Lender Lounge with Kevin Kim
Latest Episode

Figure, Kiavi, and the Strategy Behind What Comes Next
Todd Stevens, Chief Capital Officer at Figure, joins Kevin Kim on this episode of Lender Lounge to discuss Figure’s growing role in private lending and the strategy behind its acquisition of Kiavi. Todd shares how Figure evolved from direct lender to technology-enabled marketplace and how the company is applying its capital markets expertise, securitization capabilities, and blockchain infrastructure across the lending ecosystem. The conversation explores opportunities in RTL, wholesale lending, automation, product innovation, and Figure’s broader approach to helping lenders access capital and a larger buyer base. For private lenders and originators, the episode offers a closer look at how technology, capital markets, and new distribution models could reshape the way loans are funded, sold, and scaled.

Figure, Kiavi, and the Strategy Behind What Comes Next
Todd Stevens, Chief Capital Officer at Figure, joins Kevin Kim on this episode of Lender Lounge to discuss Figure’s growing role in private lending and the strategy behind its acquisition of Kiavi. Todd shares how Figure evolved from direct lender to technology-enabled marketplace and how the company is applying its capital markets expertise, securitization capabilities, and blockchain infrastructure across the lending ecosystem. The conversation explores opportunities in RTL, wholesale lending, automation, product innovation, and Figure’s broader approach to helping lenders access capital and a larger buyer base. For private lenders and originators, the episode offers a closer look at how technology, capital markets, and new distribution models could reshape the way loans are funded, sold, and scaled.

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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

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, 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.

Ask a Private Lending Risk-Taker: Demystifying Fund Creation | Brock VandenBerg & Matt Podesto
In this episode, Kevin Kim engages in a dynamic conversation with Matt Podesto and Brock VandenBerg, two successful private lenders who have taken the leap into fund management. From the early days of local hard money lending to the influx of institutional capital and white label programs, our guests provide valuable insights into the changing landscape and how it has affected the present. They emphasize the importance of proper underwriting and servicing while cautioning against entering new transactions without sufficient knowledge. Matt and Brock also share their invaluable personal experiences, mistakes made, and lessons learned, offering an inside look into their journeys. They dive into the challenges of scaling a lending business, the significance of segmenting functions, the importance of choosing the right partners, and the need for good service and ethical lending practices in the industry. Get ready to dive deep in this captivating episode of Lender Lounge.

A 2024 Crystal Ball Conversation with Geraci Leadership
The leadership at Fortra Law collectively has decades upon decades of private lending industry experience. For this episode, Kevin asked Geraci’s seasoned professionals to offer their foresight into the private lending industry for 2024 – what does the industry need to know as we head into the new year?
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Kevin and the Geraci team explore anticipated economic trends, such as preparing for potential litigation challenges and strategizing for effective hiring in the evolving market landscape. They also delve into innovative lending practices tailored for the year ahead, emphasizing the necessity of rigorous risk management, stringent compliance protocols, and more.

Ask a Private Lending Marketer: Mastering Your Brand | Erica LaCentra & Rocky Butani
For this episode, our host Kevin Kim welcomes industry experts Erica LaCentra and Rocky Butani for a deep dive into the nuanced world of private lending marketing. They highlight the importance of industry conferences and share insights on how emerging companies and entrepreneurs can smartly use marketing to stand out in a crowded field. With a focus on the power of content marketing, targeted email campaigns, and maintaining transparent communication in challenging times, Erica and Rocky offer strategic tips for building brand recognition, nurturing relationships, and succeeding at industry conferences. Settle in as these industry-known marketing experts delve into the practical and technological facets of marketing within the private lending sector.

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.