Serg Lupescu went from living in his car to owning 255 licensed assisted living beds.

In this episode of The Lo-Down, Serg shares the raw truth about walking away from nursing to build an assisted living business from the ground up. He opens up about the sacrifices, mistakes, and lessons learned while scaling from his first small facility to a multi-location operation.

This conversation goes beyond surface-level success and dives into what it actually takes to choose a harder path, stay resilient through uncertainty, and build something real over time.

What we cover:

• Why he left a stable nursing career for entrepreneurship
• The reality of living in his car while starting his first facility
• How he chose assisted living as his niche and why it matters
• Scaling from 5 beds to 255 and the systems that made it possible
• Location, licensing, and regulations most people misunderstand
• Preventing burnout in healthcare-focused businesses
• Using social media to build credibility and attract opportunities
• Why taking action beats perfect planning

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Whether you’re in healthcare, real estate, or simply questioning the traditional path, Serg’s story is a powerful reminder that the right niche paired with relentless action can change the trajectory of your life.

Connect with Serg Lupescu:

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/serg.lupescu
YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCMnasdyxsKn0ULRpS4Zi7Zw

Connect with Lorenzo Mercado:

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/lorenzo.mercado
Websites:
https://www.mercasaventures.com
https://www.ascentcapital.llc

Timestamps

1:20 From Nurse to Entrepreneur5:40 Living Out of a Car While Getting Started13:25 Choosing Entrepreneurship Over Stability21:59 Why Assisted Living Became the Right Niche32:53 Lessons From the First Facility40:39 Thinking Bigger Than the First Win47:38 Transitioning Into Commercial Assisted Living54:45 What New Assisted Living Investors Miss59:01 The Real Challenges of Scaling1:01:58 Building a Positive Workplace Culture1:07:20 How Social Media Changed the Business

Lorenzo Mercado sits down with Hemant Mahajan—Bay Area real estate developer, hard money lender, founder of Newbridge Equity, and author of Buying Back Your Life—to explore what really changes when you operate as both the lender and the investor.

Hemant breaks down how seeing deals from both perspectives completely transforms risk assessment, deal structure, exits, and long-term wealth creation. With 15+ years of experience, nearly 100 funded deals, and millions deployed across residential, commercial, and development projects, he shares hard-earned lessons most investors only learn the painful way.

This conversation covers:

• Hard money lending explained
• How lenders actually think when deals go sideways
• Structuring joint ventures using both debt and equity
• Real-world examples of complex, high-risk deals
• Biggest investing mistakes and mindset shifts
• Buying back time using real estate and passive income

If you want to understand how experienced capital really moves in real estate, this episode is essential.

Connect with Hemant:

New Bridge Equity: https://newbridgeequity.netlify.app/

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/meetrajum/

LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/hmahajan/

Connect with Lorenzo:

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/lorenzo.mercado

Website: https://www.mercasaventures.com | www.AscentCapital.llc

Listen to The Lo-Down Podcast

🎙Apple: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/the-lodown/id1764777761

🎙Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/show/1YjwXXjvFT3mqve6uMF983

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Chapters:

