William Walker, a Nashville-based real estate developer, licensed general contractor, and CPA, shares how he went from underwriting large multifamily transactions at Ernst and Young to acquiring more than 1,500 apartment units, exiting that portfolio, and now developing a luxury wellness condo project on Music Row. The conversation covers faith in the workplace, leadership in a fast-growing real estate business, and what it looks like to make decisions with both conviction and discipline.We discuss how William built his career by combining technical analysis, deal-making instincts, and a willingness to take massive action. He also shares how Scripture, prayer, and intentional leadership shape the way he works and what he wants his life and business to stand for.

Key topics

• William’s path from CPA to developer
  • He started at Ernst and Young in transaction real estate, where he learned underwriting, diligence, valuation, and deal analysis by working on large commercial real estate transactions.
• How the SMR project was conceived
  • William explains that SMR is an 18-unit luxury wellness condo in Nashville designed around convenience, privacy, and longevity-focused living.
• Faith as a foundation, not a slogan
  • William says faith has always been a North Star and moral compass, even when he has not always lived it perfectly.
• Putting Scripture into the foundation of a building
  • He shares how he had four Scriptures engraved on steel plates and poured into the concrete corners of a development’s foundation.
• Practical ways he lives out faith at work
  • He had a pastor pray over a groundbreaking ceremony.
• Leadership during rapid portfolio growth
  • William reflects on acquiring 13 assets and more than 1,500 units in a little over 16 months.
• Why he sold the apartment portfolio in 2021
  • He expected to buy and hold forever, but investor expectations, strong offers, and signs of market overheating changed the calculus

Connect with William

Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/in/williamwalker1/

Website: https://www.walkstarco.com/