Zachary Smith

After high school, I enlisted in the Army infantry and was selected for security details with high-ranking officials, including a former U.S. President. That experience sparked my love of learning - I'd spend free time at libraries around the city and at University of Colorado.

When I transitioned out, I started studying finance but family circumstances required us to move to Mobile, Alabama. With one young child and being at a non-target, I leveraged my veteran network to get my foot in the door with investment banking, private quity, and wealth management internships. However, by junior year I had two small kids, and I decided against the IBD path initially, knowing it would mean relocating to NYC and long hours away from family.

Instead, I spent four years in tech sales as a business advisor/consultant, then launched my own restoration company in April 2024. I raised $300k in capital and grew from zero to $100k monthly revenue in five months. However, we faced 90-120 day collection cycles with insurance carriers, creating severe cash flow constraints despite our growth. After 18 months of managing creditor negotiations, vendor payment terms, and seeking additional capital, we had to liquidate while we could still return most investor capital.

That experience gave me firsthand insight into financial distress - managing liquidity crunches, negotiating with creditors, and making tough operational decisions under pressure. Now my children are older and understand the trade-offs, so I can pursue what I'm genuinely passionate about: helping companies navigate similar situations from the capital provider side.