Flex Forward

On this episode of The Flex Forward Podcast, Nic Espanet chats with Carson Jones, a commercial real estate broker who has shifted from multifamily investments to oil and gas—and is now eyeing opportunities to re-enter the real estate market.
Carson brings sharp economic insights to the table, unpacking complex market shifts and explaining how global factors like job cuts, tariffs, and deportation trends impact housing demand and cap rates. From data center development in Tennessee to industrial investments in North Texas, Carson shares where he sees the most promising opportunities right now.
Nic and Carson also dive into the importance of investor education, Carson’s writing ventures—including his books The Red Flag Playbook and one on buying businesses—and his views on the future of real estate investing.
 
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Nicholas Miller joins Nic Espanet to share his unique path from growing up on a ranch to becoming a specialized attorney for land and mineral owners in Texas. As a partner at Graves Dougherty, Nicholas brings years of experience and a personal passion to helping legacy landowners make smart decisions about their property—from oil and gas to solar and wind.
In this episode, Nicholas opens up about the deep roots of his ranching family, the shift into renewable energy deals, and how mentorship and flexibility have shaped his successful legal career. He also shares important insights on how mineral rights can impact property ownership, and why having the right legal guidance is critical—especially for investors.
 
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In this episode of The Flex Forward Podcast, host Nic Espanet sits down with Charles Gills, Executive Director at Platt Richmond, to explore his inspiring journey through the legal industry. Charles began his career with just $100 in his pocket and a job delivering documents to courthouses. Today, he leads operations at a fast-growing law firm.
Charles shares how saying “yes” to every opportunity, recognizing mentorship moments, and thinking creatively helped him grow in his career. He also talks about streamlining operations to save firms tens of thousands of dollars, writing for legal trade publications, and how he broke into billion-dollar law firms despite industry gatekeeping. His path reveals the importance of resilience, professional curiosity, and strategic positioning.
 
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In this episode of The Flex Forward Podcast, Nic Espanet sits down with Jonathan Nichols, co-founder of Apogee Capital, to explore his inspiring journey from engineering to real estate. Jonathan reveals how a shared interest in finding a "paying hobby" with his wife Paula led to building a multifamily real estate investment company.
He dives into how their careful approach to financing—favoring fixed-rate debt—set them apart early on, and how staying active in today’s market gives them a competitive edge. Jonathan also opens up about the challenges of transitioning from engineering to business, the real weight of managing investor money, and why the idea of “passive income” as a GP is often misunderstood.
Listeners will appreciate Jonathan’s three-tiered learning strategy for anyone looking to get started in investing or any new venture: learn on your own, learn from others, and then take action. He closes by sharing what’s next for Apogee Capital—and life as a new dad to baby Chloe.
 
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From the snowy slopes to scaling multifamily portfolios, Dan Brisse’s journey is one of relentless determination and reinvention. In this episode, Dan sits down with Nic Espanet to share how his dreams of becoming a professional snowboarder evolved into a career as a successful multifamily real estate investor and co-founder of Granite Towers Equity Group.
 
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In this episode of The Flex Forward Podcast, host Nic Espanet sits down with Zachary Montgomery—an attorney, CPA, fraud examiner, adjunct professor, and founder of Montgomery Legal. Zachary shares how he’s combined his legal and financial backgrounds to serve clients in a more holistic, one-stop-shop manner for tax, estate planning, and business-related legal issues.
He opens up about his unique career path, the challenges of not fitting into traditional law firm molds, and how his background has become his biggest asset. From discussions on the importance of financial literacy for all professions to how faith guides his decisions as a husband, father, and entrepreneur, Zachary brings a thoughtful and authentic voice to this conversation.
Nic and Zachary also dive into passive income strategies, real estate, and the idea of starting a podcast that integrates faith, family, and entrepreneurship.
 
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In this episode of The Flex Forward Podcast, Nic Espanet sits down with October Ambrose, Vice President of People Partnerships and Engagement at Central Health in Texas. October shares her inspiring journey through healthcare leadership, from direct patient care to leading HR and operations across the organization. She opens up about her non-traditional career path, her dedication to mentorship, and how authenticity, curiosity, and flexibility have shaped her success.
October also discusses how taking career risks, embracing vulnerability, and prioritizing culture within teams are key to thriving in leadership. Her insights into professional growth, community impact, and leading through change are valuable for anyone aspiring to make a difference in their career and in the lives of others.
 
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In this conversation, Shauna explains why data isn’t just charts and graphs—it’s storytelling with a human at the center. She walks us through finding co-occurring diagnoses (like diabetes and bipolar disorder), the impact of meds that interact, and how a whole-person view helps care teams treat people, not symptoms. We dig into her “Member 360” initiative, how AI speeds clinical context, and the mindset shift from reporting numbers to driving action. We also cover her backstory as a teenage mom who taught herself to code, her leadership style for developing analysts, and how to turn datasets into decisions that change real lives. Along the way, Shauna talks about challenges partnering with clinical stakeholders, setting agile data goals (“tell me where to go; I’ll map the route”), and what’s next—including finishing her book and exploring creator income streams.
 
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Nick walks us through his journey from Southern California to the University of Tennessee, UTEP, and a stint playing in Germany. He explains how corporate operations gave him “business 101,” then how he shifted to entrepreneurship—launching Lamaison Holdings and The Lamaison Group in real estate, and now the “Victory Lap” podcast.We dig into mindset: building a healthy relationship with pain, keeping morale high, moving fast with ideas (ship at 80%, improve the last 20% with feedback), and leading teams with high standards plus real compassion. Nick also shares his approach to passive income: go all-in to create value first, then diversify into simple, proven vehicles.
 
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Nic Espanet welcomes Joseph Lopez, an experienced real estate investor and founder of Texas Growth Advisors, to talk about the strategic mindset required to grow in today’s shifting real estate market. Joseph shares how he transitioned from military and law enforcement into multifamily syndication, new construction, and commercial real estate. He discusses how investor mindsets must evolve with market conditions, why passive income isn't completely passive, and how bulk buying and in-house construction teams have been game changers for his business.
 
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