Teaching What Worked: Compressing Trial and Error

In this episode, Amy and Jerome explore the evolving capital-raising landscape for real estate investors amid market challenges and shifts post-COVID. They reveal why thoughtful preparation and authentic relationship building, not just finding deals, are critical to sustainable success. Jerome offers deep insights on leveraging LinkedIn as a powerful tool to build trust at scale, creating repeatable systems for predictable capital raising capacity, and navigating investor psychology. Listeners will gain a strategic perspective on positioning themselves to thrive long-term while making meaningful community impact.

[00:01 - 04:12] Current State of Capital Raising

Capital raising is facing a tough "winter" season, with many investors doubting their choices.

COVID-19 significantly changed commercial real estate dynamics.

Many investors lose money from buying deals they shouldn't have.

Success requires planting seeds now and nurturing them for future harvest.

[04:13 - 18:43] Building Relationships and Trust

Preparation is key; investors must know, like, and trust you before investing.

Start with friends and family; move to strangers gradually through relationship building.

Multiple touches and consistent, value-driven engagement build investor confidence.

Education and structured programs reduce costly mistakes and close knowledge gaps.

[18:44 - 27:06] Closing Deals and Sustaining Success in Capital Raising

Lack of capital raising capacity causes deals to fail and investors to exit the business.

Experienced operators and systems are essential; deals won't close on just a good property.

Reputation is critical. Missed close damage credibility and future opportunities.

Knowing and managing capital raising capacity leads to confidence and repeatable success.

[27:07 - 30:20] Education, Persistence, and Impact in Capital Raising

Continuous education is critical to avoid costly trial and error in capital raising.

Friends and family capital is limited; to scale, you must build trust with strangers.

Reputation impacts not only deals but also community and resident well-being.

Capital raising empowers sharing time, talent, and treasure for meaningful community impact

Ready to take your real estate capital raising to the next level? Subscribe to Raising Capital For Real Estate Investing with Amy Sylvis for actionable strategies, expert insights, and supportive community guidance.

To connect with Amy or learn more, email her directly at amy@capitalraisingsecrets.com. You can also visit the website or follow the community on LinkedIn.

GUEST BIO:

Jerome Myers, MBA, CEPA, is America's leading exit authority and a pioneer in addressing the emotional and psychological side of business transitions. After building and exiting a $20M division of a Fortune 550 company, he founded Exit to Excellence and developed the Founder's Exit Paradox and N.E.X.T. Framework—tools guiding leaders through purposeful succession.

A sought-after speaker and consultant, Jerome has shared his expertise with MIT, EO, Vistage, and the Exit Planning Institute. He's authored Exit to Excellence and Your N.E.X.T., and hosts the Your N.E.X.T. podcast, helping founders move beyond transactions to create enduring legacies.

Reach out to Jerome on his website.

HOST BIO:

Amy Sylvis is the Founder and CEO of Sylvis Capital, a real estate investment firm connecting investors to hands-off income opportunities. After a 13-year career in biotech, Amy turned to real estate to build passive income and financial freedom - despite facing lifelong challenges with cystic fibrosis. Today, Sylvis Capital has 2,694 apartment units, 208,000 square feet of flex industrial space, and $407M worth of assets under management. Today, Amy teaches fund managers, syndicators and capital raisers how to increase their capital raising capacity through her on-demand course LinkedIn Capital Raising Secrets and her mastermind Capital Connection Pros.

Tweetable Quotes:

"Capital raising is one of those businesses where you have to put seed in the ground, you have to nurture that seed, and then eventually it grows and you'll be able to harvest it." - Jerome Myers

"Find a good deal and the investors will come. I think a lot of us have heard that, and it's wrong. It is just wrong. What will work is creating repeatable systems and processes, because that's what capital raising is." - Amy Sylvis

"The only way that you can continue to scale your business and get to, you know, several hundred millions of dollars like Amy has under management, is by getting strangers to know, like, and trust you so that they have the opportunity, when the time comes, to invest with you." - Jerome Myers