Distressed to Success: Conversations with Community Transformation Leaders

Distressed to Success is a podcast that discovers how savvy investors and entrepreneurs are profitably transforming underserved communities through strategic investment and innovative business models. Host Brian Seidensticker, Co-Founder of Last Best Partners, interviews local developers, business leaders, entrepreneurs, and investment professionals who have successfully brought private capital into distressed areas while generating sustainable returns. From Low Income Housing Tax Credits to creative financing solutions, each episode uncovers actionable strategies for identifying investment opportunities that deliver both financial returns and meaningful community revitalization. Learn from leaders who have transformed cities like Detroit, Cleveland, and Memphis through profitable ventures that create lasting community improvement. Whether you're a high-net-worth investor, local developer, or community development professional, discover how to turn distressed assets into thriving neighborhoods while building sustainable businesses that benefit both your portfolio and your community.

Distressed to Success: Conversations with Community Transformation Leaders is a business podcast hosted by Unknown Host, with 22 episodes on record and a Required Pod Score of 80. PitchCentric scores this show on Booking Probability, Listen Score, and live audience signals refreshed every 24 hours.

Unknown Host hosts Distressed to Success: Conversations with Community Transformation Leaders, a business show with 22 episodes published.

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  Distressed to Success: Conversations with Community Transformation Leaders

  Synecdoche’s Lisa Sauve on the Power of Architectural Equity and Community Revitalization

  Sep 2, 202645 min

  In this episode of Distressed to Success, Brian speaks with Lisa Sauve, principal and co-founder at Synecdoche, a firm pioneering the concept of “architectural equity.” Lisa takes us back to her early days launching Synecdoche in 2009, right out of architecture school when the market was bleak, and explains how she and her partner taught themselves to form an LLC, win projects on Craigslist, and turn an undergrad side hustle into a thriving design practice. Along the way, she shares how Synecdoche carved out a niche working on adaptive-reuse commercial spaces, hospitality venues, and co-working conversions across the Midwest. Central to today’s conversation is the idea of architectural equity: trading traditional upfront fees for an ownership stake in a development project. By aligning the incentives of architect and developer, Synecdoche ensures every design decision, from material choices to spatial layouts, maximizes long-term profitability and performance. Lisa walks us through how these arrangements are structured (flat-fee contracts converted into equity contributions), the due diligence and roles-and-responsibilities frameworks they use, and the importance of clear communication to avoid scope creep. She also reflects on the challenges of tracking sweat equity, managing capital calls when budgets shift, and the patience required to see returns once a project reaches stabilization. To bring the theory to life, Lisa highlights two recent Synecdoche ventures: Umbo, a 700-square-foot oyster-shell–inspired restaurant in Traverse City that doubled as a prep kitchen and Airbnb, and Bamboo Co-Working in Grand Rapids, where a former art school was transformed into five stories of flexible workspace. Timestamps Entrepreneurial journey and founding of Synectic – 00:44 Types, scale, and “sweet spot” projects (hospitality, retail, coworking) – 02:19 Definition and benefits of Architectural Equity – 09:02 Structuring architectural services as equity investments – 19:08 Common challenges and lessons in equity-based partnerships – 33:25 Get in touch with Lisa Company’s LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/lisauve/ Website: https://www.synecdoche.design/ Email: lisa@synecdoche.design Book mentioned Alchemy: The Dark Art and Curious Science of Creating Magic in Brands, Business, and Life: https://a.co/d/02hphDdH Get in touch with the host Brian Seidensticker Last Best Partners' Website: https://www.lastbestpartners.com/ Brian's LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/brian-seidensticker-90117021 Podcast LinkedIn Page: https://www.linkedin.com/company/distressed-to-success-podcast Book mentioned Richard Scarry's Busy, Busy Town: https://a.co/d/0aReJzZ6 Subscribe to follow the show! Chapters (00:00:00) - Bootstrapping In The World of Design (00:01:04) - Distress to Success: Architectural Equity (00:01:46) - How to Start a Firm with a Bootstrapper (00:03:04) - What is the sweet spot for synecdoche? (00:05:30) - Architectural Equity Group (00:08:06) - Do Architect Fees Matter on a Development Project? (00:14:59) - Does an Architect Play a Role in a Development? (00:17:24) - Do You Develop Your Own Buildings or Are You a Limited Partner? (00:19:39) - Do Service Companies Get a Percentage of the Project? (00:23:39) - The Role of Design in Restaurants (00:28:49) - Structural Firm's Focus on Real Estate (00:30:17) - Do You Still Do Architectural Services? (00:31:23) - Private Equity Companies (00:34:24) - WSJD: Working on a Project with Younger People (00:39:16) - Where to Start a Design Firm in the Midwest? (00:41:00) - Carve Out

