From the Waldorf Astoria to New Heights: Ray Gu on Visionary Development.

As the Waldorf returns to the market, Dorian Lam speaks with Ray Gu about what it truly took to execute the landmark redevelopment. They discuss long term execution, navigating economic cycles, capital discipline, and how those lessons now shape Ray’s new development platform focused on conversions and strategic opportunities.

In this episode, Dorian Lam and Ed Lombardo examine how Local Law 97 is already affecting underwriting, valuation, and refinancing decisions across NYC real estate. Through real-world examples, they explain why treating Local Law 97 as a future issue creates present-day execution risk and how operators should be adjusting their deal assumptions now.

Storytelling is not optional when it comes to exits. It is foundational.

In this episode of Start With the Close in Mind, Dorian Lam sits down with Josh Wilson, founder of Smoothstone Capital, to break down how narrative, credibility, and media influence deal making long before a transaction closes.

Josh shares lessons from over 2,000 interviews and years in media, real estate, and investment banking, explaining why founders who ignore their story often lose leverage when it matters most.

This episode is about clarity, preparation, and understanding that perception, trust, and positioning all impact outcomes in capital markets.

Episode 12 | How NYC’s Smartest Brokers Win Deals Before They Even Hit the Market

Dorian sits down with Shimon Shkury of Ariel Property Advisors to discuss NYC commercial real estate - from capital markets to multifamily to the mindset needed to win long before the deal hits the table.

Perfect listen for:

1. Real estate pros who want insight into NYC’s evolving CRE landscape

2. Operators looking to improve deal preparation and optionality

3. Anyone building systems to scale their advisory or brokerage practice

🎙️ Full episode now streaming.

Insurance isn’t just a formality and waiting until the last minute can kill your deal.

Dorian Lam sits down with Alex Jelenevsky, President of Navigator Risk Management, to discuss how early-stage risk planning can prevent massive closing-day headaches.

Learn what truly sets an insurance advisor apart from a broker, how to reduce premiums without cutting corners, and why each insurance policy should be treated like a custom contract.

If you’re closing deals, raising capital, or managing real estate assets this episode is for you.

The work doesn’t start at the table it starts two years out.

In this episode, Tej Brahmbhatt of Watchtower Capital breaks down what it actually takes to build a sellable company and how preparation, clarity, and strategic positioning create great exits.

Dorian and Tej unpack:

1. How early prep can add millions to your exit

2. The real math behind deal structures and multiples

3. Why culture, IP, and presentation often outweigh the financials

4. How most founders get it wrong and what to do instead

Start with the close in mind. This episode will show you how.

#StartWithTheCloseInMind #DefenderOfTheDeal #ExitPlanning #PrivateEquity #ScalingWithPurpose

In this episode of Start With the Close in Mind, I speak with Emily Zhu, VP at the United States Immigration Fund (USIF), about what developers and investors must understand before raising EB-5 capital.
We unpack:
What makes EB-5 a smart but complex capital source
Why timeline alignment is critical for success
How recent shifts have changed EB-5’s role in the capital stack
What developers and investors need to know about cost, structure, and compliance

If you’re exploring EB-5 either to fund your project or secure U.S. residency, this episode gives you the edge.

In this episode, serial entrepreneur Jarrod Guy Randolph reveals the framework that helped him:
Climb out of $1.8M in debt
Build 7+ figure businesses across multiple industries
Activate over $300M in capital through relationships not cold leads
Jarrod breaks down his Buying F.AV.O.R. system: a 4-part method for leveraging the relationships you already have to accelerate your business growth. If you’re still trying to sell strangers before activating your warm network, this episode will change how you build your business.
Hosted by Dorian Lam, Managing Principal at Cornerstone Land Abstract
No fluff. Just real strategy.