Influencer Blueprint Show

Sharon Vornholt is a seasoned real estate investor, marketing strategist, and nationally recognized probate investing expert with nearly three decades of experience in the industry. Since 1998, she has built a reputation for helping investors and agents generate consistent, high-quality leads—particularly through probate and direct mail marketing strategies.

As a real estate and business coach, Sharon specializes in teaching entrepreneurs how to create effective marketing plans, attract motivated sellers, and stand out through powerful personal branding. She is the creator of the Louisville Gals Real Estate Blog, where she shares actionable insights, training, and resources for investors at every level.

Sharon is also an accomplished author, podcaster, and educator, hosting the popular "Let's Talk Real Estate Investing" podcast. Through her content, coaching, and speaking, she empowers real estate professionals to build scalable, profitable businesses with confidence.

During the show we discuss:

• Why probate investing is a hidden goldmine most investors overlook—and how less competition creates better deals
• How to consistently generate high-quality leads using probate data and direct mail marketing
• The exact mindset shift needed to approach probate deals with empathy (and still close profitably)
• How to build a scalable marketing system that brings in deals month after month
• Why branding and positioning matter even in real estate investing (and how to stand out)
• How to turn one niche strategy into a full business model instead of chasing random deals
• Common mistakes investors make when entering probate—and how to avoid them
• How Sharon built longevity in the industry by focusing on systems, not just transactions

Resources: https://www.linkedin.com/in/sharonvornholt/ https://louisvillegalsrealestateblog.com/

Nicole Scott is a credit and business coach, entrepreneur, and founder of Credit Coach Pros, recognized for helping individuals and entrepreneurs leverage personal and business credit to build wealth and access funding. After overcoming her own financial challenges—starting with a credit score in the 400s—she rebuilt her profile and turned that experience into a thriving coaching business.

With over 15 years of experience in business development and operations, Nicole has helped thousands improve their credit, secure funding, and launch or scale businesses. Through her platforms, including YouTube and Instagram, she delivers practical education on credit repair, tradelines, and entrepreneurship, while mentoring aspiring credit professionals.

Her mission is to simplify credit and empower others with the tools, strategies, and confidence to achieve long-term financial independence.

During the show we discuss:

• How to improve your credit profile the right way (not just quick fixes)
• Why your credit is one of your most powerful wealth-building tools
• How to leverage personal credit to access funding and opportunities
• The biggest mistakes that keep people stuck with poor or stagnant credit
• How to turn credit into a tool for scaling your business and finances
• What it takes to build a strong, fundable credit profile long-term
• How to align your credit strategy with financial growth goals
• The mindset shift needed to use credit strategically—not emotionally

Resources: https://linktr.ee/creditcoachnicolescott

Joseph is a seasoned real estate investor and mentor. Through Real Estate Mentoring USA, he helps aspiring and experienced investors learn creative real estate strategies, lead generation systems, and transaction structuring techniques designed to build long-term wealth.

Over the course of his career, Joseph and his family have been involved in the development, construction, ownership, and management of more than 10,000 homes, shopping centers, and apartment units across multiple states. He specializes in creative financing strategies including wholesaling, lease options, subject-to deals, and fix-and-flip investing.

Since 2010, Joseph has mentored thousands of real estate investors through hands-on coaching and training programs focused on helping students generate profitable deals and scale their investing businesses. Joseph's perspective would be especially valuable for conversations around creative real estate investing, alternative financing strategies, wholesaling, lead generation, and building wealth through real estate.

During the show we discuss:

• How to get started in real estate without massive upfront capital
• Creative strategies to structure deals with minimal money out of pocket
• Why traditional financing isn't the only path—and how to work around it
• How to find opportunities and turn them into profitable deals
• The role of leverage in scaling a real estate portfolio faster
• How to partner strategically to close bigger and better deals
• Common mistakes new investors make—and how to avoid costly setbacks
• How to think like an investor and spot deals others miss

You can explore more about Joseph here: Website: https://www.realestatementoringusa.com/ LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/joe-bodek-61743032/

Jentri Smith is the Senior Vice President and SBA Lending Manager at Amegy Bank of Texas, where she leads the strategy and execution of the bank's Small Business Administration (SBA) lending initiatives. In this role, she partners with lending teams across the organization to expand access to capital for small businesses while strengthening the bank's presence as a top SBA lender in Texas.

