Always Be Building

#217: Luminus Capital - Karl Graham

Max Gagliardi

This episode's guest is Karl Graham, co-founder and principal at Luminus Capital, an investment firm specializing in self-storage and industrial real estate. Karl is also a small business entrepreneur that has founded various start-ups.

This episode we discuss Karl's journey from a geologist in the oil and gas industry to building a thriving real estate business. We talk about his strategies for identifying value-added opportunities and his data-driven investment approach. 

Episode flow:  
- Transitioning from geology to real estate  
- Self-storage investments 
- Future Opportunities in Real Estate
- Operational leverage and market trends
- SMB Build vs Buy
- Partnerships and creating long-term value

Connect with Karl Graham:  
- Luminus Capital Website: https://luminuscapital.com)  
- Karl's Twitter: https://twitter.com/Karl_Luminus

Hope you Enjoy the show!

Timestamps:
00:00:00 - Intro
00:01:52 - Karl's Background and Journey into Real Estate
00:03:43 - Transition from Oil and Gas to Real Estate
00:07:24 - Challenges and Opportunities in Starting a Real Estate Business
00:13:13 - Utilizing Global Talent and Sacrifices in Starting a Business
00:16:45 - Strategy for Self Storage
00:20:12 - Capital and Risk in Business
00:23:14 - Advantages of Real Estate Investment
00:26:01 - Debt Management in Business
00:33:13 - Future Plans in Real Estate
00:35:29 - Exploration and Expansion in Business
00:40:46 - Initial Business Ventures
00:43:54 - Challenges with Google Business Profiles
00:46:43 - Reflections on Business Failure
00:48:11 - Starting a Business vs Buying a Business
00:51:31 - Starting a Fencing Business
00:55:52 - Marketing Strategies for Fencing Business