In this episode of the On The Rise Podcast's Faith-Driven Leaders Series, host Nick Stromwall sits down with his friend and hero Erik Olson — entrepreneur, CEO of Dignity Made, and former humanitarian worker who spent a decade serving the poor in Iraq, Yemen, Greece, and the Philippines. Erik shares how a painting business in college led to a fork-in-the-road moment in 2003 Iraq, how nine years of humanitarian work revealed that economics — not just charity — is the root solution to poverty and trafficking, and how a question he asked a coconut farmer in a bamboo hut in the Philippines became the catalyst for building a business that is transforming an entire rural community. It is a story about faith, sacrifice, proximity to the problem, and what it looks like to build something that serves people made in the image of God.

In this episode of the On The Rise Podcast, host Jeremy Dyer sits down with Kelsey Dineen, Director at Equity Trust Company, to walk through one of the most powerful and least understood tools available to real estate investors — the self-directed IRA. Kelsey unpacks exactly how investors can move old 401k and IRA dollars out of Wall Street and into passive real estate investments like those offered through Rise48 Equity, without triggering taxes or penalties. She covers the IRS rules that allow it, the common mistakes that destroy the tax shelter, how the process works step by step, and answers the most frequently asked questions investors have when they first discover this strategy. A practical, information-dense episode for any investor who has money sitting in a retirement account and wants to put it to work in real estate.

In this episode of the On The Rise Podcast, host Jeremy Dyer sits down with Adam Link, founder of Fireweed Capital — a comprehensive wealth management firm based in Northern Minnesota that takes a deliberately active approach to navigating market cycles. Adam breaks down why he disagrees with the "set it and forget it" investing philosophy, how active risk management protects investors from the behavioral mistakes that cost them the most, and how to think about portfolio construction across different time horizons. He also shares his perspective on AI's impact on the economy, how to calculate escape velocity from inflation, and why knowing what you want your money to do is the foundation of every good investing decision. A candid, practical, and intellectually honest conversation for any investor looking to think more clearly about wealth.

In this episode of the On The Rise Podcast's Faith-Driven Leaders Series, host Nick Stromwall reconnects with one of his most significant mentors — Paul Poteat, Midwest Network Director for Campus Outreach, 27-year campus ministry veteran, and the person Nick has called when navigating his toughest decisions. Paul unpacks a practical triangle framework for making wise decisions, shares how a triplex purchase near the University of Minnesota became an unexpected real estate investing journey, and delivers one of the most grounded and actionable frameworks for understanding and managing leadership anxiety. He also speaks to the danger of an external world that outgrows an internal world — and what leaders need to protect their integrity when the pressure to compromise is real. A rich, deeply human conversation for any leader who wants to grow in wisdom, steward anxiety well, and live with genuine integrity.

In this episode of the On The Rise Podcast, host Jeremy Dyer sits down with Tom St. John — a real estate investor who spent nearly two decades grinding from single family homes to multifamily, made a major exit at the peak of the COVID-era market, and then lost a significant amount of money on his very first LP investment by failing to vet the operator properly. That painful experience became the foundation of his current work as a fund manager — traveling the country, meeting operators face to face, stress testing their deals, and only placing capital in investments he personally participates in. Tom and Jeremy cover operator vetting, stress testing underwriting assumptions, why alternative investments are often overlooked, and why the next five to ten years may be the decade of operational excellence in commercial real estate.

In this episode of the On The Rise Podcast's Faith-Driven Leaders Series, host Nick Stromwall sits down with John Laine — a real estate syndicator with nearly 40 years of investing experience and over $175 million in closed transactions. John shares a remarkable journey marked by a golf ball-sized brain tumor in his early 30s, the loss of $77 million in assets during the 2009 crisis, and the development of a business model he calls compassionate capitalism — one that generates market-rate returns for investors while converting apartment-dwelling renters into first-time homeowners. Through StarterHome.fund, John partners with nonprofit housing providers to buy deeply discounted apartment buildings and sell the converted units to working families at prices $200,000 to $300,000 below market. A conversation about suffering, character, purpose-driven business, and what it actually looks like to build wealth and community at the same time.

In this episode of the On The Rise Podcast, host Jeremy Dyer sits down with Wayne Courreges III, founder and managing partner of CREI Partners, recording live from his family's nine-month RV road trip across the country. Wayne shares how discipline, fixed-rate debt, and an unwavering buy box have allowed CREI Partners to grow to over $60 million in assets under management — even while many operators in the multifamily space have struggled. He breaks down his non-negotiable underwriting rules, why he never looks at broker numbers, the case for fixed-rate debt over bridge loans, and why passive investors should be doing deep diligence on the heart of the operator, not just the pitch deck. He also shares his perspective on the RV and boat storage niche and when it makes sense for an investor to go active versus passive. A grounded, practical, and refreshingly candid conversation.

In this episode of the On The Rise Podcast's Faith-Driven Leaders Series, host Nick Stromwall sits down with Dan Rosenblatt — commercial insurance franchise owner, founder of 72 Ministries, men's ministry leader, and faith-driven entrepreneur coach. Dan shares how a 70% pay cut and 80-hour work weeks eventually gave way to one of the most integrated, purpose-driven lives he has ever lived. He talks about how his mentor's cancer diagnosis finally pushed him to launch the ministry idea that had been sitting in a note on his phone for years, why fear is false evidence appearing real, and how every business meeting is an opportunity to be a pastor, a friend, and a confidant. A warm, vulnerable, and deeply practical conversation for any leader who feels like they are living two separate lives.