Stronghill Capital is a team of small-balance debt specialists who leverage decades of expertise to custom-craft solutions that help borrowers finance real estate with confidence. Our loans provide substantial flexibility for borrowers based on their experience level, individual financing needs, and investment objectives.
Recently, we sat down with Brian Simmons, a 22-year industry veteran and Stronghill’s Managing Director – Lending. Brian recently passed the incredible milestone of closing 200 loans, nearly a quarter billion dollars in volume at Stronghill Capital!
Is there anything specific you would like us to say about this accomplishment?
Closing 200 “bank rate fallout” permanent commercial real estate loans was extremely difficult. The work is never-ending, and the pace is relentless. While each loan is different, there isn’t a “change of problem” per se, so consistently working challenging deals takes mental toughness, analytical ability, and endurance. The salesmanship and marketing part of the job are the easy parts.
I am sentimental and get attached to my team members, especially those who have spent time helping me succeed. I grew quickly in this industry because I was surrounded by people who took the time to mentor me, and I’m grateful for that. I enjoy learning new insights on assessing loans and establishing rapport with new loan broker clients.
How would you describe your role and responsibilities at Stronghill?
I make commercial loan brokers money by ensuring their deals submitted to Stronghill Capital are approved and funded in an efficient manner. I review brokers’ loan scenarios, soft quote deals, underwrite and structure loans, get brokers a term sheet, onboard the loan, and ensure clients’ loan closings are swift.
What do you appreciate about the culture at Stronghill?
Certainty of execution once a loan term sheet is issued. I rarely lose deals because Stronghill Capital heavily underwrites loan brokers’ deals upfront.
What is a valuable lesson you learned in your career?
You save time and make more money in lending by being direct and prioritizing which due diligence questions you ask depending on the specific loan scenario. Discovering why a deal won’t work quickly leads to more time to work on deals that will make my loan broker clients’ money.
What do you want people to know about you?
Nothing is better than working a deal with a commercial loan broker efficiently. Tell me what you specifically need to win the deal, and I’ll figure out a way to make it happen.
To learn more about Stronghill Capital’s approach and discuss any lending opportunities, contact Brian directly by email: brian@stronghill.com.
