80: From Iranian Immigrant to $200M in Deals: August Biniaz on Raising Capital and Building a Real Estate Fund

August Biniaz is one of those guests who makes the big leagues feel a little more reachable. If you're in the single-family world like me — rentals, fix-and-flips, maybe some ground-up — and you've ever wondered how people make the jump to raising money and running a real estate fund, this episode is for you. It's tactical, it's honest, and August's story is remarkable.August grew up in Iran, moved to Canada with his family in 1995, and went from upper-middle-class to starting over from scratch after his parents divorced. He got into real estate in his early 20s, did fix-and-flips, and built a general contracting company in Vancouver constructing custom and spec homes. After a decade of that, he wanted to scale into bigger projects — and discovered the world of real estate private equity and syndications. Today he's a co-founder and Chief Investment Officer of CPI Capital, which gives investors exposure to U.S. multifamily and build-to-rent deals. They've done five deals totaling over $200 million in acquisitions, with markets in Tampa and now San Antonio.We get really practical in this one. August walks through his "pyramid" of running a fund — acquisitions, asset management, and investor relations — and gives an honest look at his actual day-to-day as a CIO, including the weekly calls, the deal pipeline, and the systems his team runs on. He breaks down how the capital stack works (agency debt like Freddie Mac alongside retail and high-net-worth equity), how their investor funnel takes someone from a first form-fill all the way to a funded deal, and how he raises money from family offices and accredited investors. And if you're trying to make the leap yourself, his advice is simple: surround yourself with people already doing it, because success leaves clues.Near the end, we went somewhere we don't usually go on this show. August is an Iranian American, and he shared his perspective on the conflict involving Iran — both personally and as an investor watching oil prices, the Strait of Hormuz, and interest rates. Quick heads-up: we recorded this in early April, so that part is a snapshot of how things looked at that moment, and the situation has shifted a lot since. I found it valuable to hear straight from someone with roots there.One note: this episode discusses raising capital, funds, and private investments for educational purposes — it's not investment advice or an offer to invest. Do your own due diligence and talk to a licensed professional before making any decisions.My challenge to you: write down three things from this episode you want to act on, and DM me on Instagram to tell me what landed. And go connect with August and check out CPI Capital.Let's get into it.