Ep. #42: David & Fransisco - Building an $85mil Fund (Utah’s #1 Hard Money Lender)

What happens when a multi-million dollar partnership reaches its breaking point? For David and Francisco, it was the catalyst for creating Copa Capital Partners—a hard money lending firm built on the radical idea that ethics and family values should drive every financial decision. In this episode, the team behind one of Utah’s most successful lending platforms pulls back the curtain on building a powerhouse from the ground up.David and Francisco share the raw story of walking away from a $245M fund to start over at zero. They discuss the "Team David" transition, where their entire staff took pay cuts to follow them into a rinky-dink first office because they believed in the mission. From maintaining a disciplined, "boring" fund that delivers consistent 11% returns to managing the stress of deploying millions while raising large families, this is a masterclass in high-level entrepreneurship.In this episode, David and Francisco shared:The "Team David" Transition: The leap of faith taken by an entire staff to prioritize ethics over a steady paycheck.Protecting the Fund: How Copa maintains disciplined underwriting to ensure safety for both borrowers and investors.The Hard Money Standard: Why Francisco became the top lender in Utah and how they maintain relationships through market cycles.Priorities in Play: A profound look at "Adoration vs. Admiration" and how personal marriage habits impact business success.The Hustle & The Correction: Why you have to work hard, but also know when to "swim back to the board" and realign with family.Whether you are a fix-and-flip investor or a "young hustler" trying to scale responsibly, David and Francisco offer a roadmap for building a business that you—and your family—can actually be proud of.