Real estate isn’t just about properties and profits. It’s also about the communities shaped by every investment.

In this episode of Zen and the Art of Real Estate Investing, Jonathan welcomes seasoned investor, broker, and entrepreneur Joe Killinger. With more than 30 years of experience spanning auctions, multifamily, single-tenant net leases, and commercial brokerage, Joe shares how his career progressed from cold calling foreclosure properties to developing programs that revitalized neighborhoods.

Joe reflects on his early lessons from the auction world, the value of boots-on-the-ground research, and how thorough due diligence separates winning deals from costly mistakes. He also highlights an innovative program that placed teachers in apartment buildings, providing kids with tutoring while improving retention and reducing property damage. Today, he continues to shape communities through Commercial Brokers International and Icon Capital Advisors while raising a fund dedicated to single-tenant net lease investments.

For investors at every level, Joe’s journey shows how financial success and community impact can grow together.

In this episode, you will hear:

• Starting small and learning from each investment, even the tough ones

• Building local knowledge and getting boots on the ground for long-term success

• Using mentorship and consistent education to scale a business

• Creating community-focused programs that strengthen tenant relationships

• Lessons from multifamily operations that led to a passion for triple-net leases

• Combining digital marketing with relationship-building in commercial real estate

• Choosing the right brokerage through training, mentoring, and due diligence

Follow and Review:

We’d love for you to follow us if you haven’t yet. Click that purple '+' in the top right corner of your Apple Podcasts app. We’d love it even more if you could drop a review or 5-star rating over on Apple Podcasts. Simply select “Ratings and Reviews” and “Write a Review” then a quick line with your favorite part of the episode. It only takes a second and it helps spread the word about the podcast.

Supporting Resources:

Joe Killinger’s website - www.joekillinger.co

Joe’s YouTube channel - www.youtube.com/@JoeKillinger

Find Joe on Facebook - www.facebook.com/JoeKillinger1

Joe’s Instagram - www.instagram.com/joekillinger

Connect with Joe on LinkedIn - www.linkedin.com/in/joe-killingerrealestate

Joe Killinger on X - x.com/JoeKillinger

Joe on TikTok - www.tiktok.com/@joekillinger

Website - www.streamlined.properties

YouTube - www.youtube.com/c/JonathanGreeneRE/videos

Instagram - www.instagram.com/trustgreene

Instagram - www.instagram.com/streamlinedproperties

TikTok - www.tiktok.com/@trustgreene

Zillow - www.zillow.com/profile/StreamlinedReal

Bigger Pockets - www.biggerpockets.com/users/TrustGreene

Facebook - www.facebook.com/streamlinedproperties

Email - info@streamlined.properties

Episode Credits

If you like this podcast and are thinking of creating your own, consider talking to my producer, Emerald City Productions. They helped me grow and produce the podcast you are listening to right now. Find out more at https://emeraldcitypro.com Let them know we sent you.

In this episode of Zen and the Art of Real Estate Investing, Jonathan welcomes Blake Rodgers, co-founder and principal at Steel Peak. Blake specializes in industrial outdoor storage (IOS). This niche asset class includes contractor yards, equipment rental facilities, and bulk material sites across the Western U.S. He shares how his early experiences in real estate shaped his career, why IOS presents such a compelling opportunity, and how his firm is building a portfolio designed for long-term value.

Blake’s journey from college football player to commercial broker and eventually principal investor highlights the power of mentorship, networking, and staying focused on a specific buy box. He explains how Steel Peak sources deals, why mom-and-pop owners often present the best opportunities, and how value is created through repositioning and leasing to long-term, sticky tenants. Jonathan and Blake also discuss the importance of partnerships, capital strategies, and building credibility with brokers in a specialized market.

If you’ve ever wondered about the potential of IOS properties or how niching down can accelerate growth, this conversation will give you a look at a less familiar but highly scalable investment path.

