Momentum

Paul Meierdierck is the Chief Investment Officer of LaSalle Securities, the $3.5 billion listed real estate business of JLL's LaSalle Investment Management, where he has spent nearly 20 years investing in REITs around the world.In this episode, Paul opens up about growing up after his father's oil refinery failed, calling every alumnus in the James Madison directory to break into Wall Street, and running a portfolio through COVID from 6 a.m. to 9 p.m.__________Join the Momentum newsletter__________Check out Joseph Salama on Momentum__________SPONSORS:Yazdi Entertainment: New York's Premiere Event Production Company. [email protected] or (646) 765-5643Real Property Captive: Own Your Insurance. Recapture Your Premiums. Visit RealPropertyCaptive.com__________ABOUT MOMENTUM:🎙️ Momentum brings you the stories, advice, and wisdom of business visionaries, designed to inspire and guide you on your path to success. Be sure to subscribe on all platforms:YouTubeSpotifyApple PodcastsInstagram__________GEAR (use my affiliate links to make me rich!)• Cameras: https://amzn.to/3UuwW5o• Podcast Mics: https://amzn.to/3J5QWsv• Clip-on Mics: https://amzn.to/3H52iwo• Mic Stands: https://amzn.to/4kZj4uL• Lights: https://amzn.to/45lA5up• Tripods: https://amzn.to/4lHHQAI__________(00:00) Coming Up…(01:31) Why Paul Has Stayed at One Firm for 20 Years(06:57) What LaSalle Does & Investing in REITs Around the World(09:12) His Father's Oil Refinery Failed(11:54) Ad: Yazdi Entertainment(12:55) Chicago Bulls Dreams & Choosing Finance in High School(17:27) $1,000 in E-Trade: Early Reps With Real Stocks(20:44) Ad: Real Property Captive(21:31) The Madison Investment Fund(24:34) Skills Over Pay at 25 & the Marshmallow Test(27:37) Calling Every Alumnus: Breaking In From a Non-Target School(34:14) Internships & Finding His Way to LaSalle(38:06) From Analyst to More Responsibility(43:10) How to Stand Out at a Large Firm(45:48) Putting Your Ego Aside & Telling Signal From Noise(49:44) A Year Into the Job When Lehman Collapsed(53:01) Running a Portfolio Through COVID, 6 a.m. to 9 p.m.(57:40) Seeing What Others Miss vs. Simply Being Wrong(59:45) Becoming Chief Investment Officer(1:02:17) Reassuring Clients & Being Right 55% of the Time(1:05:33) Leadership Lessons From His First Year as CIO(1:08:53) Sharing the Windfall With the Whole Firm(1:11:45) What Makes an Exceptional CEO: Missionaries, Not Mercenaries(1:14:45) How AI Is Changing the Firm & the Skills Young People Need(1:21:10) Giving Back: Mentoring JMU Students & Coaching His Kids(1:24:37) Paul's Momentum Moment: Why Staying Is a Decision

Deal Sharks is a Shark Tank-style event at DSN Beach Club on the Jersey Shore, where 4 founders pitched their businesses in front of a live audience of 450 people to a panel of sharks who have scaled businesses over $1 billion: Joey Shamah of e.l.f. Cosmetics, Joe Cayre of Midtown Equities, Adina Kamkhatchi of Adina Eden, and Jack A. Kassin of Best Brands Consumer Products.__________Watch the Sharks on Momentum:Joe CayreAdina KamkhatchiJack A. Kassin __________SPONSORS:Yazdi Entertainment: New York's Premiere Event Production Company. [email protected] or (646) 765-5643Michelle Baum Photography: Your Go-To Photographer for Events, Family, Corporate, and more. [email protected]__________ABOUT MOMENTUM:🎙️ Momentum brings you the stories, advice, and wisdom of business visionaries, designed to inspire and guide you on your path to success. Be sure to subscribe on all platforms:YouTubeSpotifyApple PodcastsInstagram__________GEAR (use my affiliate links to make me rich!)