In this episode of Hustle Harder, James sits down with Marcus Crigler, Founder of BEC CFO & CPA, to break down what truly separates real estate operators who build lasting wealth from those stuck in the hustle cycle. Marcus shares his journey into real estate-focused accounting, explains why most investors struggle with the “language of business,” and outlines a practical framework for moving from hustle to security, expansion, and ultimately investment-driven freedom. The conversation dives into financial discipline, reserves, hiring strategy, key ratios, market shifts, and advanced tax strategy—offering a blueprint for building a resilient, scalable real estate business in an “earn it” market.

Key Points from This Episode

00:00 – Welcome to the Hustle Harder Show and introduction

00:24 – Introducing Marcus Crigler, fractional CFO for real estate investors

02:26 – Marcus’ origin story and how 2008 shaped his career path

05:44 – The meaning behind “Beck” and building a business around family

07:59 – Why most real estate investors struggle with financial sophistication

12:29 – The hidden cost of ignoring bookkeeping and financial structure

17:19 – The evolution from DIY bookkeeping to full financial back-office support

21:44 – Why growing businesses need more than a shoebox of receipts

27:12 – The four phases of every entrepreneur: Hustle → Secure → Expand → Invest

30:52 – The danger of expanding before securing reserves

33:46 – Growing expenses with reserves instead of revenue

37:18 – The impact of 2022–2023 growth and 2025 margin compression

42:04 – Why today’s market rewards disciplined operators

45:50 – Sharpening strategy and adapting to shifting buyer demand

50:22 – Competing by differentiating product in an “earn it” market

56:13 – The core financial ratios every real estate operator should track

59:40 – Running a 30% margin business: marketing, human capital, and G&A

01:01:32 – Cash flow timing, liquidity, and managing construction draws

01:07:20 – Tax strategy, marginal rates, and why deductions matter more at scale

01:11:44 – Leveraging real estate for tax efficiency through bonus depreciation

01:13:01 – Real-world client examples of improving liquidity and tax positioning

Links

Renovo Financial - https://renovofinancial.com/

James Gaskin on LinkedIn - https://www.linkedin.com/in/james-gaskin-b675593/

Marcus Crigler on LinkedIn - https://www.linkedin.com/in/marcus-crigler-cpa-977a45b7

BEC CFO & CPA - https://beccfo.com/

In this episode of Hustle Harder, James sits down with John Curry, Co-Founder and CEO of Sétanta Development Capital, to break down the misunderstood world of land acquisition and development (A&D) lending. John shares his journey from Irish lawyer to U.S. real estate investor, explains why land earned its “toxic” reputation after the GFC, and walks through how modern land development actually works. The conversation covers risk, entitlement challenges, public builders going land-light, private credit replacing banks, and why land remains a critical “widget” in solving the housing shortage.

