Jeff Herter, a portfolio manager and real estate developer based in Rye, New Hampshire, shares how old-school habits and disciplined thinking drive long-term results.

How do you keep track of your goals?

New Hampshire, USA, Jun 05, 2026, ZEX PR WIRE — “I write them in a notebook,” Herter says. In an era of productivity apps and cloud-based systems, he uses pen and paper. The act of writing forces clarity. It slows down thinking. It creates a physical record that does not disappear behind a notification badge.

Herter has spent more than fifteen years investing in and operating multifamily properties across the United States. Before that, he co-founded a derivatives trading firm and launched a hedge fund. The consistent thread is discipline. Writing goals down is one part of that system.

What made you shift from trading to real estate?

After graduating from Boston University with a degree in accounting, Herter co-founded Cygnus Atratus LLC, a relative-value derivatives trading firm. He describes his early career as “trying to establish myself as a derivatives trader through hard work, studying and visualization.”

By 2009, he had founded JJH Investments and shifted focus to real estate. The move was deliberate. Real estate offered tangible assets, long-term value creation, and less day-to-day volatility than the trading floor. He now focuses on finding value-add multifamily and adaptive reuse development opportunities.

What does your investment approach look like?

Herter describes his method as rooted in “experience, conservative with regards to risk and analytical mind.” He looks for properties where operational improvements, better management, or repositioning can unlock value. The goal is not speculation. It is disciplined execution over time.

At Guin Financial, where he served as Chief Investment Officer and Portfolio Manager, Herter held oversight responsibility for over $350 million in assets under management. He has successfully identified, acquired, managed, constructed, and sold value-add multifamily properties for returns in excess of 15 percent per year.

What keeps you motivated?

“The ability to do work that you are passionate about and it challenges you,” Herter says. That combination of passion and challenge has defined his career. It pushed him through the intensity of derivatives trading. It drives his current work in real estate development and portfolio management.

He also mentors small business owners through SCORE, a nonprofit that provides free business counseling. The work connects him to entrepreneurs navigating early-stage challenges, many of which he faced himself.

What do you tell small business owners about growth?

Herter encourages business owners to focus on strategic, long-term growth rather than short-term gains. That means understanding fundamentals, managing risk carefully, and building systems designed to create lasting results. It means resisting the pressure to chase every opportunity and instead focusing on what aligns with long-term goals.

He emphasizes personal accountability. Markets change. Regulations shift. But the fundamentals of disciplined decision-making remain constant.

What advice would you give someone starting out in real estate?

Start small. Learn the fundamentals. Understand what drives value in a property beyond the purchase price. Study market dynamics, financing structures, and operational metrics. Be conservative with risk, especially early on.

Herter also emphasizes the importance of analytical thinking. Real estate investing is not just about deals. It is about data, trends, and the ability to see where others overlook value. Combine that with discipline, and the long-term results follow.

If you do nothing else

1. Write your goals in a notebook. Make them specific and revisit them regularly.

2. Focus on long-term growth over short-term wins.

3. Learn the fundamentals of your industry before scaling.

4. Be conservative with risk, especially in the early stages.

5. Build systems that support disciplined decision-making.

6. Study what drives value, not just what drives activity.

7. Mentor or learn from others who have walked the path before you.

If this Q&A resonated with you, share it with someone who is building something for the long term.

About Jeff Herter

Jeff Herter is a portfolio manager and real estate developer based in Rye, New Hampshire. He is the founder of JJH Investments and a principal at Providence Real Properties, LLC. Herter has more than fifteen years of experience investing in and operating multifamily properties across the United States. He previously co-founded a derivatives trading firm and served as Chief Investment Officer at Guin Financial, where he oversaw more than $350 million in assets under management. He is a SCORE mentor to small business owners and holds a Bachelor of Science in Business Administration in Accounting from Boston University.

Hayden Fowlkes, Vice President and civil engineer in New Braunfels, Texas, explains how engineering decisions made at the start of a project determine long-term community function.

