155. Lloyd Lee, A Blessed Life and Real Estate Private Equity
Release Date: 12/01/2025
155. Lloyd Lee, A Blessed Life and Real Estate Private Equity
The 92 Report
Show Notes: Lloyd opens the conversation by talking about the infinite opportunities at Harvard and encourages incoming freshmen to make the most of their time there. Lloyd shares his initial plan to study pre-med but also pursued fine arts, specifically architecture, and theater work. He mentions meeting Professor James Stilgoe at the Graduate School of Design, which opened his eyes to opportunities beyond STEM. From Cornell to New York City Lloyd discusses his decision to attend Cornell and his subsequent move to New York City. He had two job offers: working at Disney or a consulting firm,...
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154. Trisha Pérez Kennealy, Culinary Arts & Community Building
The 92 Report
Show Notes: Trisha Pérez Kennealy describes her initial stint in New York in commercial banking, followed by investment banking and studying to become a chef at Le Cordon Bleu in London, where she lived for three years. She moved back to the United States, settling in Lexington. She has three children and while they were little, she was active in town meetings, became a town official, and advocated for public education. In 2010, Trisha bought a property near the Battle Green in Lexington and converted it into a luxury hotel with 22 guest rooms and a restaurant. It opened in 2014...
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153. Rana Dershowitz, A Career Driven by Passion from Sports Law and Public Policy
The 92 Report
Rana Dershowitz went straight to Harvard Law School after graduating in 1992, partly due to the economy and her love for learning. She describes her experience at Harvard Law School, including her role as a law school "old timer" in Cambridge. After law school, Rana moved back to New York and started working on Wall Street, initially hating the big law environment but appreciating the people she worked with. Entertainment Law at Madison Square Garden and onto Sports Law Rana discusses her career counselor's advice to explore sports law, which she had overlooked despite her involvement in...
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152. Eugene Kim, Pediatric Surgeon and Wine Connoisseur
The 92 Report
Show Notes: Eugene Kim shares his post-graduation journey staying in Boston to finish research at the Dana-Farber Cancer Institute which was part of his thesis and also laid down the groundwork for his own cancer research which he has conducted over the years. He credits his understanding of science to his time at Harvard. He also worked at the now-closed Love the Border Cafe. Eugene reflects on the valuable lessons learned from working at the cafe and describes the unique subculture of the cafe's staff, including the Brazilian kitchen staff and the diverse backgrounds of the waiters and...
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151. Jonathan Hughes, Consulting at the Intersection of Strategy & Conflict Management
The 92 Report
Show Notes: Jonathan Hughes talks about his career in consulting, starting with an economic consulting firm, Putnam Hayes and Bartlett, in Los Angeles. He mentions his connection back to Harvard through CMI (Conflict Management Inc.) founded by Roger Fisher and Bruce Patton, and his subsequent roles at Vantage Partners and BDO. The Career Path As a Consultant Jonathan describes his role at CMI, focusing on complex negotiations and business partnerships, and his role in helping to start the boutique firm, Vantage Partners where he spent around 25 years as a partner. He later moved over to BDO,...
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150. Steve Petersen, From Improv to Philosophy of AI
The 92 Report
Show Notes: Steve recounts his senior year at Harvard, and how he was torn between pursuing acting and philosophy. He graduated with a dual degree in philosophy and math but also found time to act in theater and participated in 20 shows. A Love of Theater and a Move to London Steve explains why the lack of a theater major at Harvard allowed him to explore acting more than a university with a theater major. He touches on his parents' concerns about his career prospects if he pursued acting, and his decision to apply to both acting and philosophy graduate schools. Steve discusses his...
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149. P.J. Karafiol, Chicago Public High School Principal
The 92 Report
Show Notes: P.J. shares the backstory of his name and how he became a high school principal. He studied simultaneously in law school for a JD and in the Philosophy department for a PhD at the University of Chicago. After realizing he didn't enjoy law or philosophy, he taught math at Phillips Andover and later in Chicago. He helped start a new public school, Walter Payton College Prep, and has been a principal at Lake View High School for the past 10 years. Teaching Chaos Theory and Math P.J. describes his experience teaching at Phillips Andover, including teaching chaos theory. He found the...
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148. Scott Cole, 50+ Jobs Worked Since Harvard
The 92 Report
Show Notes: Scott Cole describes his initial struggles at Harvard, dropping out after freshman year, and returning multiple times before finally graduating in 2012. He shares his first dropout experience, including a brief stint in California and a return to Harvard for sophomore year. He details his various jobs and adventures, including working at a car wash, landscaping, and a research assistant position at Harvard Forest. Working on a Ranch in Wyoming Scott thinks back to his days working at a ranch in Wyoming, where he learned cowboy skills and participated in cattle drives. He...
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147. Anca Miruna Achim, Teaching about the Past to Speculate about the Future in Mexico City
The 92 Report
Show Notes: Miruna studied art history at Harvard, focusing on Renaissance art. After taking a year off to travel and visit Romania, she decided to study Latin American Studies and Spanish and Portuguese at Yale. She found the graduate experience at Yale challenging, especially the sense of isolation that can come with graduate work when it is not socially or politically involved. Miruna began traveling to Mexico for her research on colonial Latin America, focusing on the intersection of history of science, literature, and ritual. Teaching History of Science Miruna moved to Mexico City, where...
