S5E10 | From Fighting to Funding with “Sam” Sarkis Chivitchian
Lender Lounge with Kevin Kim
“Sam” Sarkis Chivitchian is the founder and CEO of Secured Capital Lending, a direct private lending firm specializing in private money and hard money loan products — including fix and flip, construction loans, DSCR, commercial bridge, land loans, and asset-based financing. With over 20 years of experience in real estate and finance and more than 1,200+ transactions closed, Sam has become a recognized voice in the private lending industry. He frequently shares his expertise as a guest speaker at national conferences, podcasts, and industry events. Beyond lending, Sam is a real estate...
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S5E9 | Wall Street Wisdom: Insights From Charlie Woo
Lender Lounge with Kevin Kim
Charlie Woo, President of Fidelity Bancorp Funding, joins Kevin Kim in this episode of Lender Lounge. With a deep background in investment banking and a pivotal role in past industry-shaping transactions, Charlie shares why he moved from Wall Street to private lending. Fidelity Bridge Loans focuses on small-balance bridge loans for commercial real estate with an emphasis on multifamily and business-purpose residential properties. Charlie discusses the firm’s strategic balance between retail and institutional capital, their selective growth into DSCR and construction lending, and the...
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S5E8 | The (Unofficial) Roast of Kevin Kim
Lender Lounge with Kevin Kim
In this special pre-Captivate episode of Lender Lounge, Fortra Law Partners Kevin Kim, Jennifer Young, and Nema Daghbandan trade industry insights, leadership philosophies, and plenty of jabs in a no-holds-barred “roast” of their own. Set against the backdrop of Captivate 2025, this episode blends serious economic forecasting with personal stories from the trio’s time building Fortra Law. From market expansion and DSCR strategies to parenting styles, grumpiness, and what it means to be a good older sibling (or not), the episode gives listeners an unfiltered, funny, and refreshingly...
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Cultivating Success Through Connection with Kendra Rommel
Lender Lounge with Kevin Kim
Kendra Rommel, co-founder of Futures Financial, joins Geraci Partner Jen and Geraci Attorney Nichole for a special “She-Shed” takeover episode of Lender Lounge. Kendra shares her unconventional path from retail to mortgage lending, her early operations experience, and the strategic decisions behind launching Futures with her partner David Rosenberg. The conversation explores balancing personal life and business, building a resilient team, lessons in partnership, and the importance of remaining adaptable in an ever-changing private lending market. Kendra’s story reveals the grit,...
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Live from Renovo’s Top Gun
Lender Lounge with Kevin Kim
Kevin Kim hosts a special episode of Lender Lounge on location at Renovo Financial’s Top Gun Event in Los Angeles. Joined by Paul Shaughnessy, a top originator at Renovo, and Kevin Werner, CEO of Renovo Financial, the discussion delves into Renovo's culture of employee investment, relationship-driven lending, and long-term growth strategy. The guests highlight Renovo’s commitment to local market expertise, continuous learning, and a high-performance team culture that drives their success. Insights into client relationships, the importance of local market presence, and future ambitions for...
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When A Cardinal Appears
Lender Lounge with Kevin Kim
In this episode of Lender Lounge with Kevin Kim, Briana Hildt, CEO and Founder of Cardinal Capital Group, joins the show to share her remarkable journey in private lending. From starting in asset management to becoming one of Massachusetts' leading private lenders, Briana discusses how she transitioned from a loan broker to launching and scaling her own lending business. She provides insight into the challenges of breaking into the Northeast market, the importance of relationship-driven lending, and how strategic decision-making fueled Cardinal Capital’s success. Briana’s story highlights...
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A League of Their Own - Guimont Capital
Lender Lounge with Kevin Kim
In this episode of Lender Lounge, Kevin Kim interviews Daniel Guimont, CEO of Guimont Capital, and Kirsten Lundell Koester, the company's Chief Legal Officer, at their Bellevue office. Daniel and Kirsten share Guimont Capital's journey from its roots as Las Vegas Loans to becoming a diversified lender focused on high-value, diverse projects across the U.S., from real estate to business acquisitions. They discuss the company’s hands-on approach, unique underwriting process, and commitment to borrower relationships, emphasizing both operational experience and the human element in lending....