• Cameras: https://amzn.to/3UuwW5o• Podcast Mics: https://amzn.to/3J5QWsv• Clip-on Mics: https://amzn.to/3H52iwo• Mic Stands: https://amzn.to/4kZj4uL• Lights: https://amzn.to/45lA5up• Tripods: https://amzn.to/4lHHQAI__________(00:00) Coming Up…(00:46) Intro(03:22) Gluten Free Easy(11:16) Ad: Yazdi Entertainment(12:16) FoilGuard(21:51) Rest and Reset(31:36) Ad: Michelle Baum Photography(32:29) Morris Ades Pool Service(40:52) Outro

Victor Braca is the 19-year-old founder and host of Momentum, a show he started at 17 and has since grown into a live event series and a film business, with guests ranging from Joe Cayre and Jeff Sutton to former NYC mayor Eric Adams.In this episode, Victor's summer interns Jacob Palacci and Sam Nasar turn the cameras on him, and he opens up about out-earning his camp counselor as a 4th grader, cold emailing 10,000 people to land a single internship, and the two years of follow-ups it takes to book a Momentum guest.__________Check out David Mizrahi on Momentum__________SPONSORS:Yazdi Entertainment: New York's Premiere Event Production Company. [email protected] or (646) 765-5643Real Property Captive: Own Your Insurance. Recapture Your Premiums. Visit RealPropertyCaptive.comMichelle Baum Photography: Your Go-To Photographer for Events, Family, Corporate, and more. [email protected]__________ABOUT MOMENTUM:🎙️ Momentum brings you the stories, advice, and wisdom of business visionaries, designed to inspire and guide you on your path to success. Be sure to subscribe on all platforms:YouTubeSpotifyApple PodcastsInstagram__________GEAR (use my affiliate links to make me rich!)• Cameras: https://amzn.to/3UuwW5o• Podcast Mics: https://amzn.to/3J5QWsv• Clip-on Mics: https://amzn.to/3H52iwo• Mic Stands: https://amzn.to/4kZj4uL• Lights: https://amzn.to/45lA5up• Tripods: https://amzn.to/4lHHQAI__________(00:00) Coming Up…(01:13) The Interviewer Gets Interviewed(01:58) Selling Candy at Nine & Out-Earning His Camp Counselor(03:58) Getting Into Filming: A Pirated Final Cut Pro & COVID Slideshows(06:40) School Life & the Sixth-Grade Candy Operation(09:18) Competition in the Classroom & the Deal That Fell Through(10:57) Ad: Yazdi Entertainment(11:59) Top Notch Visuals: Cold Emails, Free Work & NJ Transit to Gigs(14:36) The $500 Video & Learning to Stop Apologizing for His Price(17:37) Cold Outreach & Chasing Party Planners(19:55) Ad: Real Property Captive(20:42) The Cold Call That Turned Out to Be His Uncle(22:19) How Momentum Started: Cold Emailing 10,000 People for One Internship(25:08) His Father's Idea & the Two-Month Window Before Israel(28:56) Landing Joe Cayre: Flying Notes & Broken Microphones(31:43) Episode One With Michael Harari & Being Scared to Show His Face(34:39) What His Dad Thinks, and Filming Podcasts in the Den(37:47) His Three Favorite Guests(40:24) The Guest Who Took Two Years — and What Makes People Finally Say Yes(43:40) What Close Friends Know That the Internet Doesn't(45:08) Merle: Almost Five Years & Building It Together(47:07) How Momentum Makes Money: Sponsorships, Roundtables & Stoop Talks(51:10) Deal Sharks: An Instagram Poll That Became a 450-Person Event(53:10) "Figure It Out"(55:16) Ad: Michelle Baum Photography(56:17) Life Vault Films: Filming a Family's Story Before It's Gone(59:09) Using Your Age as a Weapon(1:03:34) Rapid Fire: Faith, the Kippah & "Rationalization Is the Enemy of Success"(1:06:18) Five Years From Now & Don't Fear Any Individual(1:09:25) Victor's Momentum Moment(1:11:52) Flipping It Back: The Interns on Their Summer(1:13:25) Outro & The Part That Didn't Make It In