Key Points from This Episode

00:00 – Welcome to the Hustle Harder Show and introduction of guest John Curry

01:09 – John’s background, move from Ireland, and entry into A&D investing

02:39 – Founding Sétanta and closing the firm’s first loan

03:04 – The origin and meaning of the name Sétanta

05:22 – What Sétanta does and how land lending differs from construction lending

07:34 – How land development works from raw land to buildable lots

10:48 – Why builders stopped self-developing land post-GFC

12:51 – Public markets, land-light strategies, and risk perception

14:32 – Why land became a “four-letter word” after the GFC

20:49 – How forced selling distorted land values and wiped out developers

23:35 – Sétanta’s borrower-first philosophy and partnership mindset

24:42 – COVID-era deal challenges and honoring commitments

29:23 – How the land business has evolved since the GFC

31:29 – Land scarcity, entitlement challenges, and affordability pressures

35:01 – Opportunity created by a shortage of land developers

38:02 – Builder takeouts, deposits, and reduced speculation

41:10 – Sétanta’s leverage model and long-term developer relationships

43:48 – The retreat of banks and rise of private credit in land lending

47:32 – Experience, cycles, and why focus matters in A&D lending

50:15 – “Developers who lend” and managing execution risk

52:36 – Strategic alignment between Sétanta and Renovo

56:24 – Shared values, Victory Park connection, and partnership outlook

59:13 – Final thoughts and closing remarks

Links

Renovo Financial - https://renovofinancial.com/

James Gaskin on LinkedIn - https://www.linkedin.com/in/james-gaskin-b675593/

John Curry on LinkedIn - https://www.linkedin.com/in/johnfcurry

Sétanta - https://setantadc.com/

James Gaskin kicks off Season 3 with a deep dive into the major themes that shaped real estate lending in 2025 — and what's ahead for 2026. From market trends and fraud risk to AI adoption and the war for talent, James offers a candid, insightful look at the state of the industry. This solo episode is packed with hard-earned wisdom for both real estate investors and lenders navigating an uncertain, competitive environment.

Key Points from This Episode

3:08 – Welcome to Season 3: New energy, evolving content, and a look back at 2025

7:23 – Recapping 2025: Intense competition, rate compression, and investor capital influx

12:56 – Fraud & valuation issues: Major incidents spark industry-wide reassessment

19:38 – Market volatility: Inventory buildups in Texas, Florida, and the Carolinas

24:58 – Tariffs & immigration: Anticipated impacts on materials and labor that didn’t fully materialize

29:28 – The rise of AI: Opportunity for efficiency, but also new risks — especially in fraud

35:18 – Increased scrutiny from loan buyers: Discipline and underwriting standards on the rise

39:53 – 2026 forecast: Expect continued volatility and political intensity

43:23 – Talent wars: High switching costs, but strong lenders have an edge

48:08 – AI in 2026: More use cases, more fraud threats, and the need for balance

52:23 – “Higher for longer” interest rates: The market vs. Fed intentions

56:18 – Trump-era housing policies: Hedge fund bans & affordability narratives

59:38 – Fortifying capital structures: Why redundancy and liquidity are crucial

1:03:13 – Hyper-local insights: The importance of boots on the ground & relationships

1:05:23 – The need for industry self-regulation: Avoiding government intervention

1:07:38 – Smarter investing in 2026: Discipline, stress-testing, and capital reserves

1:10:38 – Over-leveraging & the hidden danger of 100% financing

1:12:18 – Final thoughts: The power of “no,” picking the right partners, and planning for volatility

Links

Renovo Financial - https://renovofinancial.com/

James Gaskin on LinkedIn - https://www.linkedin.com/in/james-gaskin-b675593/

In this episode of the Hustle Harder Show, host James Gaskin sits down with Andy Pollock, the veteran lending leader spearheading Renovo Financial’s California expansion. With nearly 40 years in the industry, Andy shares invaluable lessons from his career, his passion for building teams, and the mission of bringing Renovo’s unique people-first, locally driven model to the West Coast.

Key Points from This Episode

00:00 – Introduction: Hustle Harder in San Francisco

01:30 – Meet Andy Pollock: Lending legend with 40 years of experience

02:20 – Andy’s start in lending and learning through mistakes

04:40 – Climbing to CEO—and why he prefers being #2

06:40 – What keeps Andy hungry after all these years

08:00 – Why humility and sincerity matter at Renovo

11:50 – California expansion: vision, products, and Renovo’s edge

14:25 – What “decentralized” really means

18:00 – Building trust in a mature, competitive market

20:47 – The five-market California blueprint

23:22 – Respect for real estate entrepreneurs and the value of perseverance

27:16 – Why California is key to Renovo’s national ambitions

31:58 – What kind of leaders Renovo California needs

36:02 – Building something from scratch vs. fixing what’s broken

39:43 – The challenge of recruiting great talent—and the upside

44:09 – Why now is the moment for first movers

50:39 – “Powered by Renovo”: What it really means

52:16 – The importance of culture and the Renovo flywheel

59:38 – The opportunity for growth in a highly competitive landscape

1:01:41 – RenovoPalooza, longevity, and being part of something bigger

1:07:48 – Final thoughts: A legacy worth building

Links

Renovo Financial - https://renovofinancial.com/

James Gaskin on LinkedIn - https://www.linkedin.com/in/james-gaskin-b675593/

Andrew Pollock on Linkedin - https://www.linkedin.com/in/andrew-pollock-4b46825

In this powerful and inspiring episode, Devin Ramos shares his journey from a 15-year career in the military—including time as a Green Beret—to becoming a full-time real estate investor and co-founder of a growing residential cleaning business, Maid in America. Devin opens up about the internal shift that led him from military service to entrepreneurship, the trials of his first BRRRR deal, and the lessons learned from scaling both a real estate operation and a service business.

