Lender Lounge with Kevin Kim

The podcast that gives an exclusive look beyond the title of private lending industry leaders.

Kevin Kim, Esq., is a partner at Geraci LLP, an organization that has been serving private lenders for over 10 years. An experienced lending lawyer and engaging speaker, Kevin digs deep with his guests to discover what makes a successful company and leader in this industry. Learn their company stories, wisdom, and what makes these leaders tick through captivating interviews and engaging banter.

Latest Episode

A League of Their Own – Guimont Capital

In this episode of Lender Lounge, Kevin Kim interviews Daniel Guimont, CEO of Guimont Capital, and Kirsten Lundell Koester, the company’s Chief Legal Officer, at their Bellevue office. Daniel and Kirsten share Guimont Capital’s journey from its roots as Las Vegas Loans to becoming a diversified lender focused on high-value, diverse projects across the U.S., from real estate to business acquisitions. They discuss the company’s hands-on approach, unique underwriting process, and commitment to borrower relationships, emphasizing both operational experience and the human element in lending. Daniel reflects on lessons from his previous waste management venture, now applied to Guimont Capital’s approach, while Kirsten explains how her M&A background supports their current deal-making strategies.
This episode offers insights into balancing growth with careful underwriting, maintaining client relationships, and defining long-term goals in the private lending market.

Listen to Episode »

A League of Their Own – Guimont Capital

In this episode of Lender Lounge, Kevin Kim interviews Daniel Guimont, CEO of Guimont Capital, and Kirsten Lundell Koester, the company’s Chief Legal Officer, at their Bellevue office. Daniel and Kirsten share Guimont Capital’s journey from its roots as Las Vegas Loans to becoming a diversified lender focused on high-value, diverse projects across the U.S., from real estate to business acquisitions. They discuss the company’s hands-on approach, unique underwriting process, and commitment to borrower relationships, emphasizing both operational experience and the human element in lending. Daniel reflects on lessons from his previous waste management venture, now applied to Guimont Capital’s approach, while Kirsten explains how her M&A background supports their current deal-making strategies.
This episode offers insights into balancing growth with careful underwriting, maintaining client relationships, and defining long-term goals in the private lending market.

Listen to Episode »
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Meet the Host

Kevin Kim

Kevin Kim, Esq.

Kevin Kim is a Partner with Geraci LLP and leads the firm's corporate & securities practice. His expertise lies in fund formation, private placements, and other securities offerings for private lenders, real estate developers, and investors of all sizes. Kevin and his team have advised and prepared hundreds of securities offerings including mortgage funds, structured debt offerings, real estate syndications, crowdfunding offerings, EB-5 projects, and Qualified Opportunity Funds. Kevin's passion lies in serving his clients as a pragmatic advisor focusing on real world solutions.

Kevin is also a nationally recognized expert in mortgage fund formation. Kevin is the lead instructor for the American Association of Private Lender’s Certified Fund Manager courses, where he teaches mortgage fund managers throughout the United States on fund management and securities laws.

Kevin hosts the podcast Lender Lounge with Kevin Kim, where he interviews industry leaders, friends, and colleagues in the private lending space to learn what makes them tick.

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Previous Episodes

Mid Year Outlook

Special LIVE Episode | Mid-Year Outlook with Daren Blomquist & Rick Sharga

The Lender Lounge with Kevin Kim podcast hosted a special livestream featuring industry legends Daren Blomquist, VP of Market Economics at Auction.com and Rick Sharga, Executive Vice President at ATTOM.

Watch the recording of May 18th LIVE episode and hear these industry leaders’ thoughts on housing demand, build to rent, interest rates, inflation, and everyone’s favorite doomsday question: is a recession coming?

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Dennis R. Baranowski

Renaissance Man | Dennis Baranowski, Geraci LLP

Dennis Baranowski, renowned as The Beard and The Wise One, brings his multi-faceted expertise to the forefront on Season 2’s Finale. A powerhouse in banking and finance, the Geraci LLP Partner reveals his mastery in litigation, foreclosure, TCPA, and bankruptcy. As a special treat, Kevin poses questions from some of Dennis’ cherished clients. Don’t miss this episode filled with insights, laughter, and a touch of wisdom to conclude Season 2 on a high note!

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Sharon Koh

The Importance of Data | Sharon Koh, 1839 Asset Management LLC

Ever wondered about the industry’s evolution towards DSCR? Industry veteran, Sharon Koh, co-founder of 1839 Asset Management, shares her insights both on the industry as a whole and 1839’s history in the space. Born in Singapore, Sharon brings over 20 years of project finance, corporate finance and treasury experience ranging from services and manufacturing industries to large scale multi-billion-dollar utility scale energy project finance to the table, making this episode a must-listen.

