They cashed in everything they had to start a business. No investors. No borrowed money. Then one of the world's largest investment banks came calling.
Justin Askew and Stephanie McLane took a gamble on themselves and built AREMCO, a Virginia Beach-based company that now manages real estate assets nationwide and ranks No. 313 on the Inc. 5000.
Now they're chasing an even bigger goal, a $250 million company valuation.
In this episode of Fervent Four, Justin and Stephanie join Zack Miller and Tim Ryan to share what it took to build their business, why they haven't accepted outside investment, and how they balance rapid growth with protecting what they've built.
They also reveal how they met, why working together as a couple requires boundaries, and what really happens behind the scenes when homeowners fall behind on mortgage payments.
From launching around the beginning of COVID to navigating dangerous situations in the field, their story is about taking risks, making difficult decisions, and betting on yourself.
Subscribe to Fervent Four for more conversations with people building extraordinary businesses.
Guests
Justin Askew and Stephanie McLane, AREMCO
Hosts
Zack Miller and Tim Ryan
#Entrepreneurship #BusinessGrowth #FerventFour
00:00 Risking Everything to Build AREMCO
00:46 How a 20-Year Business Connection Came Full Circle
03:11 Why Justin Avoids Social Media
04:57 Building a Reputation Without Big Marketing Budgets
07:17 Why Justin's Kids Want Him on TikTok
09:23 Are We Losing Human Connection?
11:52 Is a Generation Turning Against AI?
13:26 How Justin and Stephanie Met
17:24 How Their Relationship Became a Business
18:45 When It's Time to Bet on Yourself
20:10 The Giddy Up and the Whoa
21:32 The $250 Million Ambition
22:44 Risking Everything Without Investors
24:34 Why AREMCO Hasn't Taken Outside Investment
26:30 Why They Deliberately Slowed Growth
27:54 Managing Thousands of Contractors Nationwide
28:08 The $30 Billion Investment Bank Conversation
31:56 Reaching No. 313 on the Inc. 5000
32:56 How AREMCO Got Its Name
35:06 How AI Is Changing the Mortgage Industry
38:08 Has the American Dream Changed?
39:10 Why First-Time Homebuyers Are Getting Older
40:21 Will We Ever See 3% Mortgage Rates Again?
42:11 The 92-Year-Old Who Received a 30-Year Mortgage
43:38 What Happens When You Miss a Mortgage Payment?
46:36 The Dangerous Reality of Property Management
48:36 Setting Boundaries as Married Business Partners
49:43 Why Virginia Beach Will Always Be Home
