Lender Lounge with Kevin Kim
Latest Episode

Lender vs. Originator: Why Control of Capital Matters
Ezra Dweck, President and Co-Founder of IceCap Group, joins Kevin Kim on this episode of Lender Lounge to discuss the evolution of private lending, the importance of disciplined underwriting, and the changing dynamics of the RTL and DSCR markets. Ezra shares how IceCap began as a family office deploying capital into real estate before transitioning into one of the Northeast’s established private lending platforms. The conversation covers the distinction between being an originator versus a true lender, the role of securitization in creating stable financing, and why maintaining independent decision-making remains central to IceCap’s strategy. Ezra also examines the risks associated with aggressive leverage, valuation concerns, and the growing influence of technology and AI in modern lending operations.

Lender vs. Originator: Why Control of Capital Matters
Ezra Dweck, President and Co-Founder of IceCap Group, joins Kevin Kim on this episode of Lender Lounge to discuss the evolution of private lending, the importance of disciplined underwriting, and the changing dynamics of the RTL and DSCR markets. Ezra shares how IceCap began as a family office deploying capital into real estate before transitioning into one of the Northeast’s established private lending platforms. The conversation covers the distinction between being an originator versus a true lender, the role of securitization in creating stable financing, and why maintaining independent decision-making remains central to IceCap’s strategy. Ezra also examines the risks associated with aggressive leverage, valuation concerns, and the growing influence of technology and AI in modern lending operations.

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Meet the Host

Kevin Kim, Esq.
Kevin Kim is a Partner with Fortra Law 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.
Previous Episodes

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, Fortra Law
In this episode, Kevin sat down with Melissa Martorella, Fortra Law’s newest partner. As the department head for Fortra’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.

Geraci Partners, Unmasked | Anthony Geraci & Nema Daghbandan
In this unscripted episode, Kevin interviewed fellow Geraci partners Anthony Geraci, Esq., and Nema Daghbandan, Esq. Kevin, Nema, and Anthony shared war stories, personal histories, and perspectives on various aspects of the private lending industry.

Single-Minded Investor Focus | Noah Brocious, Capital Fund 1
In this episode, Kevin interviewed client and friend, Noah Brocious, to learn more about Capital Fund 1, its history, and its secrets to success. Listen in to find out more about Capital Fund 1 and why they are one of many successful funds in the industry.

Pandemic Thoughts with the Best Hair in Lending | Romney Navarro, Noble Capital
In the podcast’s second episode, Kevin interviewed Romney Navarro with Noble Capital. This interview took place at the peak of the pandemic lockdown and gives an interesting flashback into Kevin and Romney’s thoughts at the time. Kevin and Romney also talked about life, business, Noble Capital’s history, and Romney’s career in the private lending space.

Leaving Your Cards on the Table | Steve Pollack, Former CEO of Anchor Loans
In this inaugural episode of Lender Lounge with Kevin Kim, Kevin interviews Dr. Steve Pollack, Co-Founder of Anchor Loans, the nation’s largest fix & flip lender. Learn more about Steve, his story as an entrepreneur and professional poker player, and the history of 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.

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!

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.

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.

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.

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.”

Swapping War Stories | Tom and Steve, Fortra Law
In this special episode, we are joined by two of Fortra’s esteemed attorneys, Tom Hajda and Steven Ernest. Both men wear many hats (literally) in their roles as private lending attorneys and bring a wealth of experience and unique perspectives to the table. Tune in to hear their insights and advice.

Leading By Example | Tricia Mitchell, Archwest
For this episode, Kevin interviewed Tricia Mitchell, Archwest Capital’s President and COO. Tricia dove into how she started as an intern fresh out of law school and worked her way up to becoming the President and COO of Archwest. She discussed the company’s strategy of starting out small and focusing on methodical growth over the years and emphasized that Archwest’s success stems from listening to its client’s needs above all.