By: Hannah Scott
Listening to stories of success has an unparalleled power to ignite inspiration within individuals. Whether it’s hearing about overcoming adversity, achieving remarkable goals, or making groundbreaking innovations, these narratives motivate people to strive for personal and professional growth. Stories of success not only instill hope but also catalyze action, urging listeners to pursue their dreams with renewed vigor and belief in their potential.
One such success story is narrated by the life experiences of Dr. Steven Kaufman, the founder and CEO of Zeus Companies.
He was an Accounting student at the University of Houston when Dr. Kaufman’s attention was drawn to real estate for the first time. Apart from studies, he was working for an accounting firm where an accidental meet-up with a stranger became the start of a journey that eventually saw Steven as Houston’s Top CEO and a highly successful serial entrepreneur. He is currently the founder of Zeus Companies which Inc. Magazine has ranked as the 37th fastest growing private financial service firm in the United States.
Steven was born in Brooklyn to a financially struggling family and was the youngest of five siblings. Having to raise five children meant Steven’s mother would stay at home while his father would work to provide for the family. However, there was one problem; his father was diagnosed with a learning disability and was only bound to only be able to work small jobs such as a janitor and security guard to run the household. Though his father was a hardworking person, it simply wasn’t enough.
Therefore, whenever financial constraints troubled the family, Steven’s grandmother would come to the rescue. According to Steven, she was a major contributor to their livelihoods. But unfortunately, when he turned five, his grandmother was diagnosed with cancer and was later admitted to MD Anderson hospital for treatment. As the treatment was expected to last for three to six months, Steven’s family decided to move to Houston in order to stay close and tend to her.
Known for its contributions to science and space, Houston proved to be a city of opportunities for Steven. While completing his primary and college education, he developed a keen interest in Accounting and went to the University of Houston to study it. At the same time, he started working at an accounting firm to get firsthand experience and practical knowledge of his major, which he did get in abundance. But looking at it now, it’s safe to say he probably got more than that.
Steven’s job at the accounting firm led him toward his true calling when one day, he met with a stranger who was a professional in real estate. In an insightful conversation with him over coffee, he decided to dig deeper into the industry and eventually, bought three rental properties. A 21-year Steven passionately took his first steps in the realty business and persevered in failures and various daunting challenges.
“A new real estate acquaintance one day asked me if I could lend him money for his next deal. I didn’t have much to offer him at the time but I had a few contacts who could help, and that way started my real estate debt business,” shares Steven.
After 25 years since then, Steven’s real estate debt company has made 17,000 transactions and has been responsible for more than $5 billion of retail mortgage loan originations. It is because of these impressive stats that Inc. Magazine ranked Zeus Companies as the 37th fast-growing private financial service firm in the United States.
Steven is currently sitting well over trophy assets worth $500 million, but he envisages to further that to $1 billion in the next two to five years, and leaving it at $4 billion at the end of his career.
Published by: Khy Talara
