The Alimond Show
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The Alimond Show
Bryan Sumardi: Finding Financial Freedom and How Military Service Shapes Business Success
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My name is Brian Sumardi . I work in finance , on the mortgage side residential . My background in the Marine Corps has shaped my business , or businesses , a lot . My last name is Sumardi , so they called me Sumo for short . I ran a personal training business in the past and that was called Sumo Lifts and that was called Sumo Lifts . My background from powerlifting the Marine Corps taught me , helped me become a state
Marine Corps to Mortgage Business
Speaker 1record holder just because I didn't know what powerlifting was at that time . And from there I kind of just branched and branded the name Sumo . But now I help veterans get into homes , invest in properties . It's like what's your story behind getting into the ? This won't be shorter than 15 minutes .
Speaker 2I can tell you that .
Speaker 1I'm ready . It depends how far you want to go back If we do a TLDR . I was running my personal training business around 2019 . Covid shut me down because I couldn't see my clients . I was very hands-on with my clients . My cousin happened to be the office manager of a mortgage company . She helped me get in during the pandemic , which when rates were at the all-time low , and I just had a great time . And here I am , five years later .
Speaker 2Well , you're still here .
Speaker 1It's not the COVID days , but yeah , I feel like I've used my background in fitness and being personal with people , incorporated with my mortgage business , and that's how I think I've developed my reputation .
Speaker 2That's awesome Stumo .
Speaker 1Thank you .
Speaker 2You served six years in the Marine Corps . How did that experience shape your perspective on finances , discipline and helping people achieve home ownership ?
Speaker 1It was everything . While I was in the Marine Corps , I was in the Marine Corps Reserves . So another reason why I joined the Marine Corps was because I went the Reserve route . I knew I always wanted to be in fitness or I always wanted to be an athlete originally , but I'm about 5'3" 5'4" .
Speaker 2What sport ?
Speaker 1Well , to be anything , I just wanted to be an athlete , like when you were younger , you just wanted the fame and like the money and whatnot . But then it was just like the discipline I always love . Like . I love the like . In high school I did track , I did basketball , I did football and volleyball my senior year . So I was always just very athletic . But I love the team aspect of things and with the Marine Corps it allowed me to expand on that , like understanding teamwork and now with leadership and accountability . So I got yelled at . If you can imagine any military movie someone's yelling at you , spitting at your face you just understand grit and with that you understand the ups and downs of businesses .
Speaker 2So good training for being a successful business owner is .
Speaker 1Tough skin . Sometimes it's easy , sometimes it's hard , but you just got to ride through the ups and downs .
Speaker 2Speaking of which , you bought your first home at 28 using a VA loan , correct ? What did that experience teach you that you can now pass on to other veterans looking to buy their first home ?
Speaker 1Financial , financial budgeting and financial management , I think the biggest thing in the Marine Corps . They don't necessarily do teach you , but there are a lot of benefits that you should be aware of , the VA loan being one of them . I was just lucky to have a lot of seniors above me in the Marine Corps as well as outside the Marine Corps , teaching me or introducing me to bigger pockets , learning about real estate investing , and other seniors in the military who just told me to be smart with my
Military Discipline in Finance
Speaker 1money . I mean you hear that all throughout life . Parents or just elders just like save your money , be smart , but they don't tell you how to be smart , and how I like to shape my business is by telling them what to do .
Speaker 2We need that . We need , like a blueprint , a guide , because otherwise it's hard to .
Speaker 1I mean , if you want to simple it down and just spend less than you earn , it's kind of hard to lose weight .
Speaker 2You know like eat less , work out more , but yeah , but the answer is there .
Speaker 1The hard part is resisting temptations . That's the biggest thing , and I can't tell everyone what to do . I got out of the Marine Corps in 2018 and there were some hard times for me emotionally . I did go to therapy and that helped me also shape my mentality .
Speaker 2Yeah , I'm sure that was hard right .
