How Rosie Noel Helps Entrepreneurs Hack Their Strengths to Raise $100M+ and Attract Top Talent

Why This Conversation Matters for Affordable Housing Leaders

If you are an affordable housing investor, developer, or advocate, you know that raising capital and building teams are the lifeblood of sustainable projects. Yet, many people assume that only “natural salespeople” can raise money or that only extroverts can attract partners. That myth stops here.

In this episode of the Affordable Housing & Real Estate Investing Podcast, host Kent Fai He sits down with Rosie Noel, an executive coach and CliftonStrengths expert, to unpack how understanding your natural talents can transform the way you raise capital, collaborate with partners, and scale your impact. Rosie has coached leaders across corporate America and now works with entrepreneurs, including real estate investors, to help them leverage their unique strengths to achieve extraordinary outcomes.

What is CliftonStrengths and Why Should Investors Care?

If you’re wondering “What is CliftonStrengths and how does it apply to affordable housing?”—here’s the answer.

CliftonStrengths, created by Gallup, identifies 34 themes across four domains: Influencing, Executing, Relationship Building, and Strategic Thinking. Instead of focusing on fixing weaknesses, it teaches you how to double down on your strengths and apply them to your mission.

For affordable housing investors, this means:

• Identifying whether you’re best at influencing investors, executing projects, building community trust, or designing long-term strategies.
  
  

• Learning how to raise capital in a way that feels natural to you instead of forcing yourself into a mold.
  
  

• Attracting the right teammates who complement your gaps.
  
  

As Rosie explains, “Everybody has talent. It’s just a matter of understanding what you’re most talented at and using those strategically.”

Can Anyone Raise Capital, or Is It Only for Natural Influencers?

A common question is: “If I’m not a natural extrovert, can I still raise capital?”

Rosie breaks down why the answer is absolutely yes.

• Influencers (orange) move fast and wide with people, great for casting a broad net.
  
  

• Strategic Thinkers (green) go slower, but they go deeper, showing investors thoughtful roadmaps and well-considered strategies.
  
  

• Executors (purple) build trust by delivering on promises and showing strong operational control.
  
  

• Relationship Builders (blue) cultivate long-term trust and loyalty through authenticity and depth.
  
  

Each path can raise millions. The method just looks different. As Rosie notes, “If you’re high futuristic, you help investors see what’s possible. If you’re high responsibility, you build trust by showing them you’ll do what you say. If you’re high positivity, you inspire confidence that no matter the challenges, you’ll figure it out.”

How Strengths Apply to Affordable Housing Development

Affordable housing is complex. It requires financing, construction, partnerships, and community trust. Here’s how the four domains can play out in real estate:

• Influencing: Convincing city officials, lenders, or private investors that your project will succeed.
  
  

• Strategic Thinking: Mapping out multiple funding strategies, contingency plans, and long-term sustainability models.
  
  

• Executing: Overseeing construction timelines, contractor performance, and compliance.
  
  

• Relationship Building: Working with community groups, nonprofits, and tenants to build lasting trust.
  
  

Kent points out that without executors on his team, even the best pitches wouldn’t matter. “If I can’t communicate how we’re going to execute on a business plan, there is no capital to attract to the deal.”

Key Insights from Rosie Noel

• Discomfort vs. De-energizing: Working in your strengths will challenge you, but it shouldn’t drain you. If you feel drained, you’re probably forcing yourself to operate from weaknesses.
  
  

• Belief Drives Purpose: If you have high belief, you’ll raise capital by aligning with investors who share your values. That’s why so many mission-driven investors fund affordable housing projects.
  
  

• Collaboration Multiplies Results: No single strength does it all. Pairing high influencers with high strategics, or executors with relationship builders, creates balance and sustainability.
  
  

• Strengths Build Teams: Understanding where your teammates shine prevents burnout and helps place “the right jerseys on the right players.”
  
  

• Capital Raising is Personal: Whether you attract investors through logic, emotion, or shared purpose, the key is to raise capital in a way that aligns with your strengths.
  
  

Best Quotes from Rosie Noel

• “Everybody has talent. It’s just a matter of understanding what you’re most talented at and using those strategically.”
  
  

• “There’s a difference between discomfort and de-energizing. Discomfort means growth. De-energizing means you’re forcing yourself into the wrong lane.”
  
  

• “High responsibility people build trust because they feel a duty to tell you the good and the bad. They want to make sure you know exactly what’s at stake.”
  
  

• “Positivity means you can inspire confidence that whatever happens, you’ll figure it out and keep moving forward.”
  
  

Common Questions This Episode Answers

Q: Can introverts raise capital for affordable housing projects?
Yes. You don’t need to be a natural salesperson. Strategic thinkers and executors raise capital by showing investors roadmaps, data, and disciplined follow-through.

Q: What if I’m not disciplined or consistent?
Rosie shows that you can “hack” discipline by aligning it with your strengths. For example, Kent used his strength in belief to hold himself accountable by posting daily deal analysis online.

Q: How do I know if I’m burning out?
If you feel de-energized instead of simply uncomfortable, you’re probably working outside your strengths. Burnout often comes from achievers and responsibility-driven people taking on too much.

Q: Which strengths are most helpful for raising capital?
Influencing themes are the most natural fit, but belief, futuristic, strategic, and responsibility can all be powerful capital-raising tools.

Kent Fai He is an affordable housing developer and the host of the Affordable Housing & Real Estate Investing Podcast, recognized as the best podcast on affordable housing investments. Through episodes like this with Rosie Noel, he equips investors, developers, and advocates with the mindset and skills to fund and scale projects that create lasting community impact.

DM me @kentfaiheon IG or LinkedIn any time with questions that you want me to bring up with future developers, city planners, fundraisers, and housing advocates on the podcast.