Good Talks

Rocky Sethi used the power of relationships and forward thinking to become COO of an award winning developer but left the cushy job to build his own developer brand that is honing in on one of BC’s fastest growing cities

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Episode notes

#44: Dive into Rocky Sethi's 25 years of real estate, development, and construction expertise in this immersive podcast. With a rich background spanning land acquisition, construction, and sales—ranging from high-end custom homes to master-planned projects across Western Canada—Rocky shares a vibrant tapestry of insights.

Rocky's stories transcend the traditional real estate narrative, delving into the intricacies of rental affordability, policies, and the allure of Penticton. His enthusiasm for Penticton's potential and the Stryke and Tien Sher masterplan community offers a glimpse into a burgeoning real estate phenomenon. Exploring Masstimber's potential to transform construction and design, Rocky envisions BC's role as a leader in this space.

From fractionalizing real estate to fostering digital neighborhoods, Rocky's discussions paint a holistic picture of community building within real estate projects. His insights encompass technological advancements, family anecdotes, and a forward-thinking approach that bridges innovation with the essence of creating thriving spaces.

In this podcast episode, Rocky Sethi's journey unfolds as a testament to the power of industry relationships, multifaceted experiences, and a forward-thinking approach. Listeners gain insights into the evolving realms of real estate, technology, and community-building, leaving inspired to navigate change and create vibrant, innovative spaces, with a special focus on the promise held in Penticton's real estate landscape.

• 00:00:50 Family

• 00:01:24 Growing boys and their deeper voices and mustaches

• 00:02:21 First cars & jobs

• 00:04:15 Rocky’s first time in the Okanagan

• 00:05:18 Born in England, but grew up with an immigrant mentality

• 00:06:12 Rocky's first career in Real Estate: Bad coffee, mustard-colored suit jackets, and typewriters in a Centry 21 office

• 00:07:06 How Rocky got his license

• 00:07:33 Building his first house realizing he liked building much more than selling

• 00:12:54 Rental affordability & policies

• 00:13:39 Policies across the country

• 00:14:36 Calgary & Edmonton market

• 00:16:34 The vibe in Alberta vs Vancouver

• 00:17:44 Why love Penticton?

• 00:18:56 The beast of real estate that's coming to Penticton

• 00:20:36 The ethos for the Penticton site

• 00:20:56 What exactly is Stryke bringing to the masterplan site

• 00:22:42 Kelowna has the highest crime rate in Canada

• 00:25:02 Starting Stryke, connecting the dots

• 00:25:46 Leaving a CEO job for a new company

• 00:27:04 Getting into mass timber

• 00:27:43 Dimensional framing to TGI

• 00:28:56 Building better buildings (decrafting the business)

• 00:29:38 Wins when working with Masstimber

• 00:30:08 Is CLT the same as Masstimber

• 00:31:43 Designing with Masstimber, the right way

• 00:32:26 Benefits of Masstimber to a Buyer

• 00:33:24 What the spread with Masstimber in a woodframe project

• 00:34:43 Will BC be a leader in Masstimer building

• 00:35:15 Seagate Construction

• 00:35:29 Current leaders in the Masstimber space

• 00:36:58 Loving the opportunity in Real Estate

• 00:37:56 KEYprize

• 00:39:24 Fractionalizing Real Estate

• 00:41:54 Enginuity of young people

• 00:44:44 Logo tournament

• 00:45:32 Building custom ChatGPT

• 00:46:27 Gemini AI system

• 00:50:55 Plugging a brain into an AI system

• 00:51:15 Blue Zones documentary on Netflix

• 00:53:17 Fear of the future in technology

• 00:56:31 Creating a Digital Neighbourhood/Community

• 00:57:26 Embedding community

• 01:00:39 How to create a great community with a presale project

• 01:03:38 Balancing work and family

• 01:06:04 “Never shy about telling the why” Sahil Bloom