1. Why did you choose Private Lending?  

I didn’t choose private lending, it chose me! When I graduated from The Colorado School of Mines (Golden, CO) with a bachelor’s degree in economics, I was leaning toward pursuing a career as a CPA or an attorney. I’ve always been a gal who appreciates right and wrong and is task oriented. I love spreadsheets and am very analytical. When I moved back to Northern California after graduation, my mother called me one morning and told me to go fax (yes, fax) my resume for a Financial Analyst position that she found in the Sac Bee classifieds. I did as my mother requested, and shortly after, I was offered the position.

To be honest, I wasn’t sure what the job fully entailed when I accepted the position with Blackburne & Sons Realty Capital Corporation (f/k/a Blackburne & Brown Mortgage), or what private money lending was. Like many college graduates, I found that the next step forward was not so clear. So, I blindly jumped in to see what private money lending was all about, and the rest is history!

2. What is your current role and what do you do day-to-day?

Lynn Capital Partners (“LCP”) just launched this past January, so my current role, or title, would be “Founder / CEO.” However, my current role would be more realistically classified as a “professional chameleon.” These days, I morph into what is needed at any given moment in time, including marketing/networking, accounting, lead generation, licensing, compliance, and of course brokering deals. Thankfully all the “hats” I wore as I traveled along in my career are paying off!  

If I had to sum up a typical day, I would say it is filled with a morning of lead follow-ups and client/lender loan transaction activities, followed by various lunch-time networking and community events (i.e., local Rotary, weekly coffee chats with other women in the area and Woodland BizLink, a small business networking group), followed by prep for upcoming meetings or events. Each day ends with a revised priority to-do list for the next day, to organize my thoughts and prioritize my tasks.  

3. What excites you about your role today?

When my husband and I decided to go all in and launch LCP, the heart of the launch was to build a business that would be able to be a “value-add” to communities and create partnerships with other people and businesses throughout the world of private money lending. This opportunity that God has granted us will not be wasted, as there is joy in having the ability to turn some people’s lemons into lemonade and reinvest into the communities that LCP serves.  The opportunity to carry out the desires placed in my heart to truly give back is what excites this gal!   

4. How has the industry changed since you began your career in regard to women? 

When my career kicked off in 2003, the industry was very different. For one, it was not quite as robust as it is now. The influx of capital into this market has changed the layout and opportunities for many, including women. And two… not very many females were in management roles. Women filled more administrative or support roles. That fact, however, did not intimidate or discourage me from pursuing more within the industry.  It was accepted as a challenge to absorb knowledge, learn the business from the ground-up, and seize opportunities as they presented themselves.

What was missing in 2003 and for many years thereafter, was a female role model in the industry that was a Founder, CEO, and/or powerhouse in private money lending. If there was one or many, I didn’t know, read, or hear much about her or them. Today, with social media and platforms like Originate Report, women’s successes are being highlighted and their stories are being shared, providing proof of a pathway in this industry for all women seeking to jump in.

For example, did anyone else catch Rayman “Ray” Mathoda (CEO, Anchor Loans) speak at the Geraci Captivate Conference in Newport in April?  I did! She was so well-spoken, carried herself with such poise, and contributed such knowledge to the conversation. It is inspiring to read about her journey and of her accomplishments, the vision she has for Anchor Loans, and of course, I admire her commitment to teamwork and laying an organizational foundation to stand the test of time.  One day I hope to have an opportunity to speak with her directly and soak in all she is willing to share. But until then, let me leave you with this. This is my open invitation for any women considering a career in private money lending to reach out to me and use me as a resource of information, contacts, and “stories” that may assist you with either your first step, or the next!

5. 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?

“Adversity” is such a bittersweet word. Everyone knows that we all would prefer to avoid adversity in life; however, adversity can transpire into life-long lessons and wisdom if one can accept the good, leave the bad, and move forward. That is how I have embraced the adversities I faced early on in my career, and if I can be honest, present-day as well!

