In this episode, the focus turns to the most overlooked but decisive stage of real estate development: approvals. Miriam Weinstein, a highly regarded real estate attorney with over 25 years of experience, breaks down how projects actually move from concept to reality. Drawing on her time in private practice and her service on the Lakewood Township zoning board, Miriam explains how municipalities think, how boards make decisions, and where deals most often succeed or fail before construction ever begins. The conversation pulls back the curtain on the legal strategy, preparation, and judgment required to navigate zoning, land use, and planning approvals across Lakewood and surrounding townships, offering a clear look at the behind-the-scenes work that determines whether a development gets built or never leaves the drawing board.

In this episode, we sit down with Eli Hazan, Director and Head of SBA and Business Lending at Cross River Bank, to break down how SBA lending actually works. Eli explains the structure behind SBA-backed loans, what it means when bank financing is guaranteed by the SBA, and the key differences between the two main programs lenders use: SBA 7(a) and SBA 504. The conversation focuses on how these programs function in practice and how businesses can use them as tools for growth, expansion, and long-term stability.

Shaindy Shur is a real estate developer whose work helped shape the modern office landscape in Lakewood. Long before Class A office space became the standard, she recognized the need for higher-quality, thoughtfully designed commercial buildings and moved forward when the market had not yet caught up. Her projects, including 36 Airport Road, 1700 Avenue of the States, and 1776 Avenue of the States, known as Liberty Plaza, reflect an early vision for professional, polished office environments that are now widely expected. Working in a field where women are still underrepresented, she built these developments through long-term planning, persistence, and a clear sense of what Lakewood’s business community would eventually need.