Okay, welcome back to The Daily Mastermind, George Wright III with your daily dose of inspiration, motivation, and education. We got a special guest in the house today, Sabrina. Eli, how are you doing? Hi, good. Thanks, George. Thanks for having me today. Yeah, this is great. We've been trying to coordinate our schedules, but you're as busy as I am. And so I'm glad we were able to finally get together. Let me give everybody just a quick intro because one of the reasons why I wanted to have you on is because a lot of businesses right now are trying to scale. It's a really crowded marketplace and financing and funding and things, which is what your company does, is kind of an unknown and a lot of people are struggling with it. And so I wanted to be able to talk about this. So for those of you that are listening that don't know Sabrina, she's the president and CEO of Kembry. So Kembry Capital is a private money a nontraditional commercial financing firm, and they do things in a really strategic way to help businesses to scale. So maybe what you could do, Sabrina, is just give us a quick, you know, kind of where you came from, like what created this need and this desire for you to start Kembry? Why did you start the company? Yeah, thanks, George. So I really like where you were going with just kind of giving a little bit of background about what we do. We do anything from a fix and flip to a large construction loan. Anything that's considered commercial is if you're not going to live in it, it's considered a commercial property. So those are the type of financing and fundings that we do. I would say, damn, so sorry. I would say what sets us apart is our ability to move quickly, solve creatively, just show up with clarity, especially when banks can't. You know, we're going to be that strategic partner in building somebody's portfolio. Just to get back to what got me involved in Kembry is that there was just a really strong need of a system for investors to find funding and financing in an easier way. There's just a lot of outdated systems and programs that you can go and reach out to, such as banks and maybe even some hard money, but not everybody fits those traditional molds. And for here, we just, we feel like we have a better way to find great deals, be creative and just be supportive and go on the journey with the people. Yeah. I love that because, and, and, and obviously for those people that don't know your background, I mean, you've had companies and, and, and a lot of experience in the business world. So you kind of come from an individual who's experienced those hard ways of getting traditional financing. And so I liked you've taken a different approach to this because there's a lot of, look, there's a lot of financing companies and options and things out there. And sometimes it does just boil down to knowing, at least I've had to do that with mine. I like having a relationship with the bank I'm working with or with the different strategic partners I have because I do think it's hard to get, to cut through the noise. And we deal in authority. So we really promote the idea that you should work with people that you trust, respect, like, and it will have your best interests at heart. So you have, you know, you're an entrepreneur, obviously a founder of a company. And so you did that, I'm sure, to kind of get some flexibility. But you also really heavily promote, you know, relationships and people. Why is that so important to your business when you're in a financing business? I would say in finance, it's honestly, if you can be radically clear and transparent from day one and build trust with the borrower, with the understanding that this is a risk for them and here to walk that risk with them. We're going to look at the deal. We're going to, we're not just going to do a transaction with them. It's honestly looking at their long-term plan. What's their, what's their goal? What are they working towards and how do we get them to there? Not just with one transaction, but with the next few transactions that are going to be coming up with them in the next year or two. Yeah, it's interesting because I talk to a lot of people about the differences between tax planning and tax preparation. And a lot of people don't realize that tax preparation, anybody can do. Getting financing and deals and cash flow, anybody can do. But tax planning, just like finance planning and understanding your needs, you know, people might think, I just need cash, but they don't think about, well, how long do you need it for? And do you need it again? And what are your qualifications? And what are your options, obviously as well. But you mentioned transparency. And so I'm curious, obviously, everybody loves transparency. But when you say that, what do you mean? Like, why is transparency such a big deal when it comes to financing and funding and things like? So I'd say there's a lot of risks. So you could potentially get into a transaction that doesn't match or align with what's going to happen with you down the road. You could end up paying a higher rate. You could end up getting into a that maybe is in a rural area that somebody won want to then reinvest in if you doing a fix and flip Or maybe you get into a commercial property not realizing that your tenant isn going to be able to make the rent that matches the the rates that are going to match gosh