In this episode of the On The Rise Podcast's Faith-Driven Leaders Series, host Nick Stromwall sits down with Brittany DeRoche — cancer survivor, heart failure survivor, five-time Ironman finisher, mom of four, and founder of Church Activation Strategies. Brittany shares a remarkable and deeply moving story of trial after trial — from a tumor the size of an ostrich egg at 19, to full-blown heart failure two days before Christmas, to pulmonary embolisms following a hysterectomy — and how her faith carried her through each one. She also unpacks the work she is doing to help churches turn underutilized space into sustainable revenue through strategic childcare partnerships, and what it means to finally be walking in the vocation she believes God designed for her. An unforgettable conversation about resilience, surrender, and purpose.

In this episode of the On The Rise Podcast, host Jeremy Dyer sits down with Robert Rolih, an international investor educator who has guided tens of thousands of investors across 73 countries to grow their wealth by avoiding the hidden traps of the financial industry. Robert shares his remarkable origin story — growing up in communist-era Slovenia, building a successful business, and then losing most of his profits to financial advisors he trusted blindly. That painful experience became the foundation for his life's mission and his book, The Million Dollar Decision. He breaks down the six dark forces of investing, why hidden fees quietly destroy wealth, how emotional decision-making is the investor's greatest enemy, and why the simplest strategy almost always wins. A straight-talking, eye-opening episode for any investor at any level.

00:00 Introduction 00:52 Robert Rolih's Background — From Communist Slovenia to Global Investor Educator 02:12 Losing His Business Profits and Starting Over 04:12 Why Investors Lose Money — Bad Decisions, Not Bad Markets 05:48 The Commission Camouflage Effect Explained 07:12 The Lure of the Shiny Next Big Thing 09:07 Buying When Others Are Panicking — The Bitcoin Story 11:13 The Right Balance for the Busy Professional Investor 13:43 Dollar-Cost Averaging and Keeping Dry Powder 17:09 Why Diversification Can Quietly Sabotage Returns 20:24 Inflation's Hidden Impact on Stock Market Returns 23:23 The One Rule That Protects You From 90% of Investing Mistakes 25:21 How to Connect With Robert Rolih

In this episode of the On The Rise Podcast's Faith-Driven Leaders Series, host Nick Stromwall sits down with Ryan Sudeck, CEO of Sage Investment Group — an Inc. 5000 recognized real estate platform converting distressed hotels into naturally affordable housing without government subsidy. Ryan shares the origin story of Sage, how a COVID-era pivot from student housing unlocked an entirely new mission, and why he believes the private sector — when disciplined and patient — can solve the affordable housing crisis at scale. He also opens up about how his Jesuit education shaped his leadership philosophy, what it means to care for the whole person as a leader, and how AI is transforming the way his team operates day to day. A rich, wide-ranging conversation for any leader who wants to build a business that does well and does good at the same time.

00:00 Introduction — Faith-Driven Leaders Series 00:43 Meet Ryan Sudeck and Sage Investment Group 02:05 The Origin Story — How a COVID Pivot Created a Mission 04:40 What the End Product Looks Like for Residents 05:53 Markets, Amenities, and the Community Vision 07:25 Which Markets Sage Is Targeting and Why 08:36 Cities Are Asking Sage to Come Help Them 10:41 Does Doing Good Also Do Well for Investors? 11:25 Rejecting the False Choice Between Profit and Purpose 13:55 No Government Subsidies — How That Works 16:39 The Distressed Hotel Market Opportunity 18:45 Why So Many Hotels Are Struggling Post-COVID 22:27 How Faith Shaped Ryan's Leadership Philosophy 24:35 Cura Personalis — Care for the Whole Person 26:41 Investing in People's Growth, Not Just Output 28:45 Active Listening and Working Through Conflict 31:39 A Season of Challenge and Leaning on Faith 34:45 How AI Is Transforming Sage's Operations 37:13 Practical AI Tool Recommendations for Leaders 41:03 Superhuman Email and Whisper Flow 43:29 Final Thoughts and How to Connect With Ryan

In this episode of the On The Rise Podcast, Rise48 Equity VP of Capital Formation Jeremy Dyer is joined by a member of the Rise48 acquisitions and asset management team for a deep dive into the company's disciplined, three-level underwriting methodology. Taken from the Fundamental Forum December 2025 Session. From initial market screening and qualitative filters to financial modeling, stress testing, and field-level validation, this episode pulls back the curtain on how Rise48 evaluates hundreds of deals to find the two to three percent that actually meet their standards. They also cover lessons learned from the 2021-2022 rate environment, how AI is being integrated into the underwriting process, and what the disposition outlook looks like heading into 2026 and 2027. An essential listen for any passive investor evaluating multifamily operators.

In this episode of the On The Rise Podcast's Faith-Driven Leaders Series, host Nick Stromwall sits down with Will Harvey, a real estate fund manager and hard money lender based in the Richmond, Virginia area. Will shares a remarkably candid story — from battling alcohol addiction in college, to finding sobriety and faith, to building a career in mortgage lending, house flipping, and ultimately launching his own investment funds. He opens up about how his faith shapes his business decisions, his marriage, and how he is raising his two young boys. He also shares his vision for using wealth as a tool for eternal kingdom impact rather than earthly recognition. A deeply honest and inspiring conversation for any faith-driven investor or entrepreneur.

In this episode of the On The Rise Podcast, host Jeremy Dyer sits down with Philip Ganz, president and founder of Next Wave Mortgage, with over 25 years of industry experience and more than a billion dollars in personal loan closings. Phil shares how he built a mortgage company on a digital land grab — owning over 155 niche websites — and why that strategy is beating AI rather than being beaten by it. He breaks down the difference between smart debt and bad debt, how to evaluate deals with brutal honesty, why lifestyle creep destroys more wealth than bad investments, and the timeless principle of knowing when to walk away. A candid, no-nonsense conversation for any investor or entrepreneur looking to build lasting financial success.

In this episode of the On The Rise Podcast's Faith-Driven Leaders Series, host Nick Stromwall sits down with Henry Kaestner — entrepreneur, investor, co-founder of Bandwidth, Sovereign's Capital, Faith Driven Entrepreneur, and Faith Driven Investor. Henry shares his remarkable journey from Wall Street to faith-fueled entrepreneurship, including the moment at age 28 that transformed his relationship with God and the question at age 38 that completely changed how he thought about money and generosity. He unpacks what it means to lead with purpose, invest for kingdom impact, and why he believes faith-driven entrepreneurs are uniquely equipped to solve the world's greatest problems. A deeply inspiring conversation for any leader looking to integrate faith and work.

In this special live episode of the On The Rise Podcast, host Jeremy Dyer sits down with his close friend and Rise48 Equity CEO and co-founder Zach Haptonstall for a wide-ranging conversation on what it really takes to build one of the fastest-growing multifamily real estate companies in the country. Zach shares his journey from a lower-middle-class upbringing in Phoenix to overseeing more than 11,000 units across three markets and the years of grinding, near-bankruptcy, and hard lessons in between. He breaks down Rise48's vertically integrated model, how the company is navigating today's supply-heavy market, and why AI is about to fundamentally reshape how real estate companies operate. A must-listen for investors, operators, and entrepreneurs alike.