Beyond the Deal
Beyond the Deal is podcast hosted by Michael Wagman. He has created a life of freedom and travel using passive income generated through real estate investing and raising capital. In this podcast Michael interviews guests who have been successful in the world of real estate investing or alternative investments, and they go beyond the deal to discuss the stories and practices that ultimately laid the groundwork to success.
Beyond the Deal
How Alice Chen Left Corporate Law to Lead a Real Estate Investment Fund
In this episode of Beyond the Deal, host Michael Wagman sits down with Alice Chen, former corporate lawyer turned serial entrepreneur and private equity investor. Alice shares her remarkable journey from working in mergers and acquisitions law to founding multiple businesses—including a top Canadian wine export firm and a boutique M&A company acquired by PwC.
Now, as a partner at Pendra Hastings Capital, Alice leads U.S. operations focused on land development, investing in best-in-class developers who turn raw land into build-ready lots for national homebuilders. She explains why entitlement and horizontal development are overlooked wealth-building strategies and breaks down the model that allows her firm to deliver 25–27% targeted IRRs with pre-structured exits.
From scaling startups to managing investor capital and maintaining daily peak performance, this episode offers a rare behind-the-scenes look at how Alice identifies trends, adapts to global forces, and makes big moves in real estate and business.
Key Takeaways:
✅ Why Alice left a promising legal career to chase entrepreneurial freedom
✅ How she scaled a wine export business to 16% of Canada’s wine exports to China
✅ What makes land entitlement & development so powerful in today’s market
✅ The mechanics of pre-structured exits with national homebuilders
✅ Her morning routine & mindset shifts that support long-term success
Timestamps:
00:00:00 From Lawyer to Serial Entrepreneur: Alice Chen's Journey
00:01:40 Journey from Lawyer to Entrepreneur: Embracing Entrepreneurship
00:03:20 From Legal Path to Wine Exportation Business Success
00:05:01 Passive Investing Strategies for Building Wealth
00:06:48 Chinese Acquisition of American Businesses and the Shift in Government Mandates
00:08:31 Becoming a Passive Real Estate Investor
00:10:11 The Role of Horizontal Developers in Land Development
00:11:53 Strategies for Sustainable Land Development Investments
00:13:35 Addressing the U.S. Housing Supply Gap
00:15:22 Land Ownership and Its Financial Implications
00:17:02 Profitable Land Acquisition Strategies and IRR Goals
00:18:50 Future Trends in Housing: Single Family vs. Multifamily Development
00:20:36 The Rise of Built-to-Rent Communities
00:22:20 Optimal Daily Habits for High Performance
00:23:56 Morning Gratitude Practice and its Importance
00:25:32 Morning Routine for Success
00:27:02 Closing Remarks and Call to Action
Follow the Host – Michael Wagman:
🔗 https://www.linkedin.com/in/michaelwagman/
🔗 https://www.instagram.com/nimble_capital_group/
🔗 https://nimblecapitalgroup.com/
Follow the Guest – Alice Chen:
🔗 https://alicechencompanies.com/
🔗 https://www.linkedin.com/in/aliceychen/
Interested in learning how to raise capital and scale your business to build a lifestyle around freedom? Schedule a call today and let's find out if you're a good fit for mentorship.
https://calendly.com/mwagman/capital-coaching-exploration
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