Touring DJ turned net-lease investor Rafael Weiss joins Kristian live from CREi Summit to share how frustration with build-to-suit deals led him to create Sytes, a tenant-first marketplace that finally shows landlords exactly which brands want to be in their trade area. Rafael breaks down his journey from managing a Southeast coupon-clipper portfolio to launching a SaaS platform used by national retailers, medical groups, and industrial tenants in all 50 states, and how he grew it to nearly $500K in annual recurring revenue with almost no ad spend—just LinkedIn and a clear value prop. If you’re tired of guessing who might backfill your space or you’re a tenant rep looking for an edge, this conversation is a masterclass in turning a CRE pain point into a scalable tech business.
🎧 Listen on Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/episode/0ImRghDjjkEWdpj1CtNanA
▶️ Watch on YouTube: https://youtu.be/trYVyX385GM
Key Takeaways From The Episode
- DJ booth → deal sheet. Rafael’s path from touring DJ to managing a net-lease family office shows there’s no “normal” way into CRE.
- Tenant-first marketplace. Sites flips LoopNet on its head by letting tenants post exact trade areas and deal terms so landlords and developers can pitch directly.
- Need analysis, not void analysis. Instead of guessing who might backfill a space, landlords can see which brands actively want that corner before they go vacant.
- Big brands take swings. Early adopters like GoTo Foods proved the model—growth-minded tenants will test new tools if it helps them move faster.
- LinkedIn is a profit center. Rafael grew Sites to roughly $250K ARR (with another ~$250K in pipeline) mostly from organic LinkedIn posts and relationships.
- Visibility gets you cheaper debt. Consistently showing your deals and wins online builds lender trust—and can literally translate into better loan terms.
