Harley Green is a former software architect and computer engineer who traded a career designing complex systems for a different kind of freedom through real estate investing. After more than 15 years in technology, Harley and his wife, Adrienne, began investing in real estate in 2013, learning the business firsthand through renovations, investor networking, private lending, and self-directed IRAs. Those experiences ultimately led them to build InvestAway, a private lending company focused on short-term, first-lien real estate loans for experienced operators across the Southeast. 

Harley is passionate about helping investors put their capital to work through real estate-backed lending while building a life on their own terms. We discuss how InvestAway works, what investors should understand about private lending and self-directed IRAs, and the importance of protecting your capital when investing in real estate. Perhaps most inspiring, Harley, Adrienne, and their three children ope...

What happens when you combine decades of investment management experience with the rapidly evolving cannabis industry? Chris Reece is Chairman and CEO of MJ REIT and co-founder of AC Capital Partners. He sits at the intersection of private real estate, alternative investments, and the state-legal cannabis industry. With more than 25 years of experience in asset management, helping raise over $10 billion at FS Investments, and a background spanning Vanguard and other major investment firms, Chris brings a unique perspective on alternative investment strategies. 

Discover how MJ REIT approaches commercial real estate through traditional first-lien mortgages and sale-leaseback transactions involving cannabis-related businesses. We’ll discuss how private real estate can complement traditional stock and bond portfolios, the opportunities and challenges of investing in an evolving industry, and what investors should understand before exploring specialized alternative investments. If yo...

Roughly $300 billion in multifamily mortgage debt is scheduled to mature in 2026—but does that mean $300 billion worth of distressed apartment buildings are about to hit the market? Not necessarily. It means thousands of property owners are facing a decision: refinance, sell, bring additional capital to the table, or find another creative solution. And when today's financing environment looks very different from when many of these loans were originally made, some interesting opportunities can emerge. 

In this episode with podcast host Mike Swenson, we break down what the $300 billion maturity wave really means for real estate investors, where potential distressed opportunities may be hiding, and how investors can find owners who need solutions, not just buyers looking for a bargain. We’ll explore refinancing challenges, creative financing, seller financing, loan assumptions, motivated sellers, and the key question every investor should be asking: What problem can I solve that cre...

What does it take to make smart lending decisions and protect capital in the world of private lending and note investing? Doug Smith is the founder of Castle Rock Capital Funding and The Mad Lender, who brings 35 years of commercial and residential lending experience and a deep background in credit and underwriting. Doug shares insights from his career with some of the world's largest banks and explains what investors should understand before putting money into loan-based assets. 

Doug also discusses how The Mad Lender works behind the scenes with private lending funds, individual private lenders, and note investors, while providing credit analysis, underwriting, consulting, and portfolio management. If you're already investing in notes or private lending or simply want to better understand how experienced lenders evaluate risk, this conversation offers practical lessons you can use to make more informed investment decisions. 

In this episode, you will be able to:

• Understan...

What if your business could run more efficiently and give you back the freedom you started it for? Ryan Schuetter is an operations expert and AI implementation leader who has helped more than 100 businesses adopt AI and build better systems. Ryan isn't a guru. He's an operator. Through Schuetter Consulting and Schuetter AI, he helps companies turn technology into practical workflows that reduce chaos, improve profitability, and empower teams to work smarter. 

Ryan explores why founders become trapped by their businesses, how AI can transform everyday operations, and what it takes to build a company that creates freedom instead of consuming it. Whether you're a real estate entrepreneur, business owner, or investor looking to scale, this conversation offers practical insights to help you take back control of your time and your business. 

In this episode, you will be able to:

• Discover how AI can save time and increase revenue by improving business processes.
• Understand why i...

What if investing in commercial real estate could be as accessible as buying stocks? Mor Milo is Co-Founder and CEO of Relli, a PropTech platform built to change how everyday investors access commercial real estate. Growing up, Mor watched his immigrant parents build generational wealth one property at a time—and eventually became determined to figure out why that same opportunity remained out of reach for so many people. After several startup ventures, Mor and his co-founder Ross Iannarelli identified a major gap in the market: commercial real estate syndications offered powerful passive-income opportunities, but high barriers to entry and limited access kept most individual investors on the sidelines. 

Relli is working to create a two-sided marketplace connecting vetted commercial real estate operators with individual investors, bringing greater selection, transparency, and accessibility to an industry traditionally dominated by wealthy investors and institutions. If you've eve...

What happens when you skip the traditional corporate path, lean into networking, and turn relationships into real estate opportunities? Haydynn Fike is co-founder of Acadia Capital and host of The Art of Connecting Podcast. After graduating from the University of Tennessee at Chattanooga, Haydynn quickly realized the corporate world wasn't for him and began attending every networking event he could find. That decision led to a partnership with Dan, a 74-unit storage facility, and eventually the creation of Acadia Capital. Today, Haydynn has helped investors place more than $7 million into Acadia Capital while building a growing network of real estate investors throughout the Southeast. 

Haydynn shares how networking and genuine relationships can create opportunities that aren't found by simply scrolling through property listings. He also talks about flipping two houses in 2024, owning a 74-unit storage facility, building investor communities through the Southeast Best Real Estate...

Can you build meaningful income through real estate without becoming a landlord or adding another job to your already busy schedule? Chad Ackerman is a former corporate HR and compensation executive with more than 25 years of experience who realized his financial future was far too dependent on his W2 income. That realization sent him down the path of passive real estate investing, where he made early mistakes, learned valuable lessons, and eventually co-founded Left Field Investors, one of the largest communities for passive investors, later acquired by BiggerPockets. 

Today, through CARE (Chad Ackerman Real Estate), Chad helps busy professionals move from confusion and overwhelm to clarity and confident action as passive real estate investors. He shares what he wishes he knew when he started, how to evaluate passive investment opportunities, avoid common mistakes, and create income streams without dealing with tenants, toilets, or day-to-day property management. If you're a hig...

What if everything you've been told about building wealth is only part of the story? Dr. Dipesh Sitaram was a practicing dental surgeon who discovered that even a high-income career wasn't enough to create true financial freedom. Instead of relying solely on traditional investments like stocks and retirement accounts, he began building a multi-million-dollar portfolio through private real estate and alternative investments—the same types of opportunities that many wealthy investors have used for decades. 

As the founder of Responsible Real Estate and Acuere Capital Partners, Dipesh helps physicians and everyday investors understand how to evaluate private deals, generate passive income, protect their assets, and build long-term wealth with confidence. We explore why diversification matters, how private investments differ from the public markets, the mindset required to think like an investor instead of an employee, and practical strategies for creating financial freedom that exte...

Mathew Owens is a CPA, real estate investor, and founder of OCG Capital. He shares with us the strategies behind building a real estate empire that spans more than 1,500 units, over 1,000 home flips, and more than $500 million in loans to investors. Matt has also raised over $200 million in private capital, giving him a unique perspective on what separates successful investors from those who struggle to scale.

We dive into his disciplined approach to investing, including the 200-point due diligence checklist he uses to evaluate opportunities and minimize risk before committing capital. Matt shares lessons learned from decades of experience as both an active operator and passive investor, offering practical insights on finding quality deals, raising private money, building passive income, and creating long-term wealth through real estate. This episode is packed with actionable advice from someone who has successfully navigated nearly every corner of the real estate investing world...