<div> <p>Willy Walker joins Onward to share how he scaled a small, local mortgage shop into a national real estate finance platform—what he got right, what he’d do differently, and the leadership lessons he learned the hard way. We talk about the pivotal decisions that unlocked Walker &amp; Dunlop’s growth, how to lead through a crisis (2008 and COVID), what it <em>really</em> means to be a public-company CEO, and why he’s cautiously optimistic heading into 2026.</p><p>—<br>For a deeper dive into these insights and more, be sure to listen to the full episode of the Onward podcast.</p><p>Have questions or feedback about this episode? Drop us a note at [email protected]. <br><em><br>Onward </em>is hosted by Ben Miller, co-founder and CEO of <a href="http://fundrise.com">Fundrise</a>. Podcast production by The Podcast Consultant. Music by Seaplane Armada. </p><p>About Fundrise <br>With over 2 million users, Fundrise is America's largest direct-to-investor alternative asset investment platform. Since 2012, our mission has been to build a better financial system by empowering the individual. We make it easier and more efficient than ever for anyone to invest in institutional-quality private alternative assets — all at the touch of a button. </p><p>Please see <a href="http://fundrise.com/oc">fundrise.com/oc</a> for more information on all of the Fundrise-sponsored investment funds and products, including each fund’s offering document(s). <br>Want to see the specific assets that make up and power Fundrise portfolios? Check out our active and past projects at <a href="http://www.fundrise.com/assets">www.fundrise.com/assets</a>.</p></div>