JF 4151: Avoiding IRR Traps In Today’s Capital Raising Market ft. Adam Gower

Pascal Wagner interviews Adam Gower, founder of GowerCrowd, to unpack what’s really happening behind the scenes when sponsors raise capital in today’s market. Adam explains why the current shift toward smaller checks and retail capital isn’t necessarily distress, but a strategic move by experienced sponsors preparing for cyclical downturns. He breaks down how LPs can spot sponsor strength versus weakness, why IRR-driven underwriting often leads to failure, and how conservative debt, disciplined operations, and in-house property management separate survivors from casualties. The conversation also explores where Adam sees asymmetric opportunities emerging in 2025–2026, particularly in discounted assets with operational inefficiencies rather than reliance on market rebounds. Adam GowerCurrent role: Founder, GowerCrowdBased in: United StatesSay hi to them at: https://www.gowercrowd.com/ | https://www.linkedin.com/in/gowercrowd/ 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