POWERS brings you inside the minds of world-class leaders who have built, battled, and succeeded at the highest levels.
POWERS digs beyond the surface with questions driven by curiosity, uncovering stories and insights rarely shared publicly. Each episode delivers timeless wisdom and hard-earned lessons that apply across business and life.
The show has earned a reputation for asking the right questions at the right moment. The focus is on timeless principles, proven through years of discipline and risk, not on shortcuts. Each conversation is direct, deliberate, and designed to leave listeners sharper than when they arrived. The aim is simple: to deliver insights that matter and can be carried into business and life.
Since its launch, POWERS has drawn a high-caliber audience of builders, investors, and decision makers. Past guests have represented companies such as Starwood Capital, JLL, Hillwood Capital, Chick-fil-A, Morning Brew, Founders Podcast, Tiny Capital, Permanent Equity, Fort, Matthews REIS, Bonobos, and ConvertKit.
At its core, POWERS is a celebration of leadership, of work that matters, and of the American spirit that makes it possible.
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POWERS brings you inside the minds of world-class leaders who have built, battled, and succeeded at the highest levels.
POWERS digs beyond the surface with questions driven by curiosity, uncovering stories and insights rarely shared publicly. Each episode delivers timeless wisdom and hard-earned lessons that apply across business and life.
The show has earned a reputation for asking the right questions at the right moment. The focus is on timeless principles, proven through years of discipline and risk, not on shortcuts. Each conversation is direct, deliberate, and designed to leave listeners sharper than when they arrived. The aim is simple: to deliver insights that matter and can be carried into business and life.
Since its launch, POWERS has drawn a high-caliber audience of builders, investors, and decision makers. Past guests have represented companies such as Starwood Capital, JLL, Hillwood Capital, Chick-fil-A, Morning Brew, Founders Podcast, Tiny Capital, Permanent Equity, Fort, Matthews REIS, Bonobos, and ConvertKit.
At its core, POWERS is a celebration of leadership, of work that matters, and of the American spirit that makes it possible.
#388 - Mark Toro - CVO @ Toro Development Co. - Developing Generational Mixed Use "Fortresses"
POWERS
1 hour 13 minutes
4 months ago
#388 - Mark Toro - CVO @ Toro Development Co. - Developing Generational Mixed Use "Fortresses"
Today’s guest is Mark Toro, Chief Vision Officer @ Toro Development Co, based in Atlanta, GA.
Mark unpacks the philosophy, economics, and human-centered detail behind some of the most successful mixed-use developments in the country. We talk through his journey from building suburban power centers to pioneering immersive experiences like Avalon, Colony Square, and the upcoming Medley.
Mark shares how the 2008 financial crisis sparked his rethinking of real estate as a service business rather than just a physical asset—and how ideas like hospitality, branding, and community integration became central to his playbook.
This episode is packed with specific examples, war stories, and lessons on what it really takes to develop places people never want to leave.
We discuss:
- Why demographics and household income drive everything in site selection
- How do vertically integrated, mixed-use developments function financially and operationally
- The importance of patios, music, and concierge-level service in creating “third places”
- Why tenant selection is both science and art—and what betting on the right jockey really means
- How a bottle of tequila became a company tradition symbolizing intentionality and pride in execution
Topics:
(00:00:00) - Intro
(00:03:43) - Mark’s career and background
(00:08:03) - The gutted middle in retail
(00:09:38) - Site selection criteria for a “fortress”
(00:18:45) - Seamless integration
(00:26:27) - The art of pitching tenants
(00:31:42) - Mark’s approach to “opening” dates
(00:33:28) - Betting the farm on tenants
(00:35:46) - Office
(00:40:18) - Parking strategies
(00:41:51) - Hospitality vs. real estate
(00:45:23) - Being Disney-esque
(00:49:22) - Low-hanging fruit that properties can implement today
(00:54:17) - Marketing funds
(00:57:55) - Equity partners
(00:58:56) - Why isn’t this model scalable?
(01:04:10) - How much more profitable can a fortress be than other mixed-use areas
(01:07:12) - Eric Weatherholtz & extending patio season
(01:10:49) - The tequila story
Support our Sponsors:
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Links:
Mark Toro on LinkedIn - https://www.linkedin.com/in/marktoro/
Toro Development Co. - https://torodevco.com/
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POWERS
POWERS brings you inside the minds of world-class leaders who have built, battled, and succeeded at the highest levels.
POWERS digs beyond the surface with questions driven by curiosity, uncovering stories and insights rarely shared publicly. Each episode delivers timeless wisdom and hard-earned lessons that apply across business and life.
The show has earned a reputation for asking the right questions at the right moment. The focus is on timeless principles, proven through years of discipline and risk, not on shortcuts. Each conversation is direct, deliberate, and designed to leave listeners sharper than when they arrived. The aim is simple: to deliver insights that matter and can be carried into business and life.
Since its launch, POWERS has drawn a high-caliber audience of builders, investors, and decision makers. Past guests have represented companies such as Starwood Capital, JLL, Hillwood Capital, Chick-fil-A, Morning Brew, Founders Podcast, Tiny Capital, Permanent Equity, Fort, Matthews REIS, Bonobos, and ConvertKit.
At its core, POWERS is a celebration of leadership, of work that matters, and of the American spirit that makes it possible.
