Platinum Capital Group

After all, Moses had been a successful entrepreneur since his college days when his start-up firm, Student Painters, grew into a 250-franchise operation with 3,000 employees.  In 1993, he and Brett Dillenberg co-founded Platinum Capital Group, a prospering mortgage banking company that Inc. magazine ranked as one of the nation’s 10 fastest growing privately held companies in 1998. 

Moses was also a wizard when it came to motivating people for success.  His business card reads “Chief Energizing Officer,” and he once rode an elephant into the company’s annual meeting to remind his staff that if they think big and act big, Platinum Capital will be big.  The result was an avalanche of favorable publicity, and the perfect candidate for a new corporate symbol.

Still, Moses knew he could always learn more.  So when a speaker at a meeting of the Orange County, CA, Young Entrepreneurs Organization asked if anyone was interested in working with a mentor from SCORE, Moses eagerly raised his hand.

In July 2002, Moses began working with SCORE Volunteer Counselor Jim Anderson, a former Honeywell executive and management consultant.  Each month, Anderson spends a couple of hours at Platinum Capital’s offices reviewing financials and discussing business issues with Moses and his senior staff.  They also correspond regularly via email.

“Jim creates his own reports, asks a lot of questions, gives comments and points out things we should be thinking out,” Moses says.  “He knows our business well, but also brings an outsider’s perspective.”

Anderson’s insights have provided the guidance that Moses needed to help Platinum Capital remain successful in Orange County’s highly competitive mortgage banking market.  The firm’s revenue has grown from $40 million to $60 million in one year.  And in true elephant-minded spirit, Moses says there are bigger things to come. 

“We are projecting $90 million in revenue next year—quite a feat in what is a declining market,” he says.  “Our diversification strategy [company owned branches, franchises, Internet lending via lendingtree.com, and industry wholesale alternative mortgage products] is also succeeding.”

Moses says, "Jim has been very helpful during our explosive growth. He has added high value in looking at cashflow, management changes and executive compensation. Jim was great at reviewing our business plan and challenging our assumptions. I am fortunate to be working with Jim and SCORE."

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