In this heartfelt and wisdom-packed episode of Burning the Ships, I finally sit down with someone I call my most-referenced guest of all time: Kelli Garrett — entrepreneur, private lender, mentor, and former college basketball legend. Kelli shares her remarkable journey from UPS corporate manager to real estate mogul, and how building a $400M lending business from scratch was never about just the money, it was about impact, culture, and becoming the best version of herself.
Through stories of grit, growth, loss, and leadership, Kelli unpacks the principles that fueled her success and the cultural cornerstones that keep her company thriving.
If you’re an entrepreneur, leader, coach, or someone grinding toward your next breakthrough, this episode is a masterclass in doing hard things with heart and humility.
Key Talking Points of the Episode
00:00 Introduction
01:45 JJ’s Joke of the Week
03:11 The beginning of my relationship with Kelli
05:32 Who is Kelli Garrett?
08:09 Kelli’s focus in business: Rehab Wallet
09:37 Lessons from 12 Years at UPS
12:04 How corporate experience can shape you as an entrepreneur
14:16 Surviving loss and litigation
18:43 From farm girl to college basketball record-holder
20:40 How learning hard work early impacted Kelli’s life
24:53 Learning to love what you do to achieve success
27:08 Leading by example in life and business
28:95 The growth of Rehab Wallet: $440M Deployed in 5 Years
31:50 How leaders shape the culture of a company
36:56 The importance of alignment in core values
40:02 How celebrating your milestones can impact you and your team
45:39 The most common traits of people who succeed
51:20 Why understanding your goals and how to achieve them is key
53:44 What keeps Kelli going: achieving the best version of herself
59:10 The real value of paying for coaching
01:02:22 How investing in coaching can fast-track your success
Quotables
“Leaders create the culture, culture creates the behavior, and behavior creates the results.”
“I’m not a lender—I’m an entrepreneur that owns a lending company.”
“You can’t change the wind, but you can adjust your sails.”
Links
Everything is Figureoutable
https://www.amazon.com/Everything-Figureoutable-Marie-Forleo/dp/0525534997
Rehab Wallet