Speaker 1Yeah .
Speaker 2It's a change . What are some of the biggest myths or misconceptions about VA loans that you wish every veteran knew ?
Speaker 1You can use it multiple times . I think that's the first one . Use it to your advantage . Think long game . The VA loan helps you get rid of PMI , so private mortgage insurance . That's probably saving you at least $100 , $200 a month . That adds up . You can put zero down . So generally right now , if I'm ballparking it , you can get into a home with $10,000 to $20,000 .
VA Loan Myths Debunked
Speaker 1No-transcript .
Speaker 2Oh , I didn't know the PMI thing . There you go For first-time homebuyers in today's tough market . What are the top three mistakes they make and how do you guide them through that stressful time ?
Speaker 1Say that one more time .
Speaker 2In today for first-time homebuyers in today's tough market , so not just for VA people . What are the top three mistakes that you see them making and how do you guide them through that stress ?
Speaker 1Top three mistakes . I wouldn't say it's mistakes , it's just mentality . Understand why you want to get into a home . Understand your personal monthly and annual budget . What can you afford consistently . And understand compounding . If you study finance they say like the eighth one of the world is compounding . It's like always , I hear . I always can make this kind of saying too . Where would you rather have a dollar every day or 1% gain from a penny ? If you wait long enough , that 1% compounding over time will destroy that $1 a day .
Speaker 2How does that apply to somebody who's buying a home ?
Speaker 1Real estate . So another thing , that for everyone that thinks that the market's going to crash , I personally believe real estate just hedges inflation . I think in our market 3% to 5% appreciation is very normal and the natural or the average inflation rate is about 3% . So by you investing your money and you getting a loan against property or real estate in the area , you are just fighting inflation . You put it into your savings account . Even a high-yield savings account is roughly about 4% right now . That's doing it just because inflation is high right now , but once things get better , usually high-yield savings account is like 2% . So you're still losing money over time by saving it .
Speaker 2Isn't that crazy .
Speaker 1Compounding .
Speaker 2You're known for making complex mortgage terms visual and simple . Can you give an example of how you've turned something intimidating into something that clients actually get ?
Speaker 1I'm a spreadsheet nerd . My first interaction with a client is generally doing the application and then afterwards we do a video call , if they can't meet me in person , and I kind of go through my spreadsheets . It's like , hey , what would you like your monthly payment to be ? Then I will . It's like what area do you want to be in ? We'll look up property taxes . We'll look up average homeowner's insurance . We'll break it down . And I think I always want to . I always like to bring up analogies Like there's nothing to fear but fear itself . So what you don't know is what
First-Time Homebuyer Mistakes
Speaker 1you fear . But once you understand something , then it's nothing to be scared about .
Speaker 2That's so true . That is so true . What's your philosophy on building trust with clients that may feel overwhelmed or intimidated by the whole mortgage process ?
Speaker 1I personally like to attract people who are like me .
Speaker 2Who like spreadsheets and .
Speaker 1People who like spreadsheets Sports .
Speaker 1People who like sports people who like fitness , because it's a lot easier to create these analogies . If you can't relate to me , I may not be the loan officer for you . You have to trust me . I have to trust you that you're giving me all the right information , you're giving me the right documents , and you have to trust me with your vulnerabilities . I like to bring up dating analogies as well . I've been with my girlfriend for a year now , but then one of the biggest things that I like to do is like set expectations in the beginning Also something I learned from the Marine Corps and one of the most vulnerable things is showing someone your credit card bill or your statement .
Speaker 2Did you do that at the beginning with her ?
Speaker 1Wasn't in the beginning . I would say , maybe in the first three months , because , like it kind of gives you like , hey , I showed her mine first , yeah , just to be vulnerable . Like hey , I spend my money on food , clothes and technology like my camera gear . That's plain and simple . That's me to a T .
Speaker 2I need a budget line item for these three things .
