Most commercial real estate professionals think deals happen through cold outreach or luck.
In reality, the largest deal pipelines are built through deliberate relationship systems, curated mastermind networks, and distribution engines that accelerate opportunities before they ever hit the market.
In this episode, Rick Lackey reveals how curated CRE networks have helped accelerate more than $10B in transactions, how operators can stay “three calls away” from any global resource, and why relationship infrastructure is one of the most underrated competitive advantages in commercial real estate today.
Episode DescriptionWhat actually drives deal flow in commercial real estate?
Not just contacts. Not just capital. Structured relationship systems.
In this episode of The AI Edge Podcast, Louis Fernandes sits down with Rick Lackey, commercial real estate broker, entrepreneur, and founder of CRE Network USA and Real Professionals Network, to break down how curated mastermind groups, distribution platforms, and disciplined relationship management can accelerate deals, capital connections, and operator growth.
Rick shares the playbook behind deliberate networking, how curated CRE communities generate real transactions, why most operators misunderstand capital relationships, and how AI-driven distribution is beginning to reshape how CRE professionals nurture relationships at scale.
If you are a CRE operator, GP, LP, broker, investor, or capital partner, this episode provides a practical blueprint for building relationship leverage, referral pipelines, and long-term deal velocity.
About the GuestRick Lackey is a commercial real estate broker, entrepreneur, and founder of Real Professionals Network and CRE Network USA, relationship-driven platforms designed to accelerate deal flow through curated mastermind communities and strategic industry connections.
Over his career, Rick has led national brokerage teams, worked on large-scale tenant representation assignments, and built networking systems that have contributed to the acceleration of billions of dollars in commercial real estate transactions.
His work focuses on helping CRE operators, investors, and professionals build meaningful connections that convert into real opportunities.
If you are building deals, raising capital, or scaling your CRE platform, subscribe to The AI Edge Podcast for weekly conversations with operators and innovators shaping the future of commercial real estate and AI-driven systems.