Originate Report - April 2023

TOOL S YOU NEED

To get where you want to be...

At Pacific Private Money, we strive to provide best-in-class alternative financing solutions for real estate transactions. Our team of experienced professional has built and earns a reputation for transparency, speed, and reliability.

Whether you are a self-employed borrower with a seasoning of funds and reserves issue, a real estate professional trying to provide their client with all the options available to them, or a mortgage broker who wants smart funding to achieve their client's goals, private money is a great tool that gives the borrower lending luxuries such as the ability to make cash-like o ers.

By Mark Dewyea, Contributing Writer

for Originate

Report

By Mark Dewyea,

Contributing

By Mark Dewyea,

Originate

Contributing Writer for Originate Report

By Charles Peckman,

Contributing Writer for Originate Report

By Charles Peckman,

By Charles Peckman,

Contributing Writer for Originate Report

By Shaylee Henning, AAPL

By Anthony Geraci, Esq., Geraci

Partner and CEO

Geraci LLP

ANTHONY GERACI

a.geraci@geracillp.com

Senior Vice President, Marketing

LESLEY BOYD

l.boyd@geracillp.com

Creative Director

LYNDA HIGHT

l.hight@geracillp.com

CONTRIBUTORS

Shaylee Henning • Anthony Geraci, Esq.

Andrew Pollock • Rocky Butani

Charles Peckman • Mark Dewyea

Welcome

“Progress is impossible without change, and those who cannot change their minds cannot change anything." – George Bernard Shaw

I think it was Einstein who once said, and I am paraphrasing, “insanity is doing the same thing over and over again and expecting different results”. In the business world, continuing down a path without adapting and changing is going to leave you in the dust. This month, our spotlight shines brightly on those that have forged a new path using innovation and an entrepreneurial spirit to address the changing landscape of the private lending industry.

Innovation is a crucial aspect of progress and growth as it drives advancements in technology and customer service across industries. Innovative approaches to underwriting, risk assessment, and loan servicing have enabled private lenders to stay ahead of the curve and offer more personalized solutions to borrowers. In addition, new technologies have made it possible to streamline the lending process, reducing costs and increasing efficiency. In this issue, we will explore the importance of innovation and its impact through highlighting some of the most groundbreaking and inspiring examples of innovation in action.

This month’s cover story, FUTURES Financial, has combined innovation with a strong organizational identity. The culture is built around the foundational concept of impact with a collective buy-in from their entire team that strives to strike the perfect balance of technology integration and personalized attention to customers, which is unique in the marketplace. Intentionality reigns throughout the firm where, together, they ensure the success of their clients by providing well-defined strategies, adequate risk hedging, and vetting of exit strategies. Make sure to read this month’s cover story to learn more about the innovative lending firm that is FUTURES Financial, the brainchild created from the partnership between industry veterans, Kendra Rommel and David Rosenberg.

President, Pacific Private Money

At Originate Report, we are gearing up for our annual Women in Real Estate edition, the issue that focuses on the remarkable women who are shaping our industry. Do you know someone we should highlight? We’d love for you to #shareyourstory with us. Contact us to find out how: submissions@originate.report.

Till Next Time…

The Approach to Innovation: GETTING THE BASICS RIGHT

By Mark Dewyea, Contributing Writer for Originate Report

In a world dominated by cuttingedge technologies and headlinegrabbing start-ups, it can be easy to lose sight of the key factors that have produced success for generations. That is certainly not to say that new ideas and concepts are not pertinent—they definitely have a big role to play in any organization— but they are essentially useless if not paired with proper corporate values and a unifying mission to drive longterm success.

FUTURES Financial is a private lender that has successfully fused innovative

concepts with a strong organizational identity, and the results speak for themselves. With 100% historical capital returns in over ten markets across the country, FUTURES Financial has burst on the private lending scene to become one of the go-to capital providers for real estate investors. Originate Report recently had the chance to sit down with co-founders Kendra Rommel and David Rosenberg to get an insider’s view of how the duo have created a culture premised on a relentless pursuit of quality in all aspects of the lending process.

Innovation Starts from Within

The FUTURES Financial vision is built around a foundational concept that requires a collective buy-in from all of its employees: impact. “In order to consistently create impact, we must listen to and understand what people need. Prior to making our first hire, David and I asked each prospective team member what they wanted out of their career both professionally and personally,” details Kendra. “We are passionate about making certain FUTURES Financial can support each of its family members not just as an employee but as a

person. Understanding what our team members’ respective passions, objectives, and goals are allows us to provide the necessary resources, accountability, and mentorship to set them up for success in the long-term.”

David and Kendra definitely practice what they preach—going the extra mile to ensure their employees all feel appreciated and are united in their collective mission to provide value to their customers. “Each team member has regular check-ins that enable each of us to assess their fulfillment and satisfaction with

FUTURES Financial Team

their role, overall contribution, and responsibilities in the organization,” says Kendra. “David and I remind our family that each of us has unique talents and skills that are crucial to FUTURES Financial being best-in-class and need everyone’s contributions to do so. Our company is run and owned by our team.”

Technology Integration

Successfully integrating technology into business operations while maintaining adequate human interaction for an optimal client experience is a challenging balancing game.

Sacrificing efficiency for simplicity or vice versa can have a detrimental impact on the quality of a company’s end-product regardless of the industry they are aligned with. Striking the perfect balance that leverages the convenience of technology-enabled applications and the personalized attention to every customer is a task FUTURES Financial is always pursuing.

“You would think after over eight years or more of ‘fintech’ talk, we

would have launched a lending operation with one person in a broom closet that could effectively close $1 billion per year—but that is not the case,” Kendra muses. “We have yet to find the perfect end-to-end system for the private sector, but FUTURES Financial has all systems in place for borrowers, sponsors, developers and brokers to apply, track, close, and manage the servicing of their files online. We are actively working with technology partners to support the needs of our users today and, more importantly, to understand our demands and goals for a more efficient lending and investing experience with each new day.

FUTURES Financial is excited about the ways new and creative tech will eliminate the inefficiencies in our space—but we realize that doing so will take the right connections, tons of patience and the willingness to tackle problems on a daily basis, consistently and persistently.”

Uniquely Intentional

An organization is inevitably defined by its people—a simple fact of life

that is not lost on David and Kendra. “FUTURES Financial is unique because of who we are as a team, how we are capitalized, the way in which we approach each deal, and the level of service we maintain with our clients from inquiry to servicing,” states David.

Experience definitely came into play as the duo crafted their corporate structure. “David and I have more than 25 years of collective mortgage lending, asset management, construction/development, and servicing experience,” notes Kendra. “Between the two of us, we have closed over 700 transactions and

$1 billion in volume. Our team was intentionally created with more than 15 years in the mortgage industry, and they all bring varying skillsets to the table that we leverage to deliver results to our client base.”

Change spurs growth. Businesses either adapt to the times or they die an early death. With the everchanging dynamics in the lending space, FUTURES Financial recognizes their workflow must be aligned with their operational environment to yield the best outcomes.

“With the changing times, FUTURES Financial assesses each deal not

KENDRA ROMMEL Principal/Co-founder

JANET NILSSON VP Investor Relations

DAVID ROSENBERG Principal/Co-founder

LESLIE GRANT VP Operations

JUSTIN HARRISON Sr. Account Executive

just to originate but to help ensure the success of the borrower and our investors,” observes Kendra. “This effectively translates into making sure our clients get the best deals in terms of value and total cost basis, that their strategy is well-defined and viable, that we have collectively acted in good partnership by explaining and hedging the risks associated with leverage and pricing, and that we have adequately vetted their exit strategies.”

“FUTURES Financial works as a team from the minute a client has decided to trust us as their lending partner,” explains David. “Whether

it is a returned phone call, email, text, or DM, our clients will not go unanswered or unvalued. Our team understands that our company’s success is only as good as how we treat people by execution and communication. If we fail to execute or communicate, we fail to retain or attract any partners on the front or back side of the business. Our credibility is what has made us a profitable business since day one.”

Control What Matters, Results Will Follow

A long-standing hallmark of the private lending industry is its inherently competitive environment.

Kendra and her colleagues at FUTURES Financial, however, are not letting that aspect influence their day-to-day operations. “We don’t necessarily work to stay ahead of the competition. What we actually do is work hard to stay in our own lanes, the lanes where we best execute for sustainable and scalable growth,” notes Kendra. “Of course, we stay actively engaged on pertinent market data, but constantly worrying about what the competition is up to would be a thief to our long-term success. With decades of combined industry experience, we have grown to appreciate and respect so many that others would consider our ‘competitors’ to the point where we actually now consider them friends and resources.”

A significant component to success in private lending is staying relevant to customers. That translates into understanding their needs and developing innovative and accessible financial solutions to help them achieve their goals. That is why FUTURES Financial: Continues on pg. 10

FUTURES Financial is unique because of who we are as a team, how we are capitalized, the way in which we approach each deal, and the level of service we maintain with our clients from inquiry to servicing.

JACQUI HENDERSON Jr. Associate ROY DILEKOGLU Jr. Associate

FUTURES Financial strives to maintain open lines of communication with their clients to solicit useful input that helps them deliver the products that will produce results.

“FUTURES Financials remains ‘in touch’ with all clients on all sides of real estate transactions,” says David. “People need to feel heard and valued in order to create the best user experience possible. When we ask and listen, we have the tools to improve our services and ensure all of our clients have a positive experience working with us. We are confident that we have launched a dynamic and talented organization that will enhance lives and command a new lens through which people see all things pertaining to real estate lending and investing.”

Eyes on the Horizon: Planning for the Future

When it comes to the lending industry, the stark reality is that no one has a proverbial crystal ball, making it essential to have the organizational flexibility and insight to pivot quickly to accommodate emergent trends and constantly shifting market dynamics. The FUTURES Financial team is confident that focusing on the basics and consistently optimizing existing workflows in terms of efficiency and quality will ultimately translate to success regardless of external pressures and market fluctuations. “We feel confident that private lending is a great space to be in both today and the future. True private capital, a solid balance sheet, coupled with a strong assets and risk-adjusted underwriting

protocol generate results,” observes Kendra. “Capital is only good when it moves. The private sector does a fantastic job doing just that whether by private lending, private equity, or NPL/PL acquisitions, etc.”

The past two years have been anything but predictable as the world continues to adjust amidst the fallout of the pandemic. While some degree of stability has crept back into the real estate and lending sectors, there is still some uncertainty floating around as to where things are headed in the coming months. Even in the event that the economy takes a turn for the worse, there is

still room to create opportunities in the lending space and generate revenue. “As much as people love smooth waters, it is the rough seas that create opportunity,” says David. “Opportunity today versus even one month ago looks different and requires you to really keep your eyes open but it is out there—and will continue to be—for those that have the experience and resources to chase it down.”

For more information, please visit: https://www.futuresfinancial.com/

R ea l Estate I n v estm e n t, e vo lv e d .

We are a team of industry experts on both the lending and investing side of real estate.

BRIDGE LENDING

We offe r 1 2- 1 8 month sho r t - te rm l o a ns t h a t se r ve as a q uic k so l u t ion , en ab lin g i nve s tors to en g a g e i n c om pe ti ti v e mar k ets, a c qu i r e mo r e asse t s, an d s c ale th e ir busin e ss .

• 1 2 to 18 Mon t h Te rm s

• U p to 75 % LT V

• Sta te d In com e

• Pu rch a s e , Ra te a nd Te rm Re fin a n ce s an d Cash

Out Re finan ce s

• In te re st On l y

GROUND-UP

Constru c ti on l o a ns p rov id e sho r t- te rm fi nancin g in te nd e d to fun d b u i l d ing p roj e c t s .

