Brian Katz, CEO & Founder, Katz Capital
In a recent interview with Invest:, Brian Katz, CEO and founder of Katz Capital, discussed the company’s strategic direction, real estate market trends and business outlook for 2025. “Our top priority is profitable growth, and that’s the mindset driving us forward,” he said.
How has Katz Capital advanced its private lending strategy over the past year?
One of our strategic priorities in 2025 is strengthening our role as a private lender. We’ve been able to bring notable, valued partners into our private lending vehicle, and that’s been a big achievement for us. The private credit sector, which I’m sure you’re hearing more about, remains a key focus for us. From a strategic standpoint, we are raising and allocating more capital in that space. We’ve maintained strong credit quality throughout the past few years, but in terms of raising funds and allocating capital, that’s where our organization is pushing forward.
What makes Tampa Bay a great location for businesses and investors?
Well, first, we live here. We started the company from scratch in Tampa Bay, so it has always been our home base. As we’ve discussed in previous conversations, there’s been a significantly positive demographic shift, with a large influx of people moving here. That movement creates underlying demand drivers across various industries. In real estate, specifically, people need places to live, whether they’re buying or renting, which in turn cascades into demand for other services like insurance and property management.
Are there any particular real estate subsectors where you’re noticing growth?
Outside of office spaces, I see considerable growth. However, even within office real estate, rental prices are rising due to limited supply, particularly for Class-A properties in core areas of Tampa. Beyond that, demand remains strong across all aspects of residential real estate — both for personal and investment purposes. We primarily focus on the lower middle market. Demand in that sector remains strong, and once interest rates decline, we expect demand to grow even further. Until interest rates go down, the market will likely remain stable or see only slight growth. If rates decrease, we’ll see more upward movement. Overall, the business climate feels more optimistic, which should have a positive impact on the real estate sector.
How are you integrating innovation and tools to improve efficiency and better serve your clients?
Technology helps with scalability. I’m a bit of a late adopter — a bit of a dinosaur when it comes to tech. We’re not using technology as the primary driver of growth. Instead, we prioritize relationships, and technology serves as a tool to support and enhance those relationships.
What strategies are you using to attract, retain and develop top talent?
We focus on aligning financial incentives with organizational success. If the company performs well financially, individual financial success should reflect that.
We’ve worked hard to ensure alignment in this area. In fact, we’ve been streamlining operations and operating more efficiently with our existing team. Those who drive the company forward are the ones reaping the rewards. We’re feeling optimistic. Our top priority is profitable growth, and that’s the mindset driving us forward.
