Inside Equinox: The Real Estate Behind the Fitness Brand

The Back Office is Dying with Henry AI's Sammy Greenwall

Season 7, Episode 6: How did a former real estate analyst turn the pain of building pitch decks into one of CRE's fastest-growing AI companies? Today, we sit down with Sammy Greenwall, co-founder and CEO of Henry AI, to discuss how artificial intelligence is transforming commercial real estate workflows. Sammy shares his journey from college basketball to helping scale Lev into a $100M venture-backed company before leaving to build Henry AI. The conversation covers the inefficiencies of traditional brokerage workflows, why Henry focuses on delivering outcomes instead of software, and how AI is automating offering memorandums, BOVs, and other time-intensive tasks. Sammy also explains why local brokerage data may be more valuable than national databases, how "humans in the loop" remain critical to adoption, and where he sees the future of AI in commercial real estate. Shoutout to our sponsor, Henry AI. The fast track to investor-ready decks that actually stand out. TOPICS 00:00 – Introduction 01:39 – The Genesis of Henry AI and Early Conversations 03:00 – Sammy’s Background: From the Bay Area to Toll Brothers 03:53 – The Pain Point: Spending 70% of the Day in PowerPoint 07:41 – The Lev Story: Starting a Company with a Rabbi in a Chabad House 11:00 – Scaling to a $100M Series B and "Relentless Grit" 13:10 – Leaving Lev to Build a Generational AI Company 15:18 – Why Brokerage Costs Are Under Fire 18:00 – Why Henry Charges 3x More 19:50 – Why the Professional Touch in AI Still Matters 21:56 – Identifying the Single Pain Point 24:08 – The Future of Interactive, Digital Offering Memorandums 27:19 – The Data War 32:58 – Labeling the "Walled Garden" of Commercial Real Estate Data 35:30 – Where the Name "Henry" Actually Came From 38:14 – CEO Productivity For more episodes of No Cap by CRE Daily visit https://www.credaily.com/podcast/ Watch this episode on YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@NoCapCREDaily About No Cap Podcast Commercial real estate is a $20 trillion industry and a force that shapes America’s economic fabric and culture. No Cap by CRE Daily is the commercial real estate podcast that gives you an unfiltered ”No Cap” look into the industry’s biggest trends and the money game behind them. Each week co-hosts Jack Stone and Alex Gornik break down the latest headlines with some of the most influential and entertaining figures in commercial real estate. About CRE Daily  CRE Daily is a digital media company covering the business of commercial real estate. Our mission is to empower professionals with the knowledge they need to make smarter decisions and do more business. We do this through our flagship newsletter (CRE Daily) which is read by 65,000+ investors, developers, brokers, and business leaders across the country. Our smart brevity format combined with need-to-know trends has made us one of the fastest growing media brands in commercial real estate.

Betting On Middle America w/ RREAF Holdings

Season 7, Episode 5: How did RREAF Holdings grow into a $4.8B real estate platform across multifamily, hospitality, BTR, and master-planned communities? Today, we sit down with Kip Sowden, Chairman & CEO of RREAF Holdings, and Doug McKnight, President of RREAF Holdings, to break down the strategy behind the firm’s growth across the Sun Belt. Kip shares how he moved from brokerage into principal investing after the GFC, while Doug explains how his fixed income background shaped RREAF’s approach to capital, risk, and liquidity. The conversation covers distressed acquisitions after 2008, bridge lender opportunities today, and why RREAF focuses on “all things residential” across the South and Southeast. Kip and Doug also break down their approach to multifamily, extended stay hotels, beachfront resorts, and large-scale Texas developments, while sharing why they believe a new real estate cycle is beginning. Shoutout to our sponsor, Henry AI. The fast track to investor-ready decks that actually stand out. TOPICS 00:00 – Introduction 03:45 – Kip Sowden’s Early Career in Brokerage and Mortgage Banking 09:28 – Moving Into Principal Investing and Launching RREAF 17:03 – Buying Distressed Notes and REO After the GFC 24:17 – Structuring $500M+ Multifamily Portfolio Deals 30:29 – Master-Planned Communities, BTR, and Texas Growth 36:39 – Why RREAF Is Bullish on Extended Stay Hotels 42:26 – Why RREAF Focuses on the South and Southeast 47:45 – Institutional Capital Returning to CRE 54:30 – Where RREAF Sees Opportunity in the Next Cycle For more episodes of No Cap by CRE Daily visit https://www.credaily.com/podcast/ Watch this episode on YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@NoCapCREDaily About No Cap Podcast Commercial real estate is a $20 trillion industry and a force that shapes America’s economic fabric and culture. No Cap by CRE Daily is the commercial real estate podcast that gives you an unfiltered ”No Cap” look into the industry’s biggest trends and the money game behind them. Each week co-hosts Jack Stone and Alex Gornik break down the latest headlines with some of the most influential and entertaining figures in commercial real estate. About CRE Daily  CRE Daily is a digital media company covering the business of commercial real estate. Our mission is to empower professionals with the knowledge they need to make smarter decisions and do more business. We do this through our flagship newsletter (CRE Daily) which is read by 65,000+ investors, developers, brokers, and business leaders across the country. Our smart brevity format combined with need-to-know trends has made us one of the fastest growing media brands in commercial real estate.

