Lender Lounge with Kevin Kim
The podcast that gives an exclusive look beyond the title of private lending industry leaders.
Latest Episode
First to Market: A Conversation with John Beacham
John Beacham, CEO of Toorak Capital Partners, joins Kevin Kim for a special episode of Lender Lounge, produced in collaboration with the American Association of Private Lenders. John shares his extensive journey in the finance industry, detailing his transition from investment banking to leading one of the most recognized firms in the private lending sector. The discussion covers the evolution of real estate finance, the impact of market crises, and the strategic maneuvers that have shaped Toorak’s success. John is an experienced entrepreneur who has completed more than $50 billion in transactions over his 25-year career and has structured CMBS or financings that were honored with multiple “Deal of the Year” awards. Prior to Toorak, Mr. Beacham was the founder and President of B2R Finance, the leading mortgage origination company focused on the single-family rental (SFR) and residential bridge loan markets. B2R Finance (now Finance of America Commercial) is a Blackstone portfolio company. Before founding B2R SFR platform, Mr. Beacham originated large balance commercial real estate loans in the CMBS group at Deutsche Bank and worked in the financial institution’s investment banking groups at Deutsche Bank and Credit Suisse First Boston.
First to Market: A Conversation with John Beacham
John Beacham, CEO of Toorak Capital Partners, joins Kevin Kim for a special episode of Lender Lounge, produced in collaboration with the American Association of Private Lenders. John shares his extensive journey in the finance industry, detailing his transition from investment banking to leading one of the most recognized firms in the private lending sector. The discussion covers the evolution of real estate finance, the impact of market crises, and the strategic maneuvers that have shaped Toorak’s success. John is an experienced entrepreneur who has completed more than $50 billion in transactions over his 25-year career and has structured CMBS or financings that were honored with multiple “Deal of the Year” awards. Prior to Toorak, Mr. Beacham was the founder and President of B2R Finance, the leading mortgage origination company focused on the single-family rental (SFR) and residential bridge loan markets. B2R Finance (now Finance of America Commercial) is a Blackstone portfolio company. Before founding B2R SFR platform, Mr. Beacham originated large balance commercial real estate loans in the CMBS group at Deutsche Bank and worked in the financial institution’s investment banking groups at Deutsche Bank and Credit Suisse First Boston.
Stay Updated
Sign up for the Lender Lounge Newsletter to be notified about new episodes, giveaways, behind-the-scenes content, and more!
Meet the Host
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.
Our Sponsors
Previous Episodes
What’s in a Name? I Zack Lofton, Loan Ranger Capital
On the road in Texas, Kevin visited with Zack Lofton with Loan Ranger Capital. He got to learn about their “garage band debt fund” and how Loan Ranger has grown rapidly in a short period of time in the central Texas market. Kevin and Zack also talked about building the brand, staying lean and mean, and growing a great company culture. He also got to learn about Zack’s background as a Chartered Financial Analyst and learn how he grew the business from a solo operation.
Entrepreneur at Heart | Vincent Balagia, Stallion Capital Management
For this episode, Kevin took a trip to visit with Vincent Balagia at Stallion Capital’s headquarters in Austin, Texas. Vincent shared more about the history of Stallion Capital and discussed his perspective on leadership and culture. They also had a lively discussion about the local market conditions in central Texas. Listen in to learn more.
Candid Chat with the Best Dressed Man in Lending | Peter Steigleder, Fidelity Mortgage Lenders
For this episode, Kevin interviewed Peter Steigedler, the best-dressed man in Hard Money! Listen in to learn more about Peter’s career path at the German consulate, to real estate broker, to principal at Fidelity Mortgage Lenders – one of the oldest shops in private lending. Kevin got know Peter as a person as well as they discussed his work with the Guardians of Los Angeles Jewish Home.
Innovate Special Edition | Kristina Sawyer, Arixa Capital; Ruben Izgelov, WeLend LLC; Vincent Balagia, Stallion Capital
Geraci’s Innovate Conference for 2021 was a massive success. While we were there with all of our wonderful clients and friends, Kevin had the opportunity to interview Kristina Sawyer with Arixa Capital, Ruben Izgelov with WeLend, and Vincent Balagia with Stallion Capital. The purpose of this episode was to get a better understanding of their local markets. All three individuals have immense expertise of their local and surrounding geographies and shared their insights on where the market was headed. One interesting point was how popular ADUs are in all three markets. Listen in and learn more!
Champion of Culture and Customer Service | Kevin Werner, Renovo Financial
For this episode, Kevin interviewed Kevin Werner with Renovo Financial. The Kevin’s discussed the history of Renovo, its values, and its steady growth over its 10-year life cycle. They went into a pretty deep discussion on this episode, talking about their expansion philosophy, their internal culture, and their obsession with customer service. Listen in to learn more.
Keeping It In-House | Scott Rerucha, Legacy Group Capital
For this episode, Scott Rerucha, CEO and founder of Legacy Group Capital in Washington state, joined Kevin to discuss the unique way the firm built their business and avoided a single foreclosure in their 10-year history. Scott discussed his background as a banker, investor, and private lender and how that has affected his ideas about the firm’s growth, the Legacy team, and values as a company.
From Soup to Nuts, Industry Passion from the Ground Up | Jason Gilbert at Armanino LLP
A partner at Armanino who leads the Real Estate Investment Fund practice, Jason Gilbert and Kevin go way back. Listen in to learn more about Jason’s story coming up at Armanino, serving the private lending industry, and becoming partner.
Journey to the Top | Melissa Martorella, Geraci LLP
In this episode, Kevin sat down with Melissa Martorella, Geraci LLP’s newest partner. As the department head for Geraci’s banking & finance team, Melissa shared the journey that brought her to embrace her new role. Listen in to learn more about Melissa as a person and her role at the firm.
The Sleeping Giant | Curt Altig, Builders Capital
For episode 6, Kevin interviewed Curt Altig, founding principal of Builders Capital, a national private lender focused on construction lending. Listen in to learn how Curt started Builders Capital and grew the company with the help of his world-class leadership team.
Blazing into 2021 with Lessons from the Past | Greg Hebner, Arixa Capital
In this episode, Kevin sat down with Greg Hebner, the managing director and portfolio manager at Arixa Capital. With over 20 years of experience in real estate, Greg has been on all sides of the private lending business from origination, loss mitigation, accounting, and asset management. Listen in to learn more about Greg as a person, professional, and industry leader.
The Greatest Asset | Ryan Craft, Saluda Grade
*NOTE: This episode was recorded in May 2022.*
For this episode, Kevin interviewed Ryan Craft, Founder and CEO of Saluda Grade. He learned about Saluda’s investment philosophies when it comes to private lenders, their criteria when selecting portfolio companies, and Ryan’s perspectives on where things are going and should go in the private lending space. His views on future success in private lending was especially enjoyable. Ryan stressed that diversification in strategy, obsession with customer service, and entrepreneurialism will be some of the key features of the private lenders that dominate in the coming years.
Passionate Visionary | Trixy Castro, Aureus Finance Group
*NOTE: This episode was recorded in May 2022.*
We are kicking off Season 3 with none other than Trixy Castro, founder and CEO of Aureus Finance Group. We were honored to sit down with this industry legend in person and learn more about Trixy and her history as an entrepreneur founding Genesis Capital and Hudson Marshall in the early days of private lending. We learned all about her new vision for Aureus, including how she approached her re-entry into the market after taking a few years off. Trixy has achieved so much in the industry yet maintains a level of entrepreneurialism and excitement about private lending and what it stands for.
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?
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!
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.
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.
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.
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.
