On this episode of the On The Rise Podcast's Faith Driven Leaders series, host Nick Stromwall talks with Jeff Hasselman — who built a multibillion-dollar crypto business line at Amazon Web Services and now runs 926 Ventures and Kingdom Bitcoin, a faith-forward platform on money, sovereignty, and biblical stewardship. Jeff shares why he stepped aside from a startup to protect his team, how his faith deepened over the years, and why he views Bitcoin through the lens of Proverbs 11 and "honest money." He unpacks inflation, the parable of the talents, why he calls Bitcoin "repentance, not rebellion," and how he thinks about legacy. A thought-provoking conversation on faith, money, and stewardship. (Educational only — not financial advice.)

On this episode of the On The Rise Podcast, host Jeremy Dyer talks with Alan Fruitman, founder of 1031tax.com and president of Real Estate Foundation, who has spent 33 years specializing in single-tenant, triple-net-lease real estate. Alan explains why chasing yield means chasing risk, and why quality — the best location and a national-credit tenant like McDonald's or Chase — builds lasting wealth. He breaks down why truly passive income is real, how to avoid the emotional trap of the 1031 exchange's 45-day window with his "green light day" strategy, which tenants are AI- and Amazon-proof, and why "boring" singles and doubles beat swinging for home runs. A grounded conversation on preserving wealth.

On this episode of the On The Rise Podcast's Faith Driven Leaders series, host Nick Stromwall sits down with Zach, founder and CEO of Rise 48 Equity, for the story behind the company. Zach shares how he walked away from a $200K job in 2018 with no roadmap, lost his identity, and was drawn back to his faith through adversity and his now-wife Grace. He opens up about his daily prayer of gratitude and surrender, the "warrior" mindset that shapes how he leads, the company's five core values, and why he believes suffering is beautiful. He also talks candidly about facing public criticism and what God is teaching him right now. A raw, faith-centered look at building through hardship.

On this episode of the On The Rise Podcast, host Jeremy Dyer talks with Jennifer Tuggle — a 19-year ER nurse and single mother of three who is transitioning into multifamily syndication and capital raising. Jennifer shares the resilience she built working her way through nursing school while raising her kids, and how that same grit fuels her real estate journey. She explains why being a limited partner is often smarter than chasing the GP role, the surprising skills nursing transfers to investing, how she demystifies syndications, and the mistakes new investors make. Above all, she confronts the biggest lie that holds people back: "I can't do it." An encouraging conversation about reinvention and financial freedom.

On this episode of the On The Rise Podcast's Faith Driven Leaders series, host Nick Stromwall reconnects with his friend Max Herman — a Salesforce account executive and co-founder of Catapult Careers. Max traces an unlikely path: a disqualified Air Force dream, coming to faith through Campus Outreach, and a winding climb through tech sales. He shares how he makes big decisions, why he built a personal "board of directors," and the origin of Catapult Careers after applying to 228 jobs. The heart of the episode is a watershed moment as the last-place seller at Sprout Social, when a coworker prayed over deals by name and reminded him: you are not the provider. A rich conversation on faith, work, and legacy.

On this episode of the On The Rise Podcast, host Jeremy Dyer talks with Efri Argaman, founder and CEO of OwnEZ, a data-driven fintech company working to democratize homeownership. An economist who became an accidental landlord after the '07–'08 crisis, Efri built OwnEZ to convert "chronic renters" — people who can afford a home but are shut out of conventional lending — into homeowners. He explains why the credit system excludes gig workers, the self-employed, and thin-credit borrowers, how OwnEZ's algorithm underwrites on more relevant data, and why he calls his fund the "sexiest non-sexy investment" — a non-correlated, mortgage-backed vehicle yielding around 9%. Plus candid advice for parents and young buyers.

