Aaron sits down with Glen Kunofsky, Founder and CEO of SURMOUNT, for a wide-ranging conversation on growing up in a middle-class New York household, buying his first investment property at 19, and spending three years in brokerage without a meaningful paycheck before finally cracking the code on net lease. Glen shares how a chance connection with Carol's Corp unlocked a career-defining pivot away from hotels, how his wife's KPMG salary kept the lights on during the lean years, and why relationships over transactions isn't just a hat on the wall — it's the operating system behind a firm that grew from 35 to 130 people in three years. From assuming mortgages at 13% interest to pioneering the private market for sale-leasebacks, this episode is packed with unfiltered lessons from one of the most unconventional paths to the top of commercial real estate.

Key Takeaways:

• The best operators build their book before they need it — relationships compound long before transactions do

• 18 months of no closings isn't failure — it's the cost of entry for anyone without a playbook

• Pivoting from hotels to net lease didn't happen by strategy; it happened by curiosity and a family phone call

• Paying junior brokers a base salary — not just splits — is how you build loyalty, not just production

• The smallest client today can be your largest referral source in 10 years

• Scaling from 35 to 130 people in three years is a byproduct of culture, not a growth strategy

Key Timestamps:

(00:00:00) – Growing Up in Queens, New York: Teachers, Carpool, and Middle-Class Roots

(00:02:09) – Undiagnosed ADHD, Learning by Listening, and Getting A's When It Mattered

(00:03:40) – Paper Routes, Snow Shoveling, and Always Having a Work Project

(00:04:30) – First Foray Into Real Estate: Construction Labor at 13

(00:08:30) – First Investment Property at 19: Closing With $2,000 Down on a House

(00:09:31) – Still in School: Acquiring 19 Houses Within a Mile of ASU

(00:13:55) – Meeting His Wife — and His First Tenant — on Day Two in Arizona

(00:18:30) – 18 Months Without a Closing — Then a Pivot That Changed Everything

(00:20:30) – The Phone Call That Launched a Net Lease Career: Carol's Corp and the Burger King Listing

(00:26:00) – How Glen Built His Team: Base Salaries, Long Tenures, and No Training Your Competition

(00:31:00) – The Culture Behind the Growth: Open Brokerage, Relationships Over Transactions

(00:33:35) – Biggest Curveball: Surviving Three Years Without Real Income

(00:36:15) – Advice for Young Brokers: Start With the Guy Who Has One Property, Not a Hundred

(00:38:36) – What Surmount Actually Does: Four Business Lines, Billions Under Management

(00:44:04) – The Legacy Question: What Glen Wants the Story to Say

Key Topics Discussed:

Commercial Real Estate Podcast, Private Equity Podcast, Commercial Real Estate Investing, Net Lease Brokerage, Sale-Leaseback Strategy, Real Estate Private Equity, Franchise Real Estate, QSR Net Lease, Single Tenant Net Lease, Investment Real Estate, Breaking Into Commercial Real Estate, Brokerage Mentorship, Building a Brokerage Team, Mentor Mentee Relationships, Multi-Family Investing, Arizona Real Estate, Assumable Mortgages, Hotel Brokerage, Pivoting in Real Estate, Real Estate Culture, Relationships Over Transactions, Commercial Property Management, Team Building in Brokerage, Real Estate Portfolio, Early Real Estate Investing, Wealth Building Through Real Estate, CEO Interview Podcast, Limitless, Aaron Zucker, Glen Kunofsky, Surmount, Marcus and Millichap, Carol's Corp, Burger King Net Lease, Arby's Net Lease, Panera Bread, Institutional Brokerage, Private Capital, Advisory Real Estate, Construction Management, Balance Sheet Investing, Family Office Real Estate, NNN Properties, Freestanding Retail, Limitless Podcast, Aaron Zucker

Mentions:

Glen’s LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/glen-kunofsky-55633216/

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Aaron sits down with Chris Hatch, CEO of Forza Commercial, for a wide-ranging conversation on growing up in a multi-generational real estate family, surviving 2008 and COVID as a developer, and why resilience—not timing—is the real competitive advantage in commercial real estate. Chris shares how his grandfather’s early build-to-suits for brands like Arby's shaped his long-term perspective, how a two-year mission trip to New Jersey forged the discipline that later powered his brokerage career, and why walking every fast-food bathroom in a market might be the best education a young broker can get. From flipping U-turns on property tours to sourcing transformers through WhatsApp during supply chain chaos, this episode is packed with hard-earned lessons from nearly 100 closed deals—and counting.

Key Takeaways:

• Resilience is built before you need it—early discipline compounds in business

• 2008 created fear; 2020–2023 created chaos—both shape smarter operators

• Development without stability in capital markets is a different sport

• Leasing and redevelopment are not the same as ground-up risk

• The best education in retail real estate comes from walking sites, not reading reports

• Mentorship shortens the learning curve—but only if you do the reps

• Stability—not politics—is what capital markets crave

Key Timestamps:

(00:00:00) – Growing Up in a Multi-Generational Real Estate Family

(00:02:30) – ADHD, Athletics, and the Competitive Edge

(00:06:55) – Two Years in New Jersey: Discipline and Drive

(00:12:00) – Why Brokerage Was the Starting Point

(00:18:00) – Pivoting During the 2008 Financial Crisis

(00:20:00) – First Acquisition and the Arby’s Deal

(00:23:30) – Launching Forza Development in 2020

(00:25:00) – COVID, Supply Chain Chaos, and Building Through Crisis

(00:33:00) – The Burrito That Became a Dutch Bros Deal

(00:36:30) – Advice for Young Brokers and Developers

Key Topics Discussed:

