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The Deal Makers - An Agora production podcast
The Deal Makers, an Agora production podcast, is a platform for leaders in the commercial real estate industry to share their personal stories of success and failure, business insights, and industry secrets because we believe in spotlighting the real people behind the deals. In The DealMakers, we will shine a light on the people behind high-performing real estate deals, unveil behind-the-scenes stories you’ve never heard before, and discuss growth opportunities for real estate investment experts.
If you’re looking to learn more about top-performing GPs in America and how they MAKE deals, this podcast is for you!
The Deal Makers - An Agora production podcast
S3E22 - Jonathan Buckelew – Building an operator’s playbook
In this episode of the Dealmakers Podcast, host Asaf Raz speaks with Jonathan Buckelew, Vice President of Asset Management at Peak, about challenging legacy thinking in real estate. Jonathan shares how launching a fintech company during COVID reshaped his mindset and gave him an operator's perspective. He explains how questioning third-party vendors, centralizing operations, and leveraging automation helped him cut costs and improve performance. The conversation also dives into the strategic use of LinkedIn to build a personal brand, how that visibility led to new career opportunities, and practical ways to start integrating AI into asset management workflows.
Chapters:
00:01 – Introduction to Jonathan Buckelew and his real estate background
00:56 – From CPA to fintech founder: how entrepreneurship changed his approach
03:19 – Rethinking property management and building a new playbook
05:31 – Why operations now matter more than ever—and how to cut costs creatively
07:51 – Joining Peak and managing NYC multifamily with efficiency and design in mind
10:25 – Using LinkedIn to grow a personal brand and attract new opportunities
13:56 – Advice for real estate pros: how to make time for social media and start networking
19:03 – Overcoming fear of AI and applying it to operations, reporting, and workflows
23:09 – Building custom GPTs, automation hacks, and AI as your professional companion
28:32 – Shameless Plug: Peak’s NYC portfolio
Get in touch with Jonathan:
LinkedIn
Website
This podcast is brought to you by Agora, a comprehensive real estate investment management platform offering a wide range of services to enable real growth and provide the best real estate investment experience.
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