• 1 2 to 1 8 Mon t h Te rm s

• U p to 7 5 % LTC

• Sta te d In com e

• Pu rch a s e , Ra te a nd Te rm Re fin a n ce s and Cash

Out Re fin a n ce s

• C Pa ce 2n d ’ s Pe rmi t te d

FIX/FLIP/STABILIZE

Fi x and fl i p lo a ns a re sho r t - te rm p r i va te mon ey loans a cqui re d by re al e s ta te i nve s tors

• 1 2 to 1 8 Month Term s

• U p to 75% LT V+ 1 0 0% of Reha b Bu d ge t Fin a n ce d

• Sta te d In com e

• Pu rchase, Ra te and Term Re fin a n ce s a nd C a sh Out Re fi n a n ce s

•In te re st On l y

DSCR

Our long - term re n ta l p ro d u c t en a bl e s bor rowers t o a cc e ss t he i r e qu i t y w hi le m ai n t a i n i n g a n e xc e ll en t sou r c e o f c a sh fl o w a nd s c a l i ng the i r r e al e s t a t e i n v e stm e nt p o r t f ol i o

• 3 0 Ye a r Te rm s

• U p to 75% LT V

• DSCR C a lcul a tion of 1 .2% +

• Sta te d In com e

• In te re st On l y O pt ion s

• Pu rchase , Ra te and Te rm Refin a n ce s and C a sh O u t Re finan ce s

a g re e to b e b ound by our terms of use an d p r i va c y p o li c y. The use of th i s webs i te d o e s n o t c ons t i t u te an a pp l i ca t i o n for a mo r tg ag e l o a n Or i g i n at ion fe e s and o t her fe e s m a y ap pl y Fi nanc i ng i s su b j e c t to c e r tai n re str i c tions a nd re q u i rements i nclu di ng, but n o t li m i te d to, a c re di t e va l uat i on and ap p roval of t he subj e c t p rope r t y To q u ali f y, b or rowers must m e et unde r wri t in g re qu i rements. N o t a l l b or rowers wi ll q ua l i f y a n d n o t al l b or rowe r s tha t qu a l i f y w i l l re c e i ve the l owe st ra te The a c tua l l o a n ra te d e p ends on a va r i e t y of fa c tors. Ra te s, terms, a n d c on d it i ons a re su b j e c t to ch a n ge f rom ti me to ti m e without n o t i c e Fu t u re s Fin a nc i al, L LC is the ori g ina t in g en ti t y for al l l o a ns. Al l Ri g hts Re se r ve d . Lo a ns ma d e or a r ran g e d pursuant to a C a l i forn ia Fi nan c e Len d er s

c

Futu re sfi nanci a l c om i s a webs i te o p e ra te d by Futu re s Fi n a nc i al , L LC ( Fu t u re s Fi n a ncia l ”) a n d i s in ten d e d to be us e d by c omme rc i a l b or rowers [ a n d i nve s tors]. By a cc e ss i n g t h i s si te and a ny pa g e s the re of, you

Henry Chavez Spiegel Accountancy

FOCUSING ON WHAT MATTERS MOST

By Mark Dewyea, Contributing Writer for Originate Report

Spiegel Accountancy Corp. has earned a strong reputation in the private lending industry for providing exceptional customer service and individualized solutions. Their team of seasoned professionals, including higher-level CPAs, offers business expertise in audit, tax, and accounting which allows them to understand and address the unique needs of each client. This level of service has built a sense of trust with Spiegel’s client base, as they have confidence that their financial needs will be handled with care and attention to detail. By offering customized solutions, Spiegel ensures that every client receives the attention and care they deserve. This commitment to customer service and individualized solutions is the foundation on which the firm is built.

Henry Chavez Principal, Spiegel Accountancy

Henry Chavez, Principal at Spiegel Accountancy, is an integral part of the thought leadership that makes Spiegel a top firm in the industry. He specializes in establishing lasting relationships with thriving businesses and driving their continued growth through insight garnered over more than two decades in public accounting. Originate Report had a chance to sit down with Chavez to delve deeper into his unique career arc and get a behindthe-scenes peek at the innovation driving Spiegel Accountancy’s success.

The Journey

You would have no idea after just a cursory glance of Chavez’ impressive resume that he never originally intended to become an accountant. He explored a variety of different

jobs after high school before finally completing his B.A. from the University of California, Santa Cruz at the age of 28, and his MBA from the University of California, Irvine at 34 before pursuing a career in the financial sector. “I quickly realized that accounting is just like running— another passion of mine—the challenge never really ends,” observes Chavez. “There’s an addictive aspect to it, a thrill in overcoming seemingly insurmountable hurdles to complete the race.”

That eternal drive to overcome all challenges has fueled Chavez’ professional success. After completing graduate school, he joined the prestigious firm PricewaterhouseCoopers, where he increased his knowledge exponentially through a variety of

national and international experiences in different industries, including financial services.

The Value Prospect

“As my career evolved, I realized that every industry can be a value-add for me as an accountant, but more importantly, as a future business advisor,” notes Chavez. “The key is to establish a relationship with a genuine interest in your clients. Only then will they truly engage with you about their unique issues and challenges. After all, what our clients really want from us is to solve their problems, not recite the literature. I am here to be the disseminator of financial and compliance knowledge. The more I know, the more invaluable

Henry Chavez and Jeff Spiegel, Managing Principal at Spiegel Accountancy

I become to my clients. To that end, I work tirelessly to provide the right information to my clients or connect them with an expert that can solve their problems.”

Chavez joined the Spiegel team nearly 11 years ago. He was drawn to the distinct corporate culture that Jeff Spiegel, the firm’s founder, had instilled in all its members with a commitment to being a personalized, strategic, and innovative partner.

“Spiegel really stands out in the industry due to its entrepreneurial mindset,” says Chavez. “Our focus on client service is uniquely premised on creativity. We aim to solve problems by interpreting rules and regulations, and how it ultimately impacts the bottom line. We then provide our clients with sustainable financial policies within that framework. This mindset drives every major decision we make.”

Although the accounting field has changed over the years—and will

continue to do so—Chavez and the team at Spiegel are a reminder that the core tenants of focusing on developing and maintaining meaningful, mutually beneficial relationships and going aboveand-beyond to develop creative

THE KEY IS TO ESTABLISH A RELATIONSHIP WITH A GENUINE INTEREST IN YOUR CLIENTS. ONLY THEN WILL THEY TRULY ENGAGE WITH YOU ABOUT THEIR UNIQUE ISSUES AND CHALLENGES.

solutions for clients will always generate results.

Spiegel Accountancy is a professional accounting firm based in the San Francisco Bay Area with a national practice specializing in mortgage banking, private lending, real estate development, and small business sectors. For more information, visit https://spiegel.cpa/.

For more information, please visit: https://spiegel.cpa/

BRINGING EFFICIENCY AND ADAPTABILITY TO THE LENDING PROCESS

By Mark Dewyea, Contributing Writer for Originate Report

Originate Report recently had the pleasure of sitting down with Stephanie Casper, Chief Revenue Officer at Kiavi, a leading technology-enabled private lender for real estate investors to get a behind-the-scenes look at how the company is driving innovation and successfully adapting to an everevolving marketplace.

How does Kiavi leverage technology to enhance the lending experience for borrowers?

Kiavi’s technology is uniquely simple yet user-friendly at the same time, allowing our customers to quickly and easily secure funding for their investment properties. Whether they’re on their second property or

their 200th, all Kiavi borrowers can access our team of experts, who work to guide customers through every step of their real estate journey.

Since the process is entirely online, Kiavi is able to provide investors across the country with easy and virtually instant underwriting services. Kiavi’s proprietary After Repair Value (ARV) machinelearning model helps to streamline the approval process for our team. This is an innovation that has made a huge impact on the company’s ability to close loans rapidly—typically in under 10 days—and efficiently, which enables borrowers to move quickly and be competitive with cash buyers.

While traditional lenders rely on human decision-makers and paperbased processes, Kiavi’s modern tech platform removes many traditional barriers, automates time-consuming manual steps, and provides quick

Stephanie Casper Chief Revenue Officer, Kiavi

decision making and true transparency throughout the entire process.

families—all while revitalizing aging homes across the country.

How does Kiavi plan to adapt to the changing needs of borrowers?

Leveraging data is one way we stay on top of what our borrowers want and need. Our talented team of data scientists can combine our customers’ inputs with our data to create models that make us better and faster at decisioning. So far, they’ve produced models that estimate property values once a renovation is completed, scope of work feasibility, and even how long a project or rehab might take.

We are also always looking at ways in which we can expand our products. Recently, we expanded our rental product to include condominiums, which means Kiavi customers can now take advantage of the many opportunities to be found in the rental market for townhomes, highrise units, and single units in 4+ unit properties.

What makes Kiavi unique?

At a time when demand for housing is at an all-time high, Kiavi’s platform enables real estate investors of all stripes to reliably grow their businesses and create a steady supply of move-in-ready homes. Kiavi expands access to capital for more real estate entrepreneurs because our models prioritize the potential value of the properties themselves over the borrower’s credit. With our tech platform, data, and machine learning models, we can help more real estate investors create generational wealth for their

What actions is Kiavi taking to ensure they remain ahead of the competition?

Kiavi uses machine-learning models that enable more customers to qualify for financing and be successful in their projects. Compared with the 75% industry average, 95% of Kiavi projects have successful exits. Since Kiavi was founded in 2013, we have funded over $13 billion in loans for more than 50,000 properties across the country, but we continue to expand into new products and markets to meet the evolving needs of real estate investors.

How does Kiavi promote and implement innovation from its current and future employees?

Kiavi has a very employee-centric corporate culture focused on collaboration and communication. Beyond that, one thing that really makes Kiavi stand out is that so many of our employees are real estate investors themselves. This makes for a highly innovative internal culture because our team really understands the ins and outs, trials and tribulations, challenges, and dreams of our customers. With

Kiavi: Continues on pg. 18

this customer-focused lens, we can quickly spot issues and come together to create solutions—all before a traditional lender would have even identified a problem.

What are your predictions for the future of private lending? How do these influence your future plans for Kiavi?

Business-purpose lending for residential real estate investors is relatively young and is being tested by today’s challenging macroeconomic environment. Between the steepest rate increases we’ve ever seen from the Federal Reserve to the tight supply in the housing market, the business-purpose lending space is facing a real test. I expect wellcapitalized lenders like Kiavi will have an advantage in today’s market and will continue to grow market share by acquiring new customers, expanding into new markets, and product types, and further strengthening their products. Real estate investors are faced with the same challenges as lenders, so the lenders that can maintain their customer relationships and continue to finance properties during this period will be set up for success when the market changes.

What aspects of the industry are/ were particularly challenging to address and how did you go about developing viable solutions?

As I mentioned, business-purpose lending for residential real estate investors is challenged today by the

steep rate increases from the Federal Reserve and very limited supply in the housing market. And with those market dynamics, having access to capital to supply loans becomes the top priority and concern. Kiavi has addressed its ongoing capital needs through a variety of capital markets executions. We have a strong, proven reputation in our space for providing meaningful returns to our institutional investors, so Kiavi continues to leverage revolving securitizations and other trades for capital regardless of market conditions. In fact, we just announced two revolving securitizations: a $209 million deal in February and a $158 million deal in January. These securitizations are particularly noteworthy because the capital markets are so tight right now—investors continue to show confidence in Kiavi and our unique approach to lending. Deals like this allow Kiavi to continue to fund loans despite the challenging environment

facing the business-purpose lending industry today.