On this episode of the On The Rise Podcast's Faith Driven Leaders series, host Nick Stromwall talks with Keegan O'Connor, co-founder and CEO of Chill Shark, a wellness-tech company building portable cold-plunge chiller systems. Keegan shares how cold water immersion helped regulate his nervous system after a PTSD treatment program, why he funded the first clinical research on cold water immersion for PTSD, and how the company uses luxury hospitality to fund a mission of helping veterans. He also opens up about walking away from his faith, being drawn back by his brother's peace, and learning to surrender his business to God. A candid conversation on pain, purpose, and building with integrity. (Note: discusses PTSD, trauma, and veteran suicide.)

On this episode of the On The Rise Podcast, host Jeremy Dyer talks with Anthony Rushing — former educator, 40-unit real estate investor, and mortgage professional — about a little-known strategy: the first lien HELOC. Anthony traces his unusual path from quitting college for a rock band to Teach for America to the mortgage industry, where he discovered a product that's common in Australia and Europe but rarely discussed in the U.S. He breaks down, in plain terms, how a first lien HELOC replaces your mortgage entirely, why it can pay a home off in years instead of decades, who it actually works for, and how it can free up liquidity to start investing. A genuinely educational conversation on using debt as a tool.

On this episode of the On The Rise Podcast's Faith Driven Leaders series, host Nick Stromwall talks with Andrew McNair, founder and CEO of Swan Capital (Sleep Well At Night) in Pensacola, Florida, a firm managing north of $300 million. A self-described "generosity evangelist" who has made and lost millions, Andrew makes the case that a fulfilled life isn't about accumulating — it's about giving it away. He unpacks his 10/20/70 framework, a controversial take on estate planning, how he weaves faith and giving into his company, and how to model generosity so it passes to the next generation. A challenging, practical conversation on money, stewardship, and legacy.

In this forum episode of the On The Rise Podcast, Jeremy Dyer, VP of Capital Formation at Rise 48, welcomes Tommy Hinson, CEO of Investors 1031 Exchange, for a plain-English walkthrough of the 1031 exchange. Tommy explains how investors defer capital gains by rolling real estate into more real estate — "swap till you drop" — until a stepped-up basis erases the tax at death. The session covers the types of exchanges, the same-taxpayer rule and why partnerships cause problems, the 45- and 180-day deadlines, reinvesting 100% of equity, TIC and DST structures, the 721 UPREIT endgame, and a case study showing how much you lose by skipping a 1031. A practical primer for real estate investors.

On this episode of the On The Rise Podcast's Faith Driven Leaders series, host Nick Stromwall talks with Scott Wilson — general partner of Beyond Capital Funds, SVP at Churchill Terry, and a self-described "ragamuffin" of growth, health, and recovery. Scott opens up about the years his faith and work lived in separate rooms, his struggle with alcohol, and the sobriety journey that led to his baptism in a cold Texas river in 2016. He shares how he came to faith-based venture capital, the founders and companies he backs, and why he now weighs "return on impact" alongside return on investment. A moving conversation on brokenness, redemption, and integrating faith into work. (Note: this episode discusses addiction and recovery.)

On this episode of the On The Rise Podcast, host Jeremy Dyer talks with Tony Figliola, founder of Passive Investment Pros, who helps engineers and technical professionals diversify beyond the stock market into private multifamily real estate. A mechanical engineer himself, Tony shares how he moved from trying to operate deals solo to building a rigorous vetting process for investing passively. The conversation digs into the non-negotiables when evaluating operators and deals, the assumptions that make pro formas unrealistic, why analysis paralysis holds smart investors back, and how retirement accounts can be repositioned into real estate. A practical listen for analytical investors weighing their first passive deal.

On this episode of the On The Rise Podcast, host Nick Stromwall talks with Frank Herman, CEO of Premium Holdings and a multifamily and student-housing investor, for the Faith Driven Leaders series. Frank shares how he left a 16-year residential career in Silicon Valley, moved his family to the South, and lived in a hotel for six months while stepping out on faith. He tells two contrasting stories — a costly deal he pursued after ignoring God's warning, and a 216-unit deal he prayed God would shut the door on, which went full cycle at nearly 2.5x in 18 months. A candid conversation on obedience, integrating faith and work, and using business as a tool for the kingdom.