Ivor Braka is a veteran New York real estate investor whose six-decade career spans buildings across Manhattan, Newark, Florida, and Mexico City, and includes a stake in the World Trade Center alongside Larry Silverstein.In this episode, Ivor opens up about fleeing wartime England as a baby, learning real estate from the ground up at the Kaufman Organization, and the buy-cheap philosophy that made him millions.__________Check out Joe Cayre on Momentum__________SPONSORS:Yazdi Entertainment: New York's Premiere Event Production Company. [email protected] or (646) 765-5643Real Property Captive: Own Your Insurance. Recapture Your Premiums. Visit RealPropertyCaptive.comMichelle Baum Photography: Your Go-To Photographer for Events, Family, Corporate, and more. [email protected]__________ABOUT MOMENTUM:🎙️ Momentum brings you the stories, advice, and wisdom of business visionaries, designed to inspire and guide you on your path to success. Be sure to subscribe on all platforms:YouTubeSpotifyApple PodcastsInstagram__________GEAR (use my affiliate links to make me rich!)• Cameras: https://amzn.to/3UuwW5o• Podcast Mics: https://amzn.to/3J5QWsv• Clip-on Mics: https://amzn.to/3H52iwo• Mic Stands: https://amzn.to/4kZj4uL• Lights: https://amzn.to/45lA5up• Tripods: https://amzn.to/4lHHQAI__________(00:00) Coming Up…(01:51) The Making of Ivor Braka: Fleeing Wartime England as a Baby(03:59) Growing Up in Manhattan & Deal, NJ(05:22) First Job: Sifting Sand (and Quitting Over Bathing Suits)(08:19) College, the Draft & Getting Out With a Rabbi's Letter(10:37) Ad: Yazdi Entertainment(11:37) Getting His Start at the Kaufman Organization(14:26) The Macy's Sign Deal His Father Almost Passed On(16:40) Sent to Spain to Learn Real Estate on His Own(18:56) Ad: Real Property Captive(19:42) Building Condos in Spain in the 1960s(21:15) Coming Back to New York & the 1182 Broadway Deal(25:47) Lessons From His First Failures and Successes(28:12) His First Big Break: Selling 500 8th Ave for $10 Million(31:57) The Monopoly Board Philosophy of Real Estate(34:12) Buying Cheap in Newark(37:44) Investing With Partners vs. Doing His Own Deals(38:26) Building Up Turnberry, Florida(47:26) His Best Deal: The Marriott Courtyard Hotel in Mexico City(49:17) Diversifying Across Industries & Partnering With Larry Silverstein(51:58) Co-Owning the World Trade Center(55:33) The 2008 Financial Crisis & Expanding Into Venezuela's Emerging Bonds Market(57:47) Hedge Funds, Blackstone & High Fees(1:01:56) Ad: Michelle Baum Photography(1:02:52) How AI and Technology Have Changed Real Estate(1:05:55) A Lifetime of Tennis Achievements(1:09:19) Staying Young, Losing His Wife, and Staying Active(1:10:31) What He Wants His Legacy to Be(1:12:04) Advice for the Next Generation(1:13:19) Ivor's Momentum Moment: Meeting His Wife in Brazil(1:14:33) Outro & 3 Key Takeaways

