Episode 287: Driving Transformational Change for the Real Estate Investor with Derrick Barker, Co-Founder and CEO of Nectar; Atlanta, GA, USA
From buying property while in his Harvard dorm to starting a business with his wife, Derrick has made it his life's mission to improve the process for and access to real estate investing.
Derrick Barker, the co-founder and CEO of Nectar, is at the forefront of transforming the real estate finance landscape through innovative technology solutions. Based in Atlanta, his company provides liquidity to commercial real estate owners with low-leverage, cash-flowing assets, enabling them to grow their portfolios and contribute to community development.
Derrick envisions a future where rapid property closings become the norm, empowering medium-sized real estate sponsors to create strong, balanced communities by enhancing their access to capital.
Here are the highlights of our conversation:
- Nectar stands out in the finance and real estate technology industry by providing liquidity to owners of commercial real estate, specifically focusing on low-leverage, cash-flowing assets to support strong real estate operators.
- Derrick envisions a future where commercial real estate deals can be closed in a week or less, with the ultimate goal of achieving one-day closings through technological advancements. Their vision is to be a tech-first company and in that, drive more efficiency than anyone else in the market.
- By empowering medium-sized real estate sponsors, Nectar aims to equip them with the necessary tools and resources to build thriving communities and meet the demands of the housing market, ultimately tipping the balance of power in their favor for a more robust and sustainable housing market.
- The company's commitment to sustainable business practices sets it apart in the market, offering high return, consistent cash-flowing investment products that mitigate risks associated with construction, lease-up, or refinance.
- With a vision to leverage technology and capital for the greater good, Nectar aims to empower developers and small to medium-sized companies to address the pressing issue of affordable housing.
- The success of Nectar is attributed to its well-structured team functionality, with key roles such as underwriting, product development, origination, and servicing playing crucial parts in the company's operations. While there is a core team based in Atlanta, Nectar also utilizes a distributed team for specific roles that do not require in-person presence. This structured approach enables Nectar to efficiently deliver its unique fast and flexible capital solutions to its customers and investors.
- As a leader and business owner, Derrick believes there is no better learning than experience, so take action and get it done.
About the guest:
Derrick Barker is the co-founder and CEO of Nectar. He started buying real estate from his dorm room at Harvard. After Harvard, he spent 3 years trading complex securities at Goldman Sachs while simultaneously building a 500+ unit real estate portfolio in his hometown of Atlanta. He left Goldman Sachs to focus on real estate full-time, eventually growing his portfolio to more than 4,700 units and $400 million in asset value.
Connect with Derrick:
Website: https://www.usenectar.com
LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/derrick-barker-3b1590a/
Connect with Allison:
Feedspot has named Disruptive CEO Nation as one of the Top 25 CEO Podcasts on the web, and it is ranked the number 6 CEO podcast to listen to in 2025! https://podcasts.feedspot.com/ceo_podcasts/
LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/allisonsummerschicago/
Website: https://www.disruptiveceonation.com/
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