033. Adaptive Reuse and Renovations with Mike Sowers

Adaptive Reuse and Renovations with Mike Sowers

Mikes mission is to humbly and gratefully find pathways to creatively unlock potential in people, places, and ideas. He is the Founder and CEO of Commercial Investors Group whose core business is repositioning commercial real estate assets in the Midwest. Mike is the author of the book "Commercial Real Estate Investing: A Step-By-Step Guide To Finding & Funding Your First Deal" being released Q2 2021. Mike heads the commercial investing mastery program where he coaches implementers of his 7 step system across the country. This proven system helps investors transition from residential investing to commercial and structure real estate partnerships using equity partners. Mike hosts the "CREative Commercial Real Estate" Podcast and the "This Old Building" TV Show. He is also an acclaimed keynote speaker. His passions outside of work are traveling the world with his wife Lisa and children Andi and Brody, playing guitar at Creative Church, volleyball, kiteboarding, snowmobiling, boating, and writing.

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345. Commercial Real Estate Isn’t Just for Millionaires
345. Commercial Real Estate Isn’t Just for Millionaires

Commercial real estate isn’t just for millionaires — it’s for anyone who learns how to structure a deal the right way. In this video, I’ll show you proof. You’ll see how my business partner Jacob and I bought a failing self-storage facility in Nashville without millions in the bank — and turned it around in just 90 days. This wasn’t some big private-equity play or luxury development. It was a small, broken deal that became a massive opportunity because we knew how to stack capital, build partnerships, and fix operations instead of overbuilding. If you’ve ever thought you need to be rich to get into commercial real estate, this video will change your mind.

344. Navigating Real Estate Partnerships | Office Hours
344. Navigating Real Estate Partnerships | Office Hours

Partnerships can be the fastest way to scale your commercial real estate portfolio — or the fastest way to blow it up.

In this episode, we dive deep into how to structure real estate partnerships the right way so you protect your capital, avoid deadlocks, and set yourself up for long-term success. I’ll share real-world examples from my own deals, lessons learned from past mistakes, and how to keep your business relationships from turning into lawsuits.

343. Let's Review a Couple Value-Add Commercial Deals | Office Hours
343. Let's Review a Couple Value-Add Commercial Deals | Office Hours

Value-add commercial real estate is where true wealth is built — but only if you know how to underwrite it correctly.

In this episode, I review real-world commercial deals sent in by investors and break down how to evaluate them, uncover hidden upside, and avoid expensive mistakes. From outdated retail centers to underperforming office buildings, we’ll walk through how to identify opportunities, analyze risk, and structure deals that actually cash flow.

342. The 3 Most Dangerous Mistakes in Commercial Real Estate
342. The 3 Most Dangerous Mistakes in Commercial Real Estate

Most beginners lose thousands on their first commercial real estate deal — and it happens faster than you think. But here’s the truth: it’s not because they’re inexperienced or reckless. It’s because there are hidden traps in commercial real estate that no one talks about… until it’s too late.

341. How Do You Handle Vacant Big Box Suites? | Office Hours
341. How Do You Handle Vacant Big Box Suites? | Office Hours

After taking the summer to recharge, Office Hours is back—and we’re diving straight into one of the biggest opportunities in commercial real estate: vacant big box suites.

If you’ve ever driven past a shuttered anchor tenant and wondered what’s next for that space, this episode breaks it down. Tyler walks through the anatomy of a 30,000-square-foot former Big Lots—what to look for, how to evaluate build-out costs, and the smartest ways to reimagine these oversized vacancies.

340. This 34-Year Old Built $500M of Real Estate - Here's How
340. This 34-Year Old Built $500M of Real Estate - Here's How

Most people think real estate is all about luxury condos and chasing the biggest margins. But what if you could build a portfolio that actually makes a difference—while still making a solid return?

In this episode, I sit down with Evan Holladay, founder of Holladay Ventures, who has already developed over $500 million in affordable and workforce housing across the Southeast. His mission? To create 100,000+ units of housing that teachers, nurses, and service workers can actually afford.

339. Best Commercial Properties for First-Time Investors
339. Best Commercial Properties for First-Time Investors

Not all commercial properties are created equal — especially for beginners. Your first deal doesn’t have to be flashy to be profitable. What it does need is simplicity, stability, and a path to scale.

338. The Secret to Buying Commercial Real Estate WITHOUT Cash
338. The Secret to Buying Commercial Real Estate WITHOUT Cash

Most people think you need hundreds of thousands of dollars to get into commercial real estate.

The truth? You don’t.

In this video, I break down exactly how I got into one of my first commercial buildings in East Nashville with zero cash out of pocket. The property was 40% vacant, losing money, and overlooked by most investors. I stepped in with no capital—just leasing expertise, property management systems, and a plan to add value. Within two years, we stabilized the property to nearly 100% occupancy, more than doubled the building’s value, and I walked away with equity… without writing a single check.

337. We Launched an App for Commercial Real Estate Investors! (Office Hours)
337. We Launched an App for Commercial Real Estate Investors! (Office Hours)

Not all real estate tools are built with investors in mind. That’s why we built our own.

In this episode, I’m pulling back the curtain on the brand-new CRE Central App—our all-in-one platform for commercial real estate education, mastermind coaching, and deal analysis.

Here’s what you’ll find inside:

  • Access to our mastermind coaching and courses

  • AI-powered deal analysis trained on 50+ live underwriting sessions

  • Community, events, and challenges like “30 Deals in 30 Days”

  • The roadmap to the first trade school for commercial real estate

If you’ve been piecing together strategies from scattered sources, this episode will show you what’s next: a centralized hub built for commercial real estate investors, by investors.

336. The WORST Stadium Deal in U.S. HISTORY (And What Investors Can Learn)
336. The WORST Stadium Deal in U.S. HISTORY (And What Investors Can Learn)

What happens when flashy design, political ambition, and bad math collide? In 2012, Miami unveiled one of the most futuristic stadiums in Major League Baseball — but behind the glass and concrete sat a deal that saddled taxpayers with billions in long-term debt while the team’s owner walked away with hundreds of millions in profit.