Joshua A. Sussberg is a partner at Kirkland & Ellis and a member of the firm’s Executive Committee, where he has helped lead some of the biggest corporate restructurings of the past two decades, including Toys R Us, Claire’s, and JCPenney.In this episode, Josh breaks down his rise at Kirkland, what it takes to save a company on the brink, the lessons he learned from cases like Toys R Us and JCPenney, and how he came back from cancer to keep doing the work he loves.Enjoy!__________Check out Josh Feltman on Momentum__________SPONSORS:Yazdi Entertainment: New York's Premiere Event Production Company. [email protected] or (646) 765-5643Real Property Captive: Own Your Insurance. Recapture Your Premiums. Visit RealPropertyCaptive.comMichelle Baum Photography: Your Go-To Photographer for Events, Family, Corporate, and more. [email protected]: Never Go Offline Again. Visit connecteninternet.com/discount/MOMENTUM35 for $35 off.__________ABOUT MOMENTUM:🎙️ Momentum brings you the stories, advice, and wisdom of business visionaries, designed to inspire and guide you on your path to success. Be sure to subscribe on all platforms:YouTubeSpotifyApple PodcastsInstagram__________GEAR:• Cameras: https://amzn.to/3UuwW5o• Podcast Mics: https://amzn.to/3J5QWsv• Clip-on Mics: https://amzn.to/3H52iwo• Mic Stands: https://amzn.to/4kZj4uL• Lights: https://amzn.to/45lA5up• Tripods: https://amzn.to/4lHHQAI__________(00:00) Coming up…(02:13) Piercing His Ear in Court After Saving Claire’s and 11,000 Jobs(04:47) What a Restructuring Lawyer Actually Does(06:50) Being Named the “Busiest Lawyer in America”(08:02) Growing Up, Wanting to Be on SportsCenter, and Pivoting to Law(10:02) Choosing Restructuring Almost by Accident(13:03) Ad: Yazdi Entertainment(14:04) Cardozo Law School and How a Communications Background Shaped His Career(16:29) Starting at Weil and Working on Enron and Parmalat(19:16) Leaving Weil to Help Build Kirkland’s Restructuring Practice(21:51) Ad: Real Property Captive(22:37) Kirkland’s Culture and Why You’re Only as Good as the People Around You(24:00) Why Josh Doesn’t Believe in “Hero Ball”(26:22) Joining Kirkland Right Before the Financial Crisis(28:10) How to Stand Out Among 4,000 Lawyers at Kirkland(30:20) Working Hard Without Sacrificing Your Health(32:10) Making Partner and Doubling Down(34:03) Singing the Toys R Us Jingle(38:03) Ad: Michelle Baum Photography(38:56) How Josh Wins Billion-Dollar Restructuring Clients(40:34) Humanizing Bankrupt Companies in the Courtroom(42:30) Bringing “Calm to the Chaos” and Getting Everyone to a Deal(44:24) Learning Crypto on the Fly for BlockFi and Voyager(45:54) Restructuring JCPenney in the Middle of COVID(49:50) Luck, Judgment, and Putting Yourself in Position to Win(52:16) What Josh Looks for When Hiring Young Lawyers at Kirkland(53:47) Ad: ConnecTen(54:43) Finding Fulfillment and Debunking Work-Life Balance(58:13) Giving Back Through Cardozo, UJA, Wharton, and Blood Cancer United(1:00:28) Battling Cancer with a Massive Tumor in His Chest(1:03:36) How Cancer Changed His Perspective on Life(1:05:12) Josh’s Momentum Moment: Realizing He Could Lead Cases at Kirkland(1:08:00) Josh’s Advice for Aspiring Lawyers(1:09:11) Outro / My Top 3 Takeaways