Speaker 1Yeah , If I have excess money , it's going to one of those three things . So let me know what you ? What do you care about ?
Speaker 2Yeah .
Speaker 1So if you can see something it's almost for me too , and I look up people's bank statements you kind yeah their money , and then it kind of tells you in the future how well they will manage their real estate or investments .
Speaker 2That's a good point . Renovation loans are a tool most buyers overlook . Can you tell me ? How do they work ? What are the surprising ways they can change the game for buyers in this market ?
Speaker 1In this market . It's interesting , but it takes a lot of grit , I would have to say so . Fha 203k is a great way to get into a renovation loan . You can , as long as the HUD consultant approves of what you want . It usually is all cosmetic , like if you want to renovate your kitchen prior to buying and combining it with the home loan . It's possible . So putting down three and a half percent . And then we've had a time last year someone bought a home this is a higher range , maybe like an 800,000s , or actually they bought it $600,000 . They did about $80,000 of renovation but after all the renovations were done the home was valued over $800,000 .
Speaker 2Oh , wow .
Speaker 1But the loan is still that $680,000 .
Speaker 2How much did they borrow ?
Speaker 1So $600,000 for the home . Okay $80,000 for the renovation , so $680,000 for the renovation , so $680,000 . Got it . But then , after valuation
Building Trust Through Transparency
Speaker 1, after the work was completed , the home was valued at over $800,000 .
Speaker 2So they made that money . That's awesome .
Speaker 1So it's just getting a discount for putting in the work . But the issues that I find in the DC market most sellers want a quick and easy turnaround time when it comes to selling their home , so getting the offer accepted is difficult . And then most people want a turnkey home . They don't want to live in a renovation zone . So it takes a lot of grit , but if you're willing to do it it's worth it .
Speaker 2Yeah , that's smart . I didn't even know that existed .
Speaker 1Look at me learning all these things today , what's your ?
Speaker 1process to make sure that every client feels educated , not just approved for the loan , by the end of the time that they're working with you . I have to gauge on how vulnerable they're willing to be with me If they're willing to tell me Brian , help me budget , brian , help me stay within my monthly limit . Most of my clients are . I'll rewind it . I don't really hang out with other loan officers until recently and the more I hear their problems , the more I want to yell at them for not setting expectations beforehand . I want to yell at them for not setting expectations beforehand , like some people . They say I don't know . These are some of the people that I meet through like networking events and just like I overhear what they say .
Speaker 1If their clients are trying to buy a home $50,000 , $100,000 above what they get approved for , $50,000 , $100,000 above what they get approved for is usually a situation of the monthly payments don't make sense to them at the end . But then at the end they're just like oh , I still wanted X amount of home , but for $2,500 , $3,000 . But then for the home that they want it'll be $5,000 for monthly payment . These are numbers that are just on the top of my head . It's like if you're not comfortable with this , don't look at that . So that's why I really do the spreadsheets and I show them homes like , hey , this is what you can afford , this is your range . If you want more home , you got to bring in more money . And then that's when reality kicks in those expectations that you're setting .
Speaker 1Exactly so know your limits , know your boundaries . In the Marine Corps we do a lot of firearm training .
Speaker 2One of your safety rules is know your target , know what lies beyond you . Apply that too .
Speaker 1Exactly .
Speaker 2You've closed over 200 loans in the DC metro area . Is that correct number ?
Speaker 1Yes .
Speaker 2Okay , what have you learned about this market specifically ? That's different from other places ?
Speaker 1So those 200 loans were probably all throughout the US . In our current market we're very competitive . I've lived in San Diego , I lived in Seattle , I live in New York , I live in Florida . We're very competitive here .
Speaker 2What do you mean by that ?
