What does it actually take to scale a business to $87 million? Host Stella Shalamova talks with Justin Freishtat, accomplished private equity investor and Managing Partner at Kerns Capital, about his transition from building retail companies to allocating capital at the highest levels. They discuss why he refuses to invest with difficult people, how he manages risk by holding heavy cash reserves, and the tough lessons learned from an Atlanta real estate deal that suffered massive losses.

🎧 Hosted by: Stella Shalamova

👤 Guest: 🏡 Justin Freishtat - Founder & President of Alpha Tactical Partners, Managing Partner at Kerns Capital Justin successfully scaled businesses leading to an $87 million acquisition. Today, he manages institutional capital, focusing on strategic sector rotation and helping companies grow through brand development.

💡 What You'll Learn:

✔️ The major breakpoints every founder faces when scaling a company

✔️ Why you must aggressively reinvest in marketing early on

✔️ The importance of vetting the people behind an investment first

✔️ Real-world lessons from losing capital on a multifamily real estate deal

✔️ Why capping investments at 10% of your net worth eliminates financial anxiety

✔️ Why your personal brand is the ultimate tool for long-term monetization

🎧 Listen now for actionable, real-world advice on private equity and wealth building.

💼 Connect with Justin Freishtat:

🌐 Website → https://atphedgefunds.com/

📘 Facebook → https://www.facebook.com/justin.freishtat.2025/

📸 Instagram → https://www.instagram.com/justinfreishtat/

🔗 LinkedIn → http://linkedin.com/in/justin-freishtat-68063579/

🎧 Follow Stella:

🌐 Website → https://eliterealtor.com/

📘 Facebook → https://www.facebook.com/stella.shalamova/

📸 Instagram → https://www.instagram.com/stella.topseller/

🔗 LinkedIn → https://www.linkedin.com/in/stellashalamova

#PrivateEquity #BusinessGrowth #RealEstateInvesting #Entrepreneurship #PersonalBranding #WealthBuilding #CapitalAllocation #StellaTopSellerPodcast

Are you leaving a massive down payment on the table by waiting 39 years for tax write-offs?

Buying commercial property is only half the battle; the real wealth is built in how you manage your tax liabilities. Many investors assume their CPAs are automatically applying the most aggressive tax strategies available, but when it comes to cost segregation, general practitioners rarely have the specialized engineering knowledge required. In this episode of Stella Top Seller, Tom Brodie demystifies cost segregation and explains why accelerating your property's depreciation is the ultimate cheat code for immediate cash flow. He breaks down the recent return of the 100% bonus depreciation rule, how to split your asset into faster-depreciating buckets, and why you can still claim these massive deductions even if you bought your property years ago.

🎧 Hosted by: Stella Shalamova

🎤 Featuring: Tom Brodie

Tom Brodie is a tax strategy specialist at Cost Segregation Services, Inc., specializing in engineering-based cost segregation and tax planning. He helps commercial building owners and businesses nationwide maximize cash flow and reduce tax liabilities through accelerated depreciation and specialized tax credits.

💡 What You’ll Learn in This Episode:

✔ Unlocking immediate cash flow by accelerating property depreciation write-offs.

✔ Navigating the reinstatement of the 100% bonus depreciation for commercial assets.

✔ Identifying non-structural building components to drastically reduce taxable income.

✔ Reinvesting six-figure tax savings into a 1031 exchange to scale your portfolio.

✔ Protecting yourself from IRS scrutiny by selecting an engineering-based cost segregation provider.

✔ Bridging the gap with your CPA to implement advanced tax strategies without friction.

🎧Connect with Tom:

🌐 Website → https://www.thefoundmoneyguy.com/

👻 Facebook → https://www.facebook.com/tom.brodie.798

📸 Instagram → https://www.instagram.com/thefoundmoneyguy

💼 LinkedIn → https://www.linkedin.com/in/thomas-brodie/

🎧 Follow Stella:

🌐 Website → https://eliterealtor.com/

👻 Facebook → https://www.facebook.com/stella.shalamova/

📸 Instagram → https://www.instagram.com/stella.topseller/

💼 LinkedIn → https://www.linkedin.com/in/stellashalamova

⭐ Produced by Icons of Real Estate - https://iconsofrealestate.com/

🔖 Don’t Forget to LIKE 👍, SUBSCRIBE 🔔 & COMMENT 💬 Below!