He and James explore the overlap between leadership, service, and entrepreneurship—diving into topics like marketing mistakes, building a team, navigating business with your spouse, and what it means to stay focused during uncertain market conditions.

This episode is packed with strategy, reflection, and entrepreneurial wisdom from someone who’s been through the trenches—literally and figuratively.

What You’ll Learn:

• How Devin transitioned from a 15-year military career into full-time real estate investing
• Why a service-first mindset and strong values can drive business success
• The reality of starting with little capital and scaling through creative deal-making
• What a “novation” deal is and how it compares to wholesaling and flipping
• The importance of cashflow and how Devin used a cleaning business to fuel real estate investments
• Lessons from managing two businesses at once—and how to stay focused without burning out
• Why discipline, margin, and strategy matter more than volume in today’s market
• How Devin and his wife grew a residential cleaning company with national potential

Timestamps:

0:00 – Introduction

0:56 – Devin’s background: Small-town roots, military service, and discovering his desire to serve

5:30 – Entering Special Forces and grappling with career/life purpose

10:40 – A pivotal mindset shift around money, freedom, and retirement

13:10 – Faith, family, and the role of values in business decisions

18:43 – Starting in real estate: Rich Dad Poor Dad, BiggerPockets, and learning by doing

24:29 – From one BRRRR to 40 deals a year: Building the real estate business

27:15 – What’s a "novation" and when does it make sense?

30:32 – Creative problem solving: A multi-family deal using sub-to and wholesaling

34:57 – Balancing two businesses: Real estate and residential cleaning

37:55 – Launching “Maid in America” cleaning company with his wife

42:06 – Scaling the cleaning business while reinvesting in real estate

49:11 – Devin’s current focus: High-margin deals and replicating business units

54:06 – Navigating burnout, risk, and learning to slow down

57:25 – Where to find Devin online and learn about his podcast

Links

Devin on LinkedIn - https://www.linkedin.com/in/devin-ramos-602a811ab

James Gaskin on LinkedIn - https://www.linkedin.com/in/james-gaskin-b675593/

Renovo Financial - https://renovofinancial.com/

In this inspiring episode, James sits down with Dean Rogers—former NFL player turned powerhouse real estate investor and community builder. Dean shares his raw and powerful journey, from living the dream as a San Diego Charger to walking away from football for the sake of his health, to starting from scratch and building a thriving real estate empire in Central California. Dean opens up about hitting rock bottom, losing $187K on a single deal, and the lessons that shaped his comeback. He also discusses the origin and explosive growth of Deal Champs, the community he co-founded to empower investors with collaboration and abundance.

Whether you're chasing financial freedom or building something from the ground up, this episode is packed with insights, grit, and motivation.

What You’ll Learn:

• Why Dean walked away from a 3-year NFL contract and the mental toll it took
• The painful reality of transitioning into the corporate world with a $65K salary
• How Dean discovered real estate and landed his first wholesale deal with no money
• Lessons from losing six figures in bad deals—and how he bounced back
• The birth of Deal Champs and how it grew into a national real estate movement
• Why investing in yourself and asking for help can shortcut years of pain
• How Dean’s family and freedom mindset fuel his hustle every day

Timestamps:

0:00 – Welcome to the show + intro to Dean Rogers

0:44 – Dean's NFL to real estate highlight reel

3:05 – The full story: getting to the NFL the hard way

12:05 – NFL locker room culture & wild competitiveness

22:42 – Why Dean walked away from football at his peak

29:19 – From 7-figure NFL contract to $65K salary in SF

35:46 – Losing $100K in house flips & lessons in grit

43:13 – “Better to do no deal than a bad deal”

46:33 – Gaining skills: sales, accounting, leadership

53:47 – Realizing the power of coaching & mentorship

57:08 – The origin of Friends With Benefits (wholesale model)