One example of adversity early on in my career would be my first California Department of Real Estate (“DRE”) audit. My seat was barely warm as Controller when the DRE audit notice arrived. I had just taken over for a previous Controller that wasn’t as Type A as I was (or am), nor did they appreciate the importance of organization. May I also mention that I was 7 months pregnant with my son (who is 17 now) during this audit? Three weeks, side-by-side with DRE auditor, Helen. I would arrive early each morning before she did, work 8 hours alongside Helen, and then work late into the evening to prepare for the next day. Day in and day out, Helen worked patiently with me and poured into our processes and procedures and set us up for success. While this audit (and any audit) would be defined as adversity in its purest form of the definition, those three weeks produced perfect audit results thereafter, not just with the DRE but with other regulatory agencies, such as the SEC and DFPI. I believe the post-audit policies and procedures I implemented back in 2006 (shout out to Helen) remain effective today, long after my departure as a Controller.

“Not only so, but we also glory in our sufferings because we know that suffering produces perseverance; perseverance, character; and character, hope. (Romans 5:3-4). 

The moral of this story is that when adversity arrives, lean into it. Lessons will be learned, wisdom gained, and character formed. So next time you face adversity … embrace it!

6. Is there anything that you wish you could go back to and tell yourself at the beginning of your career?

My initial thought on how to answer this question went directly to “if I only knew what I know now” response and how I could creatively document all the trials and errors I faced early on. However, I think I am going to answer NO to this question.

If there is anything that my path in private money lending has taught me is that nothing in this life is wasted and life is a journey. The ups, downs, the way downs, and the way, way downs… none of it was wasted. Had I not drudged my unique path, I would not be the professional, wife, mother, God-loving human I am today. God works it all out for our good and my trials were all part of my journey. I wouldn’t want to change a thing! Okay, maybe the one thing that I would tell the 20-year-old me would be to “be present” no matter the circumstances. And never wish for tomorrow, as tomorrow is not guaranteed. So, be sure to live for today!  

7. Who is someone that has had a significant effect on your career and why?

This is probably the hardest question for me to answer, as you may run out of pages in this magazine if I were to put to paper all the people who have had a significant effect on my career. Where I am today is a testament to many: my parents who demonstrated work ethic and unconditional love that is/was far beyond many; my family and friends who understand I can over-function at times and just nod their heads understandingly during a rant of ideas; my college volleyball coach (Thea Post) for shaping me not as just a player, but also teaching me what it means to lead a team and to truly be a team member; George Blackburne III (Owner of Blackburne & Sons) who entrusted me with opportunities that others might not have; my son who was my “why” to rise each day to set the best example possible of what integrity and hard-work looks like; my colleagues who gifted me with the nickname “Big Ang” and embraced my “Big Ang” moments; all the industry professionals (you know who you are) for answering ALL my questions and being patient as I navigated through; and last but not least, my husband. This man is truly the most unselfish, patient, and supportive soul that God placed perfectly in my path. He is the push behind LCP’s launch and continues to believe in me, God’s vision for this business and our future together. It takes a village, and it is this village that has and continues to have, a significant impact on my career.

8. What has been your favorite aspect of being in private lending over the years?

The relationship opportunities are my favorite aspect, for sure. I am a very relational and loyal person, almost to a fault in some cases. I’m a big believer that people do business with people, not necessarily a company. Therefore, being able to work in an industry where you can create an atmosphere like “Cheers” where everyone knows your name, is treasured.

I took a break from private money lending for almost 3 years and re-entered with the launch of LCP. Before the launch, I reached out to a few former contacts that I had worked with over the years to toss around the idea of this re-entry and the response was overwhelmingly positive and supportive. There was some doubt and negative self-talk about how I would be received back into the mix, but there I was welcomed with open arms by many and here I am today… launching my own brokerage!

9. What would you consider to be the highlight of your career thus far?

The highlight of my career thus far would probably be being asked to be a part of this edition of Originate Report. That may seem cliché, but I am truly humbled and honored to be asked to have a platform to share my story, my journey, and give the appropriate shout-outs to all the people who have had a hand in where I am today. It hasn’t been easy to navigate an industry that is so male-dominated, and to be able to climb the ladder, get knocked off, and then get back on the ladder to start the climb again. When I was asked if I would be interested in being featured in the Women in Real Estate edition, how could I say no? 

