Growth Investing for Passive Investors: Startups, Hospitality & Scalable Brands

Patrick Grimes

CEO/Founder, Passive Investing Mastery: Diversified Litigation Portfolio, Diversified Medical Receivables Portfolio, Recessionary Acquisitions Fund, Recessionary Income Fund, PIM Rapid Lending

Patrick’s portfolio is diversified across energy, litigation finance, medical receivables, commercial lending, and acquisitions, including retail, industrial, and thousands of apartment units. He has developed a range of diversified passive investments focused on growth and cash flow. He speaks on stages nationally, co-authored Amazon #1 best-sellers ‘Lesson From Thought Leaders,’ and ‘Pivotal Leadership,’ also an e-book Barnes & Noble #1 Best-Seller, and is a member of the Forbes Business Council, contributing articles on investing and commercial real estate.

For investors who want recession-aware, low-correlation alternatives to traditional markets, Patrick offers four core strategies: (1) PIM’s Diversified Litigation Finance Portfolio, built to provide investors with non-correlated growth by funding a diversified pool of lawsuits through contingency-fee law firms; (2) PIM’s Medical Receivables Portfolio, for investors seeking non-correlated cash flow and growth through financing medical practices’ accounts receivable—billed claims for services already rendered. Patrick also offers two commercial real estate funds, both capitalizing on the downturn in commercial real estate: (3) an Acquisitions Fund, targeting growth through opportunistic property acquisitions, and (4) an Income Fund, targeting stable cash flow through a diversified portfolio of commercial real estate loans.

Patrick holds a BS in Mechanical Engineering and both an MBA and MS in Engineering from San Jose State University. An avid adventurer, he resides in Honolulu, Hawaii.

Aaron Fragnito

Co-Founder of Peoples Capital Group

Aaron is a full-time real estate investor and co-founder of Peoples Capital Group. He is also a speaker and host of the New Jersey Real Estate Network (NJREN) and the Passive Cash Flow Podcast, as well as an adjunct professor at Rowan University, where he teaches Real Estate Entrepreneurship.

Within Peoples Capital Group, Aaron helped build and currently manages a $45 million real estate portfolio, with real estate assets located throughout New Jersey. He has completed over 300 real estate transactions and has helped more than 110 clients invest, build, and preserve their own wealth in real estate.

Additionally, Aaron enjoys speaking at real estate and business events throughout the NYC Metropolitan Area, helping to educate people about real estate investing. He has been a guest on over 80 podcasts and has hosted over 200 episodes of his own podcast. Aaron enjoys developing strong relationships with his clients, including both accredited investors and larger institutional investment groups and family offices, helping them identify their vision and bring it to life.

Zach Haptonstall

CEO & Co-Founder, Rise48 Equity

Zach Haptonstall is the Chief Executive Officer and Co-Founder of Rise48 Equity, Rise48 Communities, and Rise48 Construction. Born and raised in Phoenix, Arizona, Zach leads all acquisitions, capital sourcing, and strategic partnerships for one of the Sun Belt’s fastest-growing multifamily private equity firms. Since founding Rise48 Equity in 2019, the firm has completed more than $2.7 billion in total multifamily transactions across Arizona, Texas, and North Carolina. Zach resides in Phoenix, Arizona, with his wife Grace and their children.

Before transitioning to real estate private equity, Zach built a proven track record as a healthcare executive for multiple large corporations where he helped create growth and exit strategies. He served as President and Co-Owner of Family Comfort Hospice (and subsidiary companies), leading a team of 110+ employees to $9M+ in annual revenue before a successful acquisition in 2021. Prior to that role, he was Director of Business Development and part owner at Sage Hospice and Palliative Care, where he helped scale the organization into the largest for-profit hospice company in Arizona, culminating in a successful private equity acquisition in 2018.

Zach holds a Master of Business Administration from the Colangelo College of Business at Grand Canyon University and graduated Summa Cum Laude with a Bachelor’s in Journalism and Mass Communication from the Walter Cronkite School of Journalism at Arizona State University. During his time in journalism, Zach was a live television news anchor and sports reporter for Arizona PBS and co-hosted a show on Fox Sports Network Arizona. Zach has been a licensed Real Estate Agent in Arizona since 2016. He is the founder of the philanthropic organization Rise Up Give Back, donating time and funds to children’s charities. He is also an active chapter member of YPO (Young Presidents’ Organization), a GCU Hall of Fame Inductee, an Amazon Best-Selling Author, and an Entrepreneur of the Year finalist.

Laurel Mintz

Founder and CEO, Elevate My Brand

Laurel Mintz is a powerhouse at the intersection of marketing and venture capital. As the founder and CEO of Elevate My Brand, she’s spent the last 17 years leading award-winning campaigns for iconic names like Verizon, Paw Patrol, Sprinklr, and Squishmallows, helping brands break through the noise and drive measurable growth.

She’s also a General Partner at Fabric VC, where she invests in the next generation of consumer-tech, health, and fintech startups. With a marketer’s eye and a strategist’s edge, Laurel is passionate about scaling visionary companies and amplifying diverse founders. Whether she’s behind a brand or backing a startup, Laurel’s mission is clear: to elevate innovation and create real, lasting impact.