Zach “Dr. Z” Schaefer, founder and CEO of Spark The Discussion, is a respected leadership coach, management consultant, certified Predictive Index® partner, and award‑winning speaker. A retired tenured professor, he also owns a stake in a sports bar chain, advising on culture, tech, and strategy. Zach has helped hundreds of companies, authored multiple books, and recently released The Missing Conversations: Navigating Awareness, Avoidance & Adversity at Work, a guide for fostering constructive dialogue to drive organizational impact .

In this episode, Zach explores why leaders often dodge difficult conversations and how that avoidance hinders growth. They delve into contrasting strategic vs. operational mindsets, the power of trust and role clarity, and the use of behavioral tools like Predictive Index and Line‑of‑Sight to improve hiring and execution. Zach shares frameworks (like FIRM and trust ranking) and real-life insights from academia, restaurants, and executive coaching—all designed to empower founders and execs leaning into scaling through better communication and leadership.

Connect with the Host

Twitter: ⁠twitter.com/ItsRajTut

LinkedIn: ⁠https://www.linkedin.com/in/rajtut/

Instagram: ⁠instagram.com/ItsRajTut

TikTok: ⁠https://www.tiktok.com/@itsrajtut

Website: https://sparkthediscussion.com

LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/zschaefer/

The Missing Conversations OUT NOW!

https://www.amazon.com/Missing-Conversations-Navigating-Awareness-Avoidance/dp/1637631952

Timestamps

00:00 Conversations we’re avoiding at work

02:18 From professor to entrepreneur

05:06 Scaling a sports bar through systems

08:18 Fantasy sports as differentiation

12:02 The core principles that leaders miss

16:01 Frameworks for executive leadership

21:08 Messaging strategy in uncertain times

23:58 Introducing The Missing Conversations

27:16 Defining roles and accountabilities

30:16 When founders step back from CEO

33:10 Intentional retention through data

35:35 Using Predictive Index assessments

37:10 Execution clarity via Line‑of‑Sight

39:08 Data‑driven hiring

43:14 Crafting a personal brand (orange theme)

46:26 Growth through high‑stakes listening

50:35 Zach’s quick trust‑ranking tool

#LeadershipCoach

#StrategicLeadership

#CommunicationSkills

#OrganizationalGrowth

#TheMissingConversations

#PredictiveIndex

#LineOfSight

#BusinessDialogue

#FounderAdvice

#ExecutiveCoaching

#PodcastHighlights

This podcast is brought to you by Storyboard Living.

If you're looking to sell us a 40+ unit multifamily property in the St. Louis region, or another part of MO/IL, please email deals@storyboardliving.com

Connect with us at our Website: https://storyboardliving.com/

LinkedIn profile: https://www.linkedin.com/company/storyboard-living/

Connect with the Guest

Tom Kaiman is the founder of Mia Rose Holdings, a St. Louis-based real estate development firm with nearly $1B in assets under management and over 3,000 apartment units developed. Before becoming a prolific builder, Tom was a professional hockey player and earned a degree in civil engineering. His unique background in sports, construction, and entrepreneurship has shaped his mission: to build high-quality multifamily housing at a lower cost basis while prioritizing team alignment and community impact.

In this episode, Tom shares his full-circle journey from skating rinks to development sites, highlighting his investment philosophy, construction-first strategy, and passion for long-term wealth creation. He breaks down how Mia Rose self-funds pre-development, structures deals with recourse loans, and aligns team incentives by making every partner an owner. He also discusses the challenges of real estate timing, the power of reading, and why understanding money supply and inflation is critical for every investor. Whether you’re a developer, investor, or entrepreneur, this episode delivers tactical insights and hard-won wisdom.

Connect with Raj:

Twitter: ⁠twitter.com/ItsRajTut

LinkedIn: ⁠https://www.linkedin.com/in/rajtut/

Instagram: ⁠instagram.com/ItsRajTut

TikTok: ⁠https://www.tiktok.com/@itsrajtut

Connect with Tom:

LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/tom-kaiman-07ba9612/

Timestamps:

