Nick Stromwall

Principal Fund Manager @ Oak and Vine Upstream Energy Fund | Real Estate Investing, Syndications

What if we lived on 10% and gave 90% away?

I’m an entrepreneur at heart and an alternative asset fund manager who loves educating faith-driven investors on how to invest in alternative assets like real estate and energy.

Can you multiply money and impact with your current investing strategy?

I’m on a mission to build a thriving business that propels generosity—helping investors multiply their income so they can multiply their impact.

I spent 15 years in ministry developing leaders and building systems that empowered people to thrive. Now, I help people invest, train leaders, and build scalable systems that create lasting impact.

… And I help leaders get the #TripleWin:

✅ Winning at Work – Building scalable, high-impact businesses
✅ Winning with Family – Creating financial freedom for the people they love
✅ Winning in Community – Investing in opportunities that serve a greater purpose

As the VP of Efficiency and Innovation at Rise48, I focus on:
→ Streamlining systems to help our investors and team operate at peak efficiency
→ Developing scalable processes to support growth and maximize returns
→ Optimizing investor experience so they can confidently invest in high-quality, cash-flowing multifamily real estate

As the founder of Oak and Vine Capital, I focus on partnering with world-class operators in the best asset classes. I’ve served as a General Partner and Managing Partner in multiple real estate and energy syndications. 

My mission is clear:
→ To invest in businesses that create Kingdom Impact and empower investors to do the same.

Let’s multiply your resources for greater Kingdom impact.

Principal Owner

I help people multiply their money and impact through passive real estate investing in commercial real estate and alternative asset syndications.

We closed out the year together in Phoenix at the Rise48 Christmas Party  a western-themed evening that brought our teams from Arizona, Texas, and North Carolina into the same room.

Not for meetings.
Not for metrics.
But for connection.

It was a night of conversations, shared stories, and time with the people who put in the work every day behind the scenes. The kind of environment where relationships deepen, trust strengthens, and culture is reinforced in real time.

Because great execution doesn’t start in spreadsheets.
It starts with alignment.
With shared values.
With teams who believe in the mission and in one another.

I left the event reminded of how far we’ve come as an organization and how much opportunity is ahead as we continue building, growing, and serving together in the new year.

Grateful for our teams, our leaders, and every person who plays a role in the work we’re doing.

What was one meaningful moment you experienced with your team last year?

#Rise48Group #TeamCulture #LeadershipInAction #EndOfYearReflection

I help faith driven leaders multiply their money and impact through investing in alternative assets like real estate

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I was terrified raising money for my first syndication.

Not surface level nerves.
Real fear.

Can I actually do this
What if I mess this up
What if people trust me and I fail

Up to that point, I had proven one thing.

I could buy a duplex.

But a syndication is different.
It’s not just your money anymore.

It’s a responsibility.
Stewardship.
Weight.

The McKinley project forced a new internal question.

Not “is this a good deal?”
But “am I ready to lead?”

Here’s what changed everything.

I stopped trying to do it alone.

I found partners I deeply trusted.
People with track records.
People with shared values.
People who were willing to say no if something felt off.

Then I focused on three fundamentals.

→ A growing market with real demand
→ A conservative business plan
→ Offering investors something better than what they were settling for

But the real work wasn’t underwriting.

It was identity.

I had to move from
“Can I do this?”
to
“I’m responsible to do this well.”

Once that clicked, the fear didn’t disappear.

But it stopped leading.

That first raise wasn’t about scale.
It was about obedience.
Preparation.
Integrity.

Looking back, the hardest part was never raising capital.

It was believing I was ready to carry it.

This week I’m unpacking the goals behind the deals.
And the mental barriers that came before the breakthroughs.

No hype.
No theory.
Just the real progression.

If you’re staring at your next step and asking
“Can I really do this?”

You’re probably closer than you think.

Follow along this week.

And next week
I’m opening a space to go deeper
Fundamentals
Mindset
Execution

More soon.

Would you rather play it safe
Or grow into the weight of responsibility?

(I've raised capital on 17 deals, and who you partner with is most important)

 The picture is from our McKinley project, a 48-unit multifamily apartment in Iowa

Just dropped the 𝗳𝗶𝗿𝘀𝘁 𝗲𝗽𝗶𝘀𝗼𝗱𝗲 of 𝘍𝘢𝘪𝘵𝘩-𝘋𝘳𝘪𝘷𝘦𝘯 𝘓𝘦𝘢𝘥𝘦𝘳𝘴.
 