what am I trying to say so you might get into a commercial property where your your tenant is going to be able to rent roll they're not going to be able to match what your mortgage is and so making sure that you understand the full picture. You listen for the whole story and then you end up reading between the lines. And by you, I mean us. So for us, every decision that we make, it's rooted in transparency, alignment, and growth. And it's not necessarily about approving our loan. We're not a transition style of company. We're creating a long-term project for you. And so making sure that that comes out in the long run and we're not just looking at, hey, let's just get this through. We just want to make sure that we get you exactly where you want to end up. Yeah, that's interesting because that's what I like. And I use this as an example because people can relate. But a tax planning individual says, OK, you can go take these deductions or those. But their goal is to think about where you're trying to go and foresee the challenges and problems that you may have. So what you're saying is somebody may go get financing and then not realize that it's, you know, there's other factors to factor in, in case your renter can't cover or in case your timeline is different or your horizon and what are your ultimate goals. These ones will show up on your books. These ones won't. So I really like that a lot. Do you feel like, I mean, this might be a random question, but do you feel like investors really value having a strategic partner? Do they not think about it? So when you're out there, because I know you do a lot of local events, you're connected with, you know, the chambers and several, you know, masterminds in different areas. And the reason I ask this is because what I found CEOs and founders, a lot of times don't know what they don't know. And so they don't think about it. Do you find yourself trying to educate investors more? Or do they already see the value in having a strategic partner? Like, I'm curious what your experience has been there. So I would say that we have both. So because we don't have that traditional lender box where it looks A, B, and C that you have to fit into, we'll take all of those borrowers, all of those investors. So we work with anybody who is a seasoned investor who's been doing this for 20 years with over 400 properties. We also work with brand new people who are just getting started in the industry. They have a lot of questions. They might need a lot of support and, you know, a lot of nurturing along the way. And I think that that's one thing that creates a little bit of uniqueness at our company is that we're willing to take the time with both. So sometimes that larger investor is just looking to scale up and that smaller and that newer investor, they're just looking to learn. And so there's that really great space between knowing and having. And so we'll sit in that learning with those newer investors as well. I love that. I love that. And I think a lot of times right now, especially with AI and online, the education isn't always the biggest problem. Like people can find things out pretty quickly. But what I'm learning over time is that more and more people are valuing the application of that education. And so as a strategic business partner, that probably helps people a lot. What do you think is some of the biggest mistakes that investors are making when they're trying to secure financing? Like you've worked with a lot of companies and a lot of financing. What do you feel like is a big mistake people make when they go start that process of trying to get funding for their business or scaling? It's such a great question. And the number one thing that we run into all the time is people chasing rates. They're always looking for that rate. And it's like just knowing the understanding that there's some strategy and a clear vision behind what they're doing doesn't necessarily back to the rate. So, you know, we're not. So let me get let me ask you a question. So like you're and I get that because you're right. I think most people in business, they're just looking at the numbers. And what you're saying is if you read through the numbers more and you're looking at your goals, the numbers may not always serve you. So I don't know if you have an example of that or maybe where a particular business might be looking for the best rate, but then lose out because of various reasons. What would be what would be something that would be more important than the rate or something that they wouldn't think about that you've experienced. A lot of times what happens is a client will get into the processing of it. We'll get all the way through underwriting. We'll get all the way through near the end. You know, we're signing the next day and then come to find out they've let their credit vault or they bought a car or they have done something to disrupt their credit. And so something like that. And I really liked what you were saying about kind of moving the needle earlier in your question. And for us, it's like we're really not chasing perfection. We're really building momentum. So it like we helping them make those hard decisions to keep the needle moving And I can remember exactly how you had said it but I think that that is something about having a partner in lending is sometimes they get you to take that jump They get you to push, they push you into that, you know, before you look and trust and trust that this is going to get you to that strategic vision. Yeah, because, I mean, the truth of the matter is this, like I've kind of been involved with businesses at all levels. And usually if you're growing and you're scaling, you're working outside, not just your comfort zone, but also your knowledge base. And so you've got to surround yourself with people that know more about that process than you do, or else you don't know you made mistakes until you already made the mistakes. And so whether it's disrupting your financing by, you know, messing up your credit or something during that period of time that you're kind of looking out for them on, or whether it's not knowing what options they have to grow or scale. I think a lot of businesses do struggle with that knowledge of not knowing what question to ask. So let me ask you this. Do you have you work with businesses right now that may be large, they may be growing or scaling and you tend to work with. And the reason I'm bringing this up is I do really believe that in life, mentoring and coaching and things help people. But surrounding yourself with the right professionals when it comes to finance and money and things like this, bring a whole bunch of other things to the to the process and to the plate. So when you work with these large organizations, do you generally have partners that you will work with over and over and over again? Or is it usually kind of like a one and done with processing? Oh, no, it's never one and done. Like once you've closed, we're not done. Like what's your next project? OK, where are we going next? What's the next big move? You know, how long do you want to sit in this? You know, you've got this this much time on your mortgage. We'll call you back within that time and let you know, like, hey, if you're ready to scale, we're right here next to you. So let's do it together. What's the next jump? Yeah, plus a lot of businesses, they've actually set their goals in the wrong area, at least from my perspective. In other words, they might be saying, I'm trying to get deals done, trying to get deals done, try to get deals done. But they forget the fact that their whole objective was to grow their wealth. It's not just to do deals. And so I see now why you're saying, you know, it's not just about rates. So do you work with individuals and do you recommend that people sort of look at their true goals of building wealth or how do you manage that? Because I do think that there's a difference between growing your wealth and doing deals based on the numbers, don't you think? I totally agree. And I'm not sure that I've heard the question in there, but can definitely try to speak to it. So I think with us, just letting people know, like if it's not about your wealth, that's okay. We can do a one-off, but there's a little bit of, the people that are doing this are entrepreneurs. So they're hungry. They're risk takers. They want to build. They want to get big. They want to do big things. You know, a lot of times they're just changing a situation with their family. It's a side slung in the beginning. And then all of the sudden they become this real estate investor that has scaled their business that they go into at full time. And so having somebody that's excited about that and having somebody that sees that in you and is able to draw that out and say, hey, I can see what you're working towards and we can get past any obstacle. So another thing that we do that I think is really great is at our company, we like to say no doesn't always mean no. So just because you got to a hurdle and, you know, something happened, hey, let's get past it. What are we going to do? We're a team. What do we have to do to get around this hurdle so that we can keep moving forward? So there's no stale time in your growth. Yeah, I like that. And I think that there are, sometimes you can't, as a business owner, you're so focused on your goals, it helps to have somebody that's going to push you past and into solutions, right? So one of the questions I wanted to ask you is, how do you view the difference? Because I know that there are some investors and individuals looking for funding that are sort of trying to decide between traditional bank loans and private money lenders. and sometimes maybe they're scared or not, you know, they're worried about private money lenders being hard money lenders or whatever. What advice do you give someone who's kind of trying to decide between traditional bank loans versus private money? Is there some, you know, certain criteria that you kind of give them as far as advice? Do you know, I'm such a relationship person that my go-to answer is relationship. Like, go meet with that bank. Go meet with that traditional lender, see how you feel. Like, does it feel good? You know, meet with that other non-traditional lender, meet with that private money lender and see how does it feel? Like, did they ask you the question that really got to the heart of why are you buying this property? Why are you refinancing this property? What's your pain point? Like, what is the solution that you're actually seeking? And how were they willing to get you there? And were they willing to talk back to it and say, I really like this idea Did you ever consider that this could be a hole that you not looking at You know just making sure that they able to see the whole picture Yeah, I think you're right. I think no matter where you are in funding and financing and growing your business right now, having a relationship, which obviously with you as a sort of a third party to help them, but also with the lender themselves. What is one thing that you feel like investors should start doing? Like what's something that you feel like they should start doing in order to get more success in their investing? I would say the very first thing, this is such a simple answer. And if everybody can do this, credit, watch your credit and watch, watch, watch your, I'm, I'm losing the word for it right now, but watch your credit. Make your health of your credit. I'm curious, is there a, and I don't know if this is something that affects a lot of people or not, but do you do a lot of financing based on business credit? Or is it primarily personal guarantor and personal credit? Or does it depend on the scenario? So typically what we look at is anybody that has a 660 or above is lending worthy to us, which is fairly low on the spectrum when you think about a traditional bank. They're looking at somebody that's over a 720 or higher than that. However, a lot of our stuff is collateralized. So we don't even have to get into that necessarily. that credit just creates that relationship of like, I do know how to manage money. I know how to manage a project. I know how to do things. But, you know, the buck doesn't stop there. Like, there's lots of ways that we can get around credit. You might pay a higher interest, but you're going to get into it. You're still going to get into it. I think that's a good point, though, is a lot of times the actual financing is done based on the deal, not the credit, although it can help you. Right. So the deal meet you because you said collateralized. I mean, I'm sure whether it's equipment or real estate and things like this, a lot of those deals are done based on the deal, not necessarily the credit, right? You hit the nail right on the head. Every single transaction that we work with is about the deal. It is about the deal and how we structure it and how we present it and how we look at it as a lender ourselves. We oftentimes will take on a loan that maybe one of our other capital partners wouldn't be interested in because to us, we go, gosh, we believe in this borrower, but where one of our other capital partners, it might not fit in their lending box. And every single private lender has their very own lending box. And so there's more than one way to skin a cat. We can always find an answer. Yeah, that's a really big advantage of having kind of a third party is they're not, it's like in real estate, you know, having an agent or something. A lot of times you've got somebody looking out for your interest, but also they understand all of the players that you're going to in the finance companies. So that's really good. I know you have, and I know we're kind of out of time, but I know you have a lot of resources on your website, you know, blogs and content so that people can sort of learn a little bit more. And so where is the best place for them to connect with you typically? Is it your social or your website? Where can most people connect with you if they have some funding needs or questions? That's great. Yes. If anybody wants to connect, reach out to us at kembry.com. All of our social media accounts, if you just get on your social media and look up Kembrie Capital, it's going to pull us right up. Also, you can find me on LinkedIn under Sabrina Eli and always available, always happy to do direct message. If you are shy and timid in the beginning, direct message is a safe way to interact with people, but always give us a call. Find our website and give us a call. I love it. I love it. I want to end with this because I kind of try to ask this same question of people that I know that are very respected in the industry and things. And most of our audience are entrepreneurs, business owners, and individuals that are trying to grow and scale. How do you define success? Maybe what's one word that you would use to define or define success in your mind? Success in my mind is alignment. In one word, alignment. But to just kind of give a little depth to that, when everything's aligned, there's flowing, there's forward movement, and it's effortless. I like the word alignment because I think a lot typically go to like clarity or focus, but alignment actually gives both, right? If you're kind of clear and focused on your direction, but you're aligned with the right resources and people. So alignment's a good answer. I really like that a lot. So cool. Well, thank you for spending time with us today. I appreciate you being on the show and we'll have to have you back as well, maybe a Q&A round in our academy. So listen, guys, if you are listening for the first time, make sure you hit that subscribe button and also hit me up on the Daily Mastermind. If you have any questions or thoughts, let us know what you're struggling with or also what you are winning at. We'd love to be able to, you know, work with you and hit us up on the Daily Mastermind on Facebook, Instagram. Sabrina, Eli, I appreciate you being with us today. George, always a pleasure. Happy to see you. And thanks for having me on. Great. Awesome. Okay, guys. Talk to you soon. .
