Kurt Nederveld, founder and CEO of Rainstar Capital Group, joins Rick Plasket on Business Unfiltered to talk about 12 years of building one of the most diversified debt advisory platforms in the country. Rainstar sits across $20M+ middle market companies, small businesses, commercial real estate deals, and equipment lending — with 250 registered lenders spanning banks, hedge funds, private equity, and specialty finance. Kurt breaks down how the firm works, why bank financing often falls short during growth phases, and how AI is now changing the way they generate leads and process loans.
Beyond the business model, this episode gets into leadership — the realities of being a Type A CEO, how Kurt structures his day between strategy and client work, and why he still gets personally involved in larger transactions rather than delegating everything away. He also shares what has shaped him as a leader, including experiences most people wouldn't talk about on a podcast.
What you'll take away:

Why businesses that are growing often outgrow their bank debt — and what the B, C, and D lending tiers actually offer
How Rainstar uses CFO-level tools to help clients weigh the cost of alternative capital against the revenue opportunity it unlocks
Kurt's approach to time-blocking: mornings for strategy, afternoons for leading by doing
Why he still works directly with clients as CEO, and where he draws the line on delegation
How Rainstar is using AI for lead generation and loan process automation — and why they're prioritising that over headcount growth
The hiring philosophy: culture fit and right timing over filling seats
"Every great deal dies seven times" — and what it takes to be the advisor who gets it across the line

Connect with Kurt Nederveld:
Website: rainstarcapitalgroup.com
Email: kurt@rainstarcapitalgroup.com
LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/kurtanederveld
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– Rick and the Ohio Business Unfiltered podcast team

Connect with Rick Plasket on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/rick-plasket-4b6a157
Visit the ActionCOACH website here: https://rickplasket.actioncoach.com

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Ohio Business Unfiltered is the podcast for Ohio business owners who want straight talk on what it actually takes to build a profitable, sustainable company. Each week, Rick Plasket sits down with entrepreneurs, executives, and business leaders from across the state to get into the real conversations — the obstacles they faced, the decisions that changed everything, and what they wish they had known sooner.
Rick Plasket is a certified ActionCOACH, West Point graduate, and Army veteran with decades of experience spanning corporate leadership and business coaching. He works with business owners across Columbus and Ohio to help them stop working in their business and start working on it — building systems, developing teams, and reclaiming the freedom they got into business for in the first place. On Ohio Business Unfiltered, Rick brings that same direct, accountability-driven approach to every conversation.