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Michael and Chris Enact Partners

Deliberate Decisions | Michael Schumacher and Chris Meinhardt, Enact Partners

Michael Schumacher, President and Founder of Enact Partners, is in a league of his own. Having executed over $1 billion in commercial real estate development and investments, Michael offers invaluable perspectives on market trends and loan underwriting. This episode, filmed in Geraci’s Irvine office, focuses on the diverse backgrounds and industry wisdom that Michael and Chris Meinhardt, former U.S. Marine Corps communications officer, bring to Enact Partners.

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Huy Do

A True Family Office | Huy Do, PrideCo Capital

While Huy Do is a widely recognized figure in the industry, this episode unveils the compelling narrative behind PrideCo and Huy’s remarkable journey. Dive into the strategic decisions that led PrideCo into the private lending sector, fueled by Huy’s infectious enthusiasm for the industry and a distinctive philosophy intertwining networking, family, and business dynamics. This episode provides a nuanced glimpse into Huy Do’s strategic insights and industry passion, making it a must-listen for those navigating the landscape of private capital.

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Dalton Elliott

Competitive Advantage | Dalton Elliott, Lima One Capital

Dalton Elliott, the former driving force behind Lima One Capital’s Sales and Customer Experience, joined Kevin for a rapid-fire chat in this episode. Dalton unveils Lima One’s whirlwind journey—from inception to a recent game-changing acquisition by MFA. Discover their success trifecta: a fierce “Training, Culture, and Growth” mindset. Dalton’s narrative, combined with insights from his Real Estate of Things podcast, offers a compact yet dynamic exploration into Lima One Capital’s high-speed trajectory—a strategic blend of dedication, culture, and an unquenchable thirst for growth in the competitive world of real estate financing.

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Private Lending OG | Beth O’Brien, CoreVest Finance

A “Burgers, Fries, and Shakes” mentality has been the key to scaling national private lender CoreVest Finance to great heights. Beth O’Brien, Founder of CoreVest, has been obsessed with offering true cradle-to-grave lending since the company’s founding in 2011 to catapult it through periods of significant growth. In this episode, Beth discusses this consistent focus and how it continues to help the business grow.

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Facilitating Deal Flow | Eric Abramovich, Roc360

Eric Abramovich, Co-Founder and CCO of Roc360, takes a trip down memory lane with Kevin, discussing the private lending industry’s evolution from Eric’s perspective and how Roc has grown right alongside it. oc’s holistic approach and drive to be a full-service capital provider to the space has led them to become one of the top lenders in the industry. Kevin and Eric also discussed the challenges in operating a business during COVID in New York.

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See a Need, Fill a Need | Steven Trowern, Temple View Capital

Maintaining a startup mentality can work wonders for business growth. Steven Trowern, CEO and Founder of Temple View Capital and MCM Capital, discussed Temple View’s focus on just that, including their history and growth over the years. Kevin and Steve also spent some time comparing the pandemic crisis to the global financial crisis of 2008 – and had some laughs around the TARP program of 2009.

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Filling a Void in Private Lending | Rocky Butani, PrivateLenderLink.com

If you’re in the private lending industry, you probably know Rocky Butani with Private Lender Link! Rocky visited Kevin in his office before the California Mortgage Association summer seminar where they discussed the evolution of PLL and where it’s headed. Rocky lives and breathes the private lending space and, in this episode, gives a glimpse into his deep understanding of its dynamics.

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A 2024 Crystal Ball Conversation with Geraci Leadership

A 2024 Crystal Ball Conversation with Geraci Leadership

The leadership at Geraci LLP collectively has decades upon decades of private lending industry experience. For this episode, Kevin asked Geraci’s seasoned professionals to offer their foresight into the private lending industry for 2024 – what does the industry need to know as we head into the new year?

 

Kevin and the Geraci team explore anticipated economic trends, such as preparing for potential litigation challenges and strategizing for effective hiring in the evolving market landscape. They also delve into innovative lending practices tailored for the year ahead, emphasizing the necessity of rigorous risk management, stringent compliance protocols, and more.

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Ask a Private Lending Marketer: Mastering Your Brand | Erica LaCentra & Rocky Butani

Ask a Private Lending Marketer: Mastering Your Brand | Erica LaCentra & Rocky Butani

For this episode, our host Kevin Kim welcomes industry experts Erica LaCentra and Rocky Butani for a deep dive into the nuanced world of private lending marketing. They highlight the importance of industry conferences and share insights on how emerging companies and entrepreneurs can smartly use marketing to stand out in a crowded field. With a focus on the power of content marketing, targeted email campaigns, and maintaining transparent communication in challenging times, Erica and Rocky offer strategic tips for building brand recognition, nurturing relationships, and succeeding at industry conferences. Settle in as these industry-known marketing experts delve into the practical and technological facets of marketing within the private lending sector.