The Hidden Impact of First Decisions

Texas, USA, Jun 05, 2026, ZEX PR WIRE — Most people see a finished neighborhood and never think about the planning that made it work. But according to civil engineer Hayden Fowlkes, the most important work happens before construction ever begins.

“Every project starts with a piece of land and a plan,” Fowlkes says. “How you design that from the beginning affects everything that comes after—how people live, how communities function, and how systems hold up over time.”

Fowlkes has spent 13 years in residential land development, advancing from Engineer I to Vice President at the same firm. His work focuses on turning raw land into functional communities along the IH35 corridor between Austin and San Antonio. He has led planning and design for masterplanned developments including Meyer Ranch, Redbird Ranch, and Mayfair.

Why Getting It Right Early Matters

Poor planning at the start of a project can create problems that last for decades. Roads that flood. Drainage systems that fail. Utilities that cannot keep up with growth. These are not accidents. They are the result of decisions made before anyone broke ground.

“If you get it right early, you avoid problems later,” Fowlkes explains. “It’s not just about building quickly. It’s about building correctly. Every site is different, and you have to think through how it will function years down the road.”

Early planning includes understanding how water moves across a site, where utilities need to go, and how roads will connect to existing infrastructure. It also means anticipating future growth and designing systems that can handle it.

The Role of Collaboration in Good Planning

No engineer works alone. Good planning requires coordination between developers, municipalities, contractors, and other stakeholders. Everyone needs to understand the end result and work toward it.

“Good planning doesn’t happen in isolation,” Fowlkes says. “It takes coordination and a shared understanding of what the end result should be.”

Fowlkes emphasizes that communication is as important as technical skill. When teams align early, projects move more smoothly and communities function better over time.

Thinking Beyond the Finished Product

Most people only interact with a community after it is built. They drive on the roads, walk on the sidewalks, and use the parks. They do not see the engineering that made it possible.

“Most people only see the finished product,” Fowlkes notes. “But the real impact comes from decisions made at the very beginning.”

Those decisions include site layout, grading plans, stormwater management, and utility placement. Each choice affects how a community will age and adapt to future needs.

What You Can Do

If you are involved in land development or community planning, take time to prioritize early design decisions. Ask questions about long-term function, not just short-term costs. Work with engineers and planners who understand how systems interact and how communities grow.

For residents, stay informed about development projects in your area. Attend public meetings. Ask about infrastructure plans. Support projects that prioritize thoughtful planning over speed.

About Hayden Fowlkes

Hayden Fowlkes is a Vice President and Professional Engineer based in New Braunfels, Texas. He has spent 13 years with the same engineering firm, advancing through multiple leadership roles. His work focuses on civil engineering design for residential land development projects along the IH35 corridor between Austin and San Antonio. He earned a Bachelor of Science in Civil Engineering from The University of Texas at Austin in 2013 and is a member of the New Braunfels Chamber of Commerce and a graduate of the Greater New Braunfels Leadership Development Program.

Sarah Fowlkes, Client Account Manager at Jacobs and President of SAME San Antonio Post, has created a practical self-audit tool to help small architecture and engineering firms identify gaps before pursuing federal work.

A Tool Built from Real Experience

New Braunfels, TX, Jun 05, 2026, ZEX PR WIRE — Sarah Fowlkes has released a free Federal Contracting Readiness Checklist designed to help small architecture and engineering firms assess whether they are prepared to compete for government projects. The resource walks business owners through key areas often overlooked in the early stages of federal contracting, including certifications, past performance documentation, financial capacity, and relationship building.

The checklist emerged from Fowlkes’ years working at the intersection of federal clients, large firms, and small businesses trying to break into the market. She has watched capable firms miss opportunities not because they lacked technical skills, but because they were unprepared for the federal procurement process.

“I’ve sat in rooms where a small firm had the right solution but didn’t even get a chance to present. Not because they weren’t capable. They just weren’t in the network yet,” Fowlkes said.

The tool is structured as a simple yes or no self-audit, allowing users to quickly identify which areas need attention before submitting proposals or attending networking events.

