#104 - Why Smart Investors Are Choosing Passive Income in 2025 with Ruben Izgelov

Send us Fan MailIs chasing high returns worth the stress, or is steady, reliable income the real goal? In this episode of Path to Passive, host Steven Arita sits down with Ruben Izgelov, co-founder of WeLend, to talk about why more investors, especially tech professionals, are turning to private lending for consistent monthly cash flow. Ruben shares how he went from high school dropout to successful attorney and fund manager, what changed his thinking about risk, and why private lending could be the safest way to earn double-digit returns today. They also talk through whether passive income can replace your salary, how much you actually need to invest, and whether owning real estate still makes sense for building generational wealth.Ruben Izgelov started as a first-generation immigrant hustling in Queens, NY, learning real estate by age 13. After years of flipping homes and dealing with unreliable lenders, he co-founded We Lend, a national private lending platform built by investors, for investors, which has funded over $600 million with zero principal loss. He also co-founded States Capital, a real estate debt fund helping LPs invest passively in real estate-backed assets. Ruben brings together street-smart experience, a J.D., and a sharp focus on building scalable systems in real estate finance.Connect with Ruben:Website: www.welendllc.comLinkedIn: linkedin.com/in/rubenizgelovInstagram: https://www.instagram.com/welendllcEpisode highlights:(0:00) Intro(2:00) Ruben’s story: dropout to the top of law school(3:59) Becoming a private lender after law school(7:00) Why private lending made more sense than flipping(10:52) Active vs passive investing: who should do what(14:00) What WeLend fund investors are really buying(20:01) What is a bridge loan and why it matters(28:04) What happens if a deal goes wrong?(33:25) Cash flow vs building net worth(41:00) Should tech pros cash out stock to invest?(44:03) Minimum investment and share classes(49:00) What trends are Ruben watching in real estate?(50:27) Is there depreciation in private lending?(51:00) How to connect with Ruben—Share this with your tech friends who you think would benefit from learning about passive income and alternative real estate investments. For more resources and guides, check these out:Crack the Code https://www.aritacapital.com/crack-the-code/Investor 101 https://www.aritacapital.com/investor-101-resource/Due Diligence Resource https://www.aritacapital.com/dd-checklist-resource/If you want to learn more, reach out at:Email: [email protected]:  https://www.linkedin.com/in/aritasteven/IG:  https://www.instagram.com/the.real.arita