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The Distribution by Juniper Square

The Distribution by Juniper Square

By: Juniper Square
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 The Distribution by Juniper Square sits you down with industry experts, thought leaders, and some of the biggest names in commercial real estate, venture capital, and private equity, for open and honest conversations about what’s happening in the private markets.Copyright 2025 Economics Personal Finance
Episodes
  • Operational Alpha in Multifamily: How Vertical Integration Drives Real Performance - Steven DeFrancis - Founder & CEO of Cortland

    Operational Alpha in Multifamily: How Vertical Integration Drives Real Performance - Steven DeFrancis - Founder & CEO of Cortland
    Feb 20 2026
    In this episode of The Distribution, Brandon Sedloff sits down with Steven DeFrancis, Founder and CEO of Cortland, to unpack how multifamily evolved from a commodity product into a true consumer service business. Steven shares the story behind Cortland’s transformation from a small merchant builder into a vertically integrated investment manager with more than 75,000 units and $20 billion in gross asset value. The conversation explores why operational depth, brand trust, and technology infrastructure now sit at the center of performance in living real estate. Steven walks through the post-GFC research that reshaped Cortland’s strategy, the demographic shifts that extended renter lifecycles, and the deliberate decision to build operational infrastructure long before raising institutional LP capital. He also details how brand equity translates directly into pricing power, retention, and investor returns, and why scale is increasingly essential in a consolidating market. They discuss: The pivot from merchant development to a vertically integrated operating platform Why multifamily shifted from a commodity to a consumer service business How brand trust creates measurable top-line rent premiums and longer resident tenure The role of data, AI, and centralized workflows in reducing fraud, speeding leasing, and improving performance Why 2026 and beyond may present compelling acquisition opportunities amid capital market stress and supply overhang Links: Cortland - https://cortland.com/ Steven on LinkedIn - https://www.linkedin.com/in/steven-defrancis-022a564/ Brandon on LinkedIn - ⁠https://www.linkedin.com/in/bsedloff/⁠ Juniper Square - ⁠https://www.junipersquare.com/⁠ Topics: (00:00:00) - Intro (00:03:21) - Steven’s background and career (00:13:48) - Building Cortland and lessons from the GFC (00:20:06) - Building a vertically integrated operating platform (00:24:13) - Raising institutional LP funds (00:28:02) - Cortland’s scale, markets, and fund vehicles (00:34:22) - Operational alpha (00:42:20) - 2026 market outlook (00:50:40) - Tech and AI in multifamily (00:55:28) - Advice for operators (01:00:11) - Closing thoughts
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    1 hr and 2 mins
  • The Next $10 Trillion Opportunity: Private Wealth Meets Private Markets - Mike Kelly - President and CIO of Future Standard

    The Next $10 Trillion Opportunity: Private Wealth Meets Private Markets - Mike Kelly - President and CIO of Future Standard
    Feb 17 2026
    Mike Kelly joins Brandon Sedloff to share the journey that took him from a first-generation college student in Queens to co-President and Chief Investment Officer of Future Standard, an $88 billion alternative investment manager. He reflects on the formative experiences that shaped his investing philosophy, from cold-calling Lee Cooperman for an internship to working at Tiger Management and helping build FrontPoint. The conversation traces the evolution of alternatives from family offices and endowments to the private wealth channel, and how Future Standard has positioned itself at the center of that shift by building both distribution infrastructure and in-house investment capabilities. They discuss: How Mike broke into hedge funds by cold-calling Lee Cooperman and what he learned at Omega and Tiger Management The historical arc of alternatives from the endowment model to today’s private wealth opportunity The evolution of Franklin Square into Future Standard and the shift from packaging and distribution to internally managed strategies Why the middle market offers structural advantages across private credit, private equity, and real assets The case for rethinking 60 40 portfolios in a more inflationary, deglobalized macro regime Links: Future Standard - https://www.futurestandard.com/ Mike on LinkedIn - https://www.linkedin.com/in/mike-kelly-9b32166/ Brandon on LinkedIn - ⁠https://www.linkedin.com/in/bsedloff/⁠ Juniper Square - ⁠https://www.junipersquare.com/⁠ Topics: (00:00:00) - Intro (00:03:16) - Mike Kelly's career journey (00:04:21) - Early influences and education (00:06:43) - Breaking into the investment world (00:19:47) - Joining Future Standard (00:20:12) - Evolution of Future Standard (00:22:45) - Distribution and internal management (00:25:17) - Infrastructure and operations (00:27:57) - The commitment of investment management (00:28:52) - Future Standard's focus areas (00:32:06) - Evergreen structures in investment (00:39:13) - The new economic regime (00:50:10) - The future of asset management (00:54:35) - Conclusion and final thoughts
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    57 mins
  • How Education Leads to Allocation in Private Investments - Michael Sidgmore - Partner & Co-Founder @ Broadhaven Ventures

    How Education Leads to Allocation in Private Investments - Michael Sidgmore - Partner & Co-Founder @ Broadhaven Ventures
    Feb 6 2026
    In this episode of The Distribution, Brandon Sedloff sits down with Michael Sidgmore to unpack the accelerating convergence between private markets and private wealth. Drawing on Michael’s experience across investing, advisory, and media, the conversation explores how shifting market structure, technology, and education are reshaping distribution strategies. They examine why the wealth channel is still early in its adoption of alternatives and what that means for GPs thinking about growth beyond institutions. The discussion also highlights how evolving business models on both the asset management and wealth management sides are beginning to collide. They discuss: Why education is the primary driver of private market adoption in the wealth channel How different GP profiles should think about whether and how to pursue private wealth distribution The rise of evergreen structures and the operational and cultural demands they place on managers How consolidation in wealth management is changing allocator behavior and GP relationships Why brand, identity, and authenticity matter more than ever for alternative managers Links: Broadhaven Ventures - https://www.broadhaven.vc/ Michael On LinkedIn - https://www.linkedin.com/in/michaelsidgmore/ Alt Goes Mainstream Podcast - https://altgoesmainstream.substack.com/podcast Brandon on LinkedIn - ⁠https://www.linkedin.com/in/bsedloff/⁠ Juniper Square - ⁠https://www.junipersquare.com/⁠ Topics: (00:00:00) - Intro (00:03:05) - Michael's career journey and insights (00:09:13) - Market structure and evolution (00:20:13) - GP profiles and wealth channel strategies (00:26:22) - Education and allocation in private markets (00:29:43) - Navigating the wealth channel (00:30:04) - Leveraging industry-wide education initiatives (00:33:52) - Building a personal brand in finance (00:41:57) - Shifting business models in wealth and asset management (00:48:30) - Exciting prospects for the future (00:53:01) - Conclusion and final thoughts
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    56 mins
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