#StellaTopSeller #CostSegregation #CommercialRealEstate #TaxStrategy #BonusDepreciation #MultifamilyInvesting #TaxSavings #PropertyOwnership #RealEstateWealth #CashFlow #StellaShalamova #TomBrody

There is nothing sexy about self-storage. But those metal boxes print beautiful cashflow.

Host Stella Shalamova talks with Joe Downs, CEO of Belrose Storage Group, about why self-storage survived 2008, how to spot a mom-and-pop facility worth buying, and why the SBA loan makes it half the cost of multifamily to enter.

🎧 Hosted by: Stella Shalamova

🎤 Featuring: Joe Downs

Joe Downs is the Chief Executive Officer of Belrose Storage Group and host of the Storage Moguls podcast. He leads the sourcing and acquisition of self-storage facilities across the eastern United States.His background includes commercial real estate, distressed debt investing, and financial advising. He educates investors on self-storage acquisitions and passive income strategies.

💡 What You’ll Learn in This Episode:

• ✔ Why self-storage held up when every other commercial asset class crashed

• ✔ Reading a market fast using population, occupancy, and the 10x10 rule

• ✔ Buying below market from mom-and-pop owners who built the facility themselves

• ✔ Getting into a million-dollar deal for $200K using an SBA loan

• ✔ Cutting a 45-minute market study down to under a minute with AI

Chapters:

• (00:00:00) Intro

• (00:02:59) From Stepchild to Darling of CRE

• (00:04:03) Why Storage Is Recession Resistant

• (00:06:56) What Belrose Actually Does

• (00:11:18) The First Thing to Check Is the Market

• (00:12:50) Why Mom-and-Pops Are the Opportunity

• (00:17:15) The Real Value Add Is Management

• (00:20:57) The SBA Loan Advantage

• (00:22:32) $200K vs $400K: The Real Math

• (00:23:31) No Toilets, No 2 AM Calls

• (00:27:37) How AI Changed Acquisitions

• (00:30:39) AI-Written LOIs That Actually Land

• (00:33:51) How to Connect With Joe

Connect with Joe:

🌐 Storage Moguls → https://joedowns.ai/

🏢 Belrose Storage Group → https://storagemoguls.ai/

💼 LinkedIn → https://www.linkedin.com/in/joe-downs-7990851/

📸 Instagram → https://www.instagram.com/josephmdowns/

🎧 Follow Stella:

🎙 Podcast → https://hub.iconsofrealestate.com/podcasts/stella-top-seller

📘 Facebook → https://www.facebook.com/stella.shalamova/

📸 Instagram → https://www.instagram.com/stella.topseller/

💼 LinkedIn → https://www.linkedin.com/in/stellashalamova/

⭐ Produced by Icons of Real Estate - https://iconsofrealestate.com/

🔖 Don’t Forget to LIKE 👍, SUBSCRIBE 🔔 & COMMENT 💬 Below!

🚀 Financial strategist Curtis May shares why traditional financial planning often fails entrepreneurs and investors. Learn how to build wealth through cash flow, eliminate financial leaks, reduce taxes, protect assets, and create lasting financial freedom with practical strategies that put you in control of your money.

🎧 Hosted by: Stella Shalamova

👤 Guest:🏡 Curtis May – Financial Strategist & Founder of Practical Wealth

Curtis May is a financial strategist with over three decades of experience working with business owners, families, and investors. He specializes in tax reduction, debt elimination, and cash flow optimization for entrepreneurs and high-income earners. His practice is built on financial education and strategic planning, with a focus on delivering measurable results in the present rather than projections for the future.

💡 Key Topics Covered:

✔️ Cash flow vs. wealth accumulation

✔️ Building a financial GPS for your business

✔️ Protecting assets and reducing financial risk

✔️ Tax strategies and eliminating wealth transfers

✔️ How to achieve financial freedom through cash flow

🎵 Whether you're an investor, agent, or homebuyer, this episode offers valuable insights!

