Mark Posniak, Managing Director of Short-Term Lending at Maslow Capital, takes us on a fascinating tour through the complexities of pan-European bridging finance. With operations spanning eight countries from the UK to the Netherlands, Mark reveals why trying to lend across Europe from a London desk is a recipe for disaster, and how Maslow's on-the-ground expertise in each market gives them a unique edge. From navigating Italy's usury caps to understanding Ireland's lightning-fast residential market, Mark shares hard-won insights about the critical differences between European lending markets that most people miss. Plus, we dive into his personal journey with ADHD, what you can learn about someone's character on the golf course, and why Arsenal might finally have the depth to win the league.

Guest: Mark Posniak

Guest Socials:

https://www.instagram.com/pozzy_187/

https://www.linkedin.com/in/markposniak/

Sponsored by:

Avamore Capital

https://avamorecapital.com

#SpecialistFinance #PropertyFinance #Recruitment #SpecialistLending #Bridging #Development #Business #Leadership #Hiring #TalentAcquisition #FounderSyndrome #Headhunting #FinancialServices #CareerDevelopment #StartupGrowth #PropertyDevelopment #RealEstateFinance #BusinessStrategy #TeamBuilding #Entrepreneurship

In this episode, Michael Dean sits down with Jacob Bouet Andersen, Managing Director at Avamore Capital, to discuss the lender's remarkable turnaround and ambitious growth plans. Nine months into his role, Jacob shares how Avamore has achieved 90% growth in origination while simultaneously cleaning up the loan book and maintaining zero capital losses. Jacob introduces Avamore's "Four Pillars of Credit" framework - product, developer, delivery, and financials - explaining why backing the right sponsor matters more than ever in today's market.

The conversation explores their proactive approach to asset management, described as "looking for smoke rather than fighting fires," and how technology investments are streamlining the underwriting process. The discussion also covers Avamore's recently published Residential Market Outlook, touching on the regional renaissance in UK property development, the growing appetite for HMOs and income-generating assets, and why two-thirds of their exits now come through refinance rather than sales. Jacob outlines the team's target of 250 million in lending for the upcoming financial year and the operational changes being implemented to achieve it.

Whether you're a broker, developer, or industry observer, this episode offers valuable insights into how a specialist lender is positioning itself for growth while maintaining credit discipline in an uncertain market.

Guest: Jacob Bouet Andersen, Managing Director, Avamore Capital Guest

Socials: LinkedIn https://www.linkedin.com/in/jacobbouet/

Sponsored by: Avamore Capital https://avamorecapital.com

#specialistfinance #PropertyFinance #DevelopmentFinance #SpecialistLending #Bridging #Development #CreditManagement #AssetManagement #PropertyDevelopment #RealEstateFinance #BusinessStrategy #LoanBook #Underwriting #HMO #ResidentialDevelopment #RegionalProperty #UKProperty #Refinance #LendingGrowth #PropertyFunder

In this episode, we sit down with Alex Kountourides, co-founder of Valos, to challenge the assumption that all proptech is racing to replace human expertise. Alex shares how his experience as a qualified surveyor revealed a massive gap in the market—valuers were drowning in administrative tasks rather than doing what they're trained for: determining value. Valos flips the AVM model on its head by automating the busywork, not the valuer. We dive into the nuanced future of human valuations across different asset classes, dissect what's broken in the proptech industry (spoiler: oversaturation and chasing VC money), and hear Alex's candid take on why bootstrapping has given them control of their destiny. If you're curious about building sustainable proptech or rethinking automation in real estate, this one's for you.

Guest: Alex Kountourides

Guest Socials:

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

Instagram: @akountourides

Sponsored by:Avamore Capital

https://avamorecapital.com

#SpecialistFinance #PropertyFinance #Recruitment #SpecialistLending #Bridging #Development #Business #Leadership #Hiring #TalentAcquisition #FounderSyndrome #Headhunting #FinancialServices #CareerDevelopment #StartupGrowth #PropertyDevelopment #RealEstateFinance #BusinessStrategy #TeamBuilding #Entrepreneurship