What drew you to joining Kiavi?

I’m deeply passionate about single family real estate and investing. I watched my grandfather acquire investment properties over his lifetime and am working on following in his same path. Because of this, I’ve spent the majority of my career in real estate. I was drawn to Kiavi for a few reasons, but the ability to serve burgeoning real estate investors was near the top of the list. When you add some of the ‘secret sauce’ that makes Kiavi so powerful and unique—including its technology platform, data models, incredible team, and corporate culture (just to name a few!)—I was thrilled for the opportunity to join Kiavi.

For more information, please visit: https://www.kiavi.com/

While traditional lenders rely on human decision-makers and paper-based processes, Kiavi’s modern tech platform removes many traditional barriers, automates time-consuming manual steps, and provides quick decision making and true transparency throughout the entire process.

PRIVATE

PRIVATE LENDING TITANS

Pollock

President, Anchor Loans

Andrew

Andrew Pollock President Anchor

Loans

Q: Why did you choose Private Lending?

To some extent, Private Lending has chosen me, not the other way around. My background was in residential lending, going back more than 30 years. I spent much of my early career at First Franklin, a national non-prime lender. By the time I was CEO, First Franklin was one of the largest and most profitable nonprime mortgage banking companies in the U.S., having grown from 800 employees to more than 3,000. And then the mortgage crisis hit.

My first introduction to Private Lending came in 2014 when I was recruited as the President and CEO of a newly formed joint venture between WDB Funding and Clayton Holdings, LLC. They wanted to stand up a company to take advantage of emerging market opportunities in fix and flip and become the alternative financing/hard money lender of choice. I guess I did the job too well, because after 18 months, Clayton, the national due diligence firm, asked me to come on board, and I eventually became Clayton’s Chief Revenue Officer.

Fast forward to 2020 and my second opportunity in Private Lending. Steve Pollack, the founder of Anchor Loans, asked me to come on board as President. He wanted me to either find companies that Anchor could acquire or find the right long-term investor that would support Anchor’s growth, in both good market cycles and bad.

At the end of 2021, we sold Anchor to Pretium Partners, a very dynamic, real-estate focused investor with more than $50 billon in AUM. Given the state of the Private Lending market over the past year, this decision looks even more prescient.

Q: What is your current role and what do you do day to day?

This is a particularly timely question since my role is shifting slightly. For the past two years, I have been pulled in different directions managing and growing Anchor Loans during an incredibly turbulent period, which has required a very hands-on approach. At the same time, I’ve been working to leverage and develop synergies with our very dynamic parent, Pretium Partners. It’s been apparent to me, and something that I have shared with Pretium, that this is really a two-person job. I’m happy to announce that they have agreed with me, and at the end of last month, we announced that Rayman “Ray” Mathoda, an amazing CEO candidate, has agreed to come on as CEO. I will now be moving into the President’s role, which better suits my strengths and interests and will make my family happier.

Q: What excites you about your role today?

In my new the role as President, I’ll be focused on market share growth,

business channel expansion, and product/service innovation. I’m looking forward to working closely with Ray to usher in Anchor’s next phase of growth and operational excellence.

Q: Can you explain a time where you faced adversity or had struggles early on in your career? Where did it all begin? How did these experiences mold and shape you into the leader you are today?

Throughout my career I have welcomed challenges: growing businesses, working with new corporate parents, adapting to industry changes, etc. In terms of the greatest challenges I’ve faced, I’d have to say the mortgage crisis was one, and it undid years of work when good companies, not just the bad actors, were swept away.

The current deceleration of the housing market, brought on by the Fed’s anti-inflation campaign has been very disruptive for the Private Lending market. But it has also created opportunities for strong, well-capitalized companies, like Anchor, to grow its market share and attract great talent.

I think that I thrive in challenging times because I have a cool and calm leadership style and can stay focused and move decisions and businesses forward.

Q: Is there anything that you wish you could go back and tell yourself at the beginning of your career?

I guess it would be, don’t try to “sugarcoat” bad news. Always tell the honest-to-God truth about everything, even if the truth is “I

don’t know.” Always take the high road, be a straight-shooter, and try to be fair.

Q: Who is someone that has had a significant effect on your career and why?

I’ve had the opportunity to work along-side some amazing entrepreneurs, Steve Pollack, the founder of Anchor, for example, in the Private Lending space; and Bill Dallas the serial-entrepreneur on the residential side. And I’ve learned a lot from them. But if I had to pick the single greatest influencer, it would be my father, Albert Pollock, who owned a large electronics store. Every night, at the dinner table, he taught me about business, finance, making fair deals, and how putting family first can actually help you in your professional life.

Q: What has been your favorite aspect of being in Private Lending over the years?

I love the fact that our industry doesn’t fear the future, we shape it. We look at tired, aging houses and see opportunities to transform them into upgraded homes. We look at undeveloped property lots and see desirable building sites. And then we provide financing — for fix and flip, ground-up construction and rental properties — that expands America’s housing stock, one home at a time.

leadership skills … and this certainly is the case at Anchor. So, I guess I’d have to point to my time at Anchor as the highlight.

every day so that I can focus on the most important things, every day. Plus, I get the satisfaction of crossing things off my to-do lists.

Q: What do you enjoy most about your job? Least?

My greatest strength, and what gives me the most joy, is building relationships within the organizations I’ve led, with my customers, and with our business partners. I’m a savvy negotiator who understands that all parties need to win at the table, and I’m able to make that happen. I’m probably less happy when I’m reporting about what’s happening, rather than making it happen.

Q: Is time or money more valuable and why?

Time. You can always make more money.

Q: How do you make sure your company stays ahead in this industry?

First, by hiring the best people. Over the past three years, we’ve built a very strong, very talented team at Anchor, and it is only getting stronger with the addition of our new CEO, Ray Mathoda. Second, invest in the technology. At Anchor, we’ve built a vertically integrated platform that delivers accurate valuations in 24-48 hours, provides risk-based pricing and services our loans.

Q: Has your role changed significantly to address the current environment?

Yes, even before we brought on our new CEO my role was changing. I was spending more time in the field, meeting with current and past clients and prospects, visiting projects, showing the Anchor “flag”, and spreading the word that Anchor is in this business for the long run. We are, and will be, a reliable source of liquidity in good cycles and bad.

Q: What advice would you give to someone who has just started out in Private Lending?

Love the clients and what they do, which is to transform run-down properties into appealing, upgraded homes. Don’t focus so much on the business of Private Lending per se, because that’s going to change. And in fact, already is.

Q: How will Private Lending change to adapt to the current market trends?

Q: What would you consider to be the highlight of your career thus far?

I’ve been fortunate to have the very best of careers … in positions that have challenged me and solidified my

Q: What tools do you use to aid you in your role to be most efficient, organized, and focused?

I’m old school. I use a pencil and a pad of paper and a journal for taking notes. I also re-prioritize my list

As often happens in down cycles like the one we’re in, newer, less wellcapitalized lenders will be forced to retrench or close. We’re seeing this already. Companies like Anchor, which have been in business for 25 years and have a strong committed parent, will not only persevere but will grow share and attract clients and lending talent.

For more information, please visit: https://www.anchorloans.com/

Equity Trust Company

RETHINKING HOW WE RETIRE

By Charles Peckman, Contributing Writer for Originate Report

John Bowens Director and Head of Education and

Thinking about retirement can be daunting. With life expectancies in the United States higher than 50 years ago, preparing for a post-work life may seem insurmountable.

Equity Trust Company knows the process of saving for retirement can be complicated. That is why, with the help of an innovative approach to retirement saving, Equity Trust has become a leader in helping customers reimagine their retirement.

With nearly $40 billion in assets under custody and administration –not to mention clients in all 50 states and over 200,000 accounts – Equity Trust helps investors put funds into asset classes such as real estate, private equity, cryptocurrency, precious metals, and more.

By using Equity Trust’s innovative technology, customers can easily create Traditional IRA, Roth IRA, CESA, and HSA accounts while leveraging over 45 years of experience in the financial services industry.

To gain a better understanding of how Equity Trust has built a sterling reputation in the world of retirement, Originate Report sat down with John Bowens, Director and Head of Education and Investor Success.

When Bowens thinks about the current retirement landscape, he said that Equity Trust understands the uncertainty many Americans feel – and why investing in nontraditional assets may be the right move.

“I think if we have learned anything from the past few years, it is that a diversified approach to retirement can lead to a more secure period,” he said. “Many Americans feel that their current retirement savings service offering is inadequate and does not make available investing outside of the stock market or public assets. What we pride ourselves on [at Equity Trust Company] is offering a unique approach paired with education.”

As Equity’s Head of Education and Investor Success, John said he is committed to dispelling myths about retirement investing – mainly, that preparing for retirement consists of putting a percentage of a check into the S&P 500 for 30+ years and hoping for strong returns.

Investor Success, Equity Trust Company

“I started my career in real estate but fell in love with the business model of Equity Trust and helping people leverage their retirement savings in alternative assets. One of the ways we have been able to innovate is by opening a dialogue with our customers and relaying a sense of transparency,” he said.

In an age of customization – and a renewed sense of value associated with the user experience – Bowens said that Equity Trust’s customers can take a self-directed approach to investing.

“No matter what path our customers take – self-starters and more passive investors, there is a huge opportunity because of access to public and private assets,” Bowens said.

In addition to the volume of assets currently available, John added that there is an equally large selection of assets to choose from. While some customers may gravitate towards single-family residential properties, there are also opportunities to fund commercial properties, multi-unit rental properties, and more. By accessing Equity Trust’s online marketplace,

investmentdistrict.com, customers can easily access a plethora of potential investment avenues.

experience that allows customers to see, in real time, their retirement and investment progress.”

“We’re one of the longest-operating custodians, and that is because of our approach to championing retail investors and investing in educational components,” he said. “This longevity gives our customers peace of mind when they’re doing business with us. It shows that we are dedicated to the long haul, and put real action behind phrases like track record, infrastructure, and risk mitigation.”

Part of this infrastructure, Bowens said, is ensuring access to the latest technological trends in investing and real estate. Long-gone are the days, he added, of being ‘in the dark’ when it comes to even the most basic information of retirement accounts.

“As private assets are becoming digitized, we can’t go back to the oldschool way of doing things like having customers fill out endless streams of paperwork,” he said. “One of the core aspects of the Equity Trust business model is making sure we stay ahead of the curve. We offer an intuitive digital

Paired with this focus on technology, however, is the reassertion of the human element of investing, John said.

“Ultimately, there will always be a need for a relationship, for a human connection on the other end,” he said. “Many don’t realize how long algorithmic trading has existed for –but with that said, there will always be a need for a human to engage with an investor in terms of planning, wealth building, and diversification.”

Wealth building, Bowens added, also includes building a wealth of knowledge. That is why Equity Trust has invested in a variety of mediums including videos, webinars, and other emerging platforms including podcasting.

“Above all, I am proud of what the Equity Trust team has built over more than 45 years,” John said. “Every day is a new opportunity to guide people through the investment process and help them make informed decisions about where they put their money.”

If you would like to learn more about the services offered by Equity Trust Company, visit trustetc.com.

For more information, please visit: https://www.trustetc.com/

With nearly $40 billion in assets under custody and administration – not to mention clients in all 50 states and over 200,000 accounts – Equity Trust helps investors put funds into asset classes such as real estate, private equity, cryptocurrency, precious metals, and more.

