Nicholas Kahrilas is a Los Angeles-based real estate lender and entrepreneur, currently serving as President of Platinum Legacy and Kahrilas Group. Driven to provide incredible client service, Nicholas focuses on two critical components for every interaction: low overhead costs and fast close time. Nicholas firmly believes these are the two most essential elements of real estate lending, as the market is dynamic and unpredictable. Clients want to act fast, and he wants to offer that speed! With twenty-seven years of business and entrepreneurial experience under his belt, Nicholas greets each client with confidence and empathy.
Nicholas’ first venture was a paint store chain called Painters Warehouse Stores. The chain was the go-to supplier of paint for the entertainment industries. However, as market demand shifted, Nicholas sold his business to Pittsburgh Paint Company.
Shortly after selling his paint supply business, he carved out a niche in the secondary life insurance policy market. His first finance company raised tens of millions of dollars, and he became one of the first insurance professionals to grow that niche alongside billionaire Warren Buffett. Nicholas Kahrilas had a hand in writing over one hundred million policies valuing billions of dollars! When he transitioned from life insurance to real estate, Nicholas brokered the largest first trust deed loan for a Beverly Hills residential property. That loan, amounting to $40 million, went to the Beverly House. One might recognize this building from films such as The Godfather or Bodyguard, and as the honeymoon location for President John F. Kennedy.
Kahrilas Group keeps Nicholas connected to his life insurance roots. Established in 2013, Kahrilas Group employs experts from insurance, investment, and wealth management backgrounds to help high-net-worth clients maintain and grow their assets. A healthy mix of tax and risk strategies are employed to meet the unique needs of these clients. The company boasts over $1 billion in transactions in just under a decade. It’s a fast-paced environment that seesaws between high-risk and high-reward, but Nicholas Kahrilas says he wouldn’t have it any other way.
Platinum Legacy is Nicholas’ latest venture. Since 2019, Nicholas has presided as the company’s president, overseeing operations related to California Real Estate. Platinum Legacy’s goal is to offer secure short-term bridge loans to a diverse client base. Those loans finance residential, commercial, retail, office, and industrial real estate projects, making Platinum Legacy one of the most flexible direct portfolio lending groups in the real estate industry.
While Nicholas has gathered almost three decades of hard-won business expertise, he is also passionate about non-business endeavors. A graduate of the University of California Los Angeles, Nicholas currently lives in the Los Angeles area with his family. Outside of work, Nicholas enjoys playing competitive paddle tennis and dedicating time to his community.
Nicholas is a staple of the Los Angeles community and real estate lending industry, passionate about offering flexibility and transparency for every client he meets.
Nicholas Kahrilas on Harmful Traits that Hold Entrepreneurs Back
As sad as it is to say, it is not the ever-changing market that keeps many entrepreneurs from hitting their goals. A lot of people have the heart and vision of a successful entrepreneur but are held back by a few personality traits that drastically tarnish their efforts. Here are a few traits to be aware of—don’t let them ruin your chance of reaching your full potential!
The Fear of Taking Risks
Anyone who is afraid of taking risks lacks confidence in themselves. Confidence must be developed over time so that risks can be taken and, in some cases, enjoyed. In such a competitive market, an entrepreneur cannot survive without taking on some level of risk on a frequent basis. Easy shots will lead to small wins that won’t be enough to sustain a profitable business.
Resistance to Change
Clinging to methods that prove to be ineffective time and time again is a sure way to crash and burn. As society’s needs and desires change by the day, business owners must be flexible enough to make adjustments and switch up the pace at a moment’s notice.
The Desire to Take Everything On
Independent workers are often so against working for and with other people that they commit to single-handedly carrying out all of their operations. And while this can go well for those serving only a few clients, it is a recipe for disaster for those who are looking to expand their business. Despite how talented a person might be, if they neglect to hire help during times of need, they are setting themselves up to make some costly mistakes.
Perpetual Laziness
Surprisingly, a lot of business-minded folks are actually turned off by hard work. While implementing enough drive and self-sufficiency to put themselves out there, they still refuse to put forward the effort to place their business in a winning position. Tenacious souls and those who never shy away from hard work will always be the last ones standing as businesses constantly need to be revamped and polished over to remain relevant.
There is a lot of self-improvement that goes into becoming a thriving entrepreneur. And while it will take some time to get into the swing of things, with a drastic mindset change and a more developed plan of action, anyone can build a prosperous business.