What the Checklist Covers

The Federal Contracting Readiness Checklist includes five core sections. The first covers basic registrations and certifications, such as SAM.gov, NAICS codes, and small business designations. The second addresses past performance, including documentation, references, and project summaries that can be shared with potential partners.

Section three focuses on financial readiness, asking whether the firm has adequate bonding capacity, working capital, and accounting systems in place to manage federal contracts. The fourth section evaluates technical capabilities, including staff credentials, quality control processes, and subcontracting partnerships.

The final section addresses relationship building and market intelligence. It asks whether the firm attends industry events, tracks upcoming solicitations, and maintains consistent communication with potential teaming partners.

“Most people want to support small businesses. They just don’t always know what that looks like in practice,” Fowlkes said.

Each section includes follow-up prompts to help users prioritize next steps based on their current stage of development.

How the Resource Reflects Her Approach

The checklist reflects Fowlkes’ broader philosophy that progress comes from consistent execution, not big ideas alone. Throughout her career in business development and client account management, she has emphasized the importance of follow-through and alignment.

“You can have a great idea. But if you don’t follow through, it doesn’t mean much,” she said.

Her work with the Society of American Military Engineers has reinforced the importance of relationship building over time. She has observed that small firms often underestimate how much relationship capital matters in federal contracting, and the checklist prompts users to evaluate whether they are investing enough in that area.

“It’s not about one event or one meeting. It’s about building relationships over time,” Fowlkes said.

The tool also reflects her commitment to making support for small businesses more practical and less theoretical. She designed it to be something someone could use in under 20 minutes and walk away with a clear sense of what to do next.

Use This in 15 Minutes

Download the Federal Contracting Readiness Checklist and print it or open it on your computer. Set a timer for 15 minutes. Go through each section and mark yes or no for every question. Do not skip questions or spend time researching answers. This is a snapshot of where you are right now.

When the timer goes off, review your answers. Circle the section with the most no answers. That is your starting point. Pick one action item from that section and schedule time this week to work on it. Do not try to fix everything at once.

If you marked no on basic registrations, start with SAM.gov. If you marked no on past performance documentation, create a simple template to capture project details going forward. If you marked no on relationship building, find one industry event in the next 30 days and register.

Use the checklist again in 60 days to measure progress. Small firms that complete this exercise often find that just a few targeted improvements make them significantly more competitive.

Common Mistakes People Make

One of the most common mistakes small firms make is waiting until they see a solicitation to start preparing. By that point, they are already behind. Federal contracting requires upfront investment in systems, relationships, and documentation that cannot be rushed.

Another mistake is assuming technical capability is enough. Firms with strong engineering or design expertise often fail to recognize that federal clients also evaluate financial stability, past performance, and risk management. The checklist helps firms see the full picture of what agencies and prime contractors are assessing.

Small firms also tend to treat networking events as optional. They attend when convenient, but do not build consistent relationships over time. That approach limits access to teaming opportunities and market intelligence that can make or break a bid decision.

Finally, many small firms do not track their own past performance in a way that can be easily shared with potential partners. They complete projects but fail to document outcomes, lessons learned, or client feedback. Without that documentation, it becomes difficult to demonstrate capability to new partners or agencies.

Take Action Today

Visit sarahfowlkes.com to download the Federal Contracting Readiness Checklist. Print it out and complete it in one sitting. Identify the weakest area and choose one action item to address this week. Use the checklist as a baseline to measure progress over the next 60 days. If you are a small business owner in the A/E industry, this is your starting point for getting ready to compete.

About Sarah Fowlkes

Sarah Fowlkes is a Client Account Manager at Jacobs, supporting Army and Air Force clients in the architecture and engineering sector. She has served on the SAME San Antonio Post Board of Directors for eight years and currently serves as President. She previously spent seven years in business development at AmaTerra Environmental and has taught in public schools and worked as a pharmacy technician. She received the SAME Regional Vice President Medal and the SAME National Post Small Business Liaison Officer Award in 2023. She is based in New Braunfels, Texas.