Leaning In

Leaning In is a podcast exploring the future of mixed-use real estate. Trademark Property Company CEO Terry Montesi, and other executives, speak with experts from various backgrounds and areas to discuss mixed-use, multifamily, and brick-and-mortar retail, and what it looks like to lean into it while others are leaning out.For more information about Trademark, visit www.trademarkproperty.com

Leaning In is a business podcast hosted by Trademark Property, with 87 episodes on record and a Required Pod Score of 80.

Trademark Property hosts Leaning In, a business show with 87 episodes published.

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  Episode #5

  Where Retail Meets Logistics

  Sep 17, 202656 minS7

  Terry Montesi and Kevin Kessinger sit down with Luke Petherbridge, CEO of Blackstone's Link Logistics, on Leaning In to explore how e-commerce, industrial real estate, and physical retail have evolved from competitors into complementary partners. Luke brings a rare perspective; he's led major platforms across retail, multifamily, and industrial, including roles at DDR and Blackstone's ShopCor and LiveCor. The conversation unpacks how omni-channel models have reshaped distribution networks, why speed has become the defining customer promise, and what it takes to operate at scale in today's market. They discuss: - Why Amazon's logistics footprint expanded from 100 million to 700 million square feet in a decade - How industrial and retail real estate now serve overlapping functions in the supply chain - What Blackstone's thematic investing approach reveals about macro trends and real estate fundamentals - Why seller financing and public incentives have become essential to new retail development - How AI is being deployed in industrial operations beyond automation and chatbots This episode offers a grounded look at the structural shifts connecting logistics, retail, and consumer behavior for investors and operators navigating a post-pandemic economy. Timecodes: (00:00:00) - Intro (00:02:40) - Luke's journey from Australia to Link Logistics (00:05:46) - Working across retail, multifamily, and industrial (00:07:42) - Blackstone's competitive advantages (00:09:25) - Thematic investing and real estate fundamentals (00:10:55) - Inside the industrial and logistics business (00:13:58) - Multifamily and office market conditions (00:17:06) - E-commerce shifting real estate demand from retail to industrial (00:19:40) - Amazon's network expansion and same-day delivery (00:21:51) - Last-mile delivery economics and profitability (00:26:45) - Omni-channel retail as the winning model (00:29:30) - Will industrial and retail rents converge? (00:32:38) - Industrial success at retail's expense (00:34:58) - Physical stores as necessary infrastructure (00:36:38) - AI applications in logistics operations (00:40:32) - Leadership philosophy and hiring great people (00:42:07) - Leading at scale with 1,100 employees (00:44:27) - Key leadership lessons across asset classes (00:46:56) - Investing in people and platform (00:49:18) - Major trends impacting real estate (00:50:24) - The return of retail development YouTube: 00:00 - Intro 02:40 - Luke's journey from Australia to Link Logistics 05:46 - Working across retail, multifamily, and industrial 07:42 - Blackstone's competitive advantages 09:25 - Thematic investing and real estate fundamentals 10:55 - Inside the industrial and logistics business 13:58 - Multifamily and office market conditions 17:06 - E-commerce shifting real estate demand from retail to industrial 19:40 - Amazon's network expansion and same-day delivery 21:51 - Last-mile delivery economics and profitability 26:45 - Omni-channel retail as the winning model 29:30 - Will industrial and retail rents converge? 32:38 - Industrial success at retail's expense 34:58 - Physical stores as necessary infrastructure 36:38 - AI applications in logistics operations 40:32 - Leadership philosophy and hiring great people 42:07 - Leading at scale with 1,100 employees 44:27 - Key leadership lessons across asset classes 46:56 - Investing in people and platform 49:18 - Major trends impacting real estate 50:24 - The return of retail development