Chapters:00:00 – Seeing deals as both a lender and investor01:14 – Guest introduction: Hemant Mahajan02:01 – Why Hemant started as a lender, not an investor03:03 – Learning without a mentor in early hard money lending04:20 – What hard money lending actually means05:11 – Interest rates then vs now in hard money06:14 – How borrowers earn better rates over time07:05 – What lenders look for in first-time investors08:30 – Trust, equity, and win-win lending09:12 – When and why Newbridge Equity was formed10:20 – Licensing, usury laws, and scaling lending legally11:24 – What separates Newbridge Equity from other lenders12:17 – Combining debt and equity in joint ventures13:51 – Case study: 9-townhome development deal15:44 – Why flexible lenders matter in construction delays18:03 – Avoiding foreclosure through smarter deal structure19:34 – Why Hemant avoids “lend-to-own” strategies20:29 – How new investors earn JV opportunities22:04 – Red flags that stop Hemant from funding deals23:12 – Why real estate beats stocks and crypto for him25:20 – What most investors overlook in deals26:34 – “Hairy” deals others avoid and why he targets them28:19 – Buying distressed property during active litigation30:25 – Why complex deals offer higher upside31:05 – Biggest real estate loss and lessons learned33:47 – Why losses teach more than wins34:24 – Building resilience and long-term mindset36:39 – Creating freedom with passive income38:31 – From CDs and savings to real estate wealth39:41 – Best advice for W-2 employees starting in real estate40:21 – House hacking and first investment strategies42:48 – Using debt intelligently to grow wealth43:07 – Writing Buying Back Your Life45:16 – Turning money into your employee46:20 – Buying back time through joint ventures48:21 – How many hours Hemant actually works49:14 – Should beginners start as lenders or investors51:23 – Using 401(k)s and passive lending52:27 – Vision for the next 3–5 years54:07 – Why happiness is about the present, not milestones

Darius McClelland has lent out over $620,000 of his own money and built a six-figure passive income business doing it. In this conversation, he breaks down exactly how private money lending works, how he made $20,000 on his first deal without lifting a finger, and why this strategy might be one of the most overlooked wealth-building tools in real estate.

He also reveals how one Instagram post helped him raise over $600,000, his exact process for vetting borrowers and protecting his capital, and why transparency is everything when it comes to raising money online.

Whether you're sitting on cash you want to put to work, curious about becoming the bank instead of going to one, or just want to understand how private lending actually works behind the scenes, this episode delivers.

What You'll Learn:

• How Darius built a six-figure lending business by deploying $620K
• The mechanics of private money lending explained simply
• His step-by-step process for vetting deals and protecting investments
• Red flags to watch for when someone asks to borrow your money
• Why private lending can outperform rental properties for cash flow
• How he raised $600K from a single Instagram reel
• Payment structures: monthly, quarterly, and balloon options
• Scaling from individual loans to starting a fund
• How to use social media to raise capital and build trust
• The mindset shift required to show up online consistently

Key Topics:Private money lending | Real estate investing | Social media for capital raising | Building trust online | Self-directed IRAs | Starting a fund | Passive income systems | Lifestyle freedom

Connect With Darius

Instagram:@dariusmcclelland (https://www.instagram.com/dariusmcclelland/)

Connect with Lorenzo

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/lorenzo.mercado

Website: https://www.mercasaventures.com | www.AscentCapital.llc

Listen to The Lo-Down Podcast

🎙Apple: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/the-lodown/id1764777761

🎙Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/show/1YjwXXjvFT3mqve6uMF983

What if you could buy real estate with friends or even strangers without needing $100K upfront or dealing with endless paperwork?In this episode of the podcast, host Lorenzo sits down with Stella Han, Co-founder & CEO of Fractional, to uncover how she’s changing the game of real estate investing.Fractional allows anyone to co-own real estate legally and easily through investment clubs, no accreditation required, no crazy legal costs. Stella shares how the platform has helped investors raise over $400 million, what makes the model SEC-compliant, and how you can start investing smarter today.If you’re an aspiring real estate investor, operator, or entrepreneur, this episode will teach you how to raise capital, build trust online, and grow a community of active investors around your deals.

Why Watch This Episode:

• Learn how Fractional makes real estate investing accessible for everyone

• Discover the future of real estate ownership through community capital

• Understand how to build trust and transparency when raising money online

• Get inspired by Stella’s story of turning a $50K loss into a $5M startup.

