Built by Margin with Laurie Chen
Built by Margin is the podcast at the intersection of risk, numbers, and decision-making for founders, CEOs, and high performers. Hosted by CPA, fractional CFO, and author of the upcoming book Risk Worthy, Laurie Chen, CPA, MBA, the show explores how better decisions create better businesses, stronger leadership, and more meaningful long-term outcomes. From financial strategy and entrepreneurship to intelligent risk-taking and growth, each episode helps you think sharper and build with intention.
Built by Margin with Laurie Chen
The Discipline Behind Smart Risk: Liquidity, Leadership & Lessons from UNC Basketball with Dewey Burke
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What happens when you’re wealthy on paper but the opportunity in front of you requires cash right now?
In Episode 58 of Built by Margin, Laurie sits down with Dewey Burke, founder and CEO of Luxury Asset Capital, to explore the intersection of liquidity, risk, entrepreneurship, and disciplined decision-making.
Dewey explains how Luxury Asset Capital built a billion-dollar lending business by helping entrepreneurs and high-net-worth individuals access capital against assets such as luxury cars, fine art, watches, jewelry, and collectibles. He shares why speed can dramatically change the value of a financing decision, including the story of a borrower who needed $600,000 in just 48 hours to close a real estate transaction.
The conversation also goes behind the numbers of scaling a financial services company: from raising institutional capital and acquiring competitors to evaluating loan portfolios, EBITDA, acquisition multiples, geography, and perhaps the hardest part of M&A: integrating people and culture.
Dewey also shares one of the biggest lessons he has learned as a founder: being entrepreneurial doesn’t mean saying yes to everything. As Luxury Asset Capital matured, he discovered that institutional investors often value clearly defined boundaries, repeatability, and discipline more than a willingness to pursue every possible opportunity.
Laurie and Dewey also discuss where AI belongs and where human judgment still matters. They explore the risks of relying too heavily on AI for legal, financial, and regulatory decisions, why accountability still ultimately sits with people, and how technology can support decision-making without replacing experienced professionals.
Finally, the conversation turns to basketball. A former walk-on at the University of North Carolina - Chapel Hill, Dewey shares the leadership lessons he learned from Hall of Fame coach Roy Williams, including the philosophy of treating people fairly, but not necessarily equally. He also tells an unforgettable story about hearing Michael Jordan speak privately to UNC players about how Carolina helped shape his belief that he could become one of the greatest players ever.
This episode is about more than capital. It’s about knowing when to move quickly, when to stay disciplined, how to lead different people differently, and why the best decisions still require human judgment.
Laurie Chen
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/lauriechencpamba/
LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/lauriechen/
Risk Worthy: https://www.riskworthy.co/
Dewey Burke
LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/deweyburke/
Luxury Asset Capital: Luxury Asset Capital