In this episode of the Capital Raiser Show, host Richard C. Wilson sits down with investor and family office founder Yayha Mahmoud to unpack his journey from big tech executive to building a $100M+ investment platform.
Yayha shares how he and his wife started as middle-class professionals investing in real estate right after college and gradually evolved their strategy into private lending, real estate investing, and building a single family office. Along the way, he reveals the mental models, decision frameworks, and hiring philosophy that allowed his business to scale.
The conversation dives deep into concepts like return on leverage, hiring leaders with ownership mentality, and how systems thinking from the tech world can transform investment operations. Yayha also explains why trust and character matter more than the deal itself when allocating capital.
You’ll also hear his perspective on underwriting deals, risk management, and the barbell strategy he uses to balance risk-adjusted returns while still capturing asymmetric upside.
Whether you’re raising capital, building an investment platform, or looking to partner with family offices, this episode offers practical insights on wealth creation, deal evaluation, and building sustainable investment businesses.
Key Topics Covered:
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Transitioning from corporate tech to entrepreneurship
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Scaling a real estate and private credit investment platform
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Why “return on leverage” beats traditional ROI thinking
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Hiring leaders instead of employees to accelerate growth
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How family offices evaluate deals and underwriting partners
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The importance of character, trust, and transparency in investing
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Risk mitigation strategies investors want to see in every pitch
If you’re an entrepreneur, fund manager, or investor seeking capital, this conversation offers a behind-the-scenes look at how first-generation family offices actually think about deals, partnerships, and long-term wealth building.