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Connect with Stella Han:

Instagram: www.instagram.com/hellastellah/

Learn more: www.fractional.app/

Connect with Lorenzo:

Instagram: www.instagram.com/lorenzo.mercado_

Linktree: https://linktr.ee/lorenzo.mercado

Website: www.mercasaventures.com

www.AscentCapital.llc

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🎙Listen to The Lo-Down Podcast

Apple: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/the-lodown/id1764777761

Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/show/1YjwXXjvFT3mqve6uMF983

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Timestamp

0:00 - Intro: The new way to own real estate1:00 - What is Fractional and how it works3:00 - Raising $400M through community capital6:00 - Why investment clubs beat syndications10:00 - The legal side of Fractional investing14:00 - Typical returns and success stories20:00 - Mistakes new investors make24:00 - Hot asset classes for 202529:00 - Stella’s journey from failure to YC success39:00 - Pivoting from consumers to operators42:00 - The mindset for raising capital47:00 - What’s next for Fractional

After eight years as a travel nurse, Ian Duffy — better known as Scrubs2Estates — walked away from the bedside to pursue real estate investing and multifamily development. In this conversation, we dive into the reality of nursing burnout, the toll healthcare can take on your health and life balance, and the pivotal moments that pushed Ian to step away from a “safe” career to bet on himself. He opens up about the lessons learned from failures, what it really takes to transition into entrepreneurship, and how he’s building long-term wealth and freedom through development projects.

If you’ve ever felt stuck in your W-2, questioned whether nursing (or any job) is sustainable for the long haul, or wondered if there’s a path to more freedom, this episode will resonate. Ian’s journey is proof that you don’t have to spend a lifetime in a career that doesn’t fulfill you — and that with action, education, and community, you can build a new life outside of scrubs.

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Things We Talk About in This Episode:

• Ian’s journey from eight years of travel nursing to leaving the bedside for real estate
• The hidden realities of nursing burnout and life inside healthcare during COVID
• How injuries, worker’s comp, and system flaws impact nurses on the front lines
• The turning point that pushed Ian to pivot from scrubs to estates
• Early mistakes in real estate and the lessons that shaped his approach
• Why multifamily development is a long game — and how to break into it
• Building wealth and freedom by raising capital and creating housing
• The importance of community, mentorship, and betting on yourself

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🎯 Follow Ian Duffy
Instagram: @Scrubs2Estates

Ian's Email:

• Personal: IanPatrickDuffy@gmail.com
• Business: Ian@Scrubs2Estates.com

Ian's Website:

• Scrubs2Estates.com

Ian's Podcast: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/scrubs2estates-podcast/id1788976707

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🚀 Connect with Lorenzo Mercado
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/lorenzo.mercado_/
Website: www.mercasaventures.com & www.ascentcapital.llc

🎙️ Listen to The Lo-Down

🎙️Podcast on Apple: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/the-lo-down/id1764777761

🎙️Podcast on Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/show/1YjwXXjvFT3mqve6uMF983?si=d2501028127246f3
Youtube: https://www.youtube.com/@Lorenzo.Mercado

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Give a 5 Star & Share it with a friend who needs to hear it!

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Chapters

00:00
From Nursing to Real Estate: A Journey of Change

03:05
The Reality of Nursing: Challenges and Insights

07:46
The Impact of COVID-19 on Healthcare Workers

19:43
A Pivotal Moment: Realizing the Need for Change

24:39
Healthcare Misconceptions: A Nurse's Perspective

26:41
Empathy in Nursing: Lessons from the ER

28:00
The Decision to Leave Nursing: A Personal Journey

30:24
Discovering Real Estate: A New Path

32:48
Transitioning from Nursing to Entrepreneurship

35:44
Overcoming Doubts: The Importance of Self-Belief

38:06
Life After Nursing: Finding Peace and Purpose

40:30
Owning Your Time: The Freedom of Entrepreneurship

43:04
Skills from Nursing that Benefit Business

44:14
Choosing Real Estate Development: A Strategic Decision

46:55
Understanding Development Deals: From Single Family to Multifamily

51:04
Innovative Housing Solutions

53:42
Navigating the Development Process

57:52
Lessons from Experience

01:02:05
The Value of Risk and Resilience

01:07:35
Vision for the Future

What if you could build a 184-unit Airbnb portfolio without owning a single property in just two years?

In this episode, I sit down with Kevin Leong, who scaled from 0 to 184 Airbnb arbitrage units in just two years. At his peak, his business pulled in over $1.1M in a single month. After grinding through the early days, Kevin built systems, hired a team of 20+ VAs, and now runs the entire operation in under 10 hours a week.