00:00 Why Mia Rose spends more on units than amenities

01:13 Meet Tom Kaiman — From hockey to nearly $1B in AUM

02:16 Childhood, family, and hockey career path

04:21 Civil engineering and first job with Walton Construction

05:10 How Rich Dad Poor Dad sparked an entrepreneurial drive

06:48 Building the Maryville University Hockey Center

08:46 Nonprofit structures and public-private partnerships

10:26 A five-year project that changed his view on development

15:02 Applying team-first thinking from hockey to real estate

18:17 No employees — How Mia Rose built a partner-only firm

20:39 Why success is addicting and retirement isn’t the goal

26:12 The Mia Rose development formula: 4 deals a year

31:03 Finding land and vetting city relationships

33:13 Why 150–200 unit suburban walkups are the sweet spot

34:29 Exit strategy and why affordability matters

37:18 Spend in-unit, not on chandeliers

39:00 Lessons from early deals and constant model evolution

42:12 Pre-development risk and self-funding explained

44:22 Why they subordinate development fees

45:58 Friends and family raise — but family office is next

47:16 What makes a deal work today (or not)

49:40 Target returns: IRR, equity multiples, and risk

50:40 How being a builder is their competitive edge

53:02 Staying hands-on in construction pricing

57:07 Direct sourcing and focus trade-offs

59:38 Cutting markup chains without losing control

01:00:00 Flywheel strategy: 4 builds a year, into perpetuity

01:02:54 Hole-in-one advice: Read more, understand money

01:07:00 The 41% money supply stat that shocked Tom

If you're looking to sell us a 40+ unit multifamily property in the St. Louis region, or another part of MO/IL, please email deals@storyboardliving.com

Connect with us at our Website: https://storyboardliving.com/

LinkedIn profile: https://www.linkedin.com/company/storyboard-living/

#RealEstateDevelopment

#MultifamilyRealEstate

#ConstructionLeadership

#StLouisDevelopment

#PassiveIncomeStrategies

#AffordableHousingMatters

#EntrepreneurMindset

#CommercialRealEstate

#BuildToRent

#TeamCulture

#RealEstateInvesting

#InflationHedge

#FiatCurrency

Alex Erbs is the VP and co-owner of Storage Mall Group and Gateway Storage, a family-run business with over 60 years of experience in the self-storage industry. With more than 2 million square feet under management across 11 states and over 12,000 units, Alex has played a pivotal role in scaling operations across the Midwest and Northeast. He also serves as Vice President of the Missouri Self-Storage Association and sits on the board of the Illinois Self-Storage Association. His career began while still in college, supporting his uncle’s operations before launching a self-storage business with his father that quickly grew into a regional force.

In this episode, Alex shares deep insights into self-storage investing, third-party management, and automation trends. He unpacks how remote management works in practice, why feasibility studies are non-negotiable, and the biggest mistakes new investors make—like overpaying for facilities. The conversation covers acquisition strategy, the shift away from kiosks, the rise of dynamic pricing and smart tech, and the importance of local market saturation. Listeners will walk away with a practical understanding of how to succeed in self-storage, from setup to scaling.

Connect with Raj:

Twitter: twitter.com/ItsRajTut

LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/rajtut/

Instagram: instagram.com/ItsRajTut

TikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@itsrajtut

Connect with Alex:

Website: https://www.storagemall.com

LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/alex-erbs

Email: alex@storagemall.com

Timestamps:

00:00 Why “Build It and They Will Come” No Longer Works

02:18 How Alex Got Started in Self-Storage with Family

05:17 Finding Opportunity Where REITs Wouldn’t Go

07:25 Launching Third-Party Management by Accident

10:07 The Rise of Remote & Hybrid Management Models

14:32 How Big Operators Use Management to Buy Later

18:14 When to Use Remote vs On-Site Staffing

28:34 The 4 Core Tech Upgrades Every Storage Site Needs

39:30 Using AI and Dynamic Pricing to Maximize Revenue

54:10 The Real Cost of Overpaying for a Storage Facility

This podcast is brought to you by Storyboard Living

This podcast is brought to you by Storyboard Living

If you're looking to sell us a 40+ unit multifamily property in the St. Louis region, or another part of MO/IL, please email deals@storyboardliving.com

Connect with us at our Website: https://storyboardliving.com/

LinkedIn profile: https://www.linkedin.com/company/storyboard-living/

#SelfStorage #CommercialRealEstate #StorageInvesting #RealEstateStrategy #PassiveIncome #RemoteManagement #REITs #StorageBusiness #AutomationInRealEstate #MidwestInvesting #MultifamilyInvesting #FeasibilityStudy #SmartStorage #DynamicPricing