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146. Franklin Habit, A Long and Winding Yarn
The 92 Report
Show Notes:Franklin Habit talks about working in higher education administration (and elsehwere) before eventually finding happiness in his current profession within the fiber arts. He discusses some of the blind alleys he explored, including museum work, opera stage directing, web design, and online marketing. Building a Career in KnittingFranklin shares how he learned to knit from a veteran knitter and classmate, Eliza Lake. He describes how his blog about knitting took off, leading to a book deal and a career in teaching and writing. Franklin recounts the early days of his blog,...
info_outlineShow Notes:
Lloyd opens the conversation by talking about the infinite opportunities at Harvard and encourages incoming freshmen to make the most of their time there. Lloyd shares his initial plan to study pre-med but also pursued fine arts, specifically architecture, and theater work. He mentions meeting Professor James Stilgoe at the Graduate School of Design, which opened his eyes to opportunities beyond STEM.
From Cornell to New York City
Lloyd discusses his decision to attend Cornell and his subsequent move to New York City. He had two job offers: working at Disney or a consulting firm, but chose the consulting firm due to financial needs. Lloyd worked for a boutique workout restructuring organization in New York City and later joined Starwood Capital Group. He was asked to open the London office for Starwood Capital Group in 2001, combining his interests in architecture, finance, and real estate. He honed his skills as an investment guy over the next few years before moving into entrepreneurship.
Founding Yoo Capital
In 2010, Lloyd and his business partner founded Yoo Capital, focusing on real estate private equity. The firm aimed to be responsible and institutional in their investments, creating global iconic destinations in London. Yoo Capital has invested in various sectors, including live theaters, film and television studios, music arenas, hotels, and restaurants. The firm has also created incubator spaces for startups and supports educational programs at Imperial College London and other institutions.
About Yoo Capital
Yoo Capital has committed to contributing 50% of all housing built in central London to government affordable housing. The firm has partnerships with major names in hospitality, food, beverage, music, and entertainment. Yoo Capital's investments are considered strategic to the national interest and socially responsible. The firm ensures accessibility in their destinations, ranging from affordable to high-end options.
Professional and Personal Goals
Lloyd shares his practice of journaling since 1997, mapping out his personal and professional goals. He contributes the success of his journey to education, skills learned, and opportunity to his passions professionally. He and his wife have created an ethos to build opportunities and contribute to social value that they have impressed upon their children. Lloyd discusses the importance of setting targets and reviewing progress regularly. He emphasizes the significance of maintaining a work-life balance and involving his family in the planning process, and he explains his setting targets and weekly review process.
Challenges of Brexit and COVID-19
Lloyd recounts the challenges faced during the Brexit vote and the COVID-19 pandemic. He explains the firm's strategy of being prudent and risk-averse, often forward-selling properties to secure investments. Lloyd shares a story about forward-selling and transforming a million square feet of residential property during the recession. Lloyd describes many of the exciting rejuvenation projects that invest in both the buildings and benefit the community with housing, entertainment, art, and businesses. The firm's approach has allowed them to weather economic storms and continue growing. Lloyd also mentions what he has learned from working with theatres.
Harvard Reflections
Lloyd credits Professors James Stilgoe and Harvey Cox as influential figures in his life. He discusses how Professor Stilgoe's course on the History of the American Built Environment broadened his perspective. Lloyd appreciates Professor Cox's course on Jesus in the world, which reinforced his Christian beliefs. Both professors' teachings have shaped Lloyd's approach to business and personal life.
Guiding Beliefs at Work
Lloyd explains how his Christian beliefs guide his professional decisions and the firm's ethos. He emphasizes the importance of humility and collaboration with world-class partners. Lloyd shares how the firm's investments are rooted in creating socially responsible and accessible destinations. He highlights the significance of maintaining a moral fiber in all business dealings. Lloyd discusses the firm's future plans, including expanding their investments in central London. He mentions ongoing projects like the Camden Film Quarter and the transformation of Olympia. The firm aims to continue creating iconic destinations that are both financially successful and socially responsible. Lloyd expresses his gratitude for the opportunities and challenges that have shaped his journey.
Timestamps:
04:22: Transition from Harvard to Early Career
08:53: Social Responsibility and Strategic Partnerships
12:15: Personal and Professional Growth
21:54: The Weekly Review Process
24:22: Founding Yoo Capital
32:19: Understanding the Theatre Business
43:06: Influence of Harvard Professors
Links:
Yoo Capital: https://yoocapital.com/
Olympia: https://www.olympia.co.uk/
Camden Film Quarter: https://www.camdenfilmquarter.com/
Featured Non-profit:
The featured non-profit of this week’s episode is brought to you by Elijah Aron who reports:
“Hi. I'm Elijah Aron, class of 1992. The featured non-profit of this episode of The 92 report is Earth Justice. Basically, it's an organization of lawyers who protect the planet. I like to give money to environmental causes, but I don't always understand what a lot of these big green nonprofits are actually doing with my money. But Earth justice, I totally understand. They fight court cases against corporations and sometimes the federal government on the side of the earth. You can learn more about their work@earthjustice.org Now here is Will Bachman with this week's episode.
To learn more about their work, visit: www.earthjustice.org.
*Show notes and transcript are AI generated.