Podcast

Zen and the Art of Real Estate Investing with Jonathan Greene

250: Navigating Real Estate Development With Confidence with Katie Kim

In this 250th episode of Zen and the Art of Real Estate Investing, Jonathan welcomes Katie Kim, a third-generation developer and founder of the Development Academy. Katie’s approach to real estate is built on lived experience, starting with childhood council meetings and evolving into full-scale developments that blend economic strategy, relationship-building, and community impact.

Throughout the episode, Katie shares how consistent preparation, strong partnerships, and structured capital stacks have helped her navigate the often unpredictable world of development. She stresses the importance of building with confidence, a quality that comes from repetition, not just reading.

Jonathan and Katie also explore the realities of zoning, red tape, and tough public conversations. Katie explains why showing up with a clear plan earns respect and how her Development Academy is helping new developers gain the experience and mentorship they need to launch successful projects.

If you’re looking for a real-world take on how to break into development or scale your current strategy, this episode delivers straight talk on what works and what to avoid.

In this episode, you will hear:

Developing confidence through consistent reps and experience
Partnering with clarity and accountability
Structuring deals with capital stacks that make sense
Preparing thoroughly before every meeting or pitch
Blending personal history and professional growth into one career
Helping new developers launch through mentorship and hands-on learning

Follow and Review:

We’d love for you to follow us if you haven’t yet. Click that purple ‘+’ in the top right corner of your Apple Podcasts app. We’d love it even more if you could drop a review or 5-star rating over on Apple Podcasts. Simply select “Ratings and Reviews” and “Write a Review” then a quick line with your favorite part of the episode. It only takes a second and it helps spread the word about the podcast.