In this episode of Brick by Brick, host Loren Wernette interviews Tim Street, a former Marine turned real estate entrepreneur. Tim shares his journey from the Marines to starting tech companies and eventually moving into real estate. He discusses the challenges and successes he faced along the way, including his transition to real estate investing and his current focus on helping others through Foolproof FSBO.

Keywords

Tim Street, real estate, entrepreneurship, Marines, Foolproof FSBO, tech startups, real estate investing

Takeaways

• Tim Street's journey from the Marines to entrepreneurship.
• The importance of self-belief and discipline learned in the Marines.
• Challenges faced in tech startups and real estate.
• The concept of Foolproof FSBO and its mission.
• Tim's insights on the real estate market and DIY projects.
• The role of networking and education in personal growth.
• Tim's perspective on college education and entrepreneurship.
• The impact of authenticity and storytelling in business.
• Tim's advice on balancing work and personal life.
• The significance of giving back and helping others succeed.

Title Options

• From Marine to Real Estate Mogul
• Tim Street's Entrepreneurial Journey
• Building Success Brick by Brick
• Foolproof FSBO: A New Approach
• Lessons from the Marines to Real Estate
• Tim Street on Entrepreneurship and Growth
• Navigating Challenges in Real Estate
• The Power of Self-Belief and Discipline
• Tim Street's Insights on Real Estate Investing
• Giving Back: Tim Street's Mission

Sound bites

• "Self-belief is key to success."
• "Discipline learned in the Marines."
• "Challenges in tech startups."
• "Foolproof FSBO's mission."
• "Real estate market insights."
• "Networking is crucial."
• "Education vs. entrepreneurship."
• "Authenticity in business."
• "Balancing work and life."
• "Helping others succeed."

Chapters

• 00:00:00 Introduction and Tim's Background
• 00:00:00 Journey from Marines to Entrepreneurship
• 00:00:00 Challenges in Tech Startups
• 00:00:00 Transition to Real Estate
• 00:00:01 Foolproof FSBO and Its Mission
• 00:00:01 Insights on Real Estate and DIY Projects
• 00:00:01 Networking and Education
• 00:00:02 Balancing Work and Personal Life
• 00:00:02 Giving Back and Helping Others

Guest Links

🔗 Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/foolprooffsbo 🔗 Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/foolprooffsbo 🔗 LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/timothyjstreet/

In this episode of Brick by Brick Wealth Building Conversations, host Loren Wernette sits down with BETTER, a Triangle-based real estate firm focused on investment analysis and residential infill development.

The conversation explores BETTER’s journey into real estate and their strategic evolution from traditional fix-and-flip and fix-to-rent models into new construction, infill development, and build-to-rent (BTR) projects. As lending standards tighten and market volatility increases, BETTER explains why infill development inside established neighborhoods has become a more resilient and scalable strategy in places like Durham and the greater Triangle.

The episode dives deep into Durham’s changing urban landscape, including the impact of Expanding Housing Choices and SCAD (Simplifying Codes for Affordable Development). These policy shifts have reshaped zoning, density allowances, and development feasibility — creating both opportunities and new challenges for investors.

Listeners will hear real-world examples of subdivision processes, ADUs, and small-scale development projects, along with candid discussion around risk management, underwriting discipline, and market projections. Whether you’re a new investor or an experienced operator, this episode provides a grounded look at how smart developers adapt as markets evolve.

• Infill development is becoming one of the most durable strategies in Triangle real estate
• The shift from flips to new construction reflects changing lender and risk dynamics
• Durham’s zoning and housing policy changes have unlocked new development opportunities
• Understanding the full development process is critical before pursuing infill or ADUs
• Risk management and realistic underwriting matter more than ever in today’s market
• Long-term success comes from aligning strategy with local market demand and regulation

Learn more about BETTER’s by-right development philosophy on their website:

    https://www.betterpropertiesllc.com/

    Connect with BETTER on LinkedIn for investor insights and market analysis
    https://www.linkedin.com/company/better-properties-construction-realty

    Follow BETTER on Instagram and Facebook for project updates and community events
    https://www.facebook.com/BetterP.LLC

    https://www.instagram.com/betterrealtyllc

• LinkedIn
• Facebook
• Instagram

real estate investing, Triangle real estate, Durham development, infill development, build to rent, new construction, ADUs, urban development, real estate risk management, Brick by Brick Podcast

Episode: The Power of Open Banking in Today’s Economy
Guest: Peter Maher — CEO of Ovanti USA & Founder of Flote

In this episode, I sit down with Peter Maher to break down one of the most impactful shifts happening in today’s financial landscape: open banking—and how it’s completely reshaping the way lenders understand financial health.

Peter leads Ovanti’s U.S. division and is the founder of Flote, the company’s U.S. rebrand that focuses on using real-time cashflow instead of outdated credit scores to evaluate financial wellbeing. The result? More accurate decisioning and far better access for consumers who've traditionally been boxed out by old credit systems.

We dig into:

• Why credit scores no longer tell the full story

• How open banking gives lenders real-time insight

• The evolution from Ovanti to Flote for U.S. expansion

• How Flote plans to disrupt payday lending and lease-to-own models

• Why financial innovation should protect—not exploit—consumers

• What the future of financial accessibility looks like in an open-banking world

Key Takeaways

• Open banking provides a clearer picture of financial health.

• Ovanti’s U.S. rollout is operating under the new brand: Flote.

• Flote uses cashflow-based underwriting rather than credit scores.

• Legacy credit systems are restrictive and often misleading.

• Open banking is gaining real traction in the U.S. economy.

• Flote’s mission revolves around transparency and consumer-first design.

Sound Bites

• “Open banking is the future of finance.”

• “Credit scores don’t define financial health.”

• “Financial innovation shouldn’t come at the cost of the consumer.”

• “Real-time cashflow tells the real story.”

• “Flote is redefining accessibility in modern finance.”

Chapters
00:00 – Meet Peter Maher & the origins of Ovanti
00:05 – What open banking really is
00:10 – The problem with traditional credit scoring
00:18 – The Flote approach: cashflow over credit
00:28 – Financial accessibility and the future of open banking

Connect with Peter

• Ovanti Global — https://www.ovanti.com/

• U.S. Leadership Bio — https://www.ovanti.com/ovanti-us-leadership

• Flote Partnerships — https://getflote.com/

• LinkedIn — https://www.linkedin.com/in/ptmaher/

• Partnerships Email — partnerships@ovanti.com