Joseph Salama is the Chief Compliance Officer at Coinbase, the largest publicly traded crypto exchange in the world.In this episode, Joe opens up about getting blackballed right before becoming a BigLaw partner, spending 15 years leading Deutsche Bank's litigation, and steering compliance through Coinbase's most volatile moments.Enjoy!__________⁠Check out Josh Feltman on Momentum__________SPONSORS:Yazdi Entertainment: New York's Premiere Event Production Company. ⁠[email protected]⁠ or (646) 765-5643Real Property Captive: Own Your Insurance. Recapture Your Premiums. Visit ⁠RealPropertyCaptive.comMichelle Baum Photography: Your Go-To Photographer for Events, Family, Corporate, and more. [email protected]: Never Go Offline Again. Visit ConnecTenInternet.com/discount/MOMENTUM35 for $35 off.__________ABOUT MOMENTUM:🎙️ Momentum brings you the stories, advice, and wisdom of business visionaries, designed to inspire and guide you on your path to success. Be sure to subscribe on all platforms:⁠YouTube⁠⁠Apple Podcasts⁠⁠Spotify⁠⁠Instagram⁠__________GEAR (please use my affiliate links to make me rich!)• Cameras: ⁠⁠https://amzn.to/3UuwW5o⁠⁠• Podcast Mics: ⁠⁠https://amzn.to/3J5QWsv⁠⁠• Clip-on Mics: ⁠⁠https://amzn.to/3H52iwo⁠⁠• Mic Stands: ⁠⁠https://amzn.to/4kZj4uL⁠⁠• Lights: ⁠⁠https://amzn.to/45lA5up⁠⁠• Tripods: ⁠⁠https://amzn.to/4lHHQAI⁠__________(00:00) Coming up…(02:03) Growing Up in Brooklyn and Wanting to Be a Lawyer(04:08) Studying Chemical Engineering at Columbia(05:38) Choosing Law, and Why the Engineering Mindset Still Sticks With Him(08:29) The Bizarre Coincidence of the Other Joe Salama(09:56) Ad: Yazdi Entertainment(10:56) Landing at Cravath and the Story of Its First Jewish Partner(14:07) Clerking for a Federal Judge Before Big Law(15:44) Starting at Cravath and Running Cases as a Second-Year Associate(20:05) Ad: Real Property Captive(21:32) Blackballed From Partner in His 7th Year(33:11) Leaving Big Law Completely(39:30) Joining Deutsche Bank's Litigation Group(43:48) Climbing to Global Head of Litigation and U.S. General Counsel(45:39) Fighting Financial Crime in the US and Germany(49:31) Managing 150 Lawyers at Deutsche Bank's Peak(49:43) Ad: Michelle Baum Photography(50:36) Learning to Lead by Example(54:43) Why Joe Stepped Up and Switched His Role at Deutsche Bank(57:55) The Napkin Story and "Ownership Mentality"(1:05:16) Finding His Next Role at Coinbase(1:11:57) Leadership Lessons From CEO Brian Armstrong(1:14:50) Ad: ConnecTen(1:15:53) Joe's Advice for Breaking Into Coinbase's Legal Team(1:18:08) The Lifestyle Shift From Deutsche Bank to Coinbase(1:20:39) Building Minyan, the Gym, and Balance Into the Calendar(1:22:00) Why Balance Is an Ingredient of Success, Not a Trade-Off(1:24:39) On Feeling Pressure to Have Life Figured Out Too Young(1:29:19) The Funny Way Life Never Follows a Straight Line(1:31:04) Giving Back and Joe's Father's Immigrant Story(1:35:05) Joe's Momentum Moment: The Weekend Deutsche Bank's Survival Was in Question(1:41:55) Outro / My Top 3 Takeaways

Ike S. Franco is the Founder & CEO of Infinity Global, with businesses spanning real estate, beverage, and sports, including a stake in the Yankees and global sports branding. In this episode, Ike opens up about growing up without a father, the handshake-first business culture that shaped him, and how he built an empire across real estate, beverage, and sports while never losing sight of where he came from. Enjoy!__________SPONSORS:Real Property Captive: Own Your Insurance. Recapture Your Premiums. Visit ⁠RealPropertyCaptive.comYazdi Entertainment: New York's Premiere Event Production Company. ⁠[email protected]⁠ or (646) 765-5643Michelle Baum Photography: Your Go-To Photographer for Events, Family, Corporate, and more. [email protected]: Never Go Offline Again. Visit ConnectenInternet.com/discount/MOMENTUM35 or $35 off.