A Day in the Life of an X-Caliber Intern
by lan Eckers
Over the past two months, I joined 18 other interns from colleges and universities across the country, from New York to Indiana, in the X-Caliber internship program. Together, we gained specialized, hands-on experience and created plenty of memorable moments along the way.
Mentorship That Matters
Each member of X-Caliber’s Intern Experience Class of 2025 was paired with a mentor aligned with their career interests. This gave us direct access to professionals with real-world expertise. Our mentorship experience went beyond technical training and provided opportunities for meaningful conversations about career paths, industry insights, and personal growth.
As fellow intern Morgan Balkin shared:
“Overall, I had a truly wonderful experience working with Gregg, Ken, and Gabriel on the X-Caliber Advisors team. The workload felt intense at first, but I genuinely appreciate them throwing me right into the fire. From day one, I worked on real deals, compiled proposal booklets, and conducted location analyses for investors. They let me sit in on critical calls where major decisions were made and even asked for my opinion on serious topics. Being treated as a valued and respected colleague was unexpected and exhilarating. I could not have asked for a better introduction to the financial world, especially since the Advisors team operates at the intersection of finance, sales, modeling, and strategy.
I am still considering my future career path, but my experience at XCA showed me that I thrive in environments with a diverse set of responsibilities across various areas of business.”
Learning Beyond the Desk
Our growth extended well beyond mentorship. Through seminars, online courses, and the annual Shark Tank Challenge, we explored the many facets of X-Caliber’s business.
We attended a series of seminars that introduced us to the company’s different divisions, providing a comprehensive view of how each team supports the broader mission. Many interns also enrolled in online learning, including courses from the Mortgage Bankers Association, LinkedIn Learning, and Coursera. X-Caliber hosted a LinkedIn development seminar and provided professional headshots to help us build our personal brands.
Reflecting on the experience, intern Catherine O’Rouke said:
“The course gave me practical tools for evaluating deals, understanding risk, and seeing how everything connects behind the scenes. I saw how relevant this was during my time at X-Caliber. The MBA Education Course helped me understand how different business functions—finance, strategy, marketing, and operations—work together. I focused on commercial and multifamily real estate, so courses like Origination and Underwriting, Securitization, and Servicing were especially helpful.
I also enjoyed when X-Caliber employees came in to discuss their fields, especially marketing and law, which encouraged me to think more strategically about my own work.”
The Mock Shark Tank Challenge
One of the highlights of the internship was X-Caliber’s annual Mock Shark Tank Challenge. For this six-week project, interns split into two teams, each led by a mentor. Our teams developed a new product or service with untapped potential and pitched it to a panel of judges.
Describing the experience, fellow intern James Hiatt explained:
“Our team developed a real estate platform designed to connect commercial real estate professionals with financing and properties, and residential buyers with realtors and homes. We built out our offers and proposals using a hypothetical acquisition offer to simplify the financials and focus on app design and functionality, highlighting its benefits.
Our marketing plan included partnering with real estate influencers and companies using our tool, allocating our $300,000 equity offering entirely to marketing. Throughout the process, we collaborated daily, used Socratic thinking, and updated our mentor, who provided invaluable feedback on our pitch and presentation. This project strengthened both our presentation skills and our ability to defend a business concept before seasoned investors.”
A memorable moment came during our final presentation when a judge challenged us with the comment:
“Buying a home is a major decision. It is not like swiping left or right on a dating app. There is much more at stake.”
Our team was momentarily stumped, but Jake Epple responded:
“If you had pitched Tinder 15 years ago, people would have had similar doubts about online dating. Even today, while the initial connection happens online, the process involves real-life interactions. The same holds true for our platform. There is still significant face-to-face engagement beyond the app, which demonstrates the potential for online matchmaking in home buying.”
Jake’s answer did not just address the judge’s concern. It also underscored the value of our product. This moment captured what makes the Shark Tank Challenge so valuable: teamwork, quick thinking, and public speaking, all skills best learned through real-world practice.
Book Discussion: The Big Short
As part of the curriculum, we also participated in a discussion of The Big Short by Michael Lewis, which chronicles the 2008 financial crisis. X-Caliber’s CEO, Chris Callahan, led the conversation, drawing on his firsthand experience in banking during that period and his direct interactions with many of the figures featured in the book. His insights brought the story to life and provided a rare, personal perspective on a pivotal moment in financial history.
Fellow intern Stuart Graber noted:
“Mr. Callahan’s experience navigating the 2008 crisis offered irreplaceable insight into the complexities of the financial world during one of its most turbulent periods. His firsthand perspective deepened my understanding of the housing bubble and its broad consequences, not just for major institutions but for everyday consumers as well. His reflections connected the academic lessons of The Big Short to real-world experience and highlighted how lessons from 2008 might shape the future of finance.”
A Personal Reflection
As a future film major, I initially wondered how a commercial real estate internship would align with my passion for storytelling. X-Caliber made it possible. I joined the Marketing team, where I explored storytelling through data, social media analysis, article writing, and interviews.
By joining marketing meetings, I learned about collaborative storytelling and gained new skills in video production. These capabilities transcend industries. This experience revealed that even in a field that seemed unrelated to my own, there are valuable, transferable lessons to be learned.