To Sam Kaddah, the founder and CEO of Liquid Logics, the word ‘innovation’ is often overused. In a marketplace brimming with competition and technological advancement, he added that the key to originality is utilizing tools – and people – in the right way.

ADVANCING LENDING THROUGH TECHNOLOGY AND COLLABORATION

By Charles Peckman, Contributing Writer for Originate Report

Founded in 2004, Liquid Logics provides a next-generation SaaS cloud-based loan origination software, or LOS, that is mainly targeted towards hard money lenders. The Liquid Logics system is the only truly complete system on the market today was built around making lenders and borrowers control their destiny and the full interactive borrower experience, which emphasizes simplicity and speed for loan officers.

When thinking about the current trends in an often-turbulent marketplace, Kaddah said that a key to Liquid Logic’s success has been introducing new products that speak to pitfalls in the lending ecosystem allowing lenders to control and transparency to their costs, speed of origination and fund profits.

“Today, there is pressure for quality loans and brokers, but traditional loans are drying up for institutional investors,” he said. “With that in mind, we introduced a white label or private label innovation into the market that allows lenders to give technology with dual full control, transparency and collaboration to their brokers to fund loans. This funnel leads all the way back to providing better access to funds and creating an active, robust ecosystem.”

Sam Kaddah Founder/CEO, Liquid Logics

This robust network, Kaddah said, is made possible, in part, by implementing new technology. This endeavor has struck close to home, as well. Kaddah's son, Alex, who has unique insights and knowledge with a master's in analytics and finance - was brought on board to facilitate predictive analytics and modeling and the software components of Liquid Logics.

“Historically, we have always been ahead of the curve when it comes to providing customers with tools to control their world, from basic customer interaction to data and operational and profitability reporting – but as the marketplace is shifting towards automation and attributes like automated pricing and eligibility engines as well as predictive analytics are vital to stay competitive and compliant, we have expanded our capabilities to be able to run a predictive model and create insights that allow you to have legal and compliant operations and fund management,” he said. “But this all starts with having a true understanding of the tools that you are using.”

Without a holistic understanding of the ‘tools of the trade’ – technological or otherwise – Kaddah said the initial glimmer of a product or service will not last in the eyes of a customer.

to do is augment our customer experience with a true understanding of emerging tools like predictive modeling.”

Kaddah said an important perspective to keep in mind is that every private lender has a niche and every field is different. A hard money private lender, for example, would not incorporate the same level of automation as, say, a McDonald’s franchise. There are ways to stay on top of current trends, he added, without seeming as though tech is being thrown against the wall until something “sticks".

Aside from technology, Kaddah said the team of professionals at Liquid Logics is instrumental in the group’s continued success.

“We are completely unique in our approach to customer relations,” he said. “We make sure you are never left behind. This starts with our onboarding experience, where we talk you through the process in a consultative approach. I believe in an honest and transparent process that allows you to tweak processes and approaches to make you the best you can be. From an account management perspective, as the industry changes, we are there right beside you to make sure that any adjustments allow you to manage change in the most seamless way possible.”

“You can never be smart enough to know all of the concepts in any given field,” he said. “Our approach has always been 1 + 1 = 3, and that is more than a cliché. The collective knowledge of everyone who walks through our front door adds to a body of information that is shared by everyone else. The range is wide, from basic blocking and tackling, processes, technologies, and thorough analytics. There will always be proprietary data, but an open dialogue allows everyone to advance.”

A key to this open dialogue, Kaddah added, is keeping in mind what the root of innovation means.

“To me, innovation is not coming up with another iPhone every day. Innovation is about thinking outside the box and creating ideas that improve methodologies, technologies, and approaches; it’s the accumulation of many small improvements that amounts to new way of doing or managing something, but some in real estate believe you must reinvent the wheel,” he said. “What we do at Liquid Logics is focus on the basics of origination and client relations and craft tools to make everyone’s piece of the puzzle more efficient.”

Looking forward, Kaddah said his team is looking to expand Liquid Logics and build on the group’s nearly 20 years of championing clients from coast to coast. For more information about Liquid Logics, visit liquidlogics.com.

“What a lot of people in this field don’t realize is that the technology component is not the end all, be all,” he said. “It is important to have these things at your disposal, but what [Liquid Logics] has been able

Although Kaddah said this approach fosters communication between internal and external parties, he added that it is important to remember that expertise is not ubiquitous.

For more information, please visit: https://www.liquidlogics.com/

DENNIS BARANOWSKI, ESQ., & LIGHTNING DOCS Revitalizing the ‘Static’ Loan Document Industry

By Charles Peckman, Contributing Writer for Originate Report

You may think that a loan documentation platform built by attorneys with an easy-to-use interface, backed by all major loan buyers, and featuring 100+ custom features may sound too good to be true.

You would be mistaken.

Say hello to Lightning Docs, a fully automated, cloud-based document solution offered by Geraci LLP. The platform was born out of a need to streamline the firm’s internal loan documentation process and allows users to draft attorney-grade loan documents with ease.

The platform works in three simple steps:

1. Fill out a brief questionnaire so the platform can tailor documents to your terms.

2. Lightning Docs inputs your terms into a law firm-grade document set and generates custom documents in seconds.

3. Download your documents with the peace of mind that you are legally protected.

To better understand what brought Lightning Docs to fruition, and how this innovative platform fits into today’s lending landscape, Originate

Report sat down with Geraci LLP’s own Dennis Baranowski, Esq. to learn about his background and what sets Lightning Docs apart as the go-to document creation tool for lenders from coast to coast.

When asked about his transition from private practice to working with Geraci LLP, Baranowski said he ‘never could have imagined’ that his career would take him to the front lines of coding a complicated program with the help of a team of attorneys and programmers. With that said, however, he added that ‘every decision happens for a reason’, and he would not change anything.

“I had been practicing law since 1999 and found myself enjoying the representation of lenders and brokers,” he said. “I also had a proficiency in drafting contracts, so when Anthony [Geraci] asked me to join his firm in 2012, I decided to take that chance – even though I never envisioned working for someone again, Anthony is a kind of visionary, and what he was doing in law and real estate spoke to me. I haven’t looked back since.”

This sentiment is shared by Geraci LLP Partner and CEO Anthony Geraci, Esq., who refers to Baranowski as the ‘backbone’ of the firm.

“When I met him and brought him on board, he was in-house counsel to a local private money lender. Through his leadership and growth, I've seen him move from an associate into a key person and partner within Geraci,” Anthony said. “Behind the scenes, he, as the conductor, orchestrates a complex team of attorneys, processors, and programmers, leads his team through Lightning Docs and transactions and ensures both the quality and quantity of our lending products meets our clients’ needs.”

leader in lender solutions – and a team of experts with decades of experience in the space – Baranowski said painstaking detail went into creating a responsive yet easy to use platform.

“We have worked diligently to make sure that Lightning Docs works seamlessly across state lines, and within the regulations that exist across the country,” he said. “Because of the team that we have in place, we have been able to scale this solution to a point of sustainability, and we can now focus on aspects like customization, functionality, and automation.”

Speaking to the prevalence of automation in today’s business landscape, Baranowski said the goal of Lightning Docs is to not ‘take away attorney jobs,’ but rather allow legal experts to focus their time on advising clients, navigating the often-muddy waters of compliance, and structuring transactions. By not focusing as much time on ‘pushing paper,’ he added, Lightning Docs customers can build their businesses quicker and more efficiently.

Meeting clients’ needs is at the core of the Lightning Docs pathos. By leveraging Geraci LLP’s position as a market

“The biggest challenge with moving to automation is understanding what and when you can automate,” he said. “This means figuring out how you can structure the program in a way that is repeatable and applicable to the greatest number of scenarios. We have been successful in that implementation with Lightning Docs, and what we see now is the ability to Lightning Docs: Continues on pg. 30

Lightning Docs: Continued from pg. 29

push more documents in the same amount of time with fewer mistakes.”

This focus on emerging trends like automation, Baranowski said, also speaks to holes that exist in the loan document platform marketplace. Among these pitfalls, he added, is the lack of a dynamic user experience.

“What Lightning Docs does and was an important factor to include in the platform, is allow the user to enter variables and conditions that can be implemented across different documents. These provisions allow users to migrate data more efficiently across pages, and in my opinion, is a huge factor in alleviating some of the headaches that come with processing complex forms,” he said.

“This mindset – from transforming static documents into ‘living’ forms that can evolve as a deal progresses – represents a monumental shift in how lenders and attorneys interact with data,” Baranowski said.

Nema Daghbandan, Esq., a Geraci LLP Partner and CEO of Lightning Docs, echoed this thought, and added that Baranowski ’s impeccable attention to detail on both fronts has been a boon to the platform’s success.

“I think Lightning Docs is already changing how people operate their businesses,” he said. “By allowing users to put best-in-class documents at their fingertips, they can be protected with ease and efficiency. It is important to have technology at your side, but without marrying it with the legal side, these implementations are fruitless.”

This cohesion – between Geraci LLP’s commitment to technological advancement and excellence in legal protection – is one of the ingredients that has led to Lightning Docs’ success, Baranowski said.

“Baranowski is the quintessential jack of all trades lawyer,” Nema said. “His vast experience and deep subject matter expertise in all things private lending make him essential to the firm. His versatility has him jump between writing legal logic for our Lightning Docs software in one moment to closing a $100MM office tower in the next.”

Looking forward, Baranowski said that although the initial rollout of Lightning Docs has been successful, there is always more work to be done.

“I think complacency is the most dangerous mindset to have,” Baranowski said. “I am proud of what we have built with Lightning Docs so far, but I want to keep making it better and offer our clients the best service possible.”

To learn more about how Lightning Docs can help your business automate and expedite the loan documentation proess, visit lightningdocs.com.

Dennis Baranowski, Esq. Partner Geraci LLP

About Lightning Docs

PRIVATE LENDING TRAILBLAZERS

Rocky Butani

CEO, Private Lender Link, Inc.

Rocky Butani CEO Private Lender Link, Inc.

Q: How many years have you been in Private Lending and why did you enter this field?

I have been in Private Lending since 2010. In 2006, I started a commercial real estate marketing consulting company which ended up being a failed business model. It was still operating and generating revenue, but I wanted to start a new real estate-related web-based business. I spent months brainstorming new ideas and then read about private lending in a commercial real estate industry magazine. I searched for websites where I could learn about different private lending companies, and none existed at the time.

Q: Where did you get your start?

In 2009, I contacted a small number of private lenders that I could find online and told them about my idea to build a website where real estate investors and brokers could find reputable private lenders throughout the country. Everyone liked the idea and was willing to pay a referral fee for closed loans. I began doing some marketing to generate leads for

private lenders, and it was working. I decided to build a new website to list the lenders, and 6 months later, in October 2010, PrivateLenderLink.com officially launched.

Q: What is your current role and how does that affect your company at large?

I’m the CEO of Private Lender Link, Inc. and the only employee. Several others support the business, but they are all contractors. My virtual assistants in the Philippines are managed by Scale Virtually, based in Chicago. Web development is managed by Reaction, a web/marketing agency in Alberta, Canada. I have 2 marketing consultants and will likely add 2 or 3 more this year. It’s great to have a lean operation with low overhead, but it’s been slow to grow without an in-house team. I hope to change that in the near future.

Q: How have you seen your company grow in spite of or because of current market conditions?

