Into Real Estate * 24:14 – Becoming a Principal & Founding Simon Baron * 29:39 – Surviving the 2008 Financial Crisis * 37:23 – How Today's Market Compares to 2008 * 43:58 – Pivoting to Ground-Up Development * 50:58 – Expanding into Miami & Betting Big on South Florida * 1:02:41 – What's Fueling Miami's Growth * 1:14:05 – Advice on Outworking Everyone to Win

Gabe Navarro | The Navarro Pharmacies Story: From Selling to CVS to Building a Real Estate Empire

In this episode of Miami Dealmakers, Omar Morales sits down with Gabe Navarro, co-founder of MMG Real Estate, to discuss building one of South Florida's most recognizable family business legacies — and what came after. Gabe shares the story of Navarro Discount Pharmacy, from his grandfather's first store in Little Havana to a 30-location chain his family eventually sold to CVS, and how the real estate they accumulated along the way became the foundation for what's next. They get into MMG's evolution from distressed debt buyer post-GFC to active retail developer, the unconventional move to acquire and revive Tamarack Resort in Idaho, and how Gabe approaches JVs, long-term holds, and finding deals where institutional capital hasn't crowded you out. This episode is packed with lessons on generational business, relationship-driven dealmaking, and what it takes to reinvent yourself after a major exit. ==================== AI-Powered Construction Project Management Software: ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠https://www.buildpass.ai/us⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ [https://www.buildpass.ai/us] ==================== * 0:00 - Intro * 1:55 - The Story Behind Navarro Pharmacy * 8:03 - Discovering Real Estate * 13:55 - Selling Navarro, Private Equity & CVS * 22:31 - Building MMG Equity Partners After the Exit * 34:45 - Expanding Beyond Retail Real Estate * 43:28 - From Shopping Centers to Ski Resorts * 59:02 - South Florida Development * 1:04:58 - Finding Opportunities in Today's Market * 1:11:36 - Family, Leadership & Raising the Next Generation * 1:15:56 - Advice for Younger Self & Closing Thoughts

Moshe Popack | 11 Kids, Contrarian Investing, and the Spiritual Foundation Behind It All

In this episode of Miami Dealmakers, Omar Morales sits down with Moshe Popack, a South Florida real estate investor and father of 11, to discuss building wealth through contrarian thinking, spiritual grounding, and a long-term mindset. Moshe shares his journey from New York — navigating law school, a crashed market, and three kids and no job at 29 — to amassing over 2.5 million square feet of commercial real estate across South Florida and beyond. They dig into his investment philosophy: buying distressed office, multifamily, and assisted living assets when institutions are fleeing, structuring deals with certainty, and compounding returns through refinancing. Moshe also walks through two recent contrarian office plays that generated outsized returns. But the conversation goes deeper than dealmaking — exploring spirituality, unconditional love as a leadership principle, and what 11 kids teach you about patience, empathy, and letting go of judgment. This episode is a rare look at a dealmaker who operates from the inside out. ==================== AI-Powered Construction Project Management Software: ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠https://www.buildpass.ai/us⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ [https://www.buildpass.ai/us] ==================== * 0:00 - Intro * 1:40 - Law School, Marriage & Moving to Miami * 7:10 - Spirituality, Abundance & Entrepreneurship * 15:37 - Turning $10,000 into a Six-Figure Profit * 18:07 - Building a Multifamily Portfolio During the Crash * 24:04 - The Investment Philosophy Behind His Success * 28:44 - Finding Opportunity in Senior Housing * 31:49 - The Workforce Housing Challenge * 36:17 - Building Wealth by Creating Value for Others * 41:20 - The Miramar and Atlanta Office Deals * 49:37 - Why Certainty Wins Deals * 51:45 - Raising 11 Children While Building a Business * 1:00:36 - Advice to His Younger Self & Closing Thoughts

Sam Nazarian | Turning a Lifestyle Brand Into a Billion-Dollar Exit

In this episode of Miami Dealmakers, Omar Morales sits down with Sam Nazarian, founder of SBE Entertainment Group, to discuss building one of the world's most influential luxury lifestyle hospitality companies—and selling it for nearly $1 billion. Sam shares his origin story as an Iranian immigrant who grew up in Los Angeles, his early entrepreneurial ventures in telecom and real estate, and how a passion for boutique hotels led him to create SLS, Hyde, Mondrian, and a portfolio that spanned 45 hotels across nine countries. They break down the strategy behind SBE's three-pronged approach to nightlife, restaurants, and hotels, the landmark partnership with Jorge Perez that helped define modern Miami, and the mechanics of building a lifestyle brand that developers around the world wanted to attach their buildings to. This episode is packed with lessons on brand building, strategic partnerships, and what it takes to reinvent yourself after reaching the top of an industry. ==================== AI-Powered Construction Project Management Software: ⁠⁠⁠⁠https://www.buildpass.ai/us⁠⁠⁠⁠ [https://www.buildpass.ai/us] ==================== * 0:00 - Intro * 1:49 - From Tehran to L.A. & His First Company Exit * 13:49 - Discovering the Boutique Hotel World * 20:18 - Building SBE & SLS * 27:36 - Navigating the Great Financial Crisis * 33:29 - Partnering with Jorge Pérez & Scaling the Brand Globally * 51:39 - Acquiring Morgans Hotel Group * 1:00:22 - Selling SBE to Accor for $850M * 1:17:29 - Launching The Estate & Longevity Hospitality * 1:24:36 - HQ Hotels & the Edgewater Project * 1:38:35 - Closing Advice

David Martin on Building Terra and Shaping the Miami Skyline

In this episode of Miami Dealmakers, Omar Morales sits down with David Martin, CEO of Terra, to discuss building one of South Florida's most influential real estate development firms. David shares the story behind his Cuban-American roots, his entrepreneurial path from a college coffee shop to launching Terra at 23, and how mentors, capital partners, and hard-won lessons shaped his approach to development. They break down Terra's strategy of going deep in a handful of neighborhoods rather than expanding geographically, along with David's philosophy on design-driven development, community impact, and why parks and green space are core to every project. This episode is packed with lessons on entrepreneurship, placemaking, and building a legacy in South Florida real estate. ==================== AI-Powered Construction Project Management Software: ⁠⁠⁠https://www.buildpass.ai/us⁠⁠⁠ [https://www.buildpass.ai/us] ==================== * 0:00 - Intro * 1:56 - From Selling a Coffee Shop to Starting Terra at 23 years old * 6:23 - Early Projects and Learning Development From Scratch * 9:52 - Surviving Multiple Downturns * 15:46 - Building Relationships, Trust & the “Working CEO” Mentality * 22:14 - Walkability, Wellness & Building Neighborhoods That Last * 29:42 - Behind the Coconut Grove Transformation * 36:42 - Parks, Public Space & the Five Park Vision * 44:53 - Family and Legacy * 50:24 - How Quantum Helped Transform Downtown Miami * 55:31 - Why Terra Only Develops in South Florida * 57:35 - Jungle Island, Key Biscayne & Terra’s Biggest Bets * 1:09:12 - Favorite Markets and Closing Advice