Ep. 17 - Leading with Purpose: The Power of Data, Culture, & Collaboration in CRE with Richard Reyes

Real estate’s future won’t be built by code alone. It will be built by people who know how to connect it all.In this episode of CRE Unplugged, Ryan Elazari sits down with Richard Reyes, CEO of OSCRE International and VP of Digital Strategy at ConnexFM, to discuss how data, culture, and collaboration are reshaping the built environment.From his Texas ranch roots to leading digital transformation across real estate, Richard shares how hard work and hands-on experience shaped his mission to “assemble people, not just systems.” He explains the idea behind a “smart data highway,” why culture, not technology, is the biggest barrier to innovation, and how events like FutureBuilt are breaking down silos between trades and technology.A grounded and inspiring conversation about leadership, digital strategy, the evolution of the built environment. Show Notes: 0:10: Introducing Richard Reyes 2:19: Texas roots and developing a strong work ethic 4:21: How his ranch upbringing shaped the man he is today6:30: Clean eating 7:29: “Assembler of people” 10:58: Data blind spots 15:40: Understanding culture within an organization 19:06: FutureBuilt, a ConnexFM Event 25:25: Advice for younger professionals in the world of AI 27:33: Are we seeing a future of more skilled laborers? 32:40: Shifting companies’ mindset toward data sharing35:34: How does Richard unplug? 41:22: Ryan’s takeaways If you love what you hear, please take a moment to rate and review us. Your feedback helps us grow and improve!Be sure to visit our website at www.creunplugged.com for all the latest news and updates. Have thoughts or suggestions? We'd love to hear from you! Drop us a line at [email protected] to our YouTube channel at @CREUnplugged1 and be sure to follow CRE Unplugged on LinkedIn and Instagram!This episode is sponsored by our awesome partner, HILO, making connectivity and engagement a breeze in commercial real estate.To learn more about the FutureBuilt event and how it’s bringing together leaders from across the built environment, visit futurebuilt.io.