Our monthly recurring revenue took a big hit in Q4 2022 when many lenders paused or scaled back lending activity. However, since early January, we’ve seen a lot of interest from lenders to join our platform. Some are backed by institutional capital, and others are small local or regional lenders that have delegated funds to deploy.

database over the past 8 years, but it needs to be cleaned up and expanded. My second goal for 2023 is to obtain a Series 65 securities license and become a registered investment advisor. We are planning to launch a new service this year to generate leads for mortgage funds and lenders that offer note investments. The third goal is to start building a new web platform for lenders to share their loan programs and get matched with brokers/investors. We just obtained a trademark for it.

Q: What does success look like for you?

I feel good about what I’ve achieved so far, but I have a lot more to accomplish before I feel successful.

Q: What is something most people don’t know about you or your company?

After 12 years in this business, I have never originated a single loan and don’t have much interest in doing so. I enjoy my role in the private lending industry and enjoy what I do. Obviously I don’t make the big bucks that originators make, but my business has a lot of potential to generate consistent revenue without being involved in transactions.

Q: What steps are you or your company taking today to make an impact on the industry?

Q: What are some of your goals for 2023 and beyond?

My first goal for 2023 is to rebuild our database and implement lots of automation. We’ve built up a huge

We have published a lot of informational videos and articles over the past 2 years to educate the public about private lending, and the feedback has been extremely positive. My team is in the process

of creating a more efficient system for producing content so that we can double or triple the output. Additionally, we will soon launch a new technology platform which will automate connections within our industry. The primary use will be for brokers and real estate investors to connect with lenders, but it will also be used by lenders to connect with service providers, and for note investors to connect with originators.

Q: What piece of advice did you personally receive early in your career that has helped shape decisions you’ve made?

Just before my senior year of high school, I started working for a real estate broker. I was his assistant and managed all the marketing. Over the course of 3 years working there, my boss constantly reminded me to set goals and write them down. I failed to take his advice at the time but eventually started goal-setting years later and realized that it’s such an essential habit that everyone should do in their career and personal life.

Q: Tell us about a person or organization you admire. How have they made an important impact on you, the industry, or the world?

One person in our industry that I admire is Charles Hershson (aka Uncle Chuck), the Chairman of Fidelity Mortgage Lenders in Los Angeles. Over the course of 50 years, he managed to build an extremely successful private lending business with a lower maximum loan-tovalue than any other lender I’ve ever

known. He could’ve increased his company’s loan volume exponentially by increasing their maximum leverage to levels that most of his competitors do. Instead, he chose to be more conservative and still thrived over the past decade. The few times I’ve had a conversation with Uncle Chuck at a California Mortgage Association event, he has reminded me that “it’s all about the servicing”. His advice to any private lending shop is to build a servicing portfolio to have recurring revenue and not to rely heavily on origination fees. I reminded him that I’m not a lender, but I share his practice of striving for monthly recurring revenue.

Q: Are you involved in any associations, networking groups, or the like that have influenced your career path?

I am a member of 3 private lending trade organizations: American Association of Private Lenders (AAPL), California Mortgage Association (CMA), and National Private Lenders Association (NPLA). All of them have been tremendously beneficial to my business. Most of the lenders on our platform I’ve met in person at the associations’ live events. In addition to networking, I get lots of great insights and education from these groups. I learn by having conversations with lenders. I learn about various services that support private lending. I get market intel and keep up to date with everything happening in our industry. I currently chair the Marketing Committee for CMA, and I’m on the NPLA’s Membership Committee.

Q: If you had a clean slate to start over and do anything you wanted to do, what would that be?

Having worked at a real estate brokerage in high school, I figured out early on that I didn’t want to be an agent, but I loved the real estate business and instead wanted to build a web technology business in real estate. During my senior year in high school, I started attending community college at night and had the opportunity to learn whatever I wanted to. If I had to start over, I would’ve learned advanced programming and database management. That knowledge would’ve enabled me to build a technology business early on. Being more of a business mind, I took all the real estate classes, accounting, and other businessrelated courses. It’s never too late to learn programming, but at this stage in my life, it’s more efficient to hire others to build the technology.

Q: What is the best advice you could give someone thinking about making a leap into Private Lending?

My best advice for someone thinking about making a leap into private lending is to study the industry extensively before diving in. Attend multiple industry conferences and talk to as many people as possible. Over the past 8 years, I’ve seen so many companies (originators, capital providers, and service providers) that were attracted to private lending, jumped in, and then realized it’s not a good fit. Private lending is a small sector of the mortgage industry, and it’s extremely competitive.

For more information, please visit: https://privatelenderlink.com/

MORE THAN A MEME

By Shaylee Henning, AAPL

Real life conversation:

Person:“So what do you do?”

Me: “I run social media for AAPL and Think Realty, and…”

Person: “So, you get paid to scroll Facebook and post memes all day?”

This is the part where I take a couple deep breaths and mentally go to my happy place.

Social media has become an essential part of a business’s marketing strategy and allows companies to connect with their customers, share their products or services, and increase brand awareness. Some people are genuinely surprised to

learn that growing a brand’s social media presence is more than posting a few updates and scrolling. To be successful, it takes time, effort, and strategy to build a strong presence that drives results.

Who do you want to talk to?

The first step to grow your social media is to define your target audience. You need to know who you are trying to reach before you can effectively reach them. Your target audience will determine which platforms you should focus on, the type of content you should create, and the tone of your messages. Using tools like Google Analytics, Facebook Audience Insights, or Twitter Analytics can help gather insights about your audience.

What are you trying to achieve?

The next step is to define your goals, which is something that will change with every campaign. Do you want to increase brand awareness? Drive traffic to your website? Generate sales leads? Whatever your goals are, make sure they are specific, measurable, achievable, and have a reasonable deadline. This will help you to stay focused and track your progress.

Which platforms are right for me?

In the Declaration of Independence it says, “Not all social media platforms are created equal.” Okay, maybe not, BUT it is true: not all platforms are equal and not all will work for your business. For example, if your target audience is mainly professionals,

LinkedIn is probably the best way to connect with your clients. If you have a business with visually appealing products, Instagram or Pinterest may be more appropriate. This is where the research you did on your target audience is going to help determine which platforms they are using, so you can focus your efforts on those.

memes), and videos are shared more often and liked than text-only posts. Also, be sure to use industryspecific hashtags, trending hashtags, and branded hashtags to increase your reach and engagement. When you’re creating content, ask yourself if this is something you would want to see or find beneficial if you were a customer.

What’s the game plan?

Content is king in the land of social media, and it is the fuel that powers your online presence. Creating a content strategy involves developing a plan for the type of content you’ll create, how often you’ll post, and the topics you’ll cover. When creating content, make sure it is relevant, engaging, and adds value to your followers. Your content needs be consistent with your brand's image and voice, so make sure to use the same colors, logo, and messaging across all platforms. Using consistent branding helps create a sense of trust and reliability, making it easier for customers to recognize and remember your brand. Posting frequency varies from platform to platform, but it's essential to post regularly to keep your followers engaged (more on that later).

Create high-quality content

Creating high-quality content is critical to gaining and engaging your followers. Your content should be visually appealing, informative, and relevant to your target audience. Make sure it is shareable so your followers can share your brand’s content if they feel inclined to do so. Pictures, graphics (yes, even

Yon don’t have to do it ALL yourself!

User-generated content (UGC) is any content created by your customers or followers, such as photos, videos, or reviews. Sharing UGC on your social media channels not only saves you time and effort in creating new content, but it also helps build trust and credibility with your audience.

Engage, interact & connect

Social media is a two-way street. This is one step that so many forget to do because it is one of the easiest to do. You must interact with your audience, it’s really that simple! When you don’t engage with your audience, you’re talking AT them and not WITH them. Connect with your followers by responding to comments, messages, and reviews which shows that you value their opinions. You can also engage your audience by asking questions, hosting polls, and sharing usergenerated content. Engaging with your audience helps to create a sense of community around your brand.

paid advertising. Paid advertising allows businesses to reach a larger audience and target specific demographics, interests, and behaviors. It also offers a measurable return on investment (ROI) and allows you to test different ads to determine what works best for your audience. Facebook, Instagram, and LinkedIn offer various advertising options, including sponsored posts and targeted ads to reach your ideal audience.

Monitor and analyze

To ensure that your strategy is effective, you need to analyze your performance regularly. Use analytics tools to track your performance, such as the number of followers, engagement rates, and website traffic. This data will help you optimize your strategy and make necessary adjustments to achieve your goals.

Remember, social media is not a one-size-fits-all approach, so it’s important to tailor your strategy to your business’s unique needs and audience. By following these best practices, you can create a social media strategy that helps you achieve your goals and stand out from the competition. Now, back to posting memes…

Paid advertising

While organic social media reach is valuable, it's becoming increasingly challenging to gain traction without

Shaylee Henning Marketing Manager AAPL

Embracing Innovation to Avoid Obsolescence

THE TALE F GERACI LLP

By Anthony Geraci, Esq., Geraci LLP

As an entrepreneur, I understand the importance of the word “innovation”. It’s the cornerstone upon which all entrepreneurs build their empires. I’ve spent the better part of the last 15 years at the helm of Geraci LLP, a law firm that specializes in private money, hard money, and non-conventional lending. During my tenure, I have worked hard to create an environment where innovation can grow. We’ve instituted a combination of early adoption of technology, including developing proprietary solutions

to address client pain points; heavy marketing emphasis, including creating a conference line; and staying committed to providing exceptional client service. Because of this recipe, we have grown from a relatively unknown entity to the largest law firm in the private lending space.

Law firms are notoriously slow to adapt to change, eschewing it for the notion that “if it isn’t broken, why fix it”. However, embracing change and making innovation a priority is one of the key driving forces behind our success at Geraci LLP. We recognize that, in the highly competitive legal

industry, firms that fail to innovate and adapt to changing market conditions risk becoming obsolete.

Technology

Harnessing technology has been a cornerstone upon which we have relied since the firm’s inception. It has led to improved efficiency, enhanced accuracy, cost savings, and improved client service through the automation of tasks and reduction in human error. We were early adopters of artificial intelligence – prior to the recent push that has grabbed news headlines worldwide.

You can find examples of this in social media planning, ad copy and headlines, project management tools, and podcast overviews.

Lightning Docs is our fully automated, cloud-based loan document solution. This software allows our clients to create legal documents at the touch of a button, reducing time and effort yet improving accuracy and consistency. We continue to invest in its growth, diving headfirst into the inevitable future of the legal and real estate industries – advanced automation-powered companies backed by exceptionally qualified subject-

matter experts. Since 2018, the platform has been used to generate more than 30,000 loans equal to almost $17 Billion across the nation and will only grow from here.

Legal Technology aside, the team at Geraci has also been at the forefront of developing new legal structures and regulatory frameworks for the private lending industry at large. This has included working with state and federal regulators to create new laws and regulations in support of the industry and provided

greater flexibility and opportunity for private lenders.

For example, we have been an advocate in several different legal areas nationwide. Along with American Association of Private Lenders, for whom we serve as General Counsel, we have successfully represented the private money lending and hard money lending industry against such dangerous bills as Florida’s licensing system and led changes to California’s SB 1079, a bill that basically let anyone who barely qualified as a non-profit (and those who would scheme for profit) to buy a piece of property for a belowmarket price at auction.

The importance to the industry is that, at no cost to our clients, we are able to assist key influencers in defending private lenders’ rights to do what they do for the economy: use creative solutions to help their clients achieve results.