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  Episode #4

  Dana Telsey on Why Retail is Winning

  Jul 14, 202643 minS7

  Terry Montesi and Dana Telsey explore the evolving retail landscape through the dual lens of consumer behavior and real estate demand. Telsey, chief research officer and founder of Telsey Advisory Group, shares insights from three decades analyzing retail brands, department stores, specialty concepts, and emerging consumer trends. The conversation touches on resilience in consumer spending, the K-shaped economy, and how physical retail has rebounded post-COVID as a space for social interaction and experience-driven commerce. They discuss: Why agentic AI will reshape how retailers anticipate consumer needs and curate product offerings How fulfillment and last-mile distribution are changing the economics of physical stores Which retail categories are expanding aggressively, from off-price and beauty to experiential and grocery concepts The return of capital to retail real estate and what it signals about investor confidence in the sector Why the distinction between outlet, lifestyle, and power centers is fading in favor of hybrid formats Links: Telsey Advisory Group - https://www.telseygroup.com/ Dana on LinkedIn - linkedin.com/in/dana-telsey Terry on LinkedIn - linkedin.com/in/terry-montesi Trademark Property - https://trademarkproperty.com/ Topics: (00:00:00) - Intro (00:01:23) - Dana's path to founding Telsey Advisory Group (00:06:34) - How retail analysis has changed over time (00:09:29) - Macroeconomic pressures on the consumer (00:12:55) - Where consumers are spending and pulling back (00:15:12) - The K-shaped consumer economy (00:16:29) - Which retail categories are winning (00:20:02) - Experiential retail and creating memories (00:21:57) - COVID's lasting impact on physical retail (00:24:11) - Retail capital markets coming back (00:26:16) - Low sales per foot but high strategic value (00:28:06) - Retailers getting it right and wrong (00:32:24) - The future of malls and enclosed centers (00:35:01) - The grocery anchor phenomenon (00:37:00) - How retailers choose real estate locations (00:39:04) - Big retail trends and agentic AI (00:41:23) - Advice for retail real estate investors (00:42:31) - Closing

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  Episode #3

  Betting on Physical Retail with Sandeep Mathrani

  May 11, 202654 minS7

  <p>In this episode, Terry Montesi sits down with Sandeep Mathrani to unpack a career defined by bold bets, operational discipline, and contrarian thinking in retail real estate. Sandeep shares how he got his start with a single apartment purchase and quickly evolved into a capital markets leader, eventually leading major turnarounds across the industry. The conversation explores his philosophy on investing in physical retail during periods of skepticism, including navigating bankruptcy, the rise of e-commerce, and the evolution of malls into experiential destinations. Sandeep also reflects on his time leading WeWork, drawing parallels between retail and flexible office, and...

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  Episode #2

  Reading the Market with JLL's Mark Gibson

  Apr 20, 20261h 19mS7

  <p>In this episode of Leaning In, Terry Montesi sits down with Mark Gibson to break down the current state of real estate capital markets and what’s actually happening beneath the headlines. Mark shares a data-driven perspective on investor behavior, capital flows, and why many widely discussed risks may be overstated. The conversation covers everything from the return of core capital and shifting investment strategies to the evolving outlook across office, retail, and multifamily sectors. Throughout, Mark emphasizes the importance of focusing on fundamentals, playing through market noise, and structuring investments to withstand uncertainty.</p><p>They discuss:</p>Wh...

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  Episode #1

  Decoding Retail Market Trends with JLL’s Monica Mason

  Mar 5, 202640 minS7

  <p>Terry Montesi sits down with Monica Mason to explore what is really driving the resurgence of retail real estate investment in the United States. Drawing on her work analyzing capital markets data and investor behavior, Monica explains why retail fundamentals have strengthened in recent years and why institutional investors are increasingly allocating capital to the sector. The conversation unpacks the supply constraints created by post pandemic construction costs, the demographic trends shaping retail demand, and how investors are adapting to a higher interest rate environment. Along the way, Monica shares the data signals that matter most for investors evaluating...

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