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Emotional openness in Entrepreneurship with Fort Capital’s Founder: Chris Powers

Episode 24

One of Fort Capital’s core values is resilience, something its founder Chris Powers knows well. In this episode, Chris joins Kyle to talk about his personal and professional journeys, from navigating the loss of his father and wrestling with society’s expectations about men’s emotions to key career moments and the decision to focus on Class B industrial real estate. Chris emphasizes the importance of mental health, his challenges in real estate entrepreneurship, and the power of self-awareness. These things, Chris shares, helped him transition from a hands-on CEO to chairman of his multibillion-dollar real estate investment firm, Fort Capital. Highlights include Chris’ definition of success, the value of emotional vulnerability, and building relationships to grow personally and professionally.




Show Notes

00:00 – Introduction

01:04 – Fort Capital's Success

02:03 – The Realities of Property Management

07:45 – Powers' Background and Influences

12:21 – Parenting Philosophy

25:27 – Powers' Early Life and College Years

28:46 – Starting a Real Estate Empire

31:35 – Nostalgia and Risk-Taking in Youth

31:51 – The Early Days of Real Estate Ventures

33:19 – Navigating the 2008 Financial Crisis

36:32 – The Unique Path of an Entrepreneur

41:06 – Personal Growth and Family Legacy

49:57 – Dealing with Loss and Moving Forward

01:05:15 – The Shift to Class B Industrial Real Estate

01:10:42 – Transitioning from CEO to Chairman

01:17:11 – The Power of Podcasting

01:20:53 – The Essence of Persistence

01:36:28 – Future Aspirations and Embracing Change


This show is brought to you by Matthews Real Estate Investment Services. Thank you for listening. If you have any comments, questions, or concerns, please contact podcast@matthews.com

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