Operational Excellence, Blue Ocean Strategy, and Vertical Integration ft. Nick Stageberg

On this episode of Best Ever CRE, Joe Cornwell interviews Nick Stageberg, owner of Black Swan Real Estate. Nick shares how 2024 marked their best acquisition year ever, with 2025 already on pace to surpass it, thanks to a focus on fixed-rate debt and operational excellence. He dives deep into their vertically integrated model, drawing on lessons from software development and Japanese lean manufacturing to run a highly efficient, team-based property management system. Nick also shares a tough lesson from a permitting nightmare in Tacoma and a recent big win on a 112-unit deal in Minnesota secured through creative financing and mission-aligned operations. Nick Stageberg Current role: Owner of Black Swan Real Estate Say hi to them at: blackswanteam.com – book 15 min with Nick securefreedomfund.com – learn about their preferred equity fund Get a 4-week trial, free postage, and a digital scale at ⁠https://www.stamps.com/cre⁠. Thanks to Stamps.com for sponsoring the show! Post your job for free at https://www.linkedin.com/BRE. Terms and conditions apply. Join the Best Ever Community  The Best Ever Community is live and growing - and we want serious commercial real estate investors like you inside. It’s free to join, but you must apply and meet the criteria.  Connect with top operators, LPs, GPs, and more, get real insights, and be part of a curated network built to help you grow. Apply now at ⁠www.bestevercommunity.com⁠ Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices