If you ask Ruben Izgelov what he does in his spare time, his response is immediate: spare time is family time.

If you push a little bit, he’ll add he loves reading in his “absolute personal time.” (Ruben, why do we get the feeling that’s a rare occurrence?)

If you push a little bit further, you’ll discover that “personal time reading” in Ruben’s world isn’t adventures to faraway lands, but right back to work: it helps him organize and increases his productivity. (Ruben, we don’t think this qualifies as personal time, but we’ll let it go for now.)

Read on to learn more about Ruben Izgelov, family man, kinda-sorta bookworm, co-founder, and managing partner of We Lend LLC:

How long have you been an AAPL member?

We’ve been a proud member for 4 years.

What AAPL benefit do you MOST value?

Staying current with all the latest news, trends and updates of the Private Lending industry. Being part of the quarterly magazine is a great way for us to express our culture, thoughts, as well as concerns of the latest in the industry.

Why did you become a member?

Most and foremost to earn recognition in the industry and be able to showcase the difference we are making in it with our efforts. Networking and connecting with others members has been an integral part as well.

What is your favorite AAPL memory?

All your efforts and support during the pandemic. At that time you organized numerous webinars and committees to share information and provide guidance during those dark days. Your support has been immensely appreciated and has reinforced our entire industry.

Why did you decide to enter the private lending profession?

We have been in the real estate industry – acquiring, flipping, developing, and financing over $500 million worth in real estate – for over a decade. We felt that with our experience and expertise we could help transform and modernize the industry. From our experience with private lenders at the time we identified gaps that we wanted to improve to perfect the customer experience.

What are some accomplishments you are particularly proud of?

The most successful time in my career was during the 2009 financial crisis; during this time, I bought, fixed, and sold distressed properties. After using private money financing myself, I quickly saw the innovation desperately needed in the private lending space and decided to spearhead it by co-founding We Lend.

What is your favorite book, and why?

How to Win Friends and Influence People by Dale Carnegie. This book changed my life because I learned a new perspective of how to treat people.

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