Speaker 1If you hang out in DC because of my military background I've worked in DC you kind of understand everything is very political , very status-driven , money-driven and you see that when it comes to negotiations it's everyone's bottom line on the line and the only way to win is to have a win-win situation . So here versus anywhere else I've been or lived or worked in is not the same everywhere else . Maybe an LA , a New York ? Those are the main three states that I feel like . Maybe an LA , a New York . Those are the main three states that I feel like , or like cities that really compare to the DC metro area .
Speaker 2You mean like people don't play around here .
Speaker 1Give me your . It's a lot of smoke and mirrors .
Speaker 2Oh , so people do play around here .
Speaker 1They do . They play with the status game , but at the same time the agents are still their agents and the client is the client and you have to kind of play the game the way it is . So you have to understand how to maneuver in this area where it can be
Navigating DC's Competitive Market
Speaker 1dangerous , or just to get your deal done .
Speaker 2Yeah .
Speaker 1But if you set expectations beforehand , I feel like a lot of people have been in business here . A lot of people have been in their industries for over a decade , so they understand the ins and outs of the industry and the business . So there's no reason for you not to be honest in the beginning .
Speaker 2Yeah .
Speaker 1So if you say my client can be approved for this , I've verified income , I've verified statements , I've verified like , okay , cool , just say it how it is , don't BS . You're good to go , but you'll find a lot of people who do that .
Speaker 2They know how to work the system . Try to at least . What kind of culture do you aim to build with your team and referral partners , and how does your military background influence that ?
Speaker 1Interests I like to . I really like a family aspect . I think I've told my girlfriend and maybe I've never said this publicly , but it's like I have strangers . I have best friends . Okay , I feel like I'm missing one .
Speaker 2Enemies .
Speaker 1I guess there's enemies too . I guess it was three . So it's either the way I strategize or categorize my people in my life strangers , best friends or it's my wife , like my wife is my wife . And then , like I treat everyone kind of the same in regards to if I meet you in person , I'll give you the benefit of the doubt You're going to hear everything that I would say to anybody else and then you're a stranger . If we don't stay connected , like I might meet you once or twice , let me like that's an acquaintance , but if we don't keep connected , then I like to . I have a lot of my friends who I don't see . Even like my closest friends . We don't see each other , maybe like once a month , if that , and . But every time we do see each other we just pick up from where we left off . There's no such thing as like where you been , like I know what you're doing , you know what I'm doing . We're working , we're building our future together . We're all we all kind of aligned to the same goals .
Speaker 2Yeah , no drama .
Speaker 1Yeah , so same thing with my realtor partners , with my clients . I always say you can always reach me , I'm a phone call away . I may not pick up the phone immediately , but I'll get back to you .
Speaker 2Yeah , no , that's good . And then I'm sure you also , within your culture and your fellow partners , you have those expectations too right . Yeah , you have those expectations too right . It sounds like that kind of follows one of your values . How do you balance the seriousness of financial decisions with keeping the process approachable , even fun , for your clients and your team ?
Speaker 1That's a tough one . I don't know , I don't think there is . For me it's fun .
Speaker 2For me it's fun Spreadsheets and analogies .
Speaker 1Yeah , spreadsheetsies telling stories . This is success stories . If you want to be successful , then follow suit .
Speaker 2Yeah , and I think you're super passionate about what you do At least it feels that way and that is fun To be able to make money on a renovation loan . That's where the fun comes in .
Speaker 1Yeah , personally I think I'm very introverted . If you ask any of my close friends , if you put me , ask my branch manager , you put me in a networking event . I would be the guy just sitting at the bar . I could just drink a liquid death , drink many water . I don't really drink much , or I drink , have my meal , and unless we have a connection already , a similar interest , I'll stay quiet .
Speaker 2I'll watch you like to people watch ?
Speaker 1I don't like to , but I have to judge the situation before your military reconnaissance .
Speaker 2Is that what it's called ? Yeah , maybe , yeah thinking up on the intel what can we ?
Speaker 1yeah , like because you know there's a lot of times where you meet someone and
Creating Authentic Connections
Speaker 1you kind of just know yeah , this is not going to go anywhere .
