2018 Ones to Watch: Adam Kaufman, Co-Founder and Managing Director at ArborCrowd

Name: Adam Kaufman

Title: Co-Founder & Managing Director

Company: ArborCrowd

Address: 600 Lexington Avenue, 4th Floor, New York, NY 10022

Year that you entered your current field? 2016

How do you motivate or inspire your colleagues?

First and foremost, I am driven by collaboration and encourage my team to speak up without fear of admitting what they don’t know. I’m a strong believer in the Jewish concept that everything happens for a reason. If you gave your best effort, you can’t be upset about failing–as long as you use those failures as motivation to propel you forward. I’m also a proponent of choosing the hard road. In my experience, people who don’t shy away from a struggle tend to generate the best results and gain the most respect. 

What are your professional goals for 2018?

My primary goal is to further democratize RE investment by creating awareness in the community that RE crowdfunding is an alternative way to grow wealth. I am also driving awareness of our industry on Capitol Hill by working with lawmakers to ensure that future policies promote responsibility in the real estate crowdfunding industry while also opening new doors for operators and investors. Lastly, I aim to be a go-to resource for RE investment education among high net-worth individuals, family offices, investment advisors and self-directed IRAs.

Who or what do you attribute to your success?

I attribute my success to my father, Ivan, who founded the Arbor family of companies in 1983. Over the course of his career, he’s successfully created numerous businesses, selling his first company to Bank of America at the age of 35. I learned from him early on how to think outside the box while never losing sight of the bigger picture. One of the biggest takeaways from his career is the importance of establishing routines. While you have to remain adaptable in an evolving world, I’ve found that having a routine helps center me when things get hectic. 

How do you contribute to the future of your industry?

The ability for individual investors to invest in quality real estate transactions through online technology is a relatively new concept. The industry has evolved quickly, bringing with it new opportunities and challenges. As an early operator in this space, we believe that integrity and transparency are what investors care most about. We provide unparalleled detail on each transaction, and the industry will have to follow to stay competitive. Our affiliation with the Arbor family of companies means the crowd is co-investing with a highly experienced, successful operator on a carefully curated selection of institutional-quality deals.