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A Conversation with Ray Mathoda, Anchor Loans

A Conversation with Ray Mathoda, Anchor Loans

Ray Mathoda is a seasoned CEO, social entrepreneur, and passionate visionary who now leads the charge at Anchor Loans, a lending giant with more than $13 billion in loans funded to date. Her upbringing in India, passion for genomics, identity as a member of the Desi LGBTQ+ community, and vast professional experience all give her a unique perspective on the real estate lending market. With a glance into the challenges of urban housing projects and the real estate investment landscape, this discussion sheds light on Ray’s multidimensional approach to lending and social entrepreneurship. You’ll find how her distinctive blend of passion, expertise, and empathy impacts Anchor Loans and all who cross paths with her.

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A Conversation with Bill Tessar, CV3 Financial Services

A Conversation with Bill Tessar, CV3 Financial Services

William J. Tessar is one of private lending’s most successful and inspiring leaders. From founding four companies in the conventional space to spearheading the remarkable success of Civic Financial Services, his journey offers invaluable insights to those new or veteran in private mortgage lending. Today, at the helm of CV3, Bill is recreating the magic that existed in each of his previous companies.

Kevin had the pleasure of traveling to CV3 headquarters in El Segundo, CA, to check out the new space and interview Bill. Throughout the conversation, it became clear that Bill puts his team’s success (personal and professional) and happiness first – a concept that too often comes secondary to many businesses – and dives deep with us to get to the core of the fervent loyalty of his employees. They also discuss the complexities of the private lending industry, the effects of regulatory interventions on banks, and more. This is a truly special episode with an extraordinary leader, so dive in now – the Lender Lounge awaits you!

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Ask a Private Lending Leader: Navigating Company Culture | Kevin Werner & Greg Hebner

Ask a Private Lending Leader: Navigating Company Culture | Kevin Werner & Greg Hebner

Step into the Lender Lounge as Kevin Kim leads a conversation between two of the private lending industry’s best: Kevin Werner, CEO of Renovo Financial, and Greg Hebner, Managing Director at Arixa Capital. From building a reputation for their companies as desirable workplaces to the intricacies of hiring top-notch talent and truly understanding client needs, these leaders delve into the core elements that define success for their companies. They offer valuable lessons on fostering a positive work environment, attracting and retaining employees, and ultimately using these tools to become a leader in the space. It’s a dialogue filled with insights that translate to practical strategies for growth and excellence and is a rare opportunity to gain a behind-the-scenes view of what makes these lending giants thrive.

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Season4_Teaser_Ep1_Kiavi

Special Summer Edition: A Conversation with a Lending Titan | Arvind Mohan, Kiavi

Join Arvind Mohan, CEO of Kiavi (formerly LendingHome), as he peels back the curtain for a glimpse into the lending giant and delves into the industry. Discover Kiavi’s ambitious plans for rehab projects and urban construction, their dedication to data-driven customer service, and their strategies for building a stronger lending portfolio. Hear from Arvind on the broader, ever-changing lending landscape, from the challenges posed by the Federal Reserve’s unpredictability to the importance of technology in enhancing the customer experience. This episode wraps up by exploring issues such as pricing capital markets and housing affordability. Don’t miss this captivating conversation with Arvind Mohan, a true lending industry titan, on Lender Lounge with Kevin Kim.

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Ben Fertig Lender Lounge

Resiliency Through Diversification | Ben Fertig, Constructive Loans

In the season 3 finale of Lender Lounge with Kevin Kim, Kevin interviewed Ben Fertig, the President and Co-Founder of Constructive Capital – a leading name in the private lending space and a reputable provider of DSCR loans. Ben shared about the genesis of Constructive and delved into his unique perspective on the private lending industry. With the current market experiencing significant volatility, Ben also provided valuable insights on how Constructive has managed to navigate and thrive in such turbulent times.

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Secret Sauce | Jeff Tesch, RCN Capital

Secret Sauce | Jeff Tesch, RCN Capital

In this episode, Kevin sat down with Jeff Tesch, founder and CEO of RCN Capital, to discuss his professional journey and the growth of his company. From a local operation to a national lender, RCN has seen tremendous success over the years. Listen in to learn more about Jeff’s story and the meaning behind the name “RCN.”

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