A conversation about how faith shapes leadership, decisions, and the way we lead in business and in life.
 
Watch here: https://lnkd.in/gVciSaWs
  
If you care about building with purpose and staying grounded in something bigger than yourself, I think you’ll appreciate this.
 
I’m curious: 𝘄𝗵𝗮𝘁 𝗹𝗲𝗮𝗱𝗲𝗿𝘀 𝗶𝗻 𝗿𝗲𝗮𝗹 𝗲𝘀𝘁𝗮𝘁𝗲 𝘄𝗵𝗼 𝗶𝗻𝘁𝗲𝗴𝗿𝗮𝘁𝗲 𝘁𝗵𝗲𝗶𝗿 𝗳𝗮𝗶𝘁𝗵 𝗶𝗻𝘁𝗼 𝘁𝗵𝗲𝗶𝗿 𝘄𝗼𝗿𝗸 𝘀𝗵𝗼𝘂𝗹𝗱 𝗜 𝗶𝗻𝘃𝗶𝘁𝗲 𝗻𝗲𝘅𝘁? 

What are your favorite faith-driven podcasts?

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plug A

I'm launching a new deal for accredited investors. 

Let's chat about how it could help you achieve your financial goals!

https://www.oakandvinecapital.com/welcome

plug b

winning isn't just killing it at work. Go for the #triplewin and win at work, family and community.

small steps go a long way

plug c

What will you be doing with your family this weekend? Any special traditions?

We like to celebrate with big meals and lots of laughter.

build momentum with an easy win of completing a successful morning startup. It only takes 6 minutes

I help leaders multiply their money and generosity through investing in alternative assets like real estate and energy.

Book a call with nick to learn more:
https://www.oakandvinecapital.com/welcome

Free Video course:
https://www.oakandvinecapital.com/free

get started

download my free getting started guide here:
https://www.oakandvinecapital.com/resources/getstarted

winning isn't just killing it at work. 

Go for the #triplewin and win at work, family and community.

small steps go a long way.

I help people multiply their money so they can multiply their impact: 

Book a call with nick to learn more:
https://www.oakandvinecapital.com/welcome

oak simple

I help people multiply their money so they can multiply their impact: 

Book a call with nick to learn more:
https://www.oakandvinecapital.com/welcome

kingdom-rei

oakandvinecapital

blackdoghomes

My little girl is potty trained after a holiday weekend potty training blitz! We used a secret weapon that I'm happy to share with you today.

The Potty Dance Song.

After successful poops and pees in the potty
we rewarded her with a special song.

we get down low, and sing

the potty dance
the potty dance

number 1
number 2

in the potty
(then we drumroll low to high)

and pick her up while saying
WAHOO

simple, and yet the smile gives it all away.

Should we put this to music?

What were some of your potty training tricks?

The hardest part of raising $1,000,000
Was believing I was allowed to ask.

Before that, I had raised $300,000.
Five investors.

That wasn’t small to me.

That was five families creating margin.
Five people accelerating toward freedom and impact.

So I set a new goal.
Raise my first $1,000,000.

And immediately, the doubts showed up.

I was working in ministry.
Different industry.
Different network.

I kept telling myself:

I haven’t earned the right yet
I need more touchpoints
I should steward the relationship better first

That belief almost stopped everything.

Here’s what finally clicked.

Asking isn’t pressure.
It’s an invitation.

You’re not asking for a yes.
You’re asking for interest.

Yes or no
Both are acceptable.

The real responsibility isn’t the ask.

It’s being prepared if someone says yes.

→ Clear education
→ Simple systems
→ The right team
→ A next step that serves them

Once I reframed that, the fear lost its grip.

God brought the connections.
Old relationships resurfaced.
New conversations opened.

Not because I was perfect.
But because I was willing.

If you’re stuck wondering
“Have I earned the right yet?”

You probably have.

And if you want help building the systems behind the ask
I’m teaching it live on Tuesday.

How to raise your first $1,000,000
And how to think about $10,000,000 next.

Link in the comments.

Yes or no
Is the fear more about rejection
Or believing you’re allowed to ask

Most RIAs don’t avoid real estate because they don’t believe in it.
They avoid it because of what’s at stake.
 

One recommendation can undo
years of trust
decades of reputation
and a client relationship that took a lifetime to earn.
 
That’s fiduciary tension.
 

It’s not
“Will this perform?”
It’s
“What if this goes wrong and I brought it in?”
 

