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

I’ve been in private lending for 12 years. My journey began in commercial real estate banking, where I quickly grew frustrated with the rigidity of the traditional banking system. We were often funding less desirable deals that ‘fit in the box,’ while good deals that didn’t meet the criteria were passed over. Wanting a change of scenery, I pursued my CFA charter to open more doors and eventually discovered private lending. It was a huge breath of fresh air—an industry that operates on common sense, where good deals and good borrowers were valued above all else.

Q: Where did you get your start?

I got my start in private lending at an Arizona-based hard money lender. This first role allowed me to blend the rigorous safety measures and processes I learned from my corporate banking background, with the more streamlined and efficient practices of hard money lending. It was a great introduction to private lending, where I could see firsthand how combining these two approaches could lead to success.

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

As the founder and CEO of Loan Ranger Capital, my role has evolved significantly over time. Initially, I was a ‘one-man band’ managing everything from sales, underwriting, capital raising to servicing from my one-bedroom apartment, which served as our ‘world headquarters.’ As the company grew, I hired my first employee, our COO Nik, who remains with us to this day.

Now, my focus is primarily on analyzing trends within Loan Ranger Capital as well as broader market trends. I believe in constantly refining and improving our systems, one of our core values is to be 1% better every day. Having a great team that excels at operating our systems allows me the luxury to dive into these areas and make the minor adjustments that keep us moving forward.

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

The market has definitely changed, but at Loan Ranger Capital, we like to focus on what we can control. For us, growth has primarily been about enhancing our service levels. As more lenders transition to a primary note-selling model, there’s been a convergence in what they offer, leading to a race to the bottom for pricing. While we strive to remain competitive, we prefer to fight on the battlefield of service to preserve our margins—and we earn those margins.

When you call Loan Ranger Capital, a person always answers the phone. You get quick responses to emails, draws are processed swiftly, and payoff requests are handled promptly. We emphasize the human element in our services because our borrowers are real estate entrepreneurs who face a myriad of challenges, and price is just one factor in their decision-making process.

Q: What are some of your goals for 2025 and beyond?

As we look ahead to 2025 and beyond, one of our key goals is to expand our product offerings by launching DSCR products and we’re actively looking to build this team. While this won’t be a balance sheet product like most of our other loans, we believe this will allow us to cater to a broader range of our borrowers’ needs.

Q: What does success look like for you?

In our industry, it’s easy to define success numerically—whether it’s fund size, origination volume, or other metrics. At the end of the day, I define success by the people I can confidently say are in a better place because of Loan Ranger Capital. This goes beyond just my own family and includes our borrowers, who have been able to become small entrepreneurs in real estate, our employees who have grown their careers, our investors who see consistent returns, among others connected to our business.

At this stage, success means growing our company, but only if all stakeholders are better off as a result of this growth. I want to ensure that I enjoy the growth and that it doesn’t become a never-ending battle to simply have a ‘bigger stick.’

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

Since I already touched on our humble beginnings, something most people might not realize is the incredible culture we’ve built at Loan Ranger Capital. I know that’s a lame answer that everyone says, but I really believe it. We have the best team, hands down—they work hard, get things done, genuinely care about our clients, and have a great time doing it. We’re fortunate to have what I think is the best physical office around, located right on Lake Austin. Instead of an all-hands on Zoom call, on a Friday afternoon you can probably find our team celebrating the week’s victories with a ranch water on the lake.

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

I view private lending as a big blue ocean—there’s room for many different players, each with their own niche. Rather than trying to influence the industry, I’d say we’re focused on making our own path. We see a great niche in the market for balance sheet lenders who can provide value far beyond just pricing. I believe this model has the potential to scale, but it requires a much more thoughtful approach than that of a primary note-selling lender. We need to deeply understand each deal and become experts in the local markets we lend in. This makes scaling responsibly a slower process, but also a much more rewarding one. By taking this deliberate approach, we’re not only building a sustainable business but also setting a standard for how lending can be done with both precision and purpose.

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

Early in my career, I was told: ‘It’s not the great storm that destroys the mighty oak tree. It’s the little bugs.’ This advice shaped my understanding of the importance of paying attention to every detail and constantly striving for improvement. It’s a reminder that stagnation is, in fact, deterioration. By continuously addressing the small issues and refining our processes, we ensure that our company remains strong and resilient. Sure, there are large storms (macro events), but taking our eye off the ball and not taking pride in the little details is much more likely to lead to one’s demise.

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

A couple years ago, I may have said someone like Elon Musk or Jack Welch, but today it has to be my wife. She’s the strongest person I know and has been an unwavering support system throughout our journey together. She was there for the early days of Loan Ranger Capital, when the business was just a small operation, and stayed supportive through the challenges and scaling this into a $500MM fund. She’s given birth to our three children and stood beside me during the hardest time of my life—when we lost our son, Wyatt last year. Her resilience and unwavering presence during that period were truly remarkable.

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

I am actively involved in YPO (Young Presidents Organization), a global leadership community of executives and entrepreneurs. Being part of YPO has had a profound influence on my career. The organization creates a structure that goes beyond just networking. For me, it creates my own personal board of directors to help guide me through work, family and personal highs and lows.

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

If I had a clean slate, I’d do it all over again. Nothing ever goes exactly to plan, and there have certainl  been plenty of speed bumps along the way, but I genuinely love this journey. The challenges, the learning experiences, and the successes have all contributed to making this path incredibly fulfilling.

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

I’d say go for it! Take risks, go get it done, and create the life you want. There’s plenty of market share for everyone in private lending. The industry is vast and full of opportunities for those who are willing to dive in, work hard, and carve out their own niche. Don’t be afraid to take that leap.