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Lay of The Land

Lay of The Land

Von: Jeffrey Stern
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Telling the stories of entrepreneurship and builders in Cleveland and throughout Northeast Ohio. Every Thursday, Jeffrey Stern helps map the Cleveland/NEO business ecosystem by talking to founders, investors, and community builders to learn what makes Cleveland/NEO special.© 2024 Lay of The Land Management & Leadership Ökonomie
  • #222: Ivy Zelman (Zelman & Associates) — Non-Consensus and Correct in The Housing Industry
    Sep 4 2025
    Ivy Zelman is one of the most respected voices in American housing, co-founder of Zelman & Associates, and now Executive Vice President at Walker & Dunlop, which acquired her firm in 2021 as the leading institutional research, advisory, and investment banking firm dedicated exclusively to the U.S. housing industry.Over the last three decades, Ivy has built a reputation for bold, contrarian analysis—famously calling the top of the housing market in 2005 and the bottom in 2012—moments that cemented her as a rare analyst unafraid to speak truth to consensus. That conviction has earned her numerous accolades, including recognition in Barron’s 100 Most Influential Women in U.S. Finance for four consecutive years and induction into the California Homebuilding Foundation’s Hall of Fame.In our conversation, we trace Ivy’s journey from falling into equity research to taking the entrepreneurial leap in 2007, founding Zelman & Associates amid the looming financial crisis. We explore her approach to research and analysis—blending proprietary surveys with a nationwide network of builders, brokers, and lenders—to consistently separate signal from noise.We reflect on her evolution as a leader and entrepreneur, the culture she has cultivated with a team that has stayed by her side for decades, her love of Cleveland, and what it means to pay it forward today through teaching and mentorship as an Adjunct Professor of Finance at Case Western Reserve University, her memoir Gimme Shelter, and much more.00:00:00 - Catalytic Moments in Finance00:08:25 - Recognizing Blind Spots in Research00:11:27 - The Entrepreneurial Inclination00:11:55 - Building Conviction and Confidence00:15:54 - Vision for Success00:17:21 - Detective Work in Research00:18:45 - Cultivating a Strong Network00:22:20 - The Importance of Asking the Right Questions00:25:13 - Reconciliation with Reality00:26:35 - Navigating Market Sentiment00:28:13 - The Evolution of Zellman Associates00:30:38 - Personal Growth as an Entrepreneur00:34:06 - Leadership and Team Development00:36:01 - Maintaining Intellectual Honesty Post-Acquisition00:37:39 - Understanding the Value of Research00:39:15 - Cleveland's Unique Perspective00:42:10 - Paying It Forward and Mentorship00:45:38 - Lessons for the Next Generation00:47:23 - Contrarian Views on Market Trends00:49:17 - Balancing Work and Family Life00:51:20 - Hidden Gem-----LINKS:https://www.linkedin.com/in/ivy-zelman-64304616b/https://www.zelmanassociates.com/https://www.amazon.com/Gimme-Shelter-Skills-Street-Trailblazer/dp/1737709929-----SPONSOR:Roundstone InsuranceRoundstone Insurance is proud to sponsor Lay of The Land. Founder and CEO, Michael Schroeder, has committed full-year support for the podcast, recognizing its alignment with the company’s passion for entrepreneurship, innovation, and community leadership.Headquartered in Rocky River, Ohio, Roundstone was founded in 2005 with a vision to deliver better healthcare outcomes at a more affordable cost. To bring that vision to life, the company pioneered the group medical captive model — a self-funded health insurance solution that provides small and mid-sized businesses with greater control and significant savings.Over the past two decades, Roundstone has grown rapidly, creating nearly 200 jobs in Northeast Ohio. The company works closely with employers and benefits advisors to navigate the complexities of commercial health insurance and build custom plans that prioritize employee well-being over shareholder returns. By focusing on aligned incentives and better health outcomes, Roundstone is helping businesses save thousands in Per Employee Per Year healthcare costs.Roundstone Insurance — Built for entrepreneurs. Backed by innovation. Committed to Cleveland.-----Stay up to date by signing up for Lay of The Land's weekly newsletter — sign up here.Past guests include Justin Bibb (Mayor of Cleveland), Pat Conway (Great Lakes Brewing), Steve Potash (OverDrive), Umberto P. Fedeli (The Fedeli Group), Lila Mills (Signal Cleveland), Stewart Kohl (The Riverside Company), Mitch Kroll (Findaway — Acquired by Spotify), and over 200 other Cleveland Entrepreneurs.Connect with Jeffrey Stern on LinkedIn — https://www.linkedin.com/in/jeffreypstern/Follow Lay of The Land on X @podlayofthelandhttps://www.jeffreys.page/
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    55 Min.