Good advisors feel that weight.
 

You’re responsible for the recommendation
even if you don’t control the asset
even if you didn’t sponsor the deal
even if the client asked for it.
 
That hesitation isn’t weakness.
It’s discernment.
 
Especially for faith-driven advisors.
 
Stewardship isn’t about chasing returns.
 
It’s about protecting people.
 
Protecting trust.
 
Protecting peace.
 

You shouldn’t have to become a real estate expert
vet sponsors alone
or hand clients off and hope for the best.
 

You stay the advisor.
 Your relationship stays intact.
 
 
Institutional-grade underwriting and reporting
exist to reduce fiduciary risk
not to replace you.
 

Built to support advisors
not replace them.
 

 
Are you feeling fiduciary tension around alternatives right now
yes or no?
 
And are you planning to be at the Kingdom Advisors Conference this year?
 
 
If so, I’d love to connect there
no pitch
just a conversation about how advisors are navigating this responsibly.

I don’t wake up stressed anymore.
 
Not because I have less to do.  But because I know exactly what needs to get done.
 
A few years ago, my head was the task list.  
Every idea.  
Every follow up.  
Every reminder lived in my brain.
 
That worked… until it didn’t.
 
The moment everything changed was when my assistant and I got aligned around 𝗼𝗻𝗲 𝘀𝘆𝘀𝘁𝗲𝗺.
 
𝗔𝘀𝗮𝗻𝗮.
 
Now here’s how it shows up in my real day.
 
Daily  
→ Clear tasks assigned  
→ No guessing who owns what  
→ No Slack ping chaos
 
Weekly  
→ Priority planning together  
→ What moves the needle this week  
→ What can wait
 
Monthly  
→ Bigger projects broken down  
→ Progress we can actually see  
→ Wins we don’t miss
 
The tool didn’t make me disciplined.  
It removed friction.
 
Structure creates peace.  
Peace creates margin.  
Margin lets me lead better at work and at home.
 
If you’re leading people and still keeping tasks in your head,  you’re carrying weight you were never meant to carry.
 
𝗖𝗼𝗺𝗺𝗲𝗻𝘁 𝟭 if you are still the system in your business?
 
What tool has made the biggest difference in how you lead?

Faith doesn’t rush outcomes.
It refines the leader.
 
One of the hardest parts of leadership isn’t action.
It’s waiting.
 
Waiting when the path isn’t clear.
Waiting when results feel delayed.
Waiting when obedience costs more than certainty.
 
That’s why this conversation with Jono Allen mattered.
 
In this episode of Faith Driven Leaders on the On The Rise Podcast, we talked about what it looks like to lead when you don’t control the timeline.
 
Not with certainty.
But with trust.
 
We unpacked:
→ How obedience shapes character long before it produces results
→ Why patience is a discipline, not a personality trait
→ Discernment when the next step isn’t obvious
→ Leadership as service, not position
→ Stewarding influence with humility, especially in seasons of transition
 
This episode isn’t about answers.
It’s about formation.
 
Because faith-driven leadership isn’t proven when the plan works.
It’s revealed when the outcome is unclear.
 
If you’re in a season of waiting, transition, or quiet obedience — this conversation is for you.
→ Where has patience been stretching your leadership lately?
→ What does faithfulness look like when clarity hasn’t arrived yet?
 
Episode link is in the comments.
 
#FaithDrivenLeaders #OnTheRisePodcast #FaithAndLeadership

I wanted my first real estate deal so badly.

Not because I wanted to be “in real estate.”
Not because I cared about titles or numbers.

I wanted it because my family was growing.
And because we were mentoring students who needed support.
And generosity requires margin.

At the time, I honestly didn’t know if I had what it takes.

I questioned myself constantly.
Am I capable of this
Am I thinking too big
Am I built for this path

That first goal wasn’t syndication.
It wasn’t raising capital.
It was owning our first duplex.

But behind that small step was a much bigger vision.

How do I create more capacity to give
How do I meet the needs around me
How do I steward what God has entrusted to us well

That single duplex changed how I saw myself.
Later came syndicating deals.
Later came raising capital for trusted partners.

But the hardest part was never the deal.

It was the mental question
Do I have what it takes

This week, I’m going to start breaking down my goals
And the mental challenges I had to overcome at each stage
Not theory
Not hype
Just the real progression

If you’re setting goals right now
Start with your vision
Not the tactic

Follow along this week as I share more.

