# Ray Burkhalter: Building a Lending Business That Survives Crashes, COVID, and Life

Page: https://stenobird.com/podcast/burning-the-ships-6706781/ray-burkhalter-building-a-lending-business-that-survives-crashes-covid-and-life
Text version: https://stenobird.com/podcast/burning-the-ships-6706781/ray-burkhalter-building-a-lending-business-that-survives-crashes-covid-and-life.md
Podcast: [Burning The Ships](https://stenobird.com/podcast/burning-the-ships-6706781)
Published: 2026-02-08T21:00:00+00:00
Episode link: https://rss.com/podcasts/608bcapital/2522183
Audio file: https://content.rss.com/episodes/239464/2522183/608bcapital/2026_02_04_20_24_01_f10ab4aa-f00f-4f86-865f-18a08b340bc1.mp3
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Duration seconds: 3595

## Resource

In this episode of Burning the Ships , I sit down with Ray Burkhalter from Tuscaloosa, Alabama—founder of RBI Funding Partners and a seasoned private lender who’s been through multiple market cycles, business models, and personal growth seasons. Ray’s journey spans nearly two decades, from engineering and real estate rehabs to private lending, coaching, and now building a scalable lending business with legacy in mind. We talk about what it really looks like to leave a stable career, navigate the 2008 crash while holding private money, manage stress inside a marriage when you’re building together, and eventually shift from “doing deals” to running a true business. Ray shares powerful lessons on discipline, faith, savings, tone in relationships, and why most people underestimate the importance of systems until it’s too late. This episode is equal parts business strategy and life wisdom. If you’re in real estate, lending, entrepreneurship—or you’re considering burning the ships on a career path—Ray’s story offers clarity, caution, and encouragement all at once. Key Talking Points of the Episode 00:00 “Your network is your net worth” and the Deal Maker creed 00:28 Welcoming Ray Burkhalter from Tuscaloosa, Alabama 01:09 How we met at a hard money lending mastermind 02:14 Ray’s background: mechanical engineering and international travel 04:12 Discovering Rich Dad Poor Dad and a new way of thinking 07:17 Learning business the hard way in early real estate years 08:17 The ripple effect of Rich Dad Poor Dad across entrepreneurs 10:09 Leaving a W2 without fully replaced income—but with runway 11:29 The role of faith, saving, and discipline in risk-taking 18:37 Getting stuck with a dozen rehabs when lending froze 19:28 Creative exits: lease options, rentals, and survival mode 20:…

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