We dive into how Kevin went from a cannabis warehouse job and side hustles to building one of the fastest-growing Airbnb arbitrage companies out there. He shares the credit card hacks that helped him fund his first deal, the 200+ cold calls it took to land his first “yes,” and the mistakes new operators should avoid.

If you’re into real estate, Airbnb, or just want to learn how to scale a business fast—this one’s a masterclass.

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We talk about:

• How Kevin scaled from 0 to 184 Airbnb arbitrage units in two years
• Using 0% interest credit cards to fund growth
• The grind of 200+ rejections before his first deal
• Building systems and SOPs to scale without burnout
• Hiring VAs and stepping back to a 10-hour workweek
• Why arbitrage can be the perfect stepping stone to long-term wealth

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🎯 Follow Kevin Leong
Instagram: @kevinleong_bnb

🚀 Connect with Lorenzo Mercado
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/lorenzo.mercado_/
Website: www.mercasaventures.com

www.AscentCapital.llc

🎙️ Listen to The Lo-Down

🎙️Podcast on Apple: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/the-lo-down/id1764777761
🎙️Podcast on Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/show/1YjwXXjvFT3mqve6uMF983?si=d2501028127246f3
Youtube: https://www.youtube.com/@Lorenzo.Mercado

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Share it with a friend who needs to hear it!

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Chapters

00:00 Introduction to Airbnb Arbitrage

02:49 Understanding the Business Model

05:38 Revenue Insights and Financials

08:35 Background and Early Career

11:25 First Deal Experience

14:01 Choosing Locations and Market Research

17:08. Scaling the Business

20:02 Operational Strategies and Team Structure

22:55 Challenges and Learning Lessons

25:39 Future Plans and Vision

28:45 Final Thoughts and Advice

What if homes could be printed instead of built?

In this episode, I sit down with Nan Lin, founder of 4DIFY and Kaizen Capital, who built California’s first fully permitted 3D-printed housing community.

We get into how he went from mortgage lending to real estate investing, and how that journey led him to launching a company that’s changing how we think about construction. Nan shares how they got local approvals, solved major problems in housing, and built something no one thought was possible.

If you're into real estate, construction innovation, or just love bold ideas—this one’s a must-listen.

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We talk about:
-How 3D printing could solve labor shortages and reduce build costs
-What it took to get city and county approval for something no one’s seen before
-Raising capital from people who believed in the vision
-The mindset it takes to bet big on innovation

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🎯 Follow Nan Lin
Instagram: @nanunlimited
4DIFY Website: https://www.4dify.com

🚀 Connect with Lorenzo Mercado
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/lorenzo.mercado_
Website: https://www.mercasaventures.com

🎙️Podcast on Apple: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/the-lo-down/id1764777761
🎙️Podcast on Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/show/1YjwXXjvFT3mqve6uMF983?si=d2501028127246f3
Youtube: https://www.youtube.com/@Lorenzo.Mercado

-----

💬 Like this episode?
Share it with a friend who needs to hear it!

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Timestamps:
00:19 – Introduction to Nan Lin and Fortify
01:49 – The Genesis of Fortify: From Idea to Reality
07:54 – The 3D Printing Process: Building the Future of Homes
13:40 – Navigating Permits and City Approvals
19:08 – Financial Insights: Costs and Profitability
25:00 – Raising Capital: Strategies and Advice
26:56 – Expanding Horizons: Multifamily and ADUs
28:37 – Collaborative Design Challenges in Construction
31:23 – Future Vision: Scaling Fortify's Operations
32:34 – Investment and Operational Challenges in 3D Printing
33:43 – Nan Lin's Journey into Real Estate
39:15 – Lessons from Early Real Estate Investments
49:53 – Founding Kaizen Capital: A Collective Investment Approach
52:12 – Building a Team: Hiring for Success
54:06 – Mindset and Philosophy for Continuous Improvement