This week on Here’s What We Know, we welcome Eric Hayden, founder and CEO of Urban Catalyst, a company that’s helped drive billions of dollars in development across Silicon Valley. He was also named the 2025 Silicon Valley Business Journal Newsmaker of the Year.
That’s the resume. But that’s not the story. Because this conversation goes beyond real estate and development. It’s about how someone goes from selling sand dollars as a kid… to helping shape an entire city.
And really, when you strip it all down, it’s about how we think, how we build, and how we show up in the world.
This episode is sponsored by:
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In This Episode:
- Why housing is so expensive, and why it’s not an easy fix
- What it really means to “win” at school, work, and life
- What it actually takes to build in places like Silicon Valley
- The hidden systems behind growth, cities, and opportunity
- How curiosity and creativity can shape a career in unexpected ways
- And why success has a lot less to do with intelligence than people think
Quotations:
“You just have to prioritize time management and do the work and do it good, do it better than they expect. “ – Eric Hayden
“Supply and demand. The neighbors love complaining about height, density, traffic, and parking. Those are their big four anti-development things. “ – Eric Hayden
“You need people. You want to have success in retail and restaurants and all that stuff, you need people to actually go there. You need the population.“ – Eric Hayden
Bio:
Eric Hayden is the Founder and Managing Partner of Urban Catalyst. Responsible for developing more than $3.5 billion in real estate projects, including over 2,300 residential units in the California Bay Area, Mr. Hayden has experience in acquisition, contract negotiation, due diligence, risk assessment, financing, construction, and disposition of multifamily, single-family, and large mixed-use and master-planned developments. He maintains relationships with a broad network of property owners, enabling him to identify and acquire prime investments. Mr. Hayden also has expertise in navigating projects through the entitlement process by working with elected officials, community groups, and political organizations to gain support and get projects approved.
Guest Contact Info:
Website: https://www.facebook.com/urbancatalystfund/
LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/erikhayden/