From Lawn Mowers to Lending: Mike Joins The Highlighting The Journey
Equiquest Hard Money founder Mike DeAngelis recently visited the Highlighting The Journey podcast to sit down with DanDan The Podcast Man. Mike talks about going from a self-described so-so student who loved motorcycles to a 27-year corporate sales leader and finally to the founder of Equiquest Hard Money, a Long Island–focused private lending company for real estate investors.
In the episode, Mike shares how grit, disciplined habits, and “learning by doing” shaped his path; why he invests in local knowledge over national scale; and a transparent look at how his loans work for fix-and-flip and BRRRR investors. It’s equal parts origin story, tactical lending walkthrough, and mindset tune-up.
What Was Covered
Grit beats pedigree: Mike wasn’t an academic standout. A factory job at 19 flipped a switch—he set goals, hit the Dean’s List, and earned a marketing degree.
Corporate to capital: 27 years at Grainger taught him sales leadership, options, and compounding—then he turned that discipline into a lending business.
How Equiquest loans work (plain English):
12-month, commercial hard-money loans for flips and BRRRR.
Underwrites purchase + rehab against ARV, targeting ~65% LTV.
Fast term sheet (aiming 24–48 hours), local drive-by, attorneys and title move quickly.
Borrow in an LLC with a personal guarantee; bring proper builder’s risk insurance.
Numbers that matter: Get a real scope of work, tight construction budget, and a deal calculator (purchase, rehab, holding costs). Mike will say “no” if the deal doesn’t pencil.
Why Long Island only: Dense, high-velocity, high-margin market. Local nuance wins. He’d rather do many $400K loans than one oversized bet—risk mitigation over bravado.
Skin in the game: Even when co-lending, Mike puts his own capital in every deal.
Mentorship mindset: He’s a lender and a co-pilot—happy to coach serious, coachable new investors on team building (CPA, attorney, contractor) and deal analysis.
About Equiquest Hard Money
A Long Island–exclusive private lender built for speed, local knowledge, and alignment. Short-term project loans for fix-and-flip and BRRRR, with coaching baked in.
Looking to fund a real estate deal on Long Island? Get a fast read on your numbers and a term sheet you can actually close on.
Want guidance on your plan/vision? Mike’s open to a conversation for serious, coachable investors.