  • #221: Ryan Kelly (Substance) — Building Cleveland’s Film Industry
    Aug 28 2025
    Ryan Kelly is a filmmaker, entrepreneur, and partner of Substance, a film and television production company based in Cleveland.What if Northeast Ohio had the infrastructure to support large-scale film productions? That question first took root when Ryan found himself on the set of Cherry—a feature film shot in Cleveland by the Russo Brothers, the acclaimed Cleveland-born directors behind Avengers and Captain America—soaking in the experience of working alongside Hollywood heavyweights in his hometown.What followed was Ryan’s relentless pursuit of that vision and his work to build up Northeast Ohio’s film industry.Before founding Substance, Ryan co-founded TRG Sound & Vision alongside industry veterans Adam Wilde and Geoff Yaw. TRG boasts one of the largest sound stages in the Midwest: 160,000 square feet of studio space, a Virtual Production Wall, a 40' by 60' cyclorama wall, and 40 semi-permanent sets staffed by skilled industry professionals to meet the demands of large productions.As a filmmaker, Ryan is the director and producer of the docuseries WrestleHer, which tells the story behind sanctioning high school girls’ wrestling in Ohio and the generation of athletes growing the sport.Ryan’s journey is a powerful blend of artistic conviction and entrepreneurial grit. In our conversation, we explore how he carved a path into the film industry from scratch as a touring musician and drummer, what he learned from working alongside others in the industry—like Transition Studios, whose story was shared by Shawn Rech in Episode 85 of Lay of The Land—and how he approaches creative risk, storytelling, and making Cleveland a true contender on the national production map.00:00:00 - From Punk Rock to Filmmaking: A Journey of Artistry00:08:08 - Navigating the Filmmaking Landscape: Players and Perspectives00:13:16 - The Evolution of TRG: A Hub for Creative Production00:21:11 - The Artist-Entrepreneur Duality: Balancing Creativity and Business00:28:19 - Cleveland's Potential: A Production Hub in the Making00:33:35 - The Birth of Substance: A New Identity00:40:51 - The Multifaceted Role of a Filmmaker00:47:36 - Inspiring Projects and Personal Connections00:55:00 - Hidden Gem-----LINKS:https://www.linkedin.com/in/rjk216/https://www.thisissubstance.com/https://www.linkedin.com/in/rjk216/-----SPONSOR:Roundstone InsuranceRoundstone Insurance is proud to sponsor Lay of The Land. Founder and CEO, Michael Schroeder, has committed full-year support for the podcast, recognizing its alignment with the company’s passion for entrepreneurship, innovation, and community leadership.Headquartered in Rocky River, Ohio, Roundstone was founded in 2005 with a vision to deliver better healthcare outcomes at a more affordable cost. To bring that vision to life, the company pioneered the group medical captive model — a self-funded health insurance solution that provides small and mid-sized businesses with greater control and significant savings.Over the past two decades, Roundstone has grown rapidly, creating nearly 200 jobs in Northeast Ohio. The company works closely with employers and benefits advisors to navigate the complexities of commercial health insurance and build custom plans that prioritize employee well-being over shareholder returns. By focusing on aligned incentives and better health outcomes, Roundstone is helping businesses save thousands in Per Employee Per Year healthcare costs.Roundstone Insurance — Built for entrepreneurs. Backed by innovation. Committed to Cleveland.-----Stay up to date by signing up for Lay of The Land's weekly newsletter — sign up here.Past guests include Justin Bibb (Mayor of Cleveland), Pat Conway (Great Lakes Brewing), Steve Potash (OverDrive), Umberto P. Fedeli (The Fedeli Group), Lila Mills (Signal Cleveland), Stewart Kohl (The Riverside Company), Mitch Kroll (Findaway — Acquired by Spotify), and over 200 other Cleveland Entrepreneurs.Connect with Jeffrey Stern on LinkedIn — https://www.linkedin.com/in/jeffreypstern/Follow Lay of The Land on X @podlayofthelandhttps://www.jeffreys.page/
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    59 Min.