💼 Connect with Curtis May:

🌐 Website → https://www.practicalwealth.net/

📘 Facebook→ https://www.facebook.com/findoutmorenow

📸 Instagram → https://www.instagram.com/curtismay4766/

🔗 LinkedIn → https://www.linkedin.com/in/curtismay/

🎧 Follow Stella Shalamova:

🌐 Website → https://eliterealtor.com/

📘 Facebook → https://www.facebook.com/stella.shalamova/

📸 Instagram → https://www.instagram.com/stella.topseller/

🔗 LinkedIn → https://www.linkedin.com/in/stellashalamova

📌 Don’t Forget to LIKE 👍, SUBSCRIBE 🔔 & COMMENT 💬 Below!

⭐ Produced by Icons of Real Estate - https://iconsofrealestate.com/

🚀 In this episode, Stella sits down with securities attorney Jonathan Tavares to discuss the legal side of real estate syndication, SEC compliance, and raising capital the right way. Learn the biggest mistakes sponsors make, how to structure compliant investment offerings, and why having the right legal team can protect both investors and operators from costly mistakes.

🎧 Hosted by: Stella Shalamova

👤 Guest:

🏡 Jonathan Tavares – Managing Partner, Premier Law Group

Jonathan Tavares is the Managing Partner of Premier Law Group, specializing in real estate syndications, private equity fund structuring, and securities compliance. He advises commercial real estate operators and investors on the legal frameworks required for capital raising, GP/LP partnerships, and navigating SEC regulations.

💡 Key Topics Covered:

✔️ SEC regulations for real estate syndications

✔️ Capital raising best practices

✔️ Institutional vs. retail investment strategies

✔️ Building the right legal and tax team

✔️ Avoiding costly compliance mistakes

🎵 Whether you're an investor, agent, or homebuyer, this episode offers valuable insights!

💼 Connect with Jonathan Tavares:

🌐 Website → https://www.premierlawgroup.net/the-team

🔗 LinkedIn→ https://www.linkedin.com/in/jonathan-tavares-esq-6076a546/

🎧 Follow Stella Shalamova:

🌐 Website → https://eliterealtor.com/

👻 Facebook → https://www.facebook.com/stella.shalamova/

📸 Instagram → https://www.instagram.com/stella.topseller/

🔗 LinkedIn → https://www.linkedin.com/in/stellashalamova

📌 Don’t Forget to LIKE 👍, SUBSCRIBE 🔔 & COMMENT 💬 Below!

⭐ Produced by Icons of Real Estate - https://iconsofrealestate.com

🚀 In this insightful episode, host Stella sits down with Bobby Casey, entrepreneur, investor, and founder of Business Anywhere, to discuss asset protection, LLC structures, tax strategies, and the biggest mistakes real estate investors make. Bobby shares his entrepreneurial journey, lessons from surviving a life-changing motorcycle accident, and practical advice on protecting wealth, structuring real estate investments, and scaling a business globally. Whether you're a seasoned investor or just getting started, this episode is packed with actionable insights to help safeguard your assets and make smarter investment decisions.

🎧 Hosted by: Stella Shalamova

👤 Guest:🏡 Bobby Casey – Entrepreneur, Investor, Asset Protection & Tax Strategy Expert

Bobby Casey is an entrepreneur, investor, and founder of BusinessAnywhere, a platform that helps entrepreneurs form and manage U.S. companies remotely. He also serves as Managing Partner at Global Wealth Protection, focusing on asset protection, tax strategy, and global business structuring for entrepreneurs and investors.

💡 Key Topics Covered:

✔️ Building an entrepreneurial mindset and business success

✔️ Common real estate investing mistakes to avoid

✔️ The importance of cash flow and investment analysis

✔️ LLC structures, insurance, and asset protection planning

✔️ Strategies for scaling and preserving wealth

🎵 Whether you're an investor, agent, or homebuyer, this episode offers valuable insights!

💼 Connect with Bobby Casey:

🌐 Website → https://businessanywhere.io/

👻 Facebook → https://www.facebook.com/BusinessAnywhereLLC

📸 Instagram → https://www.instagram.com/businessanywhereio

🎧 Follow Stella Shalamova:

🌐 Website → https://eliterealtor.com/

👻 Facebook → https://www.facebook.com/stella.shalamova/

📸 Instagram → https://www.instagram.com/stella.topseller/

💼 LinkedIn → https://www.linkedin.com/in/stellashalamova

📌 Don’t Forget to LIKE 👍, SUBSCRIBE 🔔 & COMMENT 💬 Below!