With more than 17 years of experience in SBA, commercial, and business lending, Jentri brings deep industry knowledge and a proven ability to help businesses grow. She has held leadership and relationship management roles at institutions including Wells Fargo, Community Certified Development Corporation, and Comerica Incorporated.

Jentri earned her MBA from Prairie View A&M University and a BBA in Finance from Texas A&M University. She is also passionate about giving back, volunteering with Junior Achievement to support financial literacy and youth development.

During the show we discuss:

• What banks actually look for when approving SBA loans
• Why strong deals still get declined—and how to fix those gaps
• How to position yourself as a low-risk, high-confidence borrower
• The key components of a deal that gets fast-tracked vs. stalled
• How SBA lenders evaluate cash flow, projections, and business health
• Insider strategies to increase approval odds before you apply
• The biggest mistakes borrowers make that kill deals early
• How to align your application with what decision-makers really want

Resources: https://www.amegybank.com/

Reza Rahman is the co-founder and President of Ava, a fintech company focused on transforming how people build and manage credit. After years in Silicon Valley scaling technology companies, Reza shifted his focus to consumer finance, driven by his belief that the current credit system is not designed to serve everyday people.

As a first-generation immigrant, Reza built his credit from scratch while navigating student debt and the challenges of securing financing. Through that experience, he saw firsthand how complex and unforgiving the system can be, especially for those without access to the right knowledge or tools.

He founded Ava in 2020 to create a more transparent and consumer-first approach to credit building. Today, the platform has helped hundreds of thousands of users improve their credit profiles, reduce interest costs, and build stronger financial foundations. His credit building app raised over $15 million dollars last year and demand continues to grow

Reza's work focuses on helping individuals and entrepreneurs take control of their credit, improve their Fundability, and use financial tools to create real leverage and long-term opportunity.

During the show we discuss:

• Why the traditional credit system fails most people—and how to work around it
• How to build and improve your credit faster using modern tools
• The role of fintech and AI in changing how credit is tracked and optimized
• How to turn your credit profile into a powerful funding tool
• The biggest mistakes people make that keep their credit stuck or declining
• How to reduce interest costs and strengthen your financial foundation
• What it takes to become truly funding-ready in today's environment
• How to use credit strategically to create long-term leverage and opportunity

Resources: https://www.meetava.com/ https://www.linkedin.com/in/rezarahman/

Alan Peterson is a nationally recognized, top-producing SBA lender specializing in business acquisitions, partner buyouts, and commercial real estate financing. He brings over a decade of experience with a strategic, relationship-first approach to every deal.

He's a Certified Exit Planning Advisor, offering insight on both the buy-side and sell-side and is guiding his clients from pre-qualification through closing and beyond. He works with entrepreneurs, operators, business brokers, and CPAs nationwide, with a focus on manufacturing and home-services businesses.

Known for prioritizing the right deal over just getting a deal done, Alan has built long-term partnerships rooted in trust and execution. Based in Tampa, Florida, he is also a founding board member of Fostering Hearts and a dedicated husband and father."

During the show we discuss:

• Why buying a business can be faster and less risky than starting one
• How SBA loans actually work for acquisitions, buyouts, and real estate
• What lenders look for when evaluating deal strength and borrower eligibility
• How to structure acquisition deals with little money out of pocket
• The key mistakes that kill SBA deals before they get approved
• How to position yourself as a strong borrower—even without perfect credentials
• Why exit planning matters and how to build value from day one
• How to use financing as a tool to scale through ownership, not just effort

Resources: https://www.firstib.com/

Wassia Kamon is a CPA, CMA, and MBA who brings over 15 years of experience in finance, accounting, and business leadership across multiple industries. She currently serves as CFO of a mission-driven CDFI, where she helps guide financial strategy, growth, and impact for underserved communities.

As an award-winning CFO, published thought leader, and podcast host of "The Diary of a CFO," Wassia is known for her honest and practical insights into what it really takes to build and lead a strong finance function. She speaks openly about the challenges finance leaders face, from navigating the first year in the CFO seat to building teams that can truly support growth.

Wassia has built a strong presence on LinkedIn, where she shares clear and relatable insights that help founders and finance leaders better understand their numbers, avoid common mistakes, and make smarter decisions. Her work highlights how strong financial leadership is a key driver of Fundability, long-term growth, and access to capital.

