Central Florida Industrial Leasing Strategies with HLI Partners
Podcast
The Crexi Team
October 23, 2025
HLI Partners co-founders Joe Hills and Josh Lipoff share how they built a boutique CRE firm, Orlando industrial/office trends, and strategies to win deals.
The Crexi Podcast connects CRE professionals with industry insights built for smart decision-making. In each episode, we explore the latest trends, innovations and opportunities shaping commercial real estate, because we believe knowledge should move at the speed of ambition and every conversation should empower professionals to act with greater clarity and confidence.
In this episode of The Crexi Podcast, Shanti Ryle sits with Joe Hills and Josh Lipoff to discuss their transitions from major firms to launching their own company, competitive strategies, and the intricacies of the Central Florida market. Hills and Lipoff share insights into their career paths, the importance of mentorship, and the creative solutions they employ to meet tenant needs. They also highlight market trends, investment strategies, and the challenges and opportunities in Orlando's evolving CRE landscape.
- Meet Joe Hills and Josh Lipoff: Founders of HLI Partners
- Career Beginnings in Commercial Real Estate
- Early Challenges and Mentorship
- Forming a Strong Partnership
- Launching HLI Partners
- Strategies for Success in CRE
- Navigating Market Challenges
- Current Trends in Central Florida's Industrial Market
- Specialty Tenants and Market Dynamics
- Impact of COVID-19 on Home Building
- Shifts in Industrial Space Demand
- Build-to-Suit and Infill Pricing
- Macro Factors Influencing Orlando's Market
- Opportunities and Risks in Orlando's Market
- Rapid Fire Questions and Advice
- Final Insights and Parting Words
Watch “Central Florida Industrial Leasing Strategies with HLI Partners” on YouTube
About Joe Hills:
Over the course of his career, Joe Hills has been involved in over 475 deals, closing more than 1 billion dollars in transaction volume. In 2020, Joe played a key role in the new location of a 119,684 s.f. building for Paradise Grilling System. Thereafter in 2021, Joe assisted in the building of an additional 200,000 s.f. warehouse space for Signature Brands as well as the renewal of Samsung’s current lease for their 550,000 s.f. space. With an extensive track record in the industrial sector, Joe has developed a strategic orientation towards areas of manufacturing. In the span of his 15-year career in commercial real estate, Joe has successfully leased and sold more than twenty-five million square feet of space with transactions totaling more than $1 billion.
About Josh Lipoff:
Josh Lipoff brings over 20 years of corporate business development and has successfully negotiated several million square feet of Central Florida’s Industrial team transactions. Prior to joining HLI Partners, Josh spent 12 years with JLL’s Industrial team in Orlando. During his career, Josh specialized in Tenant Representation, build-to-suit and site selection, financial analysis, and lease and contract evaluation. National clients served over the years have included: Brookfield Properties, Stonemont, McKesson, Ocean Spray, Walgreens, Mattress Firm, Sysco, Freeman, Iron Mountain, United Stationers, and Kellogg’s.
About Crexi’s Commercial Real Estate Podcast:
Crexi’s commercial real estate podcast features conversations across all aspects of commercial real estate with industry leading investors, developers, brokers, and professionals. Among the top 5% of commercial real estate podcasts, The Crexi Podcast sits down with industry experts to investigate trends, educate listeners, and uncover the latest happenings and news in the world of commercial real estate. To listen to all episodes for free, check out The Crexi Podcast's full library here.
Crexi is reimagining commercial real estate with an AI-powered platform built to deliver smarter, more efficient solutions at every stage of the deal lifecycle. From real-time data and market insights with Crexi Intelligence, to targeted property marketing and seamless deal management through Crexi PRO, and a transparent, time-bound bidding experience with Crexi Auction— Crexi enables users to evaluate opportunities, maximize exposure, and close with speed and confidence. To date, Crexi has facilitated over $1 trillion in transactions, 8.6 billion square feet leased, and supports a growing community of more than 2 million monthly active users.