Yes, I have had successes in my career, but I’ve also had struggles and sometimes it felt like I never got off the struggle bus. So, my hope and prayer is that sharing my private money lending journey in this article may inspire another woman to take a risk, embrace adversity, and go for it!

10. What do you enjoy most about your job? Least?

Most? Being a part of the solution and not the problem. I enjoy working in an industry where others are seeking a place of partnership, building one another up, and providing solutions to solve the unsolvable for borrowers and/or business owners. More specifically, there can be such joy in working with a borrower at the front end of what sometimes can be a difficult financial time in their lives and being able to provide a reasonable loan solution for a borrower, a reasonable return/risk investment for an investor(s), and then being able to witness a successful loan repayment. What a beautiful cycle this private money stuff can be!  

Least? Sometimes the answer for a client isn’t the answer they want to hear and/or accept. Bad things happen to good people, and while there is no logical explanation, sometimes a private money loan is not the solution. More debt (especially more expensive debt) is not the answer sometimes.  Borrowers sometimes want a quick fix to get them out of a tough situation, but it is a lose-lose situation to issue terms that would not put the borrower (and investor) in a position of success.  Having those truthful, hard conversations is something that “Big Ang” doesn’t take lightly, and they still tear at my heartstrings after all these years.

11. Is time or money more valuable and why?

Time for sure! Tomorrow is never guaranteed. Many (many) years ago, during a summer drive with my dad in his work truck, I can still recall a conversation (more like debate) I had with him about “time.” He told me “you can never get time back,” and my response was, “Yes you can! You can catch up on sleep and spend time with others later to make up missed time.” I think we ended up agreeing to disagree. But I get it now. It has been 20+ years since his passing, and it was on the day of his passing that he settled that debate. My time with him was gone, and I could never get it back. Darn, Dad was right again! One can always make more money but one can’t get back time. My dad proved that to be true!

12. How do you make sure your company stays ahead in this industry?

I stay humble, keep my eyes, ears, and heart open to what others are doing in the industry, and work hard. I make it a point to learn something new each day that I can apply to LCP, and our clients and partners. It is especially important not to be arrogant in this industry, and always be willing to accept constructive criticism, be open to suggestions, and be willing to share what has worked (or not worked). Iron sharpens, iron! Oh, and just when you think you have done enough, do a little more!

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

I am a big fan of a good old fashioned spiral-bound planner. In college, I learned that simply writing something down on paper assists with retention. Having one place to physically write down commitments, goals, priorities, and reminders has been an essential tool to keep me organized and allows me to avoid being overwhelmed with my to-dos. Taking this one step further, I conclude each day with a review of the tasks I have accomplished (even small things), then re-prioritize my old and new tasks for the next upcoming day. Checking out for the day with my tasks organized in my mind and on paper gives this Type A peace of mind.

Sleep is also important! Food is good (I’m Italian and we love to eat) … but without a solid 7-8 hours of sleep it can be a disaster for my productivity and staying on task. Therefore, if something pops into my mind when I am not by my computer or have my planner, I immediately email myself whatever is on my mind. Doing so allows me to get it out of my head, places the thought/task in a place I know where to find it to add to my planner, and clears my mind for a greater chance of a good night’s sleep. TIP: For those of us that already receive so many emails … may I suggest creating a rule within your email that when an email from you that has a certain subject line, arrives in your inbox, that email will automatically move into a designated folder. That way your “thoughts” do not get lost in all the other emails and are ready for your review when you are.  

14. What advice would you give to a woman who has just started out in private lending?

Take risks! Lean into opportunities that you may shy away from due to negative self-talk and doubt. Don’t take discomfort as a bad thing and make sure you surround yourself with others who support you, build you up, and are willing to share their knowledge with you! Be a sponge and soak it all in. Knowledge is power and no one will ever be able to take that from you. Most importantly, have integrity in all you do and in the decisions you make. You can do it!