Written in partnership with Dylan Rodgers
Several topics have been the subject of impromptu debates, but there is one, however, that has the undivided attention of many entrepreneurs and business moguls. That is if one should play either to win or not to lose. This prompt can leave several questions in business owners’ minds: what motivates them? Have they evaluated their team well? Would they play to win, or would they play not to lose? The last one is something you can even ask yourself.
Keeping this mindset and knowing the answer to this question can give you a competitive edge over others. Be it flipping the cash or being focused on being a game changer, the right mindset enables more focus, which is precisely what led Zeus Lending’s Steven Kaufman to be named ‘Most Admired CEO’ by the Houston Business Journal.
For the aforementioned financial enthusiast, the importance of the mindset is crucial. But there’s a big difference in what mindset one should be. While everyone wants to be a winner, matters get complicated when investment and real estate crowdfunding enter the conversation.
Dr. Kaufman has put incredible emphasis on how safe and prosperous it is to invest with his firm. The reassurance works well since the looming uncertainties are bound to overwhelm and bewilder people pouring into real estate. His firm has a banker’s mentality for commercial real estate investments, and the charm is quite magnetic as such financings are a much safer, more vanilla investment.
Elaborating on his firm’s stance in underwriting and investments, the founder of Zeus Lending stated that his company doesn’t play to win, but they play not to lose, and this strategy has paid off quite well long term. Accomplishing a feat very few investment firms can proudly claim, his firm has paid monthly distributions (the industry standard is quarterly or annually) over the last few decades.
Delving into details about what sets his business apart from others, Dr. Kaufman reveals that it is due to their unique ability to assess risks. The firm has completed over 17,000 transactions in real estate debt companies so they have massive hands-on experience in evaluating, predicting, and mitigating risk over economic cycles. They have utilized experience mastery, and have translated it into their private equity business so that friends, family, and investors can prosper from the knowledge.
Dr. Steven always tries to surround himself with people who are smarter and wealthier than him. It wasn’t an intentional buzz, but eventually, he realized that he would prefer to be witless rather than have an unfounded ego boost of being the ‘smart, successful guy.’ Thus, it solidifies the fact that he isn’t afraid of stepping out of his comfort zone, nor is he intimidated by the notion of being left behind.
One of his favorite quotes is by American author Tony Robbins, which reads, “The quality of your life is a direct reflection of the expectations of your peer group.” For him, monetary matters are part of his profession, but moral values and respect hold equal importance. He also believes that his unique blend of humility and confidence has skyrocketed his success.
He also acknowledges that there will always be somebody better than him. His acceptance helps him stay sharp and humble, but being down to earth does not mean putting a stop to his ambition. He is confident in what he knows and has done.
To sum it all up, Dr. Steven Kaufman is a man who has proven his mettle with his extensive experience, and his mission statement perfectly embodies his journey: “I serve and contribute to the people in my life. I measure my success in my mission by how much the people around me prosper.”
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