__________ABOUT MOMENTUM:🎙️ Momentum brings you the stories, advice, and wisdom of business visionaries, designed to inspire and guide you on your path to success. Be sure to subscribe on all platforms:⁠YouTube⁠⁠Apple Podcasts⁠⁠Spotify⁠⁠Instagram⁠__________GEAR (please use my affiliate links to make me rich!)• Cameras: ⁠⁠https://amzn.to/3UuwW5o⁠⁠• Podcast Mics: ⁠⁠https://amzn.to/3J5QWsv⁠⁠• Clip-on Mics: ⁠⁠https://amzn.to/3H52iwo⁠⁠• Mic Stands: ⁠⁠https://amzn.to/4kZj4uL⁠⁠• Lights: ⁠⁠https://amzn.to/45lA5up⁠⁠• Tripods: ⁠⁠https://amzn.to/4lHHQAI⁠__________(0:00) Coming up..(1:13) A High-Level Overview of Ike’s Empire(3:50) Growing Up Without a Father(8:31) Ad: Real Property Captive(9:18) How Losing His Father Shaped Him as a Teenager(12:49) His Approach to Character in Business(12:57) Getting Into the Yankees & Staying Observant in Sports(15:25) Selling $20M Worth of Children’s Clothing at 21(18:07) Ad: Yazdi Entertainment(19:06) Learning How to Sell and Negotiate Young(21:56) Why He Believes Luck Comes From Hashem(24:34) The Big Break: A Warehouse Full of Baby Gap Product in Hong Kong(28:54) A Chance Encounter With a Chase Banker That Changed Everything(32:36) Scaling From a Family Business to Corporate America(34:29) The Target Check That Landed a $40M Program(41:13) His First Licenses: Snoopy and Japanese Layette(44:02) Ad: Michelle Baum Photography(44:55) Understanding Licensing and Who Holds the Leverage(48:12) Buying and Building Brands: Starter, the Dunkman, and Shaq(51:22) Selling Half His Business and the Moment It Hit Him(57:14) The Strange Story of Buying Into the Yankees(59:41) The NFL Bid That Fell Through and Expanding Into Hospitality(1:02:03) Meeting Prince Albert, Derek Jeter, & Alex Rodriguez(1:06:52) Bringing the Yankees and Red Sox to London(1:08:48) Ad: connection(1:09:44) Developing Relationships With Shaquille O’Neal and Kylian Mbappé(1:11:46) Becoming CEO of the Yankees’ Global Branding Business(1:14:41) Building the Pennsylvania Bottling Business(1:16:41) Getting Into Real Estate(1:21:03) Where He Sees the Biggest Opportunity Right Now(1:22:36) Building a Synagogue on Lawrence Avenue in Deal, NJ(1:28:06) Outro and 3 Key Takeaways

Eli Gindi is one of the most prominent real estate investors in New York City, Las Vegas, and Miami, controlling the largest single retail property in Las Vegas: over 2,000 consecutive feet of prime real estate spanning 8 city blocks.In this episode, Eli opens up about growing up undiagnosed and unable to read, losing his father at 22, losing a stock market fortune overnight, and the deals that built his empire: from the Versace Mansion to Grand Army Plaza.Enjoy!__________⁠Check out Joey Jerome on Momentum__________SPONSORS:Real Property Captive: Own Your Insurance. Recapture Your Premiums. Visit RealPropertyCaptive.comYazdi Entertainment: New York’s Premiere Event Production Company. [email protected] or (646) 765-5643__________ABOUT MOMENTUM:🎙️ Momentum brings you the stories, advice, and wisdom of business visionaries, designed to inspire and guide you on your path to success. Be sure to subscribe on all platforms:⁠YouTube⁠⁠Apple Podcasts⁠⁠Spotify⁠⁠Instagram⁠__________GEAR (please use my affiliate links to make me rich!)