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.

In this episode of the On The Rise Podcast's Faith-Driven Leaders Series, host Nick Stromwall sits down with his friend and hero Erik Olson — entrepreneur, CEO of Dignity Made, and former humanitarian worker who spent a decade serving the poor in Iraq, Yemen, Greece, and the Philippines. Erik shares how a painting business in college led to a fork-in-the-road moment in 2003 Iraq, how nine years of humanitarian work revealed that economics — not just charity — is the root solution to poverty and trafficking, and how a question he asked a coconut farmer in a bamboo hut in the Philippines became the catalyst for building a business that is transforming an entire rural community. It is a story about faith, sacrifice, proximity to the problem, and what it looks like to build something that serves people made in the image of God.

In this episode of the On The Rise Podcast, host Jeremy Dyer sits down with Adam Link, founder of Fireweed Capital — a comprehensive wealth management firm based in Northern Minnesota that takes a deliberately active approach to navigating market cycles. Adam breaks down why he disagrees with the "set it and forget it" investing philosophy, how active risk management protects investors from the behavioral mistakes that cost them the most, and how to think about portfolio construction across different time horizons. He also shares his perspective on AI's impact on the economy, how to calculate escape velocity from inflation, and why knowing what you want your money to do is the foundation of every good investing decision. A candid, practical, and intellectually honest conversation for any investor looking to think more clearly about wealth.

In this episode of the On The Rise Podcast's Faith-Driven Leaders Series, host Nick Stromwall reconnects with one of his most significant mentors — Paul Poteat, Midwest Network Director for Campus Outreach, 27-year campus ministry veteran, and the person Nick has called when navigating his toughest decisions. Paul unpacks a practical triangle framework for making wise decisions, shares how a triplex purchase near the University of Minnesota became an unexpected real estate investing journey, and delivers one of the most grounded and actionable frameworks for understanding and managing leadership anxiety. He also speaks to the danger of an external world that outgrows an internal world — and what leaders need to protect their integrity when the pressure to compromise is real. A rich, deeply human conversation for any leader who wants to grow in wisdom, steward anxiety well, and live with genuine integrity.

In this episode of the On The Rise Podcast, host Jeremy Dyer sits down with Tom St. John — a real estate investor who spent nearly two decades grinding from single family homes to multifamily, made a major exit at the peak of the COVID-era market, and then lost a significant amount of money on his very first LP investment by failing to vet the operator properly. That painful experience became the foundation of his current work as a fund manager — traveling the country, meeting operators face to face, stress testing their deals, and only placing capital in investments he personally participates in. Tom and Jeremy cover operator vetting, stress testing underwriting assumptions, why alternative investments are often overlooked, and why the next five to ten years may be the decade of operational excellence in commercial real estate.

In this episode of the On The Rise Podcast's Faith-Driven Leaders Series, host Nick Stromwall sits down with John Laine — a real estate syndicator with nearly 40 years of investing experience and over $175 million in closed transactions. John shares a remarkable journey marked by a golf ball-sized brain tumor in his early 30s, the loss of $77 million in assets during the 2009 crisis, and the development of a business model he calls compassionate capitalism — one that generates market-rate returns for investors while converting apartment-dwelling renters into first-time homeowners. Through StarterHome.fund, John partners with nonprofit housing providers to buy deeply discounted apartment buildings and sell the converted units to working families at prices $200,000 to $300,000 below market. A conversation about suffering, character, purpose-driven business, and what it actually looks like to build wealth and community at the same time.

In this episode of the On The Rise Podcast, host Jeremy Dyer sits down with Wayne Courreges III, founder and managing partner of CREI Partners, recording live from his family's nine-month RV road trip across the country. Wayne shares how discipline, fixed-rate debt, and an unwavering buy box have allowed CREI Partners to grow to over $60 million in assets under management — even while many operators in the multifamily space have struggled. He breaks down his non-negotiable underwriting rules, why he never looks at broker numbers, the case for fixed-rate debt over bridge loans, and why passive investors should be doing deep diligence on the heart of the operator, not just the pitch deck. He also shares his perspective on the RV and boat storage niche and when it makes sense for an investor to go active versus passive. A grounded, practical, and refreshingly candid conversation.

In this episode of the On The Rise Podcast, host Jeremy Dyer sits down with Ben Reinberg, a prominent commercial real estate investor and founder of Alliance CGC, to talk about why hard assets remain the most reliable path to generational wealth — especially in a market cycle defined by trillions of dollars in maturing loans and ongoing economic uncertainty. Ben breaks down why hoarding cash is the wrong response to market volatility, what makes medical office one of the most recession-resilient asset classes available, and why the ability to hold is the single most important variable in any real estate investment. He also shares what separates capital raisers who consistently win, how to evaluate an operator beyond the pitch deck, and what investors sitting on the sidelines in 2026 should be doing right now.

