Join us for the wild ride of how an employee looking for a new opportunity, turned entrepreneur and became the owner and president of an NBA G League team the Grand Rapids Gold.

Steve Jbara is an entrepreneur and the owner and president of the Grand Rapids Gold, the NBA G League affiliate of the Denver Nuggets. After starting his career in the automotive industry, Jbara took an unconventional leap into professional sports, purchasing a G League franchise in 2013 and bringing it to Grand Rapids. Under his leadership, the organization has become one of the league’s top-performing franchises, culminating in being named the 2025–26 NBA G League Franchise of the Year, while Jbara became the first executive in league history to win Executive of the Year three consecutive years. Beyond basketball, Jbara is an entrepreneur and investor with interests spanning advertising, technology, finance and other ventures.

From where Grand Rapids was to where it’s going this episode dives into the evolution of the city through one of its most influential developers.

Sam Cummings has spent nearly three decades preserving Grand Rapids’ history while reshaping its future. Often referred to as the city’s leading champion of urban real estate, Sam has revitalized some of the community’s most iconic and long-neglected buildings including pioneering the city’s first office-to-multifamily conversion.

With a deep passion for history, art, and architecture, Sam approaches development as more than business it’s stewardship. He continues driving new vision, vibrancy, and vitality into the urban core.

This conversation explores legacy, risk, long-term conviction, and what it truly takes to “turn into the torpedo” when betting on a city’s future.

In this episode, we sit down with the one and only Shari Feldman, celebrating 20 years as Executive Director of Commercial Alliance of Realtors West Michigan (CARWM). Shari shares her journey, her leadership philosophy, and how CARWM has evolved into one of the most influential commercial real estate organizations in the country. We dive into market trends, the power of collaboration, and what’s next for brokers, developers, and the West Michigan CRE community. Insightful, candid, and full of perspective—this is a must-listen conversation with a true industry leader.