⭐ Produced by Icons of Real Estate - https://iconsofrealestate.com/

🚀 In this inspiring episode of the Stellar Top Seller Podcast, Stella sits down with legendary commercial real estate broker Bob Knakal, Chairman and CEO of BK Real Estate Advisors and co-founder of Massey Knakal Realty Services. Bob shares how he revolutionized New York City's brokerage industry with the territory system, the power of market expertise, the role of discipline in long-term success, and the strategies that helped scale one of the most respected brokerage firms in the country. He also discusses leadership, mentorship, AI in real estate, and how professionals can build a lasting legacy.

🎧 Hosted by: Stella Shalamova

👤 Guest:🏡 Bob Knakal – Chairman & CEO, BK Real Estate Advisors

Bob Knakal is the Chairman and CEO of BK Real Estate Advisors. A prolific New York City investment broker, he cofounded Massey Knakal Realty Services and pioneered the Territory System before selling the firm to Cushman and Wakefield. He also created the Knakal Map Room by personally documenting Manhattan properties.

💡 Key Topics Covered:

✔️ The origin and success of the territory brokerage model

✔️ How expertise creates value for clients

✔️ The role of discipline and habits in long-term success

✔️ Strategies for maximizing property value

✔️ Exclusive listings versus off-market sales

✔️ Scaling a brokerage business effectively

✔️ AI's impact on commercial real estate

✔️ Building a legacy through mentorship and leadership

🎵 Whether you're an investor, agent, or homebuyer, this episode offers valuable insights!

💼 Connect with Bob Knakal:

🌐 Website → http://bkrea.com/

📸 Instagram → https://www.instagram.com/bobknakalnyc/

🔗 LinkedIn → http://linkedin.com/in/bobknakal

🎧 Follow Stella Shalamova:

🌐 Website → https://eliterealtor.com/

👻 Facebook → https://www.facebook.com/stella.shalamova/

📸 Instagram → https://www.instagram.com/stella.topseller/

🔗 LinkedIn → https://www.linkedin.com/in/stellashalamova

📌 Don’t Forget to LIKE 👍, SUBSCRIBE 🔔 & COMMENT 💬 Below!

⭐ Produced by Icons of Real Estate - https://iconsofrealestate.com/

🚀 In this powerful episode, Stella Shalamova sits down with Raja Maan, Founder & President of ACOM Capital, to uncover the behind-the-scenes world of commercial lending. Raja shares his 18+ years of experience in residential and commercial financing, explains how lenders evaluate deals, breaks down DSCR ratios, and reveals which asset classes lenders favor most. He also introduces his revolutionary Commercial Lending Mastery software designed to save brokers 87% of their time through automation and streamlined lending workflows.

🎧 Hosted by: Stella Shalamova

👤 Guest:🏡 Raja Maan – Founder & President of ACOM Capital

Raja Maan is the Founder and President of ACOM Capital, a commercial lending firm in Newport Beach, California. With over 17 years of experience, Raja provides strategic financing solutions for multifamily, hospitality, and commercial developments. He’s also a passionate mentor helping brokers and entrepreneurs succeed in lending.

💡 Key Topics Covered:

✔️ Commercial lending fundamentals explained

✔️ DSCR ratios and multifamily financing strategies

✔️ Best commercial property types for investors

✔️ Why lenders favor multifamily over hotels and retail

✔️ How lending automation is changing the industry

🎵 Whether you're an investor, agent, or homebuyer, this episode offers valuable insights!

💼 Connect with Raja Maan:

🌐 Website → https://free.commerciallendingmastery.com/

🔗 LinkedIn → https://linkedin.com/in/rajamaan

🎧 Follow Stella Shalamova:

🌐 Website → https://eliterealtor.com/

👻 Facebook → https://www.facebook.com/stella.shalamova/

📸 Instagram → https://www.instagram.com/stella.topseller/

🔗 LinkedIn → https://www.linkedin.com/in/stellashalamova
📌 Don’t Forget to LIKE 👍, SUBSCRIBE 🔔 & COMMENT 💬 Below!

⭐ Produced by Icons of Real Estate - https://iconsofrealestate.com/