We had the good fortune of connecting with David De La Torre and we’ve shared our conversation below.

Hi David, what’s the most important thing you’ve done for your children?
As a working father of a 6 year old, the biggest lesson I’ve learned is that impact isn’t measured in volume, it’s measured in presence. My daughter’s still young, and I’ve realized it’s not the big trips or curated experiences that shape her. It’s the consistent, intentional moments.

Every morning, I walk her to school. Rain, light drizzle, or the usual Southern California sunshine. It’s a simple fifteen-minute ritual, but it’s ours. No calls, no emails, no multitasking. Just connection.

Professionally, I run at a fast pace like everyone else. But I’ve found that even carving out ten focused minutes creates disproportionate value for a child. They remember when you looked up, when you listened, when you weren’t half-present. That’s the investment that lasts.

That’s been my biggest takeaway: showing up with real presence beats trying to compensate with scale.

What should our readers know about your business?
I’ve carved out a very specific lane in the lending world: I specialize in ADU and value-add financing that treats a homeowner’s property for what it can be, not just what it is today. Most lenders look backward. We look forward.

What sets us apart is that we lend off future appraised value after improvements — up to 90% of the ARV or 125% of the current value. Traditional banks won’t touch that. We also finance properties already under rehab and do it at credit-union-level pricing, not the inflated rates that usually come with construction or private money loans. It’s a combination you almost never see: flexibility, future-focused underwriting, and affordable terms.

Getting here wasn’t a straight line. Nothing about building this business was “easy.” Every obstacle forced me to get more creative, sharpen my strategy, and build the right network around me. If there’s one lesson I’d bet on, it’s that there is always a path forward if you’re willing to keep digging and refuse to settle for the first “no.”

What I want the world to know about my brand is simple: we don’t just close loans; we unlock possibilities. We help people see the potential in their property, and then we structure the financing that turns that potential into something real, tangible, and wealth-building.

If you had a friend visiting you, what are some of the local spots you’d want to take them around to?
If my best friend flew in for a week, I’d give them the real Southern California coastal run — starting right here in Laguna Niguel, where I live. We’d kick things off the way locals do: straight onto PCH, windows down, ocean air doing all the work.

Day 1: Laguna Niguel to Laguna Beach
We’d cruise up the coastline, stop in Laguna Beach, and settle in at Driftwood Kitchen or Las Brisas for food with a front-row seat to the Pacific. Laguna’s got that rare mix of relaxed and upscale, so it’s the perfect warm-up.

Day 2: Ritz-Carlton Dana Point
Next stop: the Ritz-Carlton. Beach access, real SoCal resort energy, a little fine dining, maybe even a round of golf if we’re pretending to be more athletic than we are. It’s one of those places where you slow down automatically.

Day 3: Montage Laguna Beach
If we’re feeling a little extra, we’d roll over to the Montage for sunset drinks or a spa session. Nobody does a cliffside view like the Montage. It’s the kind of spot that makes you forget what day it is — in the best way.

Day 4–7: Coastline Everything
The rest of the week would be all about the coastline: coffee runs, long walks, good food, beach time, and letting Southern California do what it does best — deliver that effortless, laid-back luxury you can’t fake.

To me, that’s the OC experience: coastal living, great meals, unforgettable views, and the kind of week where the agenda is simple… enjoy everything around you with someone whose company you actually like.

The Shoutout series is all about recognizing that our success and where we are in life is at least somewhat thanks to the efforts, support, mentorship, love and encouragement of others. So is there someone that you want to dedicate your shoutout to?
I owe this one to my mom. I’m the product of a strong single mother who raised my brother and I on her own after losing my dad at a young age. Watching her push through challenges and make sacrifices so we could have a better trajectory shaped everything about how I approach work, leadership, and resilience.

And yes, she and I almost never agree on anything. We debate, we argue, we negotiate like we’re both trying to win closing remarks in court. But underneath all that noise, the foundation she built is the reason I show up the way I do.

She taught me grit, gratitude, and the belief that you don’t just get through tough seasons — you convert them into momentum. I’ve always felt our job is to take the effort and wisdom poured into us, whether from a parent, mentor, or anyone who invested in us, and build something stronger for the next generation.

So this shoutout goes to her… and trust me, she’ll still find something I “should’ve said differently.”

Website: https://www.daviddelatorre.com

Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/in/david-de-la-torre-389453/

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