Why This Distress Cycle Isn't the GFC w/ Värde Partners

Season 7, Episode 4: How does a firm managing $17 billion navigate global real estate through high interest rates and a "hope-driven" market? Today, we sit down with Tim Mooney, partner and global head of real estate and Jim Dunbar, partner and head of real estate lending at Värde Partners. They break down how Värde operates across the capital stack, from senior lending and structured credit to niche equity platforms in student housing and medical offices. Tim and Jim share how their "distress roots" from the GFC shaped their current strategy of building sector-specific operating platforms like Trimont. They explain why today’s cycle is a "slow trickle" compared to 2008, the reality of the upcoming maturity wall, and how they are synthetically creating mezzanine returns. Whether you’re curious about AI’s impact on real estate demand or looking for insights into international markets like India and Europe, this episode is a masterclass in institutional credit. Join us for an unfiltered look at the conviction and data-driven discipline required to manage a global alternative investment platform in today’s cycle. Shoutout to our sponsor, Henry AI. The fast track to investor-ready decks that actually stand out. TOPICS 00:00 – Introduction to Värde Partners 05:58 – Tim Mooney and Jim Dunbar’s Backgrounds 10:05 – The Trimont Acquisition and Data Advantage 13:00 – Värde’s Current Strategy: Staying Senior in the Stack 15:51 – Case Study: Repurposing Distressed New York Assets 22:44 – Lessons from the GFC vs. Today’s "Hope-Driven" Market 30:50 – Middle Market Lending and Creating Synthetic Returns 34:26 – The Case for Medical Office and Student Housing Platforms 41:16 – AI Disruption and the Future of Productivity 45:15 – International Complexity: Lending in India and Europe For more episodes of No Cap by CRE Daily visit https://www.credaily.com/podcast/ Watch this episode on YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@NoCapCREDaily About No Cap Podcast Commercial real estate is a $20 trillion industry and a force that shapes America’s economic fabric and culture. No Cap by CRE Daily is the commercial real estate podcast that gives you an unfiltered ”No Cap” look into the industry’s biggest trends and the money game behind them. Each week co-hosts Jack Stone and Alex Gornik break down the latest headlines with some of the most influential and entertaining figures in commercial real estate. About CRE Daily  CRE Daily is a digital media company covering the business of commercial real estate. Our mission is to empower professionals with the knowledge they need to make smarter decisions and do more business. We do this through our flagship newsletter (CRE Daily) which is read by 65,000+ investors, developers, brokers, and business leaders across the country. Our smart brevity format combined with need-to-know trends has made us one of the fastest growing media brands in commercial real estate.

How ACRE Turned Workforce Housing Into an Investment Grade Asset Class w/ Michael Van Der Poel

