Name: Or Agassi
Twitter: @BetterWithStoa
Facebook: @BetterWithStoa
Instagram: @betterwithstoa
Website: www.betterwithstoa.com
Age: 36
Title: Co-founder
Married/Single: Married
Kids: One on the way
City you live in: Scottsdale, AZ
A typical day in my life includes… starting my morning around 6 a.m. with yoga, and then having downtime with my family until work begins at 8 a.m. After that, I am in meetings with my Stoa co-founder, Tom Sella, and other leaders in the organization. At about noon, I try to have a bit more downtime and that’s followed by ongoing strategy and development of the business. By 7 p.m., I finish my day and spend time with my family.
I was born… in Israel and moved to the U.S. 3½ years ago.
My favorite thing about Arizona… is anything related to the wildlife that inhabits the desert.
I’m listening to… podcasts and MasterClasses.
My family…consists of my wife, Luda, and we have a baby on the way.
If I could have dinner with anyone, it would be… my wife.
One thing I cannot live without… my family.
When I was younger, I wanted to be… challenged. It was always about pushing myself to the limits. I’m very uncomfortable in a comfort zone.
I’m inspired by… Stoa employees, investors and partners.
The one person who motivates me is… my Stoa co-founder Tom Sella, who has been my friend since we were 12 years old. Tom came from real estate, and I am a lawyer. We first started doing business together in 2017. We realized how fragmented the real estate market is and saw an opportunity to change what’s happening. Local investors were updating these beautiful houses, but they were always in the chase. With the Stoa technology, we allow them to scale their businesses while having the quality control for the renovation.
If I could change anything in the world, it would be… to bring better homes to more people. There is a shortage of about 7 million homes in America, so what we are focused on is bringing good homes to the market faster. That means homes that need to be renovated or upgraded to be livable today. Stoa partners with investors who have that superpower of identifying potential deals. That is combined with our ability to provide the loan and the scope of work and then buy the home within five days of completion. After we have bought the home and the investor is on to their next flip, we find the potential buyer.
The perfect day would be… spending time with my family enjoying food, travel and art and design. I also love any type of sport. I’m not too good at them, but I love watching them.
My first job was… when I was 14 years old. I’ve done everything from selling shoes and delivering newspapers to working in construction and bartending.
My favorite escape… is yoga. That is my escapism. I am a certified yoga teacher and have traveled around the world practicing. It keeps me balanced.
My life… is about my family and continuing to push myself and business to new levels.
I’m currently working on… how to make the day-to-day tasks of our investors and partners easier. One of the goals of Stoa is to continuously have a positive impact on their businesses and lives.
Never… be afraid to challenge yourself.
Biggest Dream… being the best husband I can be, being the best leader that I can be, and soon being the best father that I can be.
My Pet Peeve(s)… I’m a pretty laid back guy, but I always want to be surrounded by people who have integrity.
Bio-on yourself/company: In 2018, Stoa was founded by Or Agassi and Tom Sella who have created property technology that enables real estate investors to quickly fix and flip their investment properties. Offering low-rate loans for up to 90% of a property’s value, Stoa funds hundreds of qualifying fix-and-flip transactions each year. The company provides an upfront sales contract and scope of work for renovations, leaving investors with a committed buyer and no surprises. After renovations are done, Stoa will close quickly (within five days), so investors can put their cash back to work sooner and start scaling their business. Stoa is headquartered in Phoenix, Arizona.