And next week
I’ll be opening up something new
A space to go deeper
A forum built around fundamentals, mindset, and execution

More soon.

𝘗.𝘚 𝘞𝘩𝘰 𝘭𝘪𝘬𝘦𝘴 𝘨𝘰𝘭𝘧?

Most capital raisers talk about strategy.
The ones who scale focus on results.

That’s why we built the Fundamental Forum, a live working session for capital raisers and fund managers who want real frameworks they can apply immediately.

In recent conversations, we’ve walked through:
→ The blueprint to raise your first $1,000,000 with clarity and structure
→ How to build the systems required to scale toward $10,000,000+
→ Messaging, follow-up cadence, and relationship-driven capital flows
→ Lessons from peers who are actually in the market right now

Our next session is Tuesday, January 13th at 12 PM MST / 2 PM EST.

If you’re ready to move from effort to outcomes, this is the room to be in.

👉 Register here to save your seat: https://lnkd.in/gBU2eNQq

#FundamentalForum #CapitalRaising #FundManagers #ScalingCapital #Rise48Equity

Today we're hosting this month's Fundamental Forum - 

a live conversation for capital raisers who want to scale with intention, structure, and execution.

This session is centered around one theme:
Goal Setting That Works
 

We’ll walk through:

• Building a repeatable, scalable system

• Reverse engineering your capital raise

• Investor conversion funnel

If you’re raising capital, you don’t need more noise.

You need clarity, alignment, and momentum.

We go live today at 12 PM MST / 2 PM EST.

👉 Join the session here: https://lnkd.in/gq2qidYb

#CapitalRaising #FundManagers #InvestorRelations #FundamentalForum #Rise48Equity

Implement this small hack and get more done in your day 👇

mind dump or mind purge all of your open loops into a trusted system.

I like asana.

Block out 30 minutes today and do this.

𝗗𝘂𝗺𝗽 𝗮𝗹𝗹 𝗼𝗳 𝘆𝗼𝘂𝗿:
• tasks
• ideas
• projects
• things you've delegated or been delegated
• sticky notes on your desk, fridge, etc.
• notes on your desktop
• emails you've been saving in your inbox
• notes in your notes app
• voice memos
• slack messages
• think personal and work!

→ I feel so free after getting everything down and out ... a trusted system really helps.

This mental space gives me more capacity to win at work, with family, and in my community!

𝗛𝗮𝘃𝗲 𝘆𝗼𝘂 𝗱𝗼𝗻𝗲 𝗮 𝗺𝗶𝗻𝗱 𝗱𝘂𝗺𝗽 𝗼𝗿 𝗺𝗶𝗻𝗱 𝗽𝘂𝗿𝗴𝗲 𝗯𝗲𝗳𝗼𝗿𝗲?

𝗪𝗵𝗮𝘁 𝗾𝘂𝗲𝘀𝘁𝗶𝗼𝗻𝘀 𝗱𝗼 𝘆𝗼𝘂 𝗵𝗮𝘃𝗲?

Comment below 👇

P.S. - Please repost ♻️ if you found this useful

p.s.s. if you are local in Minneapolis and want to learn more I'm teaching my business systems early tomorrow, send me a DM

One simple dinner habit
Changed how we connect as a family

Most days feel full
Work
School
Practices
Noise

So we needed a reset
Something simple
Something repeatable

At dinner
We do Highs Lows and Buffaloes

Every person shares three things

→ A high from the day
Something good
Something life giving

→ A low from the day
Something hard
Something disappointing

→ A buffalo
A wild card
Funny moment
Unexpected win
Or extra hard thing

No fixing
No correcting
No teaching moment required

Just listening

Some nights are deep
Some nights are hilarious
Some nights are short and messy

But every night
We reconnect

It reminds us that everyone carries something
Even after a busy day
Especially after a busy day

This is just one small rhythm
But it creates space for presence
Honesty
And connection

What rhythm does your family use to reconnect?

Drop a 1 if you have a daily habit
Drop a 2 if you want to start one

What is one simple practice that has helped your family stay connected?

Parenting class today reminded me
Closeness is built slowly
Through small daily deposits
Presence, words, affection, joy
When I come home, this is my aim
Be the smile of God to your family today

Closed! Apartments of Westgrove in Raleigh, NC Rebranding as “Rise Westgrove”

To learn how you can invest in multifamily properties like this, set up a call with us on our website.

#multifamilyinvesting #Arizonamultifamily

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