Season 7, Episode 3: How did ACRE grow from a post-GFC workforce housing thesis into a global real estate investment firm? Today, we sit down with Michael Van Der Poel, Founding Partner at ACRE, to break down the strategy behind that rise. Michael shares how he spotted workforce housing before it became an institutional trade, and how ACRE built its early portfolio by buying distressed multifamily assets at deeply discounted prices. We also get into raising capital from Asia, building a vertically integrated platform, and expanding across both equity and credit strategies. Whether you’re interested in capital raising, private credit, or where real estate opportunity sits in today’s cycle, this episode is a must-listen. Join us as we dive into the conviction, timing, and risk discipline that helped ACRE grow from a scrappy startup into an institutional investment platform. Shoutout to our sponsor, Henry AI. The fast track to investor-ready decks that actually stand out. TOPICS 00:00 – Introduction 02:17 – Michael Van Der Poel’s Background and Early Real Estate Career 06:55 – ACRE’s Workforce Housing Thesis After the GFC 09:56 – Raising the First Fund and Buying Distressed Multifamily 15:00 – Building ACRE’s Credit Platform 21:13 – Why ACRE Plays Across Equity, Credit, and Development 23:21 – Pricing Equity Risk and Finding Returns in Today’s Market 38:50 – Rental Housing, AI Disruption, and the Future of Jobs 41:03 – Where ACRE Sees Opportunity Right Now 46:19 – Multifamily Outlook and the Next Buying Window For more episodes of No Cap by CRE Daily visit https://www.credaily.com/podcast/ Watch this episode on YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@NoCapCREDaily About No Cap Podcast Commercial real estate is a $20 trillion industry and a force that shapes America’s economic fabric and culture. No Cap by CRE Daily is the commercial real estate podcast that gives you an unfiltered ”No Cap” look into the industry’s biggest trends and the money game behind them. Each week co-hosts Jack Stone and Alex Gornik break down the latest headlines with some of the most influential and entertaining figures in commercial real estate. About CRE Daily  CRE Daily is a digital media company covering the business of commercial real estate. Our mission is to empower professionals with the knowledge they need to make smarter decisions and do more business. We do this through our flagship newsletter (CRE Daily) which is read by 65,000+ investors, developers, brokers, and business leaders across the country. Our smart brevity format combined with need-to-know trends has made us one of the fastest growing media brands in commercial real estate.

Inside Equinox: The Real Estate Behind the Fitness Brand

Season 7, Episode 2: How did Equinox evolve from a single gym in New York to a global luxury lifestyle and hotel brand? Today, we sit down with Jeff Weinhaus, Co-President and Chief Development Officer at Equinox, to break down the incredible real estate strategy behind the fitness empire. Jeff shares the inside story of how a stubborn lease negotiation won over billionaire Stephen Ross, why Equinox builds gyms inside historic bank vaults and sugar factories, and the exact "70/30 Rule" they use to decide which cities get a location next. We also dive into the future of wellness, the shift from cardio to heavy strength training, and what it takes to double a luxury portfolio without losing the brand's soul. Whether you’re curious about the brand's pivot toward longevity and mental health or how they plan to double their portfolio without losing their edge, this episode is a must-listen for anyone in capital markets or real estate development. Join us as we dive deep into the disciplined growth and creative vision that transformed a local family business into a global luxury platform. Shoutout to our sponsor, Henry AI. The fast track to investor-ready decks that actually stand out. TOPICS 0:00 - Intro & Jeff Weinhaus’s Background 6:07 - The Columbus Circle Deal & Winning Over Stephen Ross 10:06 - Expanding Beyond NYC & The First LA Location 13:07 - Navigating the Pandemic & Automating the Gym 15:33 - The Blue-Collar Origin Story of a Luxury Brand 18:54 - Building Gyms in Bank Vaults & Sugar Factories 21:37 - The 70/30 Rule of Real Estate & Location Scouting 31:19 - Equinox Hotels & The Science of Perfect Sleep 39:13 - The Art of the Deal: Negotiating with Landlords 43:08 - Sunbelt Migration & Targeting Second-Tier Cities 48:08 - Why Gen Z is Spending Their Money on Equinox 54:05 - New Fitness Trends: Cold Plunges & Padel 1:00:13 - International Expansion: London & The Middle East 1:04:37 - The Future: How Equinox Plans to Double in Size For more episodes of No Cap by CRE Daily visit https://www.credaily.com/podcast/ Watch this episode on YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@NoCapCREDaily About No Cap Podcast Commercial real estate is a $20 trillion industry and a force that shapes America’s economic fabric and culture. No Cap by CRE Daily is the commercial real estate podcast that gives you an unfiltered ”No Cap” look into the industry’s biggest trends and the money game behind them. Each week co-hosts Jack Stone and Alex Gornik break down the latest headlines with some of the most influential and entertaining figures in commercial real estate. About CRE Daily  CRE Daily is a digital media company covering the business of commercial real estate. Our mission is to empower professionals with the knowledge they need to make smarter decisions and do more business. We do this through our flagship newsletter (CRE Daily) which is read by 65,000+ investors, developers, brokers, and business leaders across the country. Our smart brevity format combined with need-to-know trends has made us one of the fastest growing media brands in commercial real estate.