TALK MIDLAND w/ Logan Richetti
A podcast with a mission to promote small businesses in the Midland, Michigan community. The show is hosted by Logan Richetti, the managing broker of Modern Realty, the largest real estate brokerage in Midland. He has a passion for supporting small business leaders in our area, and this podcast is a spotlight for their stories. Follow along to learn more as we #talkmidland.
TALK MIDLAND w/ Logan Richetti
$100 Million in Sales and a Bet on Downtown Midland | #73
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There’s no way to outwork a math problem — but you can outthink one.
This week on Talk Midland, Logan sits down with Nate Heyboer— real estate investor, developer, and CEO of a $100M+ employee-owned company — to talk about what it actually takes to build at scale.
From growing up on a dairy farm in Jamestown to launching DHE Plumbing, to converting the company into an ESOP (employee-owned), Nate shares how diversification, discipline, and long-term thinking shaped his approach to business.
The conversation dives into:
- Scaling a company to 220+ employees
- Why employee ownership changes everything
- Fixing the skilled trades pipeline
- Workforce housing and why it doesn’t “pencil” without incentives
- The real story behind major downtown Midland acquisitions
- How development actually works — from first idea to breaking ground
Nate doesn’t sugarcoat it. Development is a puzzle. Financing is tight. Cash flow matters. Municipal buy-in is critical. And sometimes you get chased in a parking lot at your first planning meeting.
But at the center of it all is a simple philosophy:
“Treat people right. Work together. For me to win, no one else has to lose.”
This episode is about business, risk, leadership, and what it really means to invest back into a community.
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Chapters & Timestamps
00:00 – “You Can’t Outwork a Math Problem”
Why business fundamentals matter more than hustle.
04:30 – Growing Up on a Dairy Farm
Early lessons in work ethic and responsibility.
10:15 – Starting DHE Plumbing
How Nate built the foundation of his company.
18:40 – Scaling to 200+ Employees
What changes when growth accelerates.
26:10 – Transitioning to an ESOP
Why employee ownership reshaped the company.
34:25 – The Skilled Trades Shortage
Why workforce development is a real issue in Michigan.
42:50 – Workforce Housing in Midland
Why projects don’t “pencil” without incentives.
51:30 – Financing Development Projects
How deals actually come together.
59:45 – Downtown Midland Acquisitions
The strategy behind recent investments.
1:08:20 – Working With Municipalities
Why alignment with city leadership matters.
1:16:10 – Risk, Leadership & Long-Term Thinking
How Nate evaluates opportunities.
1:22:45 – “For Me to Win, No One Else Has to Lose”
The philosophy behind collaboration.
🔑 Keywords
Nate Heybour, Talk Midland Podcast, Midland MI development, Downtown Midland, DHE Plumbing, Employee Owned Company, ESOP business model, Midland real estate investor, Michigan skilled trades, Workforce housing Midland MI, Commercial development Michigan, Small business leadership, Midland entrepreneurs, Real estate development strategy, Local business growth