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  Distressed to Success: Conversations with Community Transformation Leaders

  Investing in Impact: Brian Abernathy & Convergent’s Blueprint for Successful Capital Raises

  Aug 19, 202633 min

  In this episode of Distressed to Success, Brian speaks with Brian Abernathy, General Manager of Convergent. Brian Abernathy walks us through his journey from youth outreach and education policy in Atlanta to leading a national fundraising consulting firm that helps communities unlock the last piece of capital needed to transform underutilized or blighted assets. Together, they explore how Convergent’s “investment-driven” model reframes charitable giving into strategic funding partnerships, bringing individuals, corporations, foundations, and public entities together to back projects that deliver measurable social and economic returns. Brian and Brian dig into the nuts and bolts of Convergent’s work: starting with a feasibility study that validates community outcomes, aligns key stakeholders, and establishes realistic fundraising goals anywhere from $2 million to $250 million. They highlight case studies ranging from Fort Madison, Iowa’s downtown arena and marina redevelopment to a National Guard armory-turned–Boys & Girls Club in Kentucky, public library enhancements in the Midwest, amphitheater and waterfront park projects, and arts organizations in Atlanta. Listeners learn how Convergent tailors flat-fee campaign management, whether augmenting in-house teams or fully outsourcing solicitations, to secure that critical gap funding and keep momentum rolling. Throughout the conversation, the importance of early coalition-building among public sector leaders, philanthropic champions, and corporate partners shines through as the key to success. Brian Abernathy shares practical insights on timing, messaging, and structuring multi-lane funding stacks so community transformation moves from vision to reality. To explore whether your next redevelopment or nonprofit capital campaign could benefit from Convergent’s approach, visit convergentnonprofit.com and schedule a complimentary feasibility discussion. Timestamps Convergent’s mission & Brian Abernathy’s background – 00:34 Bridging funding gaps in community redevelopment projects – 05:47 Nonprofit project case studies (armory retrofit, library expansion, amphitheater) – 08:12 Growth of public–private partnership initiatives nationwide – 18:23 Feasibility study process & end-to-end fundraising campaign management – 24:19 Get in touch with Brian Abernathy Company’s LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/convergent-nonprofit-solutions/ Website: https://www.convergentnonprofit.com/ Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/ConvergentNonprofitSolutions Book mentioned Book of Proverbs: https://www.amazon.com.br/Book-Proverbs-Digital-Bible-English-ebook/dp/B0D3WMD64W Get in touch with the host Brian Seidensticker Last Best Partners' Website: https://www.lastbestpartners.com/ Brian's LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/brian-seidensticker-90117021 Podcast LinkedIn Page: https://www.linkedin.com/company/distressed-to-success-podcast Subscribe to follow the show! Chapters (00:00:00) - Nonprofits: The Dividends (00:01:05) - Distress to Success: Convergent Community Development (00:02:38) - Interviews: Brian Convergint and Fort Madison (00:05:00) - How Can We Close the Funding Gap for Communities? (00:08:56) - How Philanthropists Help Nonprofits Get to Success (00:12:08) - Do Nonprofits Need to Raise Capital? (00:14:31) - In addition to the initial capital raise, do you also help with (00:16:57) - Have You Chosen the Right Nonprofits to Support? (00:19:49) - WSJD Live: The Challenges of Funding Community Projects (00:23:21) - What to Know Before Launching a Project? (00:24:53) - In the Know: Fundraising and Feasibility Studies (00:27:42) - How Does Convergint Fund Its Projects? (00:30:01) - Distress to Success

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  Distressed to Success: Conversations with Community Transformation Leaders

  Breaking Ground & Barriers: Mike Norris, Southeast Iowa RPC & David Miller, Homes for Iowa