At Geraci, we feel we are part of the private money lending and hard money lending industry and ecosystem. As a result, we have the duty to make this industry as free from additional, burdensome legislation as possible while understanding the role, motivation and responsibility of legislators. Our goal is to help guide them to make laws that truly support all people rather than random, half-baked ideas that give little guidance to the regulated and no protection to the beneficiaries of those laws.

Culture

A culture of innovation cannot exist without a parallel culture of continuous improvement, experimentation, and teamwork. At Geraci LLP, we have fostered this culture by encouraging our employees to think creatively, challenge the status quo, and take calculated risks. We also foster many opportunities for employees to collaborate outside their immediate team, leading to new insights and innovative solutions to complex challenges both within the firm and in the industry at large.

By encouraging our employees to embrace failure as an opportunity to learn and improve rather than something to be avoided at all costs, we have created a culture ripe with innovation and idea-sharing.

Marketing

Our marketing strategy at Geraci LLP is designed to build a strong brand and establish us as a trusted leader in the private lending space. This has involved a significant investment in marketing and branding activities, including advertising, public relations, content marketing, and an internally managed conference line – a unique innovation for a law firm.

One of the key elements has been building a strong online presence, and through that, establishing our attorneys as thought leaders. This has involved the development of a comprehensive website that provides

information about our services and expertise, a blog that publishes regular updates and insights on the private lending industry, and an easy way to reach out to our experts. We have invested time into a strong social media presence, multiple newsletters, started a private lending podcast, and manage a bimonthly magazine to reach a wider audience and engage with potential clients.

In 2015, we tapped into the private lending industry’s desire for inperson collaboration, learning, and networking by launching a conference line. Geracicon has grown to host over 500 attendees at each of our twice-yearly events. Our conference line has become a platform for collaboration, continued learning, and deal flow. Attendees return year after year to discuss all things lending and make new business connections that benefit them for years to come.

Conclusion

In conclusion, over the past 15 years, I have led Geraci LLP with the theme

of "innovate or die." Through our commitment to innovation, we have grown from a relatively unknown law firm to the largest law firm in the private lending space. Our success has been driven by our willingness to embrace change, challenge the status quo, and take calculated risks.

Looking to the future, we remain committed to innovation to benefit our employees and clients alike. We will continue to invest in new technologies, tools, and services that can help us stay ahead of the curve and continue to provide value to our clients. We will also continue to invest in marketing and branding activities to build our brand and establish ourselves as a leader in the private lending industry.

Anthony Geraci, Esq. CEO and Partner Geraci LLP

Our success has been driven by our willingness to embrace change, challenge the status quo, and take calculated risks.

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PLAYING: Lender Lounge with Kevin Kim Presented by Geraci LLP

INDUSTRY NEWS

Kiavi Appoints Arvind Mohan as Chief Executive Officer

SAN FRANCISCO, Feb 14, 2023 – Kiavi, one of the nation’s largest lenders to real estate investors, today announced that the company’s Board of Directors has appointed Arvind Mohan as Chief Executive Officer. Mohan will assume day-to-day leadership of the company and will also join Kiavi’s Board of Directors. Mohan, a financial markets veteran, has served as Kiavi’s Chief Operating Officer since 2020 and has held various other leadership positions since he joined the company in June 2016. Michael Bourque has stepped down from his role as Chief Executive Officer. This will help the company drive continued growth despite challenging market conditions, and accelerate the company’s position in the real estate investment market.

“It has been a great honor to serve as the CEO of Kiavi since 2020, and I am incredibly proud of everything our team has accomplished together during my 4.5 years with the company. We have built a high-growth, profitable fintech company that is a leader in serving residential real estate investors,” said Bourque. “The Board and I are confident that Arvind is the right person to build on this momentum. He is a seasoned leader with significant experience in financial services and capital markets, driving customer experience improvements and operational efficiencies through technology and data, and creating long-term value. And importantly, he cares deeply about each member of our team. Kiavi is fortunate to have him as the next CEO,” he continued.

Mohan brings more than 17 years of strong leadership experience to his new role. During his seven years at Kiavi, he has held various leadership positions in Capital Markets and, since 2020, has served as Chief Operating Officer overseeing the Software Engineering, Product, Risk, Business Operations, Capital Markets, and Mortgage Operations functions. Prior to Kiavi, Mohan spent 10+ years in the fixed income division at Barclays overseeing teams in the securitized products group. Mohan holds a B.S. and M.S. in Computer Engineering from Carnegie Mellon University.

“I know that I speak for everyone at Kiavi in thanking Michael for his leadership and impact on the company,” said Mohan. “I am thrilled to assume this new role and for the future of Kiavi. We have a special culture and an exceptionally talented team that is focused on delivering for our customers, continuing to innovate our products and channels in new and diverse ways, and unlocking future opportunities for growth. I look forward to leading Kiavi through this next stage of growth,” he added.

About Kiavi

With more than $12.3B in funded loans, Kiavi is one of the nation’s largest private lenders to residential real estate investors (REIs). Kiavi harnesses the power of data & technology to offer REIs a simpler, more reliable, and faster way to access the capital they need to scale their businesses. Formerly known as LendingHome, Kiavi is committed to helping its customers revitalize the approximately $25 trillion worth of aged U.S. housing stock to provide move-in ready homes and rental housing for millions of Americans across the country. For more information, visit www.kiavi.com. NMLS ID #1125207.

Mohan's proven capital, financial, and operations expertise to further strengthen Kiavi's market position For

AVATAR FINANCIAL GROUP PROVIDES $8.75 MM FINANCING FOR 17,500-SQUARE-FOOT LUXURY PARK CITY, UTAH PROPERTY

“Monitor’s Rest At The Colony”

• Responsive bridge loan funding allows completion of iconic 5-acre ski-in/ski-out estate again listed for sale; Property sold for $39.6 Million in May 2022, setting a record price in Utah.

• The property is currently being resold for a listing price of $50 million and is now the most expensive home for sale in Utah. The owner, who made additional improvements, originally intended to keep the estate, but his plans changed.

• Following additional work on the home, it is represented for sale by Paul Benson of Engel & Völkers, who represented both the buyer and the original seller, developer, Iluminus Group.

Seattle, February 28, 2023 – Seattle-based Avatar Financial Group provided a bridge loan totaling $8.75 million to The Iluminus Group, a custom home builder, to complete all interior finishes on a 17,500-square-foot, luxury ski-in/ski-out property in Park City, UT. The estate is in the exclusive Colony at White Pine Canyon gated community and is tucked into the mountains at the base of Monitor Bowl.

Avatar Financial Group is a portfolio lender that controls more than $200 million in funds to make hard money bridge loans. A leader in alternative commercial mortgage lending, the company has completed financing transactions totaling more than $1 billion in loans. Avatar has enabled fast access to capital for real estate investors across the United States for nearly twenty years.

“Monitor’s Rest At The Colony” is being sold by Paul Benson of Engel & Völkers, who represented both the buyer and the seller, developer Iluminus Group in the original sale. The Iluminus Group, the borrower, specializes in turnkey luxury spec homes in Park City, UT, The Hamptons, NY, and Jackson Hole, WY. Park City is 32 miles southeast of downtown Salt Lake City.

The development group procured a world-renowned team to work on the project, including Carney Logan Burke Architects and Magleby Construction. The outer structure and roof were already completed when Avatar was brought into the project. Avatar underwrote an $8.75 million, 18-month loan, allowing Iluminus to complete all interior finishes of the home and adhere to its timeline. Avatar held all net loan proceeds in a construction draw account that was disbursed as the work progressed.

T.R. Hazelrigg, IV, Co-Founder and President of Avatar Financial Group, shared his reasoning for contributing to this iconic property’s successful completion and sale. He explains, “Monitor’s Rest sets the bar for luxury and mindful living

and is the essence of the Park City lifestyle. The estate’s stunning setting and master-level artisanship are on par and complement each other seamlessly. Avatar was delighted to be Iluminus Group’s capital partner and to play a significant role in making this dream home a reality.”

The compound’s eye-popping features include rich copper cladding and a wellness-intelligence system that provides circadian rhythm lighting that responds to the human body’s natural cycles and promotes productivity and balance. The home features a DELOS advanced water and air filtration system that provides supplemental oxygen feed for high-altitude environments. Other amenities include a sauna, steam room, and massage room with a backlit Himalayan salt wall. A designated “wellness wing” has a stainless-steel hot tub, indoor-outdoor lap pool, sport court, gym, sports simulator, and single-lane bowling alley. A long list of additional comforts, custom-builds, and dialed-in details make this unique home a distinctive global property.

Monitor’s Rest At The Colony

All Images Courtesy of Engel & Völkers International Real Estate

About Avatar Financial Group

Avatar Financial Group was founded in 2003 and provides real estate bridge loans for borrowers with capital needs that traditional lenders are not meeting because they don’t meet bank standards or for borrowers who don’t have time to wait. Principals of Avatar have completed more than a billion dollars of bridge loan funding. Avatar Financial Group is a leader in commercial hard money bridge loans, offering solutions for nonconforming, income-producing real estate nationwide. While the current market has created a lack of credit availability for real estate investors and small business owners, Avatar Financial Group is positioned to meet the market needs and expand its portfolio of loans in the $1 million to $35 million + range without the regulatory constraints that large banks and institutional lenders are now facing.

For More Information, Contact:

loanrequest@avatarfinancial.com | (206) 728-5900 | https://www.avatarfinancial.com/

Transformational Growth Expert Ray Mathoda Joins Anchor Loans as Chief Executive Officer

Mathoda Brings 25-Year Track Record of Building Businesses, Driving High-Growth Performance to Pretium Platform as Anchor Loans Enters Next Phase of the Company's Evolution

THOUSAND OAKS, Calif., Feb. 23, 2023 /PRNewswire/ Anchor Loans ("Anchor"), the nation's leading provider of financing to residential real estate investors and entrepreneurs, today announced that Rayman "Ray" Kaur Mathoda has been named Chief Executive Officer, effective immediately.

Ms. Mathoda will work closely with the entire Anchor Loans and Pretium leadership teams to accelerate Anchor Loan's long-term strategic objectives. Andrew Pollock will transition to the new role of President, where he will work closely with Ms. Mathoda to drive market share growth, business channel expansion, and product and service innovation.

Ms. Mathoda brings more than twenty-five years of experience across the real estate, finance, and technology sectors and has an extensive track record of delivering transformational growth and value creation. Ms. Mathoda previously served as Chief Executive Officer at Xome, a real estate solutions provider, and Co-Chief Executive Officer at Genesis Capital LLC, a high-growth specialty finance company that was acquired by an affiliate of Goldman Sachs in January 2018. Ms. Mathoda started her career at McKinsey & Company.

"There are unparalleled opportunities in today's housing market to help finance the modernization of our nation's rapidly aging housing stock and increase the supply of move-in ready homes for buyers," said Don Mullen, Founder and CEO of Pretium. "Ray is the right leader at this stage in Anchor Loans' evolution to expand the business' strategic footprint and efficiently grow market presence. Andy has established a strong foundation, and I look forward to working closely with the expanded executive leadership team to grow the company's products, channels, and infrastructure to match the market opportunity and long-term market needs."

Ray Mathoda CEO, Anchor Loans

"Twenty-five years ago, Anchor Loans founded the business of supplying capital to single-family real estate developers and entrepreneurs, enabling them to support communities with renovated homes," said Ms. Mathoda. "I am excited to collaborate with Andy and the Anchor Loans and Pretium teams to expand our national footprint, accelerate growth, and execute on our ultimate mission of upgrading America's housing stock while closing the gap between demand and supply of move-in ready homes."

