Cheng of Avant Capital: Firm closed $20 million in bridge loans

Name: Amy Cheng Title: Principal Company Name Avant Capital Partners Follow my company on Twitter @avant_capital What year did you start your career in commercial real estate: 2001 What recent project or transaction are you most proud of? We recently had our third successful loan payoff since closing our first loan in the last quarter of 2013. We've closed $20 million in bridge loans in just the past 6 months and it's rewarding to see these loans go full cycle. When a loan is successfully paid off through either a sale or a refinance, it reaffirms our ability as lenders to accurately underwrite these borrowers and properties, as well as to forecast what will take place in the marketplace. As a bridge lender, we provide financing to borrowers who have special circumstances that preclude them from obtaining financing from a bank. These situations entail higher risks that we have to properly underwrite and mitigate, and each successful loan payoff is a testament to our ability to do just that. Who or what has been the strongest influence on your career and why? Our founding principal, Adam Luysterborghs, has been the driving force behind our company and my career because he is always on top of industry trends and has a knack for identifying opportunities in the marketplace. His fearlessness and vision have enabled us to find the right opportunities and grow our firm over the past 8 years. What is the first thing you do when you arrive in the office in the morning? Check voicemails and return calls. I like to try to catch people and connect before the day takes everyone away. What time management strategies do you find to be the most effective for you? I am a big believer in creating to-do lists and getting an early start to the day. Having an organized list enables me to keep track of what needs to get done and make sure that nothing is overlooked. I am up at 5am every morning organizing my day and planning how to tackle individual tasks while running on the treadmill. What is the best advice you have received and who was it from? Be yourself. My mom. List 3 women that you would like to have drinks / dinner with and where would you go? JK Rowling, Angelina Jolie and Marissa Mayer. We'd go to Thomas Keller's French Laundry for an evening filled with great conversation accompanied by outstanding food and wine. What is your favorite quote? "You can tell how smart people are by what they laugh at." - Tina Fey What did you want to be when you grew up? Having had a childhood love of nature and having gone to a science oriented high school, I always wanted to be a zoologist. It wasn't until I went to college that I fell in love with business and finance.