  • #220: Andrew Hurst (Delivered) — The Business of Moving Things
    Aug 14 2025
    Andrew Hurst is the founder and CEO of Delivered, a fast-scaling logistics platform revolutionizing parcel shipping with faster, more reliable deliveries at lower costs.He also serves as CEO of Ark Transportation, where he led a fivefold revenue increase in just five years, and is the founder of Veroot, a compliance platform now trusted by thousands of logistics teams nationwide.Under his leadership, and across all three companies, Andrew is bringing an entrepreneurial lens to the freight industry he grew up in—challenging the status quo, disrupting legacy giants, and redefining how parcel shippers move goods across the country.This was a ton of fun. First off, we set up shop right on the warehouse floor where Andrew has built all three of these companies. The industrial-scale freight equipment and thousands of parcels and packages provided an incredible backdrop for the conversation—one that reflects Andrew’s life’s work, calling, and ambition to transform an entire industry. For those who’d prefer to see it, I encourage you to watch our conversation on YouTube.We talk about the advantages and pride of building in Cleveland, how he’s raising a family of 11 children while scaling all three companies, what it’s like competing against Goliaths like FedEx and UPS, and what he believes the future of logistics will look like. Andrew’s clarity of thought, humility, and commitment to creating enduring impact are inspiring—it’s not surprising he’s been recognized with the Vistage Excellence in Leadership Award and named a Smart Business Dealmaker of the Year in 2023.-----LINKS:https://shipdelivered.com/en/https://www.linkedin.com/in/hurstandrew/-----SPONSOR:Roundstone InsuranceRoundstone Insurance is proud to sponsor Lay of The Land. Founder and CEO, Michael Schroeder, has committed full-year support for the podcast, recognizing its alignment with the company’s passion for entrepreneurship, innovation, and community leadership.Headquartered in Rocky River, Ohio, Roundstone was founded in 2005 with a vision to deliver better healthcare outcomes at a more affordable cost. To bring that vision to life, the company pioneered the group medical captive model — a self-funded health insurance solution that provides small and mid-sized businesses with greater control and significant savings.Over the past two decades, Roundstone has grown rapidly, creating nearly 200 jobs in Northeast Ohio. The company works closely with employers and benefits advisors to navigate the complexities of commercial health insurance and build custom plans that prioritize employee well-being over shareholder returns. By focusing on aligned incentives and better health outcomes, Roundstone is helping businesses save thousands in Per Employee Per Year healthcare costs.Roundstone Insurance — Built for entrepreneurs. Backed by innovation. Committed to Cleveland.-----Stay up to date by signing up for Lay of The Land's weekly newsletter — sign up here.Past guests include Justin Bibb (Mayor of Cleveland), Pat Conway (Great Lakes Brewing), Steve Potash (OverDrive), Umberto P. Fedeli (The Fedeli Group), Lila Mills (Signal Cleveland), Stewart Kohl (The Riverside Company), Mitch Kroll (Findaway — Acquired by Spotify), and over 200 other Cleveland Entrepreneurs.Connect with Jeffrey Stern on LinkedIn — https://www.linkedin.com/in/jeffreypstern/Follow Lay of The Land on X @podlayofthelandhttps://www.jeffreys.page/
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    1 Std. und 9 Min.
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