Speaker 2Yeah I'm the same way . I like to kind of sit in the corner . I'm always like find I'll find where the food's at and sit there and quietly assess the situation and figure out who's safe , who to stay away from . What's this what ? What is okay to say ? What should I keep my mouth closed about ?
Speaker 1yeah , I feel like military background or I think it's just social norms now , where you're just like , all right , these people are really gossipy . I'm not into that so I'm going to steer away . Or if someone's talking , I don't know if I hear like a military background , I'm like , hey , you're a service member .
Speaker 2Well , yeah , and then for some reason , any service member , you're just someone's talking . I don't know if I hear like a military background .
Speaker 1I'm like , hey , your ears perk up you a service member Like yeah , and then for some reason , any service member , you're just like hey , I was a Marine , you were Army . Then we'll talk shit to each other , but it's all love , family , yeah , whether they're brothers or cousins , you know .
Speaker 2You'll find out in a minute . Yeah , because you know . And in the military , it's like we all , we're all the same shade of green . Yeah , or we're just different shades of green . That's what we said . Yeah , we're all green , just different shades , right , yeah , so you also run sumo media . So where that's something where you're blending storytelling and branding with your finance career , how does your creative side make you a better loan officer , and vice versa ?
Speaker 1I think marketing I would say mainly marketing , because it helps me find the right people that I want to work with um , not necessarily right people , but people who are prepared . I feel like I find a lot of people who reach out to me via social media . They've they're almost like ghost followers . They're like oh , I've been watching you for years and I'm like , but I've never seen you comment or anything . But now that I talk to them and do the consultation , now they're willing to be vulnerable with me . It's like I learned a lot from you , and from there it just snowballs into a deal . Tell me a little bit about Sumo Media .
Speaker 2We talked about it before we started , but what is it ?
Speaker 1It was more of a side quest . To be honest , it was a side quest . My buddy and I , I think towards the end of my military career , he and I would always venture he was a cross-country guy . I just enjoyed meeting people . We would go to business , to business . We would like hang out , we would walk places , then we'd end up sitting down at a coffee shop or a local restaurant , small business , and then we're like , oh , this is a really good pastry , this is a really good bacon , egg and cheese , and then we would just take pictures on our phones .
Speaker 1He was like a wedding photographer , videographer guy . So he kind of got me into um camera gear . My first camera was a canon t5i and I got off of like facebook marketplace for like 200 with a couple lenses . So that was like my first big move into media and then from there I learned a lot of youtube , uh , university , uh , potato jet . Um , there was another guy , peter Hong , or Jason Fong . Jason Fong , those are like my main two creators that I learned a lot from media side . I think I love portraits personally just because I feel like with fashion , me personally , that I love , sometimes a story can just be an image and you can let . I think this is probably another dating analogy , but there's something sexy of just visualizing something , or just what's the word like , leaving the unknown to your imagination .
Speaker 2Yeah .
Speaker 1So when you just take a photo , there's like no caption . You just look at it , look at the subject . If the photographer is really good , you can imagine like what were they thinking on this ? And then you can always imagine what the model is thinking or the subject , whether it's a can of soda or actual person . You can just tell like wow , or like you know , when you take a food photography , like yo , that cake looks delicious and it's just from a photo with the right lighting .
Speaker 2Yeah , that's the storyteller in you . So , outside of loans and numbers , you're into powerlifting motorcycles , dmv food spots . How do these passions connect with ?
Speaker 1the way that you show up for your community and your clients . I'm a big Tim Ferriss fan four-hour work week but one thing I learned from him was create evergreen content and , I think , the beginning of my business careers . I've always tried to relate to people because I feel like I was very tunnel vision and I was like what could people , what do most people like ? Food , fitness and then finances . I think that's my main three and then I kind of just dug deep into all
The Sumo Media Journey
Speaker 1three . Whether it was in the military , fitness was a major thing to stay mission ready . Food I always loved , growing up in Wheaton , maryland . I'm Indonesian , I grew up with a lot of Hispanics , salvadorians , mexicans , and I always get invited to the cookouts , all the delicious food , the carne asada .
