On this episode of the On The Rise Podcast's Faith Driven Leaders series, host Nick Stromwall talks with Matt Star — real estate investor, creative-finance educator, and founder of the Telos multifamily mastermind. Matt shares a remarkable testimony: from an immigrant kid told by his doctor he'd die of obesity, to losing 125 pounds, to letting arrogance and a transactional mindset cost him everything and leave him homeless. Anchored in a new faith, he built 130 single-family deals, pivoted to multifamily (now 370 doors), and found his footing by serving others in the Sub To community. Matt unpacks what investors really trust him with, why the best deals are the ones you don't do, and how to run a business as an act of worship.

On this episode of the On The Rise Podcast's Faith Driven Leaders series, host Nick Stromwall talks with Ryan Carriere, CPA and founder of Carriere Tax Consulting, who estimates he's saved clients over $10 million in taxes. Ryan traces his path from corporate accounting to real estate investing and tax advisory, and shares the strategies he uses for high-income earners — the short-term rental strategy, real estate professional status, cost segregation, and more. He also opens up about his faith: how Ephesians 2 made grace real to him as a gift rather than works, why he left a respected firm for "three freedoms," and how he views tax savings through a lens of stewardship. Practical, faith-centered, and full of actionable ideas.

On this episode of the On The Rise Podcast, host Jeremy Dyer talks with Dani Lynn Robison, CEO and founder of Freedom Family Investments. Dani traces an unlikely path — from professional musician to Walt Disney World, cruise ships, and art auctions, to falling in love with real estate in 2008 (and with her husband "Flip" along the way). She explains why she scaled back turnkey rentals for needs-based syndications in senior housing, multifamily, and self-storage, and why character and trust matter more than any pitch deck. Dani shares her "Five A's" for vetting a deal, why she once took a loss to make lenders whole, and how "return on life" should guide every dollar. A candid conversation on trust-driven investing.

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.