How Ruben Izgelov Built a $700M Private Lending Empire in Real Estate | Ruben Izgelov

In this powerhouse episode, Matty A is joined by Ruben Izgelov, co-founder of WeLend, a national private lending firm that has originated over $700 million in loans. Ruben shares howhe went from a humble immigrant upbringing to building one of the most respected and secure lending platforms in the country.He breaks down the real difference between investing and lending, how his fund has never lost investor capital, and what every real estate operator needs to know about current market risks, political headwinds, and construction cost challenges.What You’ll Learn:Why Ruben shifted from active investor to full-time private lenderThe biggest mistakes flippers make with ARVs and renovation costsHow WeLend consistently generates 13–16.5% passive returns for investorsThe pros and cons of debt funds vs. real estate syndicationsHow policy, politics, and inflation impact deal underwritingWhat macroeconomic trends Ruben is watching in 2025Timestamps:00:00 – Introduction to Ruben & WeLend07:00 – Ruben’s story: from immigrant to entrepreneur10:00 – Lending vs. investing: safest part of the capital stack14:30 – Common mistakes with ARVs and renovation budgeting17:00 – The myth of passive real estate income20:00 – Policy differences between red and blue states26:00 – How WeLend has originated $700M without a loss31:00 – Monthly cash flow and liquidity in debt funds35:00 – Why Ruben prefers debt funds over syndications38:00 – Risks from tariffs, labor shortages, and supplyResources from Ruben IzgelovWebsite: https://www.welendllc.com/LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/rubenizgelov/Episode Sponsored By:Discover Financial Millionaire Mindcast Shop: Buy the Rich Life Planner and Get the Wealth-Building Bundle for FREE! Visit: https://shop.millionairemindcast.com/CRE MASTERMIND: Visit myfirst50k.com and submit your application to join!FREE CRE Crash Course: Text “FREE” to 844-447-1555FREE Financial X-Ray: Text "XRAY" to 844-447-1555