In this heartfelt and wisdom-packed episode of Burning the Ships, I finally sit down with someone I call my most-referenced guest of all time: Kelli Garrett — entrepreneur, private lender, mentor, and former college basketball legend. Kelli shares her remarkable journey from UPS corporate manager to real estate mogul, and how building a $400M lending business from scratch was never about just the money, it was about impact, culture, and becoming the best version of herself.

Through stories of grit, growth, loss, and leadership, Kelli unpacks the principles that fueled her success and the cultural cornerstones that keep her company thriving.

If you’re an entrepreneur, leader, coach, or someone grinding toward your next breakthrough, this episode is a masterclass in doing hard things with heart and humility.

Key Talking Points of the Episode

00:00 Introduction

01:45 JJ’s Joke of the Week

03:11 The beginning of my relationship with Kelli

05:32 Who is Kelli Garrett?

08:09 Kelli’s focus in business: Rehab Wallet

09:37 Lessons from 12 Years at UPS

12:04 How corporate experience can shape you as an entrepreneur

14:16 Surviving loss and litigation

18:43 From farm girl to college basketball record-holder

20:40 How learning hard work early impacted Kelli’s life

24:53 Learning to love what you do to achieve success

27:08 Leading by example in life and business

28:95 The growth of Rehab Wallet: $440M Deployed in 5 Years

31:50 How leaders shape the culture of a company

36:56 The importance of alignment in core values

40:02 How celebrating your milestones can impact you and your team

45:39 The most common traits of people who succeed

51:20 Why understanding your goals and how to achieve them is key

53:44 What keeps Kelli going: achieving the best version of herself

59:10 The real value of paying for coaching

01:02:22 How investing in coaching can fast-track your success

Quotables

“Leaders create the culture, culture creates the behavior, and behavior creates the results.”

“I’m not a lender—I’m an entrepreneur that owns a lending company.”

“You can’t change the wind, but you can adjust your sails.”

Links

Everything is Figureoutable

https://www.amazon.com/Everything-Figureoutable-Marie-Forleo/dp/0525534997

Rehab Wallet

​​https://www.rehabwallet.com/