The Builder Nation Podcast

The Secret to Selling w/Alex Bradley | TBN 029

Most wholesalers focus on acquisitions. Alex Bradley built his entire business doing the opposite - and it’s paying off. Alex is San Diego’s go-to Dispo guy. He doesn’t talk to sellers. He doesn’t run cold call campaigns. He just moves deals, and he’s built a reputation doing it so well that wholesalers across the country come to him when they can’t get something off the books. In this episode, Brian sits down with Alex to break down the Dispo-only business model, why it might actually be the best entry point into real estate wholesaling, and what it takes to find buyers in a market where flippers are sitting on inventory and everyone’s underwriting harder than they have in years. They get into what separates a cookie cutter deal from a funky one, how Alex avoids the daisy chain reputation trap, and the difference between going shotgun versus sniper when building a buyers list. Alex also shares how he built his entire business from scratch with zero overhead and why the Dispo space is getting more competitive heading into 2026. Brian also pulls back the curtain on the Macawa deal - a project his team is actively building out right now - and why it could be the first ADU condoization project completed in San Diego. If you’ve got deals to move, buyers to find, or you’re just trying to figure out how to break into this industry without burning cash on acquisitions, this one’s for you. Thinking about building an ADU or need a team to manage your project properly? Visit: https://hkdevelopmentgroup.com/#form [https://hkdevelopmentgroup.com/#form]  Follow Alex Bradley * Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/alex_dadley?igsh=NTc4MTIwNjQ2YQ== [https://www.instagram.com/alex_dadley?igsh=NTc4MTIwNjQ2YQ==]  * Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/alexbradley.investor?mibextid=wwXIfr&mibextid=wwXIfr [https://www.facebook.com/alexbradley.investor?mibextid=wwXIfr&mibextid=wwXIfr]  * LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/alexrbradley [https://www.linkedin.com/in/alexrbradley]  Follow The Builder Brian: * Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/thebuilderbrian/?hl=en [https://www.instagram.com/thebuilderbrian/?hl=en] * LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/briankoons/ [https://www.linkedin.com/in/briankoons/] * YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@the_builderbrian [https://www.youtube.com/@the_builderbrian]

What Your Broker Won't Tell You w/Joseph Silva | TBN 028

Most real estate agents are playing the same game and losing. Joseph Silva isn't. With a background in investment banking and business banking, Joseph ditched the traditional buy-sell agent model and built CCG Real Estate Advisors around one core idea: lead with value, not with sales. On this episode of Builder Nation, Brian and Joseph get into what it actually means to serve real estate investors at a high level, from portfolio analysis and return on equity to 1031 exchanges, triple net leases, DSTs, and tenant-in-common structures. They also get into the ADU development space and don't hold back. Joseph breaks down exactly why so many developers are getting burned right now - aggressive pro formas, mismatched comps, no parking, and only one exit strategy - and what separates the ones who survive from the ones who don't. If you're an investor trying to figure out what to do with a portfolio you've been sitting on for 20 years, or a developer trying to understand how buyers are actually going to underwrite your asset, this episode is worth your time. The episode discusses: * Differentiating yourself as a real estate professional * Consultative sales, return on equity as a portfolio metric * 1031 exchanges, passive investing options * ADU development mistakes * Multifamily underwriting * The importance of conservative assumptions * Why multifamily is Joseph's top asset class for the next decade. Thinking about building an ADU or need a team to manage your project properly? Visit: https://hkdevelopmentgroup.com/#form [https://hkdevelopmentgroup.com/#form]  Follow Joseph Silva * Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/lifeofjsilva/ [https://www.instagram.com/lifeofjsilva/]  * Company Website: https://ccgrea.com/ [https://ccgrea.com/]  * LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/jsilvarealty/ [https://www.linkedin.com/in/jsilvarealty/]  Follow The Builder Brian: * Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/thebuilderbrian/?hl=en [https://www.instagram.com/thebuilderbrian/?hl=en] * LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/briankoons/ [https://www.linkedin.com/in/briankoons/] * YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@the_builderbrian [https://www.youtube.com/@the_builderbrian]