"I have been working closely with Ray for the last several months and know firsthand that Ray shares the Anchor Loans team's collective vision and dedication to putting customer needs at the heart of our business model," said Mr. Pollock. "I firmly believe that Ray will lead Anchor Loans to a bright future as we enter the next chapter of our journey to becoming the sustained leader in our industry."

In addition to her extensive business-building experience, Ms. Mathoda is currently an Independent Director at Mosaic Sustainable Finance and serves as Chairperson of the Board at Desi Rainbow Parents & Allies, the leading (and only national) 501(c)(3) non-profit serving South Asian LGBTQ families and persons in the U.S. She previously served as a City Commissioner for the Housing Authority of the City of Los Angeles and as a board director for Genesis Capital and the Los Angeles LGBT Center.

She earned an M.B.A. with Distinction from the Kellogg Graduate School of Management at Northwestern University and a Bachelor of Arts with Honors from Princeton University.

About Anchor Loans

Anchor Loans is the nation's largest private direct lender to real estate investors. The company has originated more than $11.8 billion in funding since it was founded in 1998 and is the first in the industry to fund more than $1 billion in a single year, which it has surpassed every year since 2016. Anchor Loans specializes in larger and more customized loans for experienced real estate entrepreneurs. More than 85% of Anchor Loans' borrowers are repeat customers, and more than 75% of the company's new borrowers are referred by existing customers. For more information visit https://www. anchorloans.com.

About Pretium

Pretium is a specialized investment firm focused on U.S. residential real estate, residential credit, and corporate credit. Pretium was founded in 2012 to capitalize on investment and lending opportunities arising as a result of structural changes, disruptions, and inefficiencies within the economy. Pretium has built an integrated analytical and operational ecosystem within the U.S. housing, residential credit, and corporate credit markets, and believes that its insight and experience within these markets create a strategic advantage over other investment managers. Pretium's platform has more than $50 billion of assets, comprising real estate investments across 30 markets in the U.S., and employs more than 4,000 people across 30 offices, including its New York headquarters, Dubai, London, Seoul and Sydney. Please visit www. pretium.com for additional information.

RCN Capital Surpasses 20,000 Loans Funded Since Inception

SOUTH WINDSOR, Conn. (February 7, 2023) – RCN Capital, a leading nationwide private lender specializing in financing for real estate investors, announced a major origination milestone of over 20,000 loans funded since its inception in 2010.

RCN Capital, which offers financing for short-term fix & flip projects, long-term rentals, & ground-up construction, takes pride in its commitment to providing the investor community with funding options despite ongoing turbulence in the real estate industry.

“Since the inception of RCN Capital back in 2010, our core mission has been to provide financing to investors who are renovating distressed housing to put back into the marketplace for families to call home,” said Jeffrey Tesch, RCN Capital’s CEO. “This is truly a tremendous moment in the company’s history as we reflect on what we have been able to accomplish over the years and what we have been able to give back.”

Even with market challenges, 2023 is expected to be another strong year for RCN Capital, with the company projecting $1.7B in new originations.

“RCN’s continued success is a testament to the hard work and dedication of our employees, the trust and support of our clients, and the strong partnerships we have formed over the years. We are so grateful and we look forward to continuing to make an impact in the private lending industry in 2023 and beyond,” Tesch added.

About RCN Capital

RCN Capital is a South Windsor, CT-based national, direct, private lender. Established in 2010, RCN provides commercial loans for the purchase or refinance of non-owner occupied residential properties. The company specializes in new construction financing, short-term fix & flip and bridge financing, and long-term rental financing for real estate investors. For more information on RCN Capital and RCN’s loan programs, visit www.RCNCapital.com.

Geraci LLP Celebrates One-Year Anniversary for Litigation Head, Steven Ernest, Esq.

Reflects on Substantial Client Wins Over Last Year

IRVINE, CA – February 9, 2023. Geraci LLP, the nation’s largest private lending law firm, celebrated the one-year anniversary of Head of Litigation, Steven Ernest, Esq. taking the helm for his team. Under his leadership, the litigation team has accepted more complex cases than ever before and has already racked up some impressive accomplishments.

Below are a few of the highlights over the past year:

• Adeline Tungate, Esq. received a $12 million default judgement on behalf of one of her clients; the largest judgement in firm history.

• The team successfully obtained non-suit at trial despite the Plaintiff putting on evidence for 1.5 weeks. The Judge entered judgment in our client’s favor and dismissed the case before we even called a witness.

• Jacoby Perez, Esq. saved a widow who was facing eviction from her home on Christmas. He filed a wrongful foreclosure action which resulted in a stay of Unlawful Detainer, and is set up to win the foreclosure case and have her keep her house.

• One of the goals for 2023 is to increase the team’s Breach of Guaranty practice. Already this year Jacoby Perez, Esq. has earned a Summary Judgment in two of those cases.

• In a challenging group of consolidated cases in Beverly Hills, a group of Plaintiffs are collectively suing one of our clients. Adeline Tungate, Esq., has successfully resolved the largest pain point in the case, earned summary judgment in another, and continues to work towards resolution at the rest of the suit.

• Jacoby Perez, Esq. successfully defended against outlandish demands made by a Plaintiff against our client, refusing to allow our client to pay a ‘nuisance value.’ This forced the Plaintiff to dismiss their case with prejudice on the eve of trial. He is now working on our fees motion.

"After meeting Steven, I knew we needed him as part of Geraci LLP. His tenacity, expertise, and unwavering commitment have shown in the impressive results obtained on behalf of our clients,” said Anthony Geraci, Partner and CEO, Geraci LLP. “Steven helps solidify our reputation as the top and largest private lending firm in the country, based on our size and leadership in the industry. We are proud to have him on our team and grateful for his invaluable contributions."

"I'm extremely proud of our team and all that we've accomplished in the past year," said Steven Ernest, Esq., Head of Litigation, Geraci LLP. "We have an incredibly talented, smart, and dedicated group of attorneys, and I'm looking forward to continued success in the year ahead. With the ethos here, and implementation of our strategic plans in each case, we’ll continue to win like crazy, and earn first rate results for our clients."

About Geraci Law Firm

Geraci Law Firm is the nation’s largest law firm dedicated almost exclusively to the private/non-conventional lending space and is the leading legal resource for specialty lenders, asset-based lenders, private lenders, and non-bank institutions. Our legal departments include Banking & Finance, Corporate & Securities, and Litigation & Bankruptcy, offering lenders a vertically integrated suite of services while our Geraci Conference Line provides networking and educational opportunities to the industry at large. Please note Geraci’s litigation department is California-based while the rest of the firm supports a 50-state practice area.

Meriwether Group Capital Hero Fund LP Funds

Loan to Local Custom Outdoor Space Builder OUTDOOR OFFICE, INC.

Portland, Ore. – (February 2023) – Meriwether Group Capital (MWGC) today announced ‘Hero Fund’ financing in the form of a capital loan to Outdoor Office, Inc. a custom designer and builder of outdoor spaces. The funding will support Outdoor Office’s drive for growth and expansion, enabling access to the capital required to take advantage of future opportunities as the company ended 2022 with growing demand, both locally and regionally.

Outdoor Office designs, builds, and installs custom outdoor spaces that are functional as home offices, home gyms, yoga studios, art and music studios, meditation rooms, games rooms, and more. These spaces are often a solution when living spaces are limited and budgets for major renovations are excessive. Outdoor Office creates beautiful, high-quality, custom-built structures, often at 50%-70% less than renovating or remodeling.

MWGC’s ‘Hero Fund’ focuses on small to mid-sized companies that meet the fund’s revenue qualifications and financial needs. Leading the effort is Meriwether Group Capital Founder & Fund Manager, Jamie Shulman, who brings more than 25 years of commercial banking experience to the business. Partnering with him are Seattle-based First Fed Bank, a division of First Northwest Bancorp (Nasdaq: FNWB), and Meriwether Group, led by David Howitt.

About Outdoor Office, Inc.

Based in Portland, OR, Outdoor Office, Inc is recognized as a leader across the county in the industry of home offices and backyard studios. Building these spaces since 2019, they have grown into a major resource for clients who seek a more private space to work, play, or create outside of the main home. Since the pandemic, they have grown at an average pace of over 472% per year and have continued to smash every projected business marker to date. With the ability to design and quote a project through their innovative online builder tool, clients have seen not only the value in the product, but the increased speed at which the projects can be completed has help to revolutionize the manufactured style home office.

Hero Fund seeks to meet the lending needs of entrepreneurs not served by traditional lenders.

Outdoor Office was found by Anthony Taylor-Weber, CEO, in 2018 while facing his own remote work challenges as a home inspector. The idea for Outdoor Office was born out of necessity and expanded rapidly throughout the onset of 2020 through today.

In September 2022 Outdoor Office, Inc was notified that they were named a 2022 Portland Business Journal Manufacturer of the Year. The award is given to the most innovative Maker or Manufacturer in their industry who developed or led in the development of a breakthrough innovation. This is an annual award voted on by the Portland businesses and the leaders within the community.

About Meriwether Group Capital

Meriwether Group Capital (MWGC) is a commercial lender with a focus on Pacific Northwest businesses seeking loans outside the criteria for traditional banking. Founded in 2022, its Hero Fund serves companies with $2 to $75 million in revenue seeking $500,000 to $5 million to capitalize on business opportunities and realize their potential while maintaining equity and control. The company is a partnership between Jamie Shulman, a former commercial banker with more than 25 years of experience in the market, Seattle-based First Fed Bank, a division of First Northwest Bancorp (Nasdaq: FNWB), and Portland-based Meriwether Group. The company is in the Slabtown neighborhood of NW Portland and can be reached at 503-223-9062.

Private Lending Solution

Growth Capital

2023•CONFERENCE

THANK YOU TO OUR EVENT SPEAKERS

Stephanie Casper Chief Revenue Officer, Kiavi

www.kiavi.com

Stephanie Casper is the Chief Revenue Officer at tech-enabled lender Kiavi, one of the nation’s largest private lenders to residential real estate investors (REIs) with over $12.3B in funded loans. In addition to leading all of Kiavi’s revenue-driving functions (including all sales, marketing, pricing and partnership teams), Casper is an accomplished real estate investor herself with a growing portfolio of rental properties. Since joining Kiavi in 2020, Casper's leadership and creative strategies has driven unprecedented levels of growth for the company, including reaching various volume milestones never before seen in the non-QM lending industry.

Ryan Craft CEO, Saluda Grade

www.saludagrade.com

Ryan Craft is the Founder and CEO of Saluda Grade and has spent his entire career focused on mortgage-backed securities and securitized products. Most recently, Ryan was the Head of Securitized Product Sales at Baird, where he built out a fully bolstered sales and trading division by hiring over 25 new salespeople and adding multiple new trading and banking businesses. Craft began his career at Merrill Lynch as a Non Agency and Subprime RMBS trader through the 2008 financial crisis. After the BofA acquisition, he traded the ABX and CMBX credit default swap indices mapping Subprime and Commercial mortgages. After transitioning to Securitized Product sales, he was recruited to join Royal Bank of Canada after becoming a top producer across Bank of America’s Global Fixed Income division. Craft earned a BS in Finance & Management from Georgetown University, where he captained the Hoyas baseball team and earned First Team All-BIG EAST honors.