  Aug 5, 202650 min

  In this episode of Distressed to Success, Brian speaks with Mike Norris and David Miller about an inventive public‐private partnership that’s reshaping Iowa’s rural housing landscape. Mike, Executive Director of the Southeast Iowa Regional Planning Commission, and David, Executive Director of Homes for Iowa, walk us through how a 2014 conversation with Iowa Prison Industries bloomed into a statewide nonprofit in 2019. They explain how incarcerated men nearing release receive hands-on training in carpentry, plumbing, HVAC and more, then carry those new skills back into the community. At the same time, the program delivers modular, factory-built homes, complete with cabinets, fixtures and HVAC systems, anywhere in Iowa for one flat rate. Throughout the episode, Brian, Mike and David share milestone numbers (more than 185 homes delivered and 600 men trained to date), explain plans to expand from 24 to 40 build bays, and break down the economics behind a 1,200-square-foot home delivered for $108,000. Listeners learn how this “win-win-win” model addresses three challenges at once: workforce development, reentry success, and affordable housing, and how interested developers, civic groups or other states can tour the site or get involved. Timestamps David’s background and founding vision of Homes for Iowa – 00:03:25 High-level overview: training incarcerated individuals and building homes – 00:06:48 Legislative support and program history since 2014 – 00:08:15 Production setup: modular-style building process and capacity (24 homes now, expanding to ~40) – 00:19:17 Pricing model and statewide delivery details ($108K for 1,200 sq ft delivered) – 00:26:31 Get in touch with Mike Mike’s LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/mikenorris2/ Website: https://www.seirpc.com/ Email: mnorris@seirpc.com Book mentioned The Almanack of Naval Ravikant: https://www.amazon.com/Almanack-Naval-Ravikant-Wealth-Happiness/dp/1544514212 Previous Episode with Mike: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/empowering-economic-growth-with-mike-norris-of/id1834146906?i=1000777880233 Get in touch with David David’s LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/davidomiller/ Website: https://www.homesforia.com/ Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/homesforia Email: davidmiller@homesforiowa.com Book mentioned The Inner Game of Tennis: https://www.amazon.com/Inner-Game-Tennis-Classic-Performance/dp/0679778314 Get in touch with Brian Last Best Partners' Website: https://www.lastbestpartners.com/ Brian's LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/brian-seidensticker-90117021 Podcast LinkedIn Page: https://www.linkedin.com/company/distressed-to-success-podcast Subscribe to follow the show! Chapters (00:00:00) - Home for Iowa: From Distress to Success (00:01:03) - Distress to Success: Reinvigorating Blighted Communities (00:03:04) - Executive Director of Homes for Iowa Explains (00:06:32) - Holdens for Iowa (00:08:16) - Iowa Prison Industries Builds Homes for Inmates (00:14:06) - What is the Modular Homes Program in Iowa? (00:16:56) - How many construction crew members does the Governor's House Program have? (00:20:35) - How long does it take to complete a home? (00:21:27) - What is the production rate for modular homes? (00:22:55) - Iowa Prison Industries Construction Crew Training (00:26:10) - Home Delivery Under the Homes of Iowa Program (00:29:54) - What's the Biggest bottleneck in the Rural Homebuilding Market? (00:33:19) - How Can Your Home Build for More Than 80 Homes? (00:35:39) - Home for Iowa: Will the program be able to ship out of (00:39:02) - Want a thousand square foot home? Here you come! (00:40:25) - Homes for Iowa (00:43:24) - Favorite Part of the Podcast (00:46:55) - Books Review (00:48:22) - The Secret to the Game of Tennis (00:49:21) - Interviews with Mike Norris and David Miller

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  Distressed to Success: Conversations with Community Transformation Leaders

  Empowering Economic Growth with Mike Norris of Southeast Iowa Regional Planning Commission

  Jul 22, 202643 min

  In this episode of Distressed to Success, Brian speaks with Mike Norris, Executive Director of the Southeast Iowa Regional Planning Commission. Mike kicks things off by explaining how his agency operates dual roles as both a program administrator, overseeing public transit, housing trust funds, revolving loan funds, and regional transportation planning, and as a consultant under contract to help local governments with mapping, grant writing, and grant administration. He also shares how a chance encounter with an urban planning flyer at the University of Iowa sent him down a career path less ordinary, one where he could indulge his “mile-wide, inch-deep” curiosity by dabbling in everything from economic development to public transportation and housing. The conversation then dives into three hallmark initiatives that illustrate the Commission’s community-building toolkit. First, Mike and Brian unpack the remarkable turnaround of the Keokuk marina district, once an eyesore on the Mississippi River, by combining a Homes for Iowa modular-housing connection, public and private grants (including FEMA and state tourism funds), and technical assistance that streamlined decision-making for city leaders. Next, they trace the Commission’s unexpected role managing the Lee County Port Authority, where a strategic plan led to targeted support for workforce training, a county-wide broadband build-out using ARPA and state funds, and $54 million in private investment to install 4,000 new fiber drops. Finally, Mike outlines the regional Housing Trust Fund, a low-barrier state program that provides forgivable and deferred loans, often paired with traditional financing or LIHTC, to bridge the financing gap on infill and adaptive-reuse projects, and a C3-structured housing development nonprofit that builds and markets quality homes in older neighborhoods to anchor local revitalization. Before wrapping up, Brian and Mike touch on Homes for Iowa, the nonprofit-led partnership with Iowa Prison Industries that trains incarcerated men to build modular homes sold across the state. Mike explains how the program not only addresses housing shortages but also pays participants a living wage, offers apprenticeships, and will soon support successful graduates through a foundation aimed at reducing recidivism. Timestamps Overview of the Southeast Iowa Regional Planning Commission’s programs and services – 00:48 Collaboration on Keokuk Marina redevelopment with developer Michael Morfield – 06:14 Management of Lee County Port Authority and broadband expansion initiatives – 14:39 Creation and operations of the region’s Housing Trust Fund – 20:47 Overview of “Homes for Iowa” program training incarcerated individuals in construction – 36:27 Get in touch with Mike Mike’s LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/mikenorris2/ Website: https://www.seirpc.com/ Email: mnorris@seirpc.com Get in touch with Brian Last Best Partners' Website: https://www.lastbestpartners.com/ Brian's LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/brian-seidensticker-90117021 Podcast LinkedIn Page: https://www.linkedin.com/company/distressed-to-success-podcast Subscribe to follow the show! Chapters (00:00:00) - Building Communities: Prison Industries House (00:00:40) - Distress to Success: Reinventing Blighted Communities (00:01:16) - What Does the Southeast Iowa Regional Planning Commission Do? (00:02:46) - In the Elevator With Regional Planning (00:06:01) - Building a Community: Michael Moorefield's story (00:10:59) - Citi on the Mississippi River Marina (00:15:02) - Lee County Regional Planning Commission's role (00:21:12) - Local Housing Trust Funds in Iowa (00:24:49) - Do You Lend to a Housing Trust Fund Project? (00:31:07) - Nonprofit Housing Development (00:36:35) - This program trains previously incarcerated men to build houses in the state of (00:42:20) - Regional Planning Commission Member Brian O'Brien

