It seems like everywhere you turn today, you can find a plethora of real estate-themed television programs. The problem is that much of it is overproduced and unrealistic. Lori Greymont wants to change that with the launch of her new television series, Funding Faceoff.
As a commercial real estate agent, developer, and real estate investor herself, Greymont knows first hand just how much work goes on behind the scenes. She knows the daily grit and hustle required to create not only a successful deal, but over time, a successful career, and she believes that most real estate-themed reality shows today are doing a disservice to viewers by omitting that aspect.
“Real estate is hard and it takes a lot of specialized knowledge, but it also takes the mindset to push through adversity and pick yourself back up from failure. That’s important because we’re all going to face failures in our careers, and if you’re not ready for that, you’ll likely give up when things get tough,” she explains.
Greymont has faced a few failures in her own career—some quite substantial, and she credits her success today to her ability to process the emotions from those experiences, learn from them, and get back up and continue moving forward.
She says, “Failure is inevitable when you’re stepping outside your comfort zone but we also have to remember that it’s less about the failure itself and more about how we respond to it that determines what we achieve.”
So this veteran real estate professional recently set out on a new mission to create a realistic television program that not only teaches investors the strategies and tactics that work in today’s markets, but also to demonstrate the importance of collaboration and show all the hard work that goes into real estate investing, warts and all. But it’s not about her—it’s about the deals and all the people involved in those deals, and Greymont says those people are the most important part of the equation.
“When I look back to my biggest accomplishments, I realized they were possible only because of the people around me. And when I look back to my failures, I realized that I was able to recover because of the people around me. In both cases, I had amazing people around me who trusted and supported me, and that made all the difference in the world. That was something I wanted to incorporate into Funding Faceoff,” she explains.
With that in mind, Greymont went to work assembling a team of experts for the panel of deal makers, who would evaluate the deals that guests would bring to pitch. This included noted authorities from the real estate investing world, such as Mike Hambright, Ryan ‘Rotty’ Garcilazo, Travis Johnson, Joe Marques (Cowboy Joe), Jon Nolen, and even business titan, Kevin Harrington, one of the original Sharks from the hit TV series, Shark Tank.
“When I was approached about this TV series, I fell in love with the idea immediately. It’s similar to one of my previous ventures—the hit series, Shark Tank, except rather than pitching business ideas, the guests will be pitching real estate deals, so this is a concept I know well. And I’m excited about the opportunity to help these investors not only get the funding they need to complete the deals they’ve found, but also help them become better deal makers in the process,” says Harrington.
The premise of the show is that investors will pitch the panel of deal makers and the deal makers will analyze it on the spot. Then, based on the merit of that deal and their confidence in the ability of the investor to carry it across the finish line with their backing, choose to either reject or accept the deal. The terms of the deal are negotiated live on set, and if they come to an agreement, the investor walks away with support, in the form of capital and collaboration, to make their deal a financial success. While most people seem to be the most excited about the capital, the real value is in the collaboration because the deal makers are bringing their expertise, relationships, and resources to the deal to ensure it’s successful.
The show gives viewers a front row seat to the deal making process, showing what makes a deal good or bad, and more importantly, how to turn a bad deal into a good one. Greymont says this nuance is important because, as she puts it, “Great deals aren’t found, they are created.”
The truth is that despite what most of the self proclaimed gurus may claim, it’s incredibly rare to find that unicorn deal that’s underpriced, in a great area, and needs no work. Most deals require a substantial amount of effort to make them viable, and she wants to highlight that in the show so that people truly understand what it takes to be successful in this world.
Ryan Garcilazo, one of the show’s deal makers said, “It’s time for a real show that showcases and educates the viewer on the business behind investing. Too many shows on TV present a fallacy as to what we actually have to do to even get to “renovation”. This is a business, not a hobby.”
The first six episodes were recorded in September, and eight more are slated to be recorded in October, completing the first season. Funding Faceoff will first air on Bargain House Network. Distribution has been secured through Amazon Prime, Apple TV, Roku, and Samsung TV Plus, and talks are underway with additional networks for expanded distribution and additional seasons.
Greymont says that the team is honored to be collaborating with Adam Leffler and Bargain House Network on this because of their reputation in both the real estate and television industries. The relationship, and Leffler’s leadership, has played a vital role in the launch of the Funding Faceoff, and the team is looking forward to a long and prosperous partnership.
Leffler, who is responsible for several real estate-themed shows on the Bargain House Network, says this is the motivation for him to bring the show to his network. He explains,
“Real estate-themed programming will continue to remain in high demand because the content is both relatable and provides participants and viewers with a window into hope for a better future. This show, and in the bigger picture, this network, are part of a larger and much needed paradigm shift within the real estate industry. Our goal on this show is to provide both participants and viewers with a fun, yet more insightful perspective from experts that will entertain, educate, and empower them so that they can more likely achieve success. The wisecracks and humor are fun to hear, you may find yourself rooting for your favorite presenter to get funded by the Dealmakers, but be warned, the expert nuts and bolts insights can inspire and energize you to make it happen for yourself. It’s more than a show, it’s Edutainment.”
The first episode is currently slated to air in early-October. Investors who want to appear on the show to pitch their deals can apply at FundingFaceoff.com.
Greymont said, “I hope to see more people get into real estate because I know first hand how life-changing this path can be, and I hope that Funding Faceoff will be a catalyst to empower them to follow that path.”
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