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Live At CAPTIVATE
Lender Lounge with Kevin Kim
Kevin Kim hosts a live episode of Lender Lounge from the Captivate Conference at the Encore Hotel in Las Vegas. Joining him are industry veterans Evan Stone, CEO of Champions Funding and Chairman of Community Savings, Dustin Wells, President of Dominion Financial Services Wholesale, and Dave Orloff, CEO of American Heritage Lending. This discussion explores the evolving landscape of private lending, particularly the intersections of consumer and business-purpose lending. The panelists dive into their experiences transitioning from consumer to business-purpose lending, the distinct challenges...
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Don’t Mess with Texas, Michael Hoffman - Longhorn III
Lender Lounge with Kevin Kim
In this episode of Lender Lounge with Kevin Kim, Mike Hoffman, CEO and President of Longhorn Investments, joins Kevin to share his journey into private lending and the growth of Longhorn Investments. Starting from a background in law with no real estate experience, Mike stumbled into the world of hard money lending during the 2008 financial crisis. He shares the origins of Longhorn Investments, its expansion beyond Texas, and the unique challenges of building a successful private lending business. Mike also discusses how the company adapted to market changes, including the decision to start a...
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“Constructive Conversation”- with Ben Fertig, President of Constructive Capital
Lender Lounge with Kevin Kim
In this episode of Lender Lounge, Kevin Kim welcomes back Ben Fertig. Ben is the founder and President of Constructive Capital, the leading national capital provider for DSCR Rental Loans and Residential Transitional Loans (RTL or Fix and Flip Loans). Prior to Constructive, Ben led Credit and Asset Management at Finance of America Commercial; and, before that, he served as Chief Operator Officer of Jordan Capital Finance, where he managed originations, credit policy, and capital markets. Ben was instrumental in the sale of the Jordan Capital Finance platform to Blackstone and Finance of...
info_outlineIn this episode of Lender Lounge with Kevin Kim, Briana Hildt, CEO and Founder of Cardinal Capital Group, joins the show to share her remarkable journey in private lending. From starting in asset management to becoming one of Massachusetts' leading private lenders, Briana discusses how she transitioned from a loan broker to launching and scaling her own lending business. She provides insight into the challenges of breaking into the Northeast market, the importance of relationship-driven lending, and how strategic decision-making fueled Cardinal Capital’s success. Briana’s story highlights resilience, the power of strong partnerships, and a commitment to executing with integrity—valuable lessons for both emerging and established lenders.
Briana Hildt serves as the Founder and CEO of Cardinal Capital Group, a prominent female-owned private lending firm operating on a national scale. With a strong background in real estate lending, she has facilitated over $1Billion in business purpose loans. Under her guidance, CCG has emerged as the top private lender in Massachusetts, Briana's native state. Her pioneering approach and unwavering commitment to excellence have positioned her as a formidable leader in the industry. She emphasizes the core values of Adaptability, Devotion, and Integrity in steering the company toward success.
Bullet Points:
[00:01:04] Briana Hildt introduces herself and her company, Cardinal Capital Group.
[00:02:10] Briana’s early career in asset management and real estate before entering private lending.
[00:03:54] Transitioning from a loan broker to establishing Cardinal Capital.
[00:06:22] Breaking into the Massachusetts private lending market and navigating industry challenges.
[00:08:44] The pivotal decision to launch her own lending firm instead of joining an established lender.
[00:12:08] Raising seed capital and securing early investors for Cardinal Capital.
[00:14:50] The importance of building trust with investors, borrowers, and industry partners.
[00:18:30] How Briana built lasting client relationships and a referral-based business model.
[00:21:42] The challenges and benefits of intentional, steady growth over rapid expansion.
[00:25:10] Cardinal Capital’s disciplined approach to underwriting and deal structuring.
[00:30:20] Market insights: The Northeast lending landscape and how it differs from California.
[00:35:55] How Briana and her team adapted to market volatility in recent years.
[00:40:38] The role of trust, transparency, and execution in scaling a lending business.
[00:45:12] Briana’s advice for brokers looking to transition into direct lending.
[00:50:05] The future of Cardinal Capital and key trends in private lending.
Links:
Learn more about Cardinal Capital Group at https://ccgloans.com/
Learn more about Geraci Law Firm at https://www.geracilawfirm.com
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