I think that's one of the best things about BP with it's ability to connect millions of people online - within the same marketplace and worldwide.

It would have been interesting to go toe-to-toe with Zell, but in the end we were focused on the opportunity to meet the clients needs.Fast-forward to 2014, and my nine-year-old son (from my second wife, not the harp-player!)

And my guys there that I fund are really good operators you probably know some of them if your a major player there.

Are there more players and therefore deals are spread thin OR are there less deals to be had?  

I was able to weather that storm but that would have put most players out of business. 

It has over 70,000 members worldwide only focused on retail and has been an organization since the 1950's.Multifamily,office,etc. have similar organizations.

Luckily they are a worldwide company and that makes it a little easier.  

@Ken Domond, I hear you leaning - Poker players call it rat holing. 

Its speculative, the market is small so one player's actions can have an out sized impact ( Think the host of hedge funds attacking various currencies around the world in the mid 1990's), and you are at the whims of a bunch of non rational players, like Account Closed mentioned with the Brexit voters.

You'll meet the major players and get a feel for marketing strategies that are working, and even meet your future mentor.