Kemra Norsworthy
CEO and Fund Manager, Bull Funding
What do you do for your firm?
I am the CEO and Fund Manager of Bull Funding.
How many years have you been in Private Lending and why did you enter this field?
I’ve been in Private Lending for 13 years and entered this field as the market crashed. The money does not go away; other opportunities open. Back in 2009, the market was crashing, and money was shifting from conventional lending. Currently, there is so much money on the sidelines as funds are being taken out of other more volatile markets. The investors will and have been moving it into private lending. For now, there is more certainty on the returns than from stocks or other markets.
Where did you get your start?
I started with my own mortgage brokerage.
How do your contributions affect your company at large?
My tenacity and dreams keep the company growing.
How have you seen your company grow despite current market conditions?
The current markets create flexibility. Once we adjust to what is in the market, we grow. Sometimes we must recollect and rework our strategy.
What steps are you or your company taking today to make an impact on the industry?
Creating availability for borrowers to take the uneasiness out of private lending.
What is something most people don’t know about you or your company?
Most people do not know that I grew up in poverty. I have 3 sons that are adults that never had to experience what I went through. I am self-made.
What does success look like for you?
Success is being one of the best in the industry and working with real estate investors to help grow their portfolio.
What piece of advice did you personally receive early in your career that has helped shaped decisions you’ve made?
This is a man’s industry. This pushed me to do just as well as them.
Tell us about a person or organization you admire. How have they made an important impact on you, the industry, or the world?
American Association of Private Lenders is an organization that I admire. They stand for the rights of all Borrowers, Brokers, and Lenders. There are many individuals that I admire. I love driven people like myself.
Are you involved in any associations, networking groups, or the like that have influenced your career path?
American Association of Private Lenders, Innovative Financing Solutions, Black Card, Think Realty, Upgrade, and Power Room Master Mind. These are the cream of the crop. When I am with these groups, I enjoy that I am not the smartest in the room. These groups are filled with driven and out-of-the-box thinkers and doers, and it inspires me to see these folks in action.
If you had a clean slate to start over and do anything you wanted to do, what would that be?
That’s a tough one because all I know is lending. I did get my real estate license and life insurance license. If I could start all over, I would go into the military and then be an FBI agent as I have a criminal justice degree.
What is the best advice you could give someone thinking about making a leap into Private Lending?
Ask a lot of good questions to the right people. Be a listener and set the ego aside. The private lending industry is a small world.
What are some of your goals for 2022 and beyond?
We will have a minimum fund of 30mm to lend on fix/flip, ground construction, and commercial bridge loans. After this fund officially launches and closes, we will create more funds.