1:04:25 – Building Deal Champs and scaling the community

1:11:23 – Dean’s family, his “why,” and a life of freedom

Links

Renovo Financial - https://renovofinancial.com/

James Gaskin on LinkedIn - https://www.linkedin.com/in/james-gaskin-b675593/

In this episode, James sits down with Josh Swart in his Concord, NC studio to unpack his journey from firefighter to full-time real estate investor building and renting 70+ units a year. Josh shares how he went from grunt demo jobs as a teenager to developing subdivisions, the lessons learned from big wins and big losses, and how building the right team changed his business. They dive deep into scaling up, hiring, managing risk, why Josh prefers new builds to flips now, and the mindset shifts needed to go from employee to entrepreneur.

Key Points from This Episode

00:00 — James welcomes listeners and introduces Josh Swart, recording from Concord, NC.

01:01 — Josh explains how he got into investing, starting in 2017, and what his business looks like today (70 units/year).

02:58 — Why Josh holds some properties as rentals and how new builds help avoid old-house headaches.

04:27 — From working fire department shifts to working construction on his days off — and realizing he was on the wrong side of the equation.

05:10 — Scraping together family money for his first flip, making $1,000 — and deciding to bet on himself.

07:00 — Josh talks about the uncomfortable personal growth needed to run a business — from hunting deals to building a team.

08:51 — How his team grew to 10 people, including virtual staff for admin and bookkeeping.

09:40 — Living in a flip, swiping pre-workout from work to stay energized — and how the first real profit opened his eyes.

13:20 — Josh’s lightbulb moment — using larger lots and subdivision to unlock value.

17:08 — Focusing on Charlotte’s secondary markets, not the city core — and why that works for his strategy.

20:19 — The surprises (and headaches) of working with different cities and counties.

23:56 — Why Josh prefers to go deeper in his market instead of spreading too thin.

24:03 — Building passive income, growing a trusted local brand, and scaling what works.

28:21 — Starting with one hire out of necessity, then learning how to delegate and find the right people.

30:15 — How Josh learned to give up control — and the freedom that gave him to grow.

33:53 — The role of coaching, masterminds, and being held accountable.

35:26 — From hiring mistakes to using personality tests and finding the right culture fit (and a shared love of The Office).

51:27 — The flips that lost him $150K — and how that refocused him on new builds and predictable returns.

56:53 — Beyond the deals, Josh says his biggest win is the people on his team.

58:44 — James thanks Josh for sharing openly about the ups and downs, and they wrap up.

Links

Renovo Financial - https://renovofinancial.com/

James Gaskin on LinkedIn - https://www.linkedin.com/in/james-gaskin-b675593/

Josh Swart on LinkedIn - https://www.linkedin.com/in/joshua-swart-699b1b157

In this roundtable, James Gaskin and Kevin Werner unpack the current lending environment and share an insider’s perspective on the real estate private credit market. They discuss trends from the recent National Private Lenders Association (NPLA) conference, the challenges of balancing abundant capital with responsible lending, and the importance of long-term credit discipline. They also touch on the industry’s growing pains, potential risks like fraud, and why a “back to basics” approach matters now more than ever. The episode wraps with a lighthearted look at summer plans and what Independence Day means to the team.


Key Points from This Episode

00:00 — James and Kevin reconnect after travel breaks and get ready for the 4th of July week.

02:25 — Behind the scenes of Renovo’s biggest team event and why culture and awards matter.

05:18 — James shares takeaways from the Atlantic City event, including market optimism and broker dynamics.

08:14 — Rising institutional capital, credit quality concerns, and how easy money is changing the game.

13:40 — Kevin and James break down why some lenders are “gambling” instead of lending.

17:34 — How fraud cases can shake investor trust and why self-regulation is critical.

23:30 — Why “back to basics” lending is the real edge and lessons from past downturns.

35:23 — Why new entrants must build strong foundations and be ready for the next cycle.

42:12 — James and Kevin share what Independence Day means to them and their families.

44:53 — Staying disciplined, protecting reputations, and a thank you to listeners.

Links

Renovo Financial - https://renovofinancial.com/

James Gaskin on LinkedIn - https://www.linkedin.com/in/james-gaskin-b675593/