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  Distressed to Success: Conversations with Community Transformation Leaders

  Building Bridges to Sobriety: Jim Boad of Group Home Accelerator on the Sober Living Model

  Jul 8, 202641 min

  In this episode of Distressed to Success, Brian speaks with Jim Boad, founder of Group Home Accelerator, about how he transformed his real-estate career during the COVID downturn by converting distressed rental homes into structured sober living residences. Jim recounts his journey from fix-and-flip investor to operator of 14 active sober living homes in a small city of just 11,000 people. He explains the sober living model, licensing beds rather than leasing whole houses, placing two residents per bedroom to build peer accountability, and surrounding participants with rules and support that bridge the gap between inpatient rehab and independent living. Jim also dives into the key referral channels (inpatient treatment centers, reentry programs through the Department of Corrections), funding sources (opioid-assistance grants, continuum-of-care dollars, private pay), and the flexible lengths of stay (90-120 days on average, but often much longer). Brian and Jim go on to unpack the powerful economics behind this approach: a five-bedroom home that once netted only $250 per month now generates $8,500 in gross revenue and about $4,200 in net cash flow after mortgage, utilities, and upkeep. They discuss the importance of genuine care and strict enforcement of house rules, removing residents quickly when they relapse, to maintain both client outcomes and property performance. Listeners will learn about the operational systems Group Home Accelerator offers, from market analysis and property sourcing to intake processes, pop-buy inspections, CRM tracking down to the bed level, and growth strategies for scaling across multiple homes. If you’re curious how you can use real estate to foster recovery, drive social impact, and build a recession-resilient, profitable business, visit jimboad.com to try Jim’s Group Home Accelerator free for seven days. All show notes and links are available below. Timestamps Jim’s real estate background and pivot to sober living homes during COVID – 01:24 Explaining sober living homes vs. recovery facilities – 05:17 Operational requirements: rules, accountability, and house structure – 11:37 Marketing and participant sourcing through rehab centers and reentry programs – 12:12 Financial benefits: comparing cash flow of traditional rentals vs. sober living homes – 18:48 Get in touch with Jim Jim’s LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/jim-boad-aba962b5 Website: https://jimboad.com/ Get in touch with Brian Last Best Partners' Website: https://www.lastbestpartners.com/ Brian's LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/brian-seidensticker-90117021 Podcast LinkedIn Page: https://www.linkedin.com/company/distressed-to-success-podcast Subscribe to follow the show! Chapters (00:00:00) - How to Keep a Drug Addict From Repeating (00:00:45) - Distress to Success: Group Home Accelerator (00:01:56) - How a Real Estate Broker Turned His Own Homes Into Sob (00:04:28) - Leaping Out of the Covid Crisis (00:05:49) - What is a Sobriety Living Home? (00:08:17) - Sober Living Homes: Solo Rooms (00:11:04) - What It Takes to Start a Sobriety Home (00:12:44) - How Do You Connect the Right People With a Sobriety Home (00:14:16) - How long is a substance abuse participant in our home? (00:18:42) - 4+ Bedroom Home (00:22:32) - Sober Living Homes: Need to Care, Location (00:27:50) - Do Rent-a-Home Companies Make Money? (00:30:27) - What is Group Home Accelerator? (00:33:52) - A Cool Use of AI in the Home (00:37:16) - Alex Hermosi's Million-Dollar Money Models (00:39:45) - Jim Dobson on Distress to Success

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