Speaker 1So the pupusas and you just learn different things , different cultures and how they act , and then it just helps you be a more well-versed person . One other thing in the military background , the reason why I became so . The job title is 0313 LAV Crewman , infantryman . But the only reason why I took that job was because they told me I was going to go to my secondary school in San Diego . Like my other options was Georgia or Oklahoma . I was like San Diego . I'm just a like a 19 year old kid from Wheaton that never really been anywhere else . I'm like I want to go to California . I heard great things about San Diego . I get to get paid to go there , done deal and um , yeah , I just . I just always found opportunities when things were presented to me Advantage of those opportunities which you didn't let them pass you up .
Speaker 2If you could give one piece of advice to young professionals in the DC area about building financial independence , what would it be and how can they start that today ?
Speaker 1Get your , get it out of you in regards to whatever you want to do . I feel like a lot of people in the DC area are transient , or I call them transplants . They're not actually from here . They come from different areas where they could be from Indiana or somewhere a smaller town and you get exposed to higher paying jobs . You get exposed to a melting pot
Advice for Financial Independence
Speaker 1of cultures and people , and I personally , when growing up , I love New York , so I feel like we're like a New York junior and , with the commercial real estate and the commercial businesses that I do know of , New York is coming here . Get it out . Get it out when you're young . Explore .
Speaker 1I didn't experience all the things that I've experienced by playing it safe . I explored my interests . I used YouTube to follow my interests . I got out of bad situations by getting on YouTube and finding the people that I wanted to look up to and , slowly but surely , I found a way to get to where I wanted to be . But just follow your interests . Focus on yourself . And here's my girlfriend and my mom say this to me now . My girlfriend always said if you be nice and be friendly , everything will be all right .
Speaker 2And your mom used to say that also .
Speaker 1Well no , my mom said that first , and then I told my girlfriend , that's what my mom said . Now she tells me that every morning .
Speaker 2You're like thank you , sweetheart , and you did that reminder .
Speaker 1Yeah , it's patience . Be friendly and be kind . Yeah , be nice to everyone .
Speaker 2Seems to pay off , huh .
Speaker 1I think so Because , like no one likes to be around like a sour , sad person , so just be nice , Like it doesn't hurt to be nice .
Speaker 2Yeah , sounds simple enough .
Speaker 1Sometimes life is simple . Most of the time , I think it is we overcomplicate it . Exactly , jinx .
Speaker 2Sometimes life is simple , most of the time I think it is we over complicate it exactly jinx is there anything that we want that you want to share with our listeners that I haven't touched on ?
Speaker 1I have a home buyer seminar . This thursday might be too soon , they might not see this in time . It's today , tuesday , yeah do you have it ?
Speaker 2does it repeat often or is it just at one time ?
Speaker 1We try to have an in-person event or at least a webinar quarterly .
Speaker 2How do people find out about the next one , just in case they miss this one .
Speaker 1You follow me . I try to blast it everywhere . We're LinkedIn , facebook , instagram threads .
Speaker 2The best place to find you or name one of them that you went .
Speaker 1I would say the most content . I try to meet people where they are , whether it's Instagram , linkedin . I feel like I get the most results there , or maybe Facebook , what's ?
Speaker 2your handle .
Speaker 1Instagram should be Brian C Morty Finance . Everything else should be if you type in Brian C , if you Google me , brian C Morty AI , you'll find me .
Speaker 2Yeah , yeah , yeah , we'll link it into the show notes . Appreciate it . Thank you so much for being here today , sharing some of your story and your knowledge too . I learned a few things myself .
Speaker 1Thank you . Thank you for having me , of course .