Today’s Observation -June 9, 2026
One of the most difficult things in business isn’t starting.
It’s changing direction.
Most people think entrepreneurs fail because they quit too soon. In my experience, many fail because they hold on too long. They become emotionally attached to an idea, a project, or a vision, even when the market is telling them something different.
Over the last year, many of you have followed our journey as we worked toward launching Twig & Nest Communities.
The vision was simple.
Create thoughtfully designed small homes that could offer affordability, simplicity, and a different way of living.
It’s a concept my wife Tiffany and I still believe in today.
In fact, Tiffany, who serves as Vice President of our companies, and I have spent countless hours discussing designs, layouts, infrastructure, utilities, financing, community planning, and all the other details that go into building something from the ground up.
But, after a lengthy discussion, we made a mutual decision.
We’re pressing pause.
Not because the vision failed.
Not because we don’t believe in housing.
And certainly not because we stopped believing in development.
We’re pressing pause because the market is showing us a different opportunity.
And we’re paying attention.
I’ll be honest.
Part of this decision came from the overwhelming realization of just how many moving pieces exist in today’s construction environment.
Now before anyone misunderstands me, let me be clear:
I love construction.
I learned to build when I was 17 years old and spent much of my late teens and early twenties around construction projects, renovations, and development opportunities. I learned from the best in the business.
There’s something incredibly rewarding about taking a piece of dirt, a vacant building, or a simple idea and turning it into something real.
That feeling never leaves you.
But I’ve also been around long enough to watch the world change.
Since those early days, we’ve seen economic recessions, financial crises, wars, supply chain disruptions, labor shortages, and most recently a global pandemic that changed the way entire industries operate.
We’ve watched material prices soar.
We’ve watched labor costs climb.
We’ve watched financing become more expensive.
We’ve watched development timelines stretch further and further.
And we’ve watched projects that looked profitable on paper become increasingly difficult to execute.
The reality is that while America unquestionably has a housing shortage, housing shortages alone don’t create profitable investments.
Land costs money.
Roads cost money.
Utilities cost money.
Engineering costs money.
Permitting costs money.
Labor costs money.
Materials cost money.
And when all those costs start stacking on top of one another, margins can disappear surprisingly fast.
Very fast.
And here’s the truth:
We’re not in business to break even.
More importantly, we have a responsibility to the people who invest alongside us.
Our capital partners trust us to be responsible stewards of their money.
Our responsibility isn’t to pursue projects simply because they sound exciting.
Our responsibility is to identify opportunities that can generate meaningful returns while managing risk appropriately.
That responsibility has to outweigh our attachment to any one idea.
So after months of evaluation, Tiffany and I made the decision to sideline Twig & Nest.
For now.
Not forever.
Because good ideas don’t die.
They wait for the right environment.
Twig & Nest survives.
It’s simply waiting until it finds its proper home.
Maybe that home comes in the form of a future housing community.
Maybe it evolves into a hospitality concept with unique short-term rental experiences.
Maybe it’s something neither of us can see yet.
Time has a way of revealing opportunities when they’re ready.
But while Twig & Nest waits, our focus has become crystal clear.
Storage.
Texas Development and Design and our parent company, Iron Ridge Capital, are repositioning our efforts toward the acquisition of self-storage facilities throughout Texas and selected markets across the country.
Not as a side project.
Not as a temporary experiment.
As our sole focus.
The objective isn’t to acquire a single facility.
The objective is to build a portfolio.
A portfolio that grows steadily over the next several years.
A portfolio built around durable assets, consistent cash flow, and operational simplicity.
The more we’ve studied the sector, the more convinced we’ve become that storage is one of the most economically resilient asset classes available today.
Why?
Because storage isn’t dependent on a perfect economy.
People need storage when they move.
People need storage when they downsize.
People need storage during divorces.
People need storage when handling estates.
Businesses need storage for inventory.
Contractors need storage for equipment.
Entrepreneurs need storage for supplies.
Life itself creates storage demand.
And life never stops happening.
Then there’s another trend that’s impossible to ignore.
RV ownership.
Especially here in Texas.
More families than ever own RVs, boats, travel trailers, utility trailers, and recreational equipment.
At the same time, more neighborhoods, HOAs, and municipalities are restricting where those assets can be parked.
The result is simple.
Those vehicles need somewhere to go.
Not in a driveway.
Not behind a house.
Not hidden in a field.
They need secure, professionally managed storage.
Storage isn’t simply about boxes anymore.
It’s become infrastructure for modern life.
People don’t rent storage because they want more space.
They rent storage because they need a solution.
And businesses built around solving real problems tend to survive economic cycles far better than businesses built around trends.
What also attracts us to storage is its efficiency.
No investment is completely hands-off.
But compared to many other forms of real estate, storage comes remarkably close.
There are fewer moving parts.
Fewer maintenance headaches.
Fewer tenant issues.
Technology and automation continue to transform operations, allowing facilities to run efficiently while producing dependable income.
That matters.
Because this decision isn’t simply about cash flow.
It’s about legacy.
When Tiffany and I look at the future, we aren’t thinking about the next deal.
We’re thinking about the next generation.
We’re thinking about our children.
We’re thinking about building assets that can remain productive long after we’re gone.
Assets that become part of a dynasty.
Assets that sit under the umbrella of everything else we’re building.
Assets that continue producing income, creating opportunities, and preserving wealth for future generations.
That’s what leaving a legacy means to us.
Not flashy projects.
Not headlines.
Not chasing the latest trend.
Ownership.
Cash-flowing assets.
Patience.
Discipline.
And a long-term vision measured in decades, not quarters.
Could Twig & Nest return someday?
Absolutely.
I hope it does.
But today, our attention belongs elsewhere.
Today, we’re focused on building something designed to last.
My Final Take
The older I get, the more I realize that success isn’t about being right.
It’s about being adaptable.
The market doesn’t care about our plans.
The market rewards those who recognize change and position themselves accordingly.
Today, the opportunity we see isn’t in fighting rising construction costs, uncertain timelines, and shrinking margins.
It’s in acquiring durable assets that solve real problems, generate reliable cash flow, and can be passed from one generation to the next.
That’s where our focus is.
That’s where our capital is going.
And that’s where we’re building the next chapter.
-Michael Sweitzer
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The Anticipation Advantage™
Most people spend their lives reacting to change. The advantage belongs to those who recognize shifts early, adapt decisively, and position themselves before everyone else sees what is coming.
My latest book. Coming soon. So stay tuned.