Commercial Real Estate Podcast, Private Equity Podcast, Franchising Podcast, Commercial Real Estate Investing, Real Estate Private Equity, Franchise Ownership, Real Estate Syndication, Capital Raising for Real Estate, Private Equity Fund Structure, Commercial Real Estate Development, Multifamily Investing, Alternative Investments, Breaking Into Commercial Real Estate, Private Equity Career Path, Franchise Growth Strategy, Investment Firm Leadership, Wealth Building Through Real Estate, Real Estate Asset Management, Institutional Real Estate Investing, CEO Interview Podcast, Limitless, Aaron Zucker, Retail Development, Net Lease Investing, Drive-Thru Real Estate, QSR Development, Build-to-Suit, Brokerage Mentorship, Multi-Generational Wealth, Commercial Real Estate Cycles, 2008 Financial Crisis, COVID Supply Chain, Ground-Up Development, Value-Add Retail, Mountain State Real Estate, Capital Markets Stability, Tenant Representation, Franchise Growth, Real Estate Resilience, Leadership Through Crisis, Developer Mindset, Market Cycles, Entrepreneurial Grit, Discipline and Performance, Commercial Property Management, Forza Commercial, Chris Hatch, Limitless Podcast, Aaron Zucker

Mentions:

Chris’s LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/chris-hatch-5b100711/

Mentions: The Dirt Dog Pod

More of Limitless:

Web: zuckerinvestmentgroup.com

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X: @ZIG_CRE

On this episode of the Limitless Podcast, Aaron Zucker sits down with serial entrepreneur Brandon Landry, the powerhouse behind Walk Ons and Smalls Sliders, for an inspiring and candid look at what it means to build iconic brands from the ground up. Hailing from a small farming town in South Louisiana, Brandon shares how lessons learned on the sugarcane fields (and at the bottom of the basketball team roster) shaped his resilient, underdog mindset.

From being cut as a high school freshman to walking on at LSU and eventually founding one of the nation’s fastest-growing restaurant chains, Brandon Landry reveals his journey of grit, humility, and relentless pursuit of excellence. In this episode, you’ll hear how early side hustles, family values, and a passion for teamwork set the foundation for Walk On’s unique culture, why failing in the kitchen taught him to embrace growth, and how he’s redefining the burger space with Smalls Sliders—backed by none other than Drew Brees.

Whether you’re an aspiring entrepreneur or looking to push past your own limits, this episode shines a light on the power of perseverance, building the right team, and staying true to your values as you chase greatness.

Get ready to hear the real story behind career growth, family business, and what it takes to succeed in investment banking and private equity. In this episode, Aaron Zucker sits down with Cole Strandberg to discuss lessons learned from his journey growing up in Boca Raton, joining and scaling his family business, and ultimately finding his path in the automotive industry.

Here’s what you’ll learn:

• Cole’s upbringing, family dynamics, and how his early environment shaped his career perspective
• The path from Ole Miss and UF to investment banking, including pivotal choices and academic turning points
• Joining the family business, its challenges, and navigating major growth and private equity partnership
• Key differences between family-owned and private equity-backed operations, plus core takeaways from M&A experiences
• Cole’s advice on career strategy, relationship-building, and the mindset that drives lasting business success

Want more? Don’t forget to like and subscribe to Limitless!

In this episode of Limitless, Aaron sits down with John Clancy, a multi-unit franchise operator whose journey from struggling student to franchising powerhouse is nothing short of extraordinary. Discover how John overcame personal and professional obstacles to build an empire in brands like Planet Fitness, Smoothie King, and Seven Brew Coffee. Tune in to hear an unfiltered, true story of resilience, reinvention, and operating at the highest level in franchising and real estate!

Get inspired by the incredible journey of Cassandra Hartford, founder and CEO of Reach, as she shares her rise from a challenging childhood to leading a successful real estate brokerage in Florida. Host Aaron Zucker dives deep into her story, revealing lessons learned, pivotal career moves, and what it takes to build and sustain success in commercial real estate.

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Discover the inspiring journey of David Shepherd, the driving force behind MyEyeDr’s explosive growth from 30 to over 900 locations. Host Aaron Zucker uncovers the strategies, mindset, and personal story that fueled David’s business achievements and quality of life.

08:52 Navigating Business Major Requirements

10:34 College Game Promoter Experience

20:07 Unplanned Interview Success in Charlotte

24:40 Investment Banking: Short-Term Career Norm

29:10 Investment Banking to Private Equity Transition

35:23 Gift Card Confusion at Mall

39:49 Career Dilemma: Business School or Not?

46:00 "Unsustainable Career Choices"

50:40 Optometrists' Common Business Challenge

57:11 Balancing Clinical Care and Retail

58:27 Balancing Medical Practice and Business

01:03:54 Successful Acquisition Strategy Explained

01:13:25 Balancing Wins and Well-Being

01:14:48 "Legacy, Exit, and Future Impac

Welcome to another inspiring episode of Limitless! In today's conversation, host Aaron Zucker sits down with Evan Mouhalis, a dynamic entrepreneur with a relentless drive and an impressive track record in the commercial real estate and franchising sectors. From his early days of building a lawn mowing business in Jacksonville, Florida with his brother, to navigating the complexities of high-stakes financial roles and ultimately establishing Mouhalis Capital Management, Evan's journey is a testament to hustle, resilience, and a keen sense of opportunity.

Together, Aaron and Evan delve into the challenges and triumphs that have defined Evan's path, offering listeners an inside look at the grit it takes to excel in competitive industries. Whether you're at the beginning of your career or looking for fresh insights to propel you forward, Evan's story is sure to provide motivation and valuable lessons on pushing boundaries and pursuing dreams. Enjoy the episode, and don't forget to leave your thoughts with us through a review!

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