In this episode of the On The Rise Podcast, host Jeremy Dyer sits down with Ben Reinberg, a prominent commercial real estate investor and founder of Alliance CGC, to talk about why hard assets remain the most reliable path to generational wealth — especially in a market cycle defined by trillions of dollars in maturing loans and ongoing economic uncertainty. Ben breaks down why hoarding cash is the wrong response to market volatility, what makes medical office one of the most recession-resilient asset classes available, and why the ability to hold is the single most important variable in any real estate investment. He also shares what separates capital raisers who consistently win, how to evaluate an operator beyond the pitch deck, and what investors sitting on the sidelines in 2026 should be doing right now.

In this episode of the On The Rise Podcast, host Jeremy Dyer sits down with Ben Reinberg, a prominent commercial real estate investor and founder of Alliance CGC, to talk about why hard assets remain the most reliable path to generational wealth — especially in a market cycle defined by trillions of dollars in maturing loans and ongoing economic uncertainty. Ben breaks down why hoarding cash is the wrong response to market volatility, what makes medical office one of the most recession-resilient asset classes available, and why the ability to hold is the single most important variable in any real estate investment. He also shares what separates capital raisers who consistently win, how to evaluate an operator beyond the pitch deck, and what investors sitting on the sidelines in 2026 should be doing right now.

In this episode of the On The Rise Podcast's Faith-Driven Leaders Series, host Nick Stromwall sits down with his friend Cameron Clark — a former digital marketing entrepreneur and agency director who, after losing his job due to debilitating chronic migraines in 2019, found himself in an unexpected and transformative season as a stay-at-home dad. Cameron shares with remarkable honesty what it felt like to watch his professional identity disappear, how comparison and isolation nearly swallowed him whole, and how a single perspective shift — maybe you're being planted, not buried — began a multi-year journey toward a contentedness he never expected. He also shares a powerful framework for how faith-driven leaders can experience the presence of God in the middle of their darkest seasons, and practical advice on how to find and approach a mentor. A deeply personal and quietly profound conversation.

In this episode of the On The Rise Podcast, host Jeremy Dyer sits down with Brett Swarts, founder and CEO of Capital Gains Tax Solutions, to unpack one of the most powerful and least understood wealth preservation strategies available to entrepreneurs, investors, and high net worth individuals — the Deferred Sales Trust. Brett breaks down the critical differences between the traditional 1031 exchange, the Delaware Statutory Trust, and the Deferred Sales Trust, explains why the 1031 exchange puts buyers at a negotiating disadvantage, and shares real client stories of people who preserved millions in capital gains by having a plan before their liquidity event. He also addresses the three most common objections head on — legality, control, and fees — and makes the case that truly passive income, not just passive income, is the ultimate goal. A must-listen episode for anyone approaching a major exit event in real estate, business, Bitcoin, or beyond.

In this solo episode of the On The Rise Podcast's Faith-Driven Leaders Series, host Nick Stromwall introduces the Triple Win Framework — a simple but powerful way of thinking about what it actually means to win as a faith-driven leader. Most high-performers are great at one of three things: their work, their home, or their community. Rarely all three. Nick makes the case that these are not separate arenas to be balanced, but one integrated life to be lived — with the same values, the same faith, and the same person showing up in every room. He also challenges the lie of compartmentalization and invites listeners to score themselves honestly across all three wins. A clarifying and convicting episode for any leader who is succeeding by some measures but wondering if the full picture adds up.

In this episode of the On The Rise Podcast, host Jeremy Dyer sits down with Wayne Seminoff, a 50-year real estate veteran who has built a career doing something almost nobody else does — buying overlooked, problematic pieces of raw land for pennies on the dollar and converting them into highly valuable buildable lots. Wayne breaks down his seven techniques for transforming junk land into gold, from clearing clouded titles and solving landlocked access issues to building on wetlands and splitting parcels. He shares real examples of buying land for $250 and $1,000 and turning those investments into $400,000 and $1,000,000 outcomes. For any investor curious about a niche, low-competition corner of real estate that most people walk right past, this episode is a fascinating deep dive.

In this solo episode of the On The Rise Podcast's Faith-Driven Leaders Series, host Nick Stromwall gets personal about fatherhood. Nick shares a vulnerable realization — that his kids were getting his leftovers at the end of the day, not his best. Inspired by John Tyson's book The Intentional Father, he and a small group of dads built a framework for raising their sons with intention — culminating in one of the most memorable days of his life. He also shares three practical shifts that have changed the way he fathers, and makes a compelling case that the systems and intentionality we bring to work need to show up at home just as much. A challenging, honest, and encouraging episode for any parent who loves their kids but suspects they could be more present.