The $1,000,000 Mistake w/Thach Nguyen | TBN 027

This episode of The Builder Nation Podcast is a live Q&A from the ADU Investor Summit with Brian Koons, Andrew Greer, and keynote speaker Thach Nguyen - focused on operator‑level ADU investing strategy. In this conversation, Brian, Andrew, and Thach pull the audience into the weeds on what actually makes an ADU or small‑multifamily project succeed - from how you decide whether to keep or rent, to designing the right unit mix, finishes, and site plan for the business plan instead of your ego. They unpack painful real‑world stories about utilities (water, sewer, power) blowing up budgets and timelines, and walk through the feasibility checks that every investor should do before going under contract. You’ll also hear candid lessons on hiring experienced ADU architects and GCs, setting proper reserves, avoiding emotional offers, and why one great deal you buy with discipline can beat a year of chasing “cheap” construction and thin‑margin flips. You'll hear: * How to decide “keep vs. rent” and design the entire project backward from that decision (bedroom count, circulation, exterior, and finishes) * The utility traps that kill ADU deals - flow tests, undersized water lines, sewer capacity, and the true cost of opening streets and upgrading infrastructure * Why the lowest‑bid architect or contractor often costs the most, especially on dense infill and tight ADU sites * A simple framework for reserves on your first ADU: down payment, 12–18 months of payments, plus real contingency * How to eliminate emotional deal‑making, stick to your underwriting standard, and avoid six‑figure lessons * Why you “can’t make it to the top solo,” and how Thach structures his A‑team to de‑risk every project Like, subscribe, and drop your biggest ADU question in the comments so we can hit it in a future episode. Thinking about building an ADU or need a team to manage your project properly? Visit: https://hkdevelopmentgroup.com/#form Follow Thach Nguyen * Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/thachnguyen/ * TikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@thachnguyenre * Youtube: https://www.youtube.com/@ThachNguyen Follow Andrew Greer * Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/realtyentrepreneur/ * LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/andrew-t-greer-17a17417/ * Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/AndrewThomasGreer1 Follow The Builder Brian: * Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/thebuilderbrian/?hl=en * LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/briankoons/ * YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@the_builderbrian

How To Turn Content Into Deal Flow w/Brandon LoCascio | TBN 026

Brandon LaCascio has been in real estate since 2005 - right before the market collapsed. Instead of folding, he came out swinging. Now he's a broker, developer, and builder with over 120 units in his portfolio and decades of hard-earned experience that most people in this industry will never have. In this episode, Brandon breaks down one of the most underrated ideas in business right now: money follows attention. It sounds simple, but most people in real estate are still grinding in silence — heads down, skipping events, avoiding the camera — thinking that's the path to success. Brandon did the same thing for 15 years. Then the light bulb went off. After discovering how guys like Grant Cardone completely transformed their businesses by leaning into content and visibility, Brandon stopped saying no to everything and started showing up. Podcasts, LinkedIn, events, networking - and the results spoke for themselves. Deals came in from people he'd known for two decades who suddenly said "I never knew you did that." New doors opened that cold calling never could have unlocked. We get into: * How surviving the 2008 crash shaped the way Brandon thinks about risk, resilience, and building through uncertainty * Why Grant Cardone's content pivot at 50 years old completely changed Brandon's approach to growing his business * The real reason people who've known you for 20 years still don't know what you do — and how to fix it * What actually happens to your deal flow, your network, and your opportunities when you stop hiding and start showing up * Why in 2025, staying invisible is one of the biggest mistakes you can make in real estate If you're a real estate investor, broker, or builder still betting that the grind alone is enough - this one's for you. Brandon isn't just talking theory. He's living proof that when you combine the work ethic with the visibility, everything changes. Thinking about building an ADU or need a team to manage your project properly? Visit: https://hkdevelopmentgroup.com/#form Follow Brandon Locascio * Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/mrlocascio/ * LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/brandon-j-locascio/ * Youtube: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UC_HYk4zYxRLkVdyxdnkRtkA * Follow The Builder Brian: * Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/thebuilderbrian/?hl=en * LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/briankoons/ * YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@the_builderbrian

10X'ing through AI w/Christian Johnson | TBN 025

In this episode of the Builder Nation Podcast, Brian Koons sits down with Marine Corps veteran, powerlifter, and AI operator Christian Johnson to unpack how small businesses can actually use AI to make more money - without becoming “tech companies” or hiring a team of engineers. They break down the idea of building a “digital twin” of you and your business, centralizing communication, and using automation to free up your time so you can do more of the high-value work only you can do.Christian walks through how to start from zero: recording and storing Google Meet calls, phone calls, and texts in a central knowledge base, then using that data to automatically create tasks, SOPs, and follow-ups so you’re not living in your inbox or Slack all day. You’ll hear real examples of taking a single sales call and turning it into CRM updates, task assignments, contracts, and follow-up sequences - without you lifting a finger after you hang up. They also zoom out and tackle the big question: how AI is likely to reshape the middle class and the ultra-wealthy over the next decade. Christian shares why small, scrappy operators are in a “Goldilocks zone” right now - small enough to move fast, but big enough to benefit massively from deeply integrating AI into their operations - and what happens to the businesses that ignore this shift. You’ll hear: * How to build a digital twin of yourself and your business * Why the first step is logging communication, not buying more software * How to connect tools like ClickUp, Gmail, your CRM, and AI models with APIs * How to remove busywork so you can spend more time on sales, strategy, and relationships * Why the next decade will reward owners who integrate AI deeply, and punish those who don’t If you’re an entrepreneur, agency owner, real estate operator, or small business leader, AI could 10x your capacity. You need to understand how to make that happen before you're left behind. Thinking about building an ADU or need a team to manage your project properly? Visit: thebuildernation.com/partner Follow Christian Johnson * Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/ohyesinvest/ * Christian’s Company: https://oodahost.com/ Follow The Builder Brian: * Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/thebuilderbrian/?hl=en * LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/briankoons/ * YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@the_builderbrian