JF 4106: Niche Media, CRE Storytelling and Viral Growth ft. Hiten Samtani

Richard McGirr interviews Hiten Samtani, founder of ten31 Media and creator of The Promote. Hiten shares how his background running the newsroom at The Real Deal shaped his approach to storytelling, why he built a media company that treats real estate like the character-driven, high-stakes world it truly is, and how entertainment is the secret ingredient missing from most industry coverage. He and Richard dig into niche media strategy, viral growth, CRE culture, and why “knowing your audience” is the only real moat. They also explore Twitter/Retweet’s rise and collapse, the LP Whisperer saga, the structural issues behind traveling HFCs in Texas, and the massive power shift happening as Blackstone and other institutions move aggressively into retail capital. Hiten explains why syndicators face new competition, why pref is dominating the capital stack, and how storytelling shapes who wins attention—and deal flow. Hiten SamtaniCurrent role: Founder, ten31 Media & Creator of The PromoteBased in: New York, New YorkSay hi to them at: https://www.thepromote.com/ https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/the-promote-podcast/id1801355295 https://x.com/hitsamty https://www.linkedin.com/in/hitsamty Start earning passive income today at gsprei.com/bestever Alternative Fund IV is closing soon and SMK is giving Best Ever listeners exclusive access to their Founders’ Shares, typically offered only to early investors. Visit smkcap.com/bec to learn more and download the full fund summary. Join us at Best Ever Conference 2026! Find more info at: https://www.besteverconference.com/  Join the Best Ever Community  The Best Ever Community is live and growing - and we want serious commercial real estate investors like you inside. It’s free to join, but you must apply and meet the criteria.  Connect with top operators, LPs, GPs, and more, get real insights, and be part of a curated network built to help you grow. Apply now at⁠ ⁠⁠⁠www.bestevercommunity.com⁠⁠ Podcast production done by⁠ ⁠Outlier Audio⁠ Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices