We believe relationships are more important than transactions. Most of our loans are to repeat clients and borrowers we have known for years. What makes Fidelis different from other private lenders is how well we treat our clients and carry on our everyday business activities with a sense of...
There is a lot of stress in our everyday life. The demands of a job and family can often be overwhelming. The economic uncertainty and the political division we live in today adds to the stress. This may sound relatively simple, but a factor in reducing stress is to embrace humility. Short...
Over my career of 30 years in the real estate financing business, I have helped hundreds of investors achieve their financial goals through investing in real estate. I’ve learned some valuable lessons throughout the years and would like to share them with you. 1. Three Things Make...
Connect with people and communicate with sincerity and purpose. Get to know people beyond their name and the business transaction you benefit from. To know a person better provides insight and value to the connection that can’t be quantified because long-term success in business comes down to...
I have been in the real estate financing business for over 30 years, and subsequently have helped hundreds of investors finance over a billion dollars in real estate. There are qualities I have observed throughout my career in people who experience continued success and happiness. The success I...
We all have plenty of ideas. This is the easy part. The hard part is turning an idea into reality. These are four practical action steps I found helpful to get an idea to a result: Write the idea down on paper – This helps solidify what you desire to achieve. It gives clarity to
A crisis often brings clarity to our values and options that may have been ambiguous before. It expedites decisions that can result in improvements in our businesses and our personal growth. I notice ingenuity and creativity emerging as we move through this COVID-19 crisis. At times...
Just over a month ago, the fundamentals of our economy were strong, i.e., low unemployment, low real estate inventories, low inflation, low-interest rates, and stability in the capital markets. Within a month, this coronavirus pandemic has rocked our world. I want to pass on some hope in the...
What makes an ideal team player? I believe great businesses succeed because people do. In Pat Lencioni’s book, “The Ideal Team Player”, he spells out three important characteristics of an ideal team player: Humble A humble person is quick to point out the contributions of others and slow to seek...
There are two useful tools for valuing and comparing the feasibility of real estate investment opportunities: the capitalization rate (Cap Rate) and the cash-on-cash return. The two metrics use a snapshot of annual pre-tax income as a basis to determine the value and evaluate the feasibility of...
A 5-star rating for a hotel or restaurant means the ultimate in satisfaction. A 5-star connection in a relationship means fulfillment and joy. How can we achieve 5-star connections.? The 5-star rating system in a relationship can mean the difference between extraordinary and meaningless. We...
Who are we becoming personally? If we win personally, we win professionally. But we cannot do it the other way around. When we set and achieve personal goals, and live according to our values, we will be propelled toward a more satisfying and fulfilling life both at home and at work. As we head...
If you want to improve the chances of accomplishing a goal, don’t just broadcast your ultimate goal to everyone. Instead, be accountable to someone you trust for completing the action steps required to accomplish the goal. It’s fine to share a goal with someone because it will help...
“The important thing is not to stop questioning… Never lose a holy curiosity.” Albert Einstein Without curiosity, our daily tasks become routine, without meaning or importance. Curiosity helps us enjoy what we do and allows us to grow and learn new things. Curiosity is vital to...
If you do any running at all, you’ve seen or heard about minimal running shoes. Minimal running shoes became popular after Chris McDougal’s book “Born to Run” was published in 2009. He promoted barefoot running as a more natural way to run, healthier for your feet and...
A growth mindset is an attitude of optimism. Its a way of thinking that creates a passion for learning and growing by believing that our creativity, character, personality, and intelligence are constantly changing and developing for the better. However, a fixed mindset is an inherent belief...
When we think we have the only right answer that’s when we are at our riskiest moment and most vulnerable to making a mistake. I am not talking about the daily, mundane decisions we make every day where we’re using basic common-sense; I am talking about important decisions that...
The motto “Eat less and exercise more, and you will lose weight and be healthy!” is not that simple. I used to think I could exercise more to compensate for eating junk food. But, you can’t outwork a bad diet. When I was young, I thought I was invincible in so many ways and my...
1) Know how Net Worth is Calculated Net worth is the difference between your assets and liabilities, calculated as: Net Worth = Total Assets – Total Liabilities While your liabilities are easy to calculate it can be challenging to determine accurate asset values. It is best to make...
Often prayer and meditation to the layman are misinterpreted to be synonymous. But they are two distinct practices; both produce better health in different ways. What is the definition of Meditation? To engage in contemplation or reflection, It’s about becoming self-aware and present at...