• Cameras: ⁠⁠https://amzn.to/3UuwW5o⁠⁠• Podcast Mics: ⁠⁠https://amzn.to/3J5QWsv⁠⁠• Clip-on Mics: ⁠⁠https://amzn.to/3H52iwo⁠⁠• Mic Stands: ⁠⁠https://amzn.to/4kZj4uL⁠⁠• Lights: ⁠⁠https://amzn.to/45lA5up⁠⁠• Tripods: ⁠⁠https://amzn.to/4lHHQAI⁠__________(00:00) Coming up…(02:04) The Making of Eli Gindi(07:11) The Influence of Eli’s Father(09:59) How His Father’s Name Saved Him $14 Million(12:38) Ad: Real Property Captive(13:25) The Importance of a Good Name(14:20) Eli’s Thoughts on Cash Advance(18:03) Ad: Yazdi Entertainment(19:03) Losing His Father at a Young Age and His Bond With His Siblings(22:40) What Sets You Apart in the Wholesale Industry?(27:15) Getting Into Real Estate(29:15) Buying the Versace Mansion(32:41) Learning the Real Estate Business(33:50) Losing $30M in the Stock Market(36:06) How to Create Value in Real Estate(38:32) Gramercy Park: When the Bank Almost Backed Out(43:08) Securing the Las Vegas Deal: “I’m Not Leaving Until We Buy It”(48:18) Partners, Not Investors(50:13) Betting $4 Million on a Golf Match(53:34) “Landlord” Means Lord of the Land(54:36) The Target Signage Mistake(57:25) What Eli Looks for in a Partner(1:00:50) A Unique Deal Structure: Eli Only Makes Money When His Investors Do(1:06:27) Eli’s Thoughts on Luck vs. Hard Work(1:08:38) The COVID Construction Loan(1:11:11) Why Failure Makes You Better(1:15:34) Bringing His Sons Into the Business(1:16:52) “At the End of the Day, Everyone’s Human”(1:19:28) The #1 Mistake Young People Make(1:20:26) Momentum Moment(1:22:20) Outro and 3 Key Takeaways

Chaim Theil is a partner at Sidley Austin, one of the largest law firms in America, where he's led billion-dollar M&A and restructuring deals for some of the world's biggest investors, including Carl Icahn.In this episode, Chaim opens up about why he doesn't believe in work-life balance, the "humble yourself" philosophy that's guided his career from Brooklyn to the top of big law, and why no amount of money (not even a billion dollars!) will ever be enough to make him happy.Enjoy!__________⁠Check out Eddie Rishty on Momentum__________SPONSORS:Yazdi Entertainment: New York's Premiere Event Production Company. ⁠[email protected]⁠ or (646) 765-5643Real Property Captive: Own Your Insurance. Recapture Your Premiums. Visit RealPropertyCaptive.com__________ABOUT MOMENTUM:🎙️ Momentum brings you the stories, advice, and wisdom of business visionaries, designed to inspire and guide you on your path to success. Be sure to subscribe on all platforms:⁠YouTube⁠⁠Apple Podcasts⁠⁠Spotify⁠⁠Instagram⁠__________GEAR (please use my affiliate links to make me rich!)• Cameras: ⁠⁠https://amzn.to/3UuwW5o⁠⁠• Podcast Mics: ⁠⁠https://amzn.to/3J5QWsv⁠⁠• Clip-on Mics: ⁠⁠https://amzn.to/3H52iwo⁠⁠• Mic Stands: ⁠⁠https://amzn.to/4kZj4uL⁠⁠• Lights: ⁠⁠https://amzn.to/45lA5up⁠⁠• Tripods: ⁠⁠https://amzn.to/4lHHQAI⁠__________(00:00) Coming Up…(01:48) The Peter Thiel Mix-Up(02:45) What It Means to Practice Restructuring & Distressed M&A(05:59) Flatbush, YU, NYU Law & Columbia Business School(07:01) Wanting to Be Rich & Learning How You Get There Matters(09:33) Choosing Finance, Then Law School(11:33) Ad: Real Property Captive(12:14) His Mother Wanted Him to Be a Doctor(14:33) Making Decisions in Three-Year Increments(16:37) Building a Music Startup at YU(18:57) Ad: Yazdi Entertainment(20:00) Realizing He Was Leading Like a Marine(22:06) Building an Army: What Makes a Leader(24:08) Spotting Leadership in Interviews & Imposter Syndrome(29:00) The Ego Behind Not Delegating(35:00) Learning How to Actually Delegate(39:01) Grinding Through the LSAT(43:16) "Nobody Wants Smart People, People Want Grinders"(44:00) Leaving Big Law for Business School(47:02) Lawyer, Banker, or Business Person?