In this episode, you will hear:

• Blake’s journey from college athlete to co-founding Steel Peak

• The influence of real estate clubs and internships on his career path

• Distinctions between industrial outdoor storage and traditional industrial assets

• Opportunities created by mom-and-pop ownership in this niche space

• Building teams and partnerships to support long-term growth

• Repositioning underutilized properties for national tenants

• Tenant demand driven by construction, transportation, and utility sectors

• Shifts from syndications to institutional capital as Steel Peak scales

• The credibility that comes with niching down in a specialized market

• Long-term value creation as the guiding principle for Steel Peak’s portfolio

Follow and Review:

We’d love for you to follow us if you haven’t yet. Click that purple '+' in the top right corner of your Apple Podcasts app. We’d love it even more if you could drop a review or 5-star rating over on Apple Podcasts. Simply select “Ratings and Reviews” and “Write a Review” then a quick line with your favorite part of the episode. It only takes a second and it helps spread the word about the podcast.

Supporting Resources:

Steel Peak Properties website - steelpeakproperties.com

Blake Rodgers on Instagram - www.instagram.com/blakerodgers

Connect with Blake on LinkedIn - www.linkedin.com/in/blakerodgers

Website - www.streamlined.properties

YouTube - www.youtube.com/c/JonathanGreeneRE/videos

Instagram - www.instagram.com/trustgreene

Instagram - www.instagram.com/streamlinedproperties

TikTok - www.tiktok.com/@trustgreene

Zillow - www.zillow.com/profile/StreamlinedReal

Bigger Pockets - www.biggerpockets.com/users/TrustGreene

Facebook - www.facebook.com/streamlinedproperties

Email - info@streamlined.properties

Episode Credits

If you like this podcast and are thinking of creating your own, consider talking to my producer, Emerald City Productions. They helped me grow and produce the podcast you are listening to right now. Find out more at https://emeraldcitypro.com Let them know we sent you.

In this episode of Zen and the Art of Real Estate Investing, Jonathan welcomes Bree Hartman, a former gym owner turned commercial real estate investor and the founder of Self Storage School. Bree shares how she shifted from running gyms to building a portfolio of self-storage facilities, and how this asset class can create time freedom, financial independence, and long-term cash flow.

She explains why self-storage is recession-resilient, how to find deals through simple tools like Google Maps, and why automation is transforming the way these facilities operate. Bree also breaks down how seller financing can make acquisitions more accessible, especially with mom-and-pop owners who represent a large share of the industry. From her first $3.1 million deal bought while pregnant to the systems she now teaches her students, Bree shows why self-storage can be an attractive path for investors seeking fewer headaches than traditional residential rentals.

Whether you’re an active investor, someone burned out on residential rentals, or just curious about alternative commercial assets, this episode offers a blueprint for building cash-flowing self-storage businesses.

In this episode, you will hear:

• Bree Hartman’s journey from gym ownership to commercial real estate

• Lessons she took from residential rentals before shifting to self-storage

• Advantages of investing in recession-resistant storage facilities

• How underperforming mom-and-pop operators create opportunities

• Using Google Maps to uncover overlooked markets and deals

• Seller financing strategies that benefit both buyers and sellers

• The role of automation in boosting efficiency and NOI

• How Self Storage School equips investors to close their first facility

Follow and Review:

We’d love for you to follow us if you haven’t yet. Click that purple '+' in the top right corner of your Apple Podcasts app. We’d love it even more if you could drop a review or 5-star rating over on Apple Podcasts. Simply select “Ratings and Reviews” and “Write a Review” then a quick line with your favorite part of the episode. It only takes a second and it helps spread the word about the podcast.

Supporting Resources:

Self Storage School website - www.selfstorageschool.com

Bree Hartman’s YouTube channel - www.youtube.com/@Bree.TheInvestor

Find Self Storage School on Facebook - www.facebook.com/profile.php?id=61561220469166

Bree’s Instagram - www.instagram.com/bree.theinvestor

Connect with Bree on LinkedIn - www.linkedin.com/in/breannadupliseahartman

Website - www.streamlined.properties

YouTube - www.youtube.com/c/JonathanGreeneRE/videos

Instagram - www.instagram.com/trustgreene

Instagram - www.instagram.com/streamlinedproperties

TikTok - www.tiktok.com/@trustgreene

Zillow - www.zillow.com/profile/StreamlinedReal

Bigger Pockets - www.biggerpockets.com/users/TrustGreene

Facebook - www.facebook.com/streamlinedproperties

Email - info@streamlined.properties

Episode Credits

If you like this podcast and are thinking of creating your own, consider talking to my producer, Emerald City Productions. They helped me grow and produce the podcast you are listening to right now. Find out more at https://emeraldcitypro.com Let them know we sent you.