Today, she helps bridge the gap between financial strategy and real-world execution, giving business owners the clarity and structure they need to scale with confidence.

During the show we discuss:

• Why most founders are financially misaligned—and how it limits growth
• The hidden reasons your business isn't actually fundable (even if you're making money)
• How to fix your financial foundation before trying to scale
• Why chasing revenue can hurt profitability and long-term success
• How to align your business model, credit, and cash flow for real growth
• The mindset shift needed to build a business that creates freedom—not more work
• What lenders and funders actually look for when deciding who gets capital
• How to turn your business into a scalable, finance-ready asset

Resources: https://www.wassiakamon.com/ https://thediaryofacfo.com/ https://www.linkedin.com/in/wassiakamon/

Jonathan Frank is a Certified Lease & Finance Professional (CLFP) and commercial finance executive with over eight years of experience helping mid-market companies deploy capital for growth while protecting liquidity. As Vice President of Sales at Alliance Funding Group, he built and scaled a commercial finance team from a single contributor into a multi-rep unit responsible for driving more than $100M in originations across diverse industries.

He works closely with CFOs, operators, and business owners to structure $500K to $50M financing solutions for critical capital expenditures, equipment, and technology investments. Known for bringing speed, certainty, and structure to complex deals, Jonathan is actively involved in strategy, underwriting alignment, and execution to ensure solutions fit real-world cash flow needs.

He also served on the Board of Directors for Elite OC, helping grow membership by over 65% during his tenure.

During the show we discuss:

• Why equipment financing is one of the smartest ways to scale without draining cash
• How to structure large financing deals while protecting liquidity
• The key differences between leasing vs. owning assets—and when to use each
• How top lenders bring speed, certainty, and flexibility to complex transactions
• What it takes to secure funding for high-ticket equipment and tech investments
• How to align financing with real-world cash flow and operational needs
• Insider strategies for layering capital to support mid-market growth
• How experienced finance teams turn capital expenditures into growth engines

Resources: https://afg.com/ https://www.linkedin.com/in/jonathanfrankclfp/

Darrell Hornbacher is the Founder and President of Midas Financial Company, one of the nation's longest-standing unsecured business loan brokerage firms. With over 22 years of experience in alternative financing, he is widely recognized as an industry pioneer, having created the original 0% business credit card stacking platform and launching it online in 2004.

Under his leadership, Midas Financial has facilitated more than 42,500 funding and credit transactions, securing over $2 billion in capital for entrepreneurs nationwide. His journey into finance began while preparing to sell a business and facing traditional lending barriers, which inspired his mission to help others access flexible funding solutions.

Darrell has also overseen the restoration of over 37,000 personal credit profiles and is known for developing customized capital strategies that empower business owners to scale, grow, and "Dare To Dream Bigger."

During the show we discuss:

• The evolution and legitimacy of credit card stacking
• How entrepreneurs can access capital without traditional banks
• The realities of the lending industry (past vs present)
• Strategies for scaling businesses using unsecured funding
• Credit optimization and structuring deals for maximum funding
• Insider perspective from someone who helped shape the industry

Resources:

https://midasfinancialcompany.com/

Chris Sain is a former Division I athlete turned entrepreneur, author, and financial independence advocate. Starting as a walk-on athlete, he faced significant credit card and student loan debt without the financial support many of his peers had. Raised in the inner city, Chris developed a relentless work ethic and determination to break the cycle of limited opportunity. Through discipline and persistence, he paid off his debt, earned advanced degrees, and built a successful career in business.

Chris is the Founder and CEO of Grand C.I.T.Y., a nonprofit dedicated to empowering at-risk youth through sports, education, and mentorship. A dynamic speaker, he regularly shares his story in schools and communities nationwide. After retiring at 37, Chris now focuses on helping others achieve financial freedom and long-term success.

During the show we discuss:

• How Chris Sain built a massive, loyal community (1M+ subscribers) from scratch
• The importance of trust-building before monetization in today's digital world
• How to turn content into real income streams and scalable businesses
• Chris's journey from debt and adversity to financial independence
• The mindset shifts needed to break out of financial struggle and build wealth
• How to use platforms like YouTube to educate, influence, and grow a brand
• Strategies for simplifying investing and making it accessible to everyday people
• How consistency and authenticity drive long-term audience growth and impact

Resources:

https://chrissain.com/