(50:27) Choosing Paul Weiss & His Negotiating Philosophy(52:53) Why He Made the Move to Sidley(53:47) Getting Tested as a Lateral Partner(56:08) The Blackstone Deal That Made His Mark(59:47) Representing Companies Opposite Carl Icahn(1:01:17) What He's Learned From Successful Clients(1:04:15) Billionaires, Watches & Staying Under the Radar(1:07:38) The Math on How Much Money Is Enough(1:13:17) Why You Won't Find Meaning in Your Job(1:15:18) Redefining Work-Life Balance as Life Balance(1:18:31) On Being an Ethical Lawyer(1:25:27) The Transformational Power of Shabbat(1:31:26) Chaim's Momentum Moment(1:33:32) Giving Back: Chazan, Choir & Quiet Philanthropy(1:36:36) Outro & My Top 3 Takeaways

Bob Knakal is one of New York City's most legendary real estate brokers, having closed over 2,400 building sales worth $24 billion, and sold his own company, Massey Knakal, for $100 million. In this episode, Bob opens up about nearly going bankrupt three times during the savings and loan crisis, the bizarre way he found out he'd been fired from Cushman & Wakefield (via a press article), and how a COVID lockdown led him to walk every block of Manhattan to build his now-famous "map room."Enjoy!__________⁠Check out Avi Akiva on Momentum__________SPONSORS:Real Property Captive: Own Your Insurance. Recapture Your Premiums. Visit ⁠RealPropertyCaptive.comYazdi Entertainment: New York's Premiere Event Production Company. ⁠[email protected]⁠ or (646) 765-5643__________ABOUT MOMENTUM:🎙️ Momentum brings you the stories, advice, and wisdom of business visionaries, designed to inspire and guide you on your path to success. Be sure to subscribe on all platforms:⁠YouTube⁠⁠Apple Podcasts⁠⁠Spotify⁠⁠Instagram⁠__________GEAR (please use my affiliate links to make me rich!)• Cameras: ⁠⁠https://amzn.to/3UuwW5o⁠⁠• Podcast Mics: ⁠⁠https://amzn.to/3J5QWsv⁠⁠• Clip-on Mics: ⁠⁠https://amzn.to/3H52iwo⁠⁠• Mic Stands: ⁠⁠https://amzn.to/4kZj4uL⁠⁠• Lights: ⁠⁠https://amzn.to/45lA5up⁠⁠• Tripods: ⁠⁠https://amzn.to/4lHHQAI⁠__________(00:00) Coming Up…(01:40) Bob Knakal's Record-Breaking Career(04:23) From Wharton Baseball to Real Estate by Accident(06:49) Partnering with Paul Massey After Just Two Days(09:41) Starting Massey Knakal & Almost Going Bankrupt(12:01) Ad: Real Property Captive(13:06) The Daytimer, the $4,400 Security Deposit & Leaving CBRE(18:41) Ad: Yazdi Entertainment(19:41) Building a Brokerage Around Extreme Specialization(24:32) Surviving the Savings & Loan Crisis(28:33) How Massey Knakal Became New York's Most Dominant Brokerage(29:29) Bob's Hiring Philosophy & Building Company Culture(36:36) The $179 Million Deal That Started With 2 Years of Cold Calls(41:31) Turning Down a $50 Million Acquisition Offer(43:08) Selling the Company for $100 Million(45:29) Cushman, JLL & Getting Fired Through the Press(52:53) Starting Over & Building BKREA(54:55) Mentorship, Leadership & Creating 34 Industry Leaders(58:12) Family, Legacy & Philanthropy(1:00:34) Bob's Momentum Moment(1:03:22) Outro & My Top 3 Takeaways