Darren Fisk: Navigating Real Estate Cycles  - [Making Markets, EP.65]

Darren Fisk: Navigating Real Estate Cycles  - [Making Markets, EP.65]

Author: Colossus | Investing & Business Podcasts August 29, 2025 Duration: 1:09:57

My guest today is Darren Fisk, founder and CEO of Forum Investment Group. Darren’s journey runs from a late-night $100 bet in a frat house that propelled him into Division 1 football to building a national real estate platform.

We try to keep the conversation as wide-ranging as his career, covering everything from cultivating drive and resilience in your children to managing debt and seizing opportunities in real estate. Along the way, Darren shares the lessons he’s carried from the locker room into the boardroom, the evolving landscape of commercial real estate, and the strategic differentiation of investment vehicles. Please enjoy this conversation with Darren Fisk.


For the full show notes, transcript, and links to the best content to learn more, check out the episode page HERE.

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Editing and post-production work for this episode was provided by The Podcast Consultant (https://thepodcastconsultant.com).


Show Notes

(00:00:00) Introduction and Welcome

(00:00:05) The $100 Bet: From Frat House to Division One Football

(00:02:16) Overcoming Challenges and Building Drive

(00:03:40) Instilling Drive in the Next Generation

(00:08:22) Transition to Real Estate

(00:08:27) Starting a Real Estate Firm During a Financial Crisis

(00:10:42) The Importance of Cash Flow in Real Estate

(00:14:35) Navigating Real Estate Cycles and Debt Management

(00:19:01) Investing in Multifamily Projects

(00:27:13) The Resilience of Multifamily Housing

(00:33:42) Economic Concerns and Wage Inflation

(00:34:54) Impact of High Interest Rates on Businesses

(00:35:19) Turnover and Market Efficiency in Real Estate

(00:36:59) Understanding Debt and Credit Vehicles

(00:40:59) Investment Strategies and Market Adaptation

(00:51:07) Challenges and Mistakes in Real Estate

(00:55:39) Balancing Business Growth and Personal Fulfillment

(01:04:06) Affordable Housing Solutions and Policy

(01:07:14) Current State of Multifamily Housing Market

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Eric Golden hosts Making Markets, a podcast that digs into the often unseen mechanics and human behaviors driving how value is assigned and traded. Rather than just analyzing charts or headlines, conversations focus on the underlying architecture-the rules, relationships, and psychology-that defines how any marketplace functions. This approach means that one episode might dissect the familiar terrain of bonds or equities, while the next ventures into the specialized worlds of fine art, cryptocurrency, or even vineyard acquisitions. The common thread is a curiosity about the actual transactions and the people who facilitate them, providing a tangible sense of what occurs when assets change hands. By speaking with practitioners and experts each week, the show demystifies the complex systems that form the backbone of global commerce, offering listeners a clearer picture of economic forces at work. As part of the Colossus network of investing and business podcasts, Making Markets builds a comprehensive library of knowledge, turning abstract concepts into accessible narratives. It’s for anyone who has ever wondered about the real-world machinery operating behind the curtain of daily financial news.
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