On this episode of the On The Rise Podcast, host Jeremy Dyer talks with Bob Bernotas, a franchise veteran who's worked every side of the industry since 1986 — multi-unit owner-operator, franchise CEO, and growth advisor. Bob helps corporate professionals build wealth through smart, semi-passive franchise ownership. He unpacks the biggest misconceptions high earners have, why you should only invest behind strong franchise sales organizations and brand aggregators, and why timing is franchising's "dirty little secret." The conversation covers building an exit strategy from day one, why boring service businesses outperform flashy brands, and financing options like the ROBS program. A practical roadmap for anyone eyeing an eventual exit from corporate America.

On this episode of the On The Rise Podcast, host Nick Stromwall talks with Robert Szewczyk, co-founder and designated broker of Rise 48 Equity, for the Faith Driven Leaders series. Robert shares his journey from growing up in communist Poland — where scarcity bred a lifelong hustle — to earning architecture degrees and building a billion-dollar multifamily portfolio. He explains how he met his partners, why the team vertically integrated, and how faith shapes the way he leads investors, employees, and residents. The conversation goes deep on housing as service, the lessons only hard markets teach, and staying honest when it's hardest. A candid, faith-centered look at building with integrity.

On this episode of the On The Rise Podcast, host Jeremy sits down with Tom Suvansri, founder of Perennial Pride, who helps high-income earners and business owners deploy capital into tax-efficient real estate and private investments. Tom shares how he became a "corporate refugee," why mainstream financial advice leaves most people boxed into deferral-only strategies, and how changing your facts can legally change your taxes. The conversation digs into what generational wealth actually requires beyond a will, how active earners should balance liquidity against illiquid real estate, vetting operators over pitch decks, and why last-minute year-end tax investing so often backfires. A practical listen for anyone rethinking how they build and protect wealth.

On this episode of the On The Rise Podcast, host Nick Stromwall talks with Matt Johns, managing partner of Honey Hive Capital, where he helps Christian investors put their capital to work in ways that line up with their faith. Matt traces his path from a soup kitchen and Catholic Charities into private-market finance, and explains why ESG left him searching for real, measurable outcomes. He breaks down the framework from his book Purpose Driven Capital — stewardship, empowerment, and alignment — and shows how the "spirit behind" a real estate deal shapes how residents are treated. A thoughtful conversation on impact investing, community, and why no investment is truly neutral.

On this episode of the On The Rise Podcast, host Jeremy sits down with Jon Ostenson — founder and CEO of FranBridge Consulting, top 1% franchise consultant, and author of the bestseller Non-Food Franchising. Drawing on his own corporate exit and years leading the Shelf Genie franchise system, Jon dispels the myth that franchising means food and fitness, and unpacks the booming world of home and property service brands. He covers how franchising mitigates startup risk, what separates successful owners from strugglers, financing options like SBA loans and the ROBS program, and why so many real estate investors are diversifying into franchises. A practical conversation for anyone weighing business ownership.

On this episode of the On The Rise Podcast, host Nick Stromwall sits down with Bill Haley — Phoenix real estate professional, former headmaster, and father of ten — for the Faith Driven Leaders series. Bill shares how a sudden demotion forced him to anchor his identity in God rather than his job, why he pivoted from education into real estate, and how he and his wife Maureen lead a thriving household of twelve. He speaks candidly about walking with a son through a decade of addiction, the daily rhythms that keep his marriage first, and the legacy his father left behind. A grounded conversation on faith, family, and leading with character.

In this episode of the On The Rise Podcast, the tables are turned as Maria Zondervon — a seasoned passive real estate investor who has worked with multiple operators and asset classes — sits down with Rise48 Equity VP of Capital Formation Jeremy Dyer to ask him the question investors really want answered: why did you stop investing across dozens of operators and go all in with one? Jeremy shares the framework he developed after 70-plus deals across multiple asset classes, the three risk factors every investor should evaluate, why the heart of the operator matters more than the pitch deck, and how Rise48's vertical integration and supply chain strategy have protected investors through COVID, tariff scares, and a historic market downturn. A candid, investor-to-investor conversation that pulls back the curtain on how sophisticated passive investors actually make decisions.