If you want to understand data centers, the power grid crisis, and the real estate race behind the future of AI — this is the episode.

Today on Commercially Speaking, we sit down with Simon Enwia, CCIM — a multi-state broker, tech-driven developer, and one of the few people specializing in data center development sites. And what he reveals is wild:

Here’s what you’ll learn in this episode:

• Why data center vacancy is below 1% nationwide
• The reason America will need 2x the power by 2030
• What makes land “powered land” — and why it’s becoming the new gold
• The exact criteria hyperscalers (Amazon, Meta, Google, Oracle) look for
• Why data centers are now measured in megawatts per acre, not square footage
• How the U.S. is locked in an AI arms race with China
• The brutal truth about NIMBY pushback and community approvals
• Why some utilities are charging $250,000+ just to get in line for power studies
• The four things every site absolutely must have:
  • Power
  • Water
  • Fiber
  • Community approval

Simon breaks down the economics, the pipeline issues, the insane permitting timelines, and why the next decade of CRE may hinge entirely on data center development.

This is the deep dive on data centers you’ve been looking for.

————————————

🔔 Enjoyed the episode? Do these 3 things:

1. Subscribe on YouTube & Spotify

2. Leave a 5-star review on Apple Podcasts

3. Join the newsletter:

👉 subscribe.wgbaron.com

————————————

🚀 Build your CRE business faster

Hire a virtual assistant trained specifically for CRE:

👉 superpowershq.com/commerciallyspeaking

————————————

🙌 Huge Thanks

A massive thank-you to Simon Enwia, CCIM for breaking down the world of data centers and the future of AI infrastructure.

Email: simon@senw.io

Real Estate Forum: forum.senw.io

dc.land

————————————

⏰ Time Code ⏰

00:00:00 – Cold Open
00:01:29 – Welcome Simon Enwia, CCIM
00:04:34 – Becoming an SIOR Candidate
00:06:37 – Welcome to KY Bourbon Lesson by Bo
00:11:01 – Getting Into CRE
00:13:23 – House Flipping
00:17:04 – Creating The First Digital Security for REITS
00:19:50 – COVID Hits
00:20:33 – The Love Of Deal Making
00:21:46 – Licensed In 3 States In 10 Days
00:24:16 – Senior Advisor At SVN
00:26:52 – Getting A Managing Broker’s License In Multiple States
00:29:38 – Building A Tech-Based Brokerage
00:34:36 – CCIM is Better Than Real Estate MBA
00:40:23 – Never Use Your Network. Provide Value To Your Network
00:40:53 – Knakal Affiliate Program
00:41:32 – An Inch Wide And A Mile Deep
00:43:29 – How To Figure Out What To Specialize In
00:47:54 – Fiduciary Responsibility
00:52:06 – Cheers, Jesus!
00:53:01 – A Good Name Is Worth More Than Gold and Silver
00:55:55 – The Incredible Worth Ethic Of Immigrants
00:57:47 – Data Centers
01:02:30 – 1. Vacancy For Data Centers Is At A Low 1%
01:03:12 – 2. There Is Not Nearly Enough Power (Will Need Double By 2030)
01:05:19 – Bill Gates On Climate Change
01:07:23 – 3. There Is An AI Race!
01:09:55 – How Important Is Taiwan Right Now?
01:14:21 – The Ideal Data Center Property
01:17:39 – How Much Power a Hyper Scaler Needs! (Meta, OpenAI etc)
01:18:34 – Quantifying The Power Needed
01:19:38 – Infrastructure Proximity
01:20:43 – The High Cost Of Getting In Line
01:21:55 – $200K A Year Software Per User
01:22:56 – Several Years To Close
01:25:26 – Convincing The Community To Allow A Data Center
01:31:48 – Land Size
01:33:08 – Water Usage
01:34:08 – Fiber and Redundancy
01:36:37 – Leasing a Humanoid Robot
01:39:41 – Behind The Meter (What’s Not Connected To The Grid)
01:40:33 – Becoming The Knakal Of Data Centers
01:42:35 – Simon@SENW.io, dc.land
01:43:09 – Simon Is Hiring
01:44:19 – Pop Quiz
02:03:25 – forum.senw.io
02:04:04 – Outro

📒Show Notes📒

Subscribe and listen to Commercially Speaking here:

Youtube:  @commerciallyspeaking 

Spotify: https://podcasters.spotify.com/pod/show/commerciallyspeaking

Apple: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/commercially-speaking/id1680750330

Amazon: https://music.amazon.com/podcasts/ad036303-414c-4e30-9e89-768d30ed3ffb

iHeart Radio: https://www.iheart.com/podcast/269-commercially-speaking-112157161/

—-

📲 Connect with us:

Subscribe to our Youtube: https://www.youtube.com/@commerciallyspeaking 

Follow us on X: @comspeakpod & @bobarronccim 

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/commerciallyspeaking/

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/commerciallyspeaking

Tiktok: https://www.tiktok.com/@commerciallyspeaking 

Newsletter: https://subscribe.wgbarron.com/

—-

Bo is a CCIM Instructor and the owner and operator of Barron Commercial Group, servicing Western KY and its surrounding markets.

For all CRE inquiries, visit barroncommercial.com

Timmy is an actor, comedian, writer and host: @timmybarron https://youtu.be/ICoIAHSZvgA