Seth Davis Managing Director, Arixa Capital

www.arixacapital.com

Seth Davis joined Arixa Capital in 2021, bringing with him over twenty years of banking industry experience, and currently serves as Managing Director. In this capacity, he is primarily responsible for the management of Arixa’s institutional vehicle and originates loans with a specific focus on multifamily, residential (2-4 unit), and other commercial real estate properties. Based in Phoenix, Davis established Arixa’s presence in the Arizona market and will expand Arixa’s origination platform across major Western U.S. real estate markets. His management capabilities and depth of experience is critical to building out a Phoenix-based lending team for Arixa Capital.

Ezra Dweck President, IceCap Group

www.icecapgroup.com

Prior to joining IceCap Group as President, Dweck was the Head of Private Equity at Safra Asset Management and later the Chief Investment Officer at Brooklyn based Duke Properties. At Duke, he led the acquisition of over 40 properties and developed a keen understanding of the New York City market. At IceCap, Dweck runs the Originations, Underwriting, and Closing teams. Dweck graduated with honors from the Wharton School of Business and Finance at the University of Pennsylvania, with a dual concentration in finance and entrepreneurial management. While there, he was a member of the University’s Ben Franklin Scholars program.

Ben Fertig President, Constructive Loans

www.constructiveloans.com

Ben Fertig currently serves as President of Constructive Loans. Constructive originates, services, and securitizes single-asset rental loans, and originates and services fix-and-flip loans. Prior to Constructive, Fertig ran Credit and Asset Management at Finance of America Commercial; and, before that, he served as Chief Operator Officer of Jordan Capital Finance, where he managed originations, credit policy, and capital markets. Ben was instrumental in the sale of the Jordan Capital Finance platform to Blackstone and Finance of America in 2017.

Mark Filler

Partner, Rice Park Capital Management

www.riceparkcapital.com

Mark Filler is a partner of Rice Park, overseeing investments in operating companies with a focus on the loan origination sector. He brings more than 25 years of mortgage sector experience and approximately 35 lending company acquisitions to his role. Career highlights include acting as Managing Director of Guaranteed Rate Co., a top five national mortgage lender; founding Jordan Capital Finance (“JCF”), a top five lender to residential real estate investors originating in over 40 states; and spearheading the sale of JCF to Finance of America Companies (NYSE: FOA), a Blackstone portfolio company, in 2017.

In 2007, Filler founded Prospect Mortgage Company, where he served as CEO, Executive Chairman, and President. Under his leadership, Prospect grew to be a top five independent retail lender with approximately $10 billion of annual mortgage volume and a retained servicing portfolio of approximately $15 billion. Mark holds an undergraduate degree from University of Michigan and a Juris Doctor degree from Harvard Law School.

Tony Ingoglia Chief Financial Officer & Chief Strategy Officer, Socotra Capital

www.socotracapital.com

Tony Ingoglia is the Chief Financial Officer & Chief Strategy Officer at Socotra Capital, also serving on the board of advisors since the company was established in 2007. In this role, he is responsible for developing, communicating, and executing Socotra's financial reporting, investor relations, investment underwriting, and strategic investment initiatives, ensuring Socotra Capital delivers appropriate risk-adjusted returns.

Ingoglia has spent the past decade leveraging his corporate finance expertise. Before joining Socotra Capital, Ingoglia served as a Corporate Finance Manager at Intel Corporation, a global leader in the semiconductor industry, from 2011 to 2017 in an operations finance capacity. In 2010, Ingoglia was a member of the Financial Crisis Inquiry Commission, a bipartisan commission responsible for the investigation of the global financial crisis of 2007 to 2010. The commission’s report cited regulatory failures, lapses in corporate governance, and excessive leverage as key factors contributing to the financial crisis.

Keith Lind CEO, Acra Lending

www.acralending.com

Keith Lind is the Executive Chairman & President of Acra Lending with 19 Years of Mortgage-Backed Securities and Asset-Backed Securities trading and structuring experience. He was a Managing Director at HPS Investment Partners before joining Acra Lending, Lind was a Trader at Brevan Howard and prior to joining Brevan Howard, Lind was a Managing Director and Head of the US Non-Agency Mortgage-Backed Securities Trading Desk at RBS. He was a Managing Director at Bear Stearns, where he traded the Non-Agency Mortgage-Backed Credit book. Lind holds a BA in Finance from Purdue University.

Sean Morgan CEO, Forecasa www.forecasa.com

Sean Morgan, the CEO of Forecasa, began his career as a CPA for PricewaterhouseCoopers, but soon recognized that accounting was not the long-term path. After joining an oil and gas service company, Morgan was quickly promoted from accountant to General Manager of one of the fastest growing segments within the business. This initiative led to launching his first company, NavPort, which leveraged public data to help the oil and gas industry drill better wells. After several successful exits, Morgan decided to transition his analytics background to the real estate industry where he teamed up with a few former colleagues to start Forecasa, the leading Private Lending Analytics platform. Forecasa partners with the “players” (originators, capital partners, etc) active in the private lending industry by providing data-driven solutions.

Carlos Nodarse CEO, The Mortgage Office

www.themortgageoffice.com

Carlos Nodarse is the CEO of Applied Business Software, Inc., (ABS), the leader in Loan Servicing and origination software since 1978. He joined ABS in high school, provided customer service and quickly learned what customers needed and wanted. Having found his passion, he obtained a Bachelor of Science Degree from The College of Science and Engineering at Loyola Marymount University, Los Angeles. Nodarse served as a lead developer at ABS for over 30 years. His knowledge of the mortgage industry, mortgage funds, and real estate lending alongside his technical expertise give him unique skills necessary to develop the company’s flagship product, The Mortgage Office™, the most widely used and most powerful lending software on the market today.

Andrew Pollock President, Anchor Loans

www.anchorloans.com

Andrew Pollock is the President of Anchor Loans, the nation's largest private direct lender to real estate investors. Pollock is best known for his expertise in building and leading top-performing organizations. Whether challenged to launch a start-up venture, orchestrate a complex turnaround, or lead a multinational organization through accelerated growth, he has consistently delivered strong results despite the complexity and volatility of the mortgage and investment banking industries. Prior to joining Anchor Loans, Pollock was a member of the executive enterprise team of Radian Group, Inc. and its wholly owned subsidiary, Clayton Holdings, where he delivered unprecedented, double-digit revenue growth. Pollock’s success in business turnaround is best exemplified by his tenure with Rushmore Loan Management where he was tasked with the aggressive turnaround of their latest acquisition—Icon Residential. As Co-CEO, he led a massive transformation of this company, transitioned its product focus from distressed assets to mortgage origination, and restored it to profitability in less than one year. Throughout his career, Pollock has structured, negotiated, and directed 20+ mergers, acquisitions, and joint ventures, and helped to guide a successful IPO.

Kevin Rodman CEO, Asset Based Lending, LLC

www.abl1.net

Kevin Rodman brings an extensive background in mortgage lending and real estate from his 38+ year career. Before joining ABL in 2014, he spent 24 years at Morgan Stanley (MS) as a Managing Director. He led their US Repo business with over $200 billion in assets and built their asset backed warehouse lending business with over $15 billion in mortgage and asset backed loans. He served as CEO of Saxon Mortgage, a MS subsidiary, and president of MS Home Loans. He was co-Head of MS’ Prime & Alt-A Mortgage Business with over $30 billion in annual production. After departing MS, Rodman served as head of Urban Financial, a reserve mortgage company, and as a Managing Director at Maverick Funding, a NJ based mortgage originator.

Rick Sharga CEO & Founder, CJ Patrick Company

www.cjpatrick.com

Rick is the Founder & CEO of CJ Patrick Company, a market intelligence and advisory firm for companies in the real estate and mortgage industries.

One of the country’s most frequently quoted sources on real estate, mortgage and foreclosure trends, Sharga has appeared on CNBC, CBS News, NBC News, CNN, ABC News, FOX, Bloomberg, and NPR. Sharga is a founding member of the Five Star National Mortgage Servicing Association, on the Board of Directors of the Asian Real Estate Association of America and the National Association of Default Professionals, and was twice named to the Inman News Inman 100, an annual list of the most influential real estate leaders.

Sharga has over 20 years of experience in the real estate and mortgage industries, including roles as the EVP/Market Intelligence at ATTOM Data, EVP for Carrington Mortgage Holdings, EVP of Marketing at RealtyTrac, and Chief Marketing Officer of Ten-X and Auction.com, the leading online real estate marketplace.

Jeffrey Tesch CEO, RCN Capital www.rcncapital.com

Jeffrey Tesch, Chief Executive Officer, is responsible for overseeing the operations of RCN Capital, including sales growth initiatives, underwriting review with compliance oversight and leadership of senior level strategic planning. Joining the Company in 2010 as Managing Director, Tesch led efforts to develop a national brand in private lending with the best practices and transparent products for a diverse customer base. Since RCN’s inception, Tesch has personally overseen over $3 Billion in originations. Tesch’s previous real estate experience was as an investor in both commercial and residential properties, ranging from single family homes to commercial retail centers. Tesch currently serves as a member of the American Association of Private Lenders’ (AAPL) Ethics Advisory Committee and as an Advisory Council member for the National Private Lenders Association.

Brock VandenBerg

Principal, TaliMar Financial

www.talimarfinancial.com

Brock VandenBerg established TaliMar Financial in 2008 during the height of the housing crisis to provide real estate investors a secure source of financing for their real estate transactions. TaliMar Financial quickly became one of the leading hard money lenders servicing residential and commercial fix and flip loans, bridge loans and new construction loans. VandenBerg’s real estate career started in 2001 with KeyBank’s Private Equity Group. At KeyBank, VandenBerg worked closely with leading real estate developers and institutional investors to fund more than $200 million in mezzanine debt and joint venture equity investments. After spending over 5 years with KeyBank, VandenBerg was appointed to a three-year engagement with the Federal Deposit Insurance Corporation (FDIC), where he supervised the orderly dissolution of failing banks. His responsibilities also included the sale of more than $500 million in performing and non-performing loan assets on behalf of the FDIC.

Natalie Verrette President & COO, Champions Funding www.champstpo.com

Natalie Verrette is President and Chief Operating Officer of mission-focused Champions Funding. The industry veteran is at the helm of the wholesale Non-QM lender, which also has the distinction of being a Community Development Financial Institution. Backed by the U.S. Department of the Treasury, CDFIs like Champions Funding are poised to increase equity in homeownership for traditionally underserved communities while providing access for mortgage brokers to the $1 trillion fund. Supported by a leadership team primarily made up of minority women, Verrette’s staff of diverse, passionate professionals yielded 67% of originations granted to CDFI-eligible borrowers within their first year of operations. Seeing sparse financing options for non-traditional and credit-worthy borrowers led Verrette to create a full suite of loan products, including those directed at investors and small business owners, that are accessed through common sense applications.

Kevin Werner CEO & Co-Founder, Renovo Financial www.renovofinancial.com

Kevin Werner is the Founder & CEO of Renovo Financial, a private lender and partner to residential real estate investors. Renovo employs a one-stop shop model with a full suite of loan programs, including single family and multi-family rehab, new construction, and 30-year fixed rental loans, as well as in-house underwriting and servicing. Werner has over 25 years of executive experience in the private lending industry and an extensive residential real estate investing track record. After recognizing a gap in the market for well-qualified residential real estate investors to access project financing, Werner co-founded Renovo Financial with Daniel Rosen and Granite Creek Partners in 2011. Together they have a commitment to creating the best products and pricing while still providing the attention and service of a local lender.

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Geraci LLP is a full-service law firm and conference line specializing in representing non-conventional lenders.

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