What happens when a banker’s son builds a venture firm in a place most investors overlook? Brad Zapp, Cp-Founder, President and Head of Strategy & Marketing at Connetic Ventures, shares how rejection fueled his pivot into early-stage investing, eventually leading to Wendal, an AI-powered associate that reviews founders 24/7. With this remarkably innovative tool, Brad is reimagining who gets funded and who gets to invest. This episode unpacks how AI, behavioral science, and fund structure innovation are opening venture capital to a much broader audience.

Key takeaways:

• AI can scale deal sourcing and diligence, even from outside traditional VC hubs.
• Psychometric screening helps identify unconventional but high-potential founders.
• Interval funds are breaking down access barriers for everyday investors.

Connect with us below!

• Brad Zapp on LinkedIn
• Connetic Ventures
• Brittany Mason on LinkedIn
• Banríon Capital Management

Greg Friedman has a financial journey that starts in his early childhood, investing his birthday money, and has brought him to launching Peachtree Group in 2007. In this episode, he explains what he calls the Mispriced Risk Business and how he’s overseen $11 billion in real estate investments.

Key takeaways:

• Greg’s first memories and how they shaped his entrepreneurial mindset.
• The difference between happiness and fulfillment.
• Mispriced risk and how to make money out of it.
• The importance of relationships for any business.

Connect with us below!

• Greg Friedman on LinkedIn
• Peachtree Group
• Brittany Mason on LinkedIn
• Banríon Capital Management

What do elite school districts have to do with resilient real estate investing? In this episode, Sean O’Dowd, Managing Partner of Scholastic Capital, shares how his “Scholastic Thesis” turns high-demand education zones into a powerful, defensive investment strategy. With multi-year leases, strict buy-box criteria, and a data-driven mindset, his approach offers stability in uncertain markets. He also unpacks the growing insurance crisis in states like Florida and why it may reshape U.S. real estate for years to come.

Key takeaways:

• Multi-year leases in elite school districts create predictable income and economic stability.
• A disciplined 17-point property selection process limits risk and maximizes tenant satisfaction.
• Skyrocketing insurance costs may spark major demographic shifts in the U.S. real estate market.

Connect with us below!

• Sean O’Dowd on LinkedIn
• Scholastic Capital
• Brittany Mason on LinkedIn
• Banríon Capital Management