Business

How To Build An Empire With Your Favorite People

Published

3 years ago

March 8, 2022

Imagine starting a new company with your best friend. For many, the idea of working closely with someone they know sounds appealing—the perfect recipe for entrepreneurial success. For others, it sounds like a recipe for disaster.

Despite the differing opinions, history has provided examples of high-profile partnerships that have worked tremendously. Think Ben and Jerry’s or Hewlett-Packard.

Friends understand the vision and endure setbacks

Given that friends already understand each other’s subtle signals, there is less chance of being offended, or surprised, by someone’s communication style. Friends can detect and read intentions with greater ease. Moreover, companions tend to have ‘history’—whether from working in the same industry, sharing life experiences or educational paths—which gives them a particular outlook, and, therefore, the ability to agree on the direction of the business.

Emerging research suggests businesses founded by friends in the startup sector are more likely to prevail under financial pressure. When companies go through financial loss, or lack of funding, existing partnerships within management help to solidify the team. Conversely, teams composed of ‘strangers’ were found to be less likely to endure financial storms.

Kortney Murray, CEO and Founder of Coastal Kapital LLC—a commercial equipment and asset-based lending company—has become a leader in the financial services industry by building her core team with friends and associates.

“My company is molded around the people that I care for most,” says Murray. “Although I’ve never had children, my management team has become a part of my ‘family’. We co-create vision, we have fun, and we share in the fruit of our success. As we grow, I add to the team those who feel like the ‘right fit’.”

Is this person the ‘right fit’ for your company?

Working with friends does have its unknowns. How will people act or perform in any given scenario? To avoid this, some specialists advise ‘dating’ a prospective employee, running through a number of business scenarios in an attempt to gauge strengths and weaknesses. Whilst Murray describes her approach to people as ‘empathic’—understanding needs and reading emotions—she has also invested in a highly sophisticated screening tool that measures one’s ‘culture index’.

Murray explains: “The index provides a deep insight into natural ability, creativity and best-fit within the organization. It highlights stress points and helps me to anticipate when someone might feel stretched. The mathematical index is based on sound science and removes much of the guesswork, so I don’t have to try and be ‘psychic’. I can focus my energy on growing the company, whilst getting the best from each employee.”

Never assume you know what others are thinking

Assuming you know what someone is thinking, planning or feeling is one of the most common mistakes when it comes to teaming up with friends. Murray, for example, would once have described her best friend from college as being “the same person”.

“We are so vibrant, excited, and constantly laughing,” Murray continues, ”but, in fact, she absolutely can’t stand sales or being on the phone. She’s timid in her approach…If I had not asked those probing questions at the outset, I would have hired her for sales!”

Preserve friendships and prioritize marriage

Balance, like most areas of life, can be difficult to achieve. As the ‘boss’, how can you have the tough conversations with people you know, without jeopardizing relationships. To keep potential friction to a minimum, Murray advocates “being sensitive to employee needs”. She explains: “I don’t like to micromanage. They respect my business, I respect their time. It’s a mutual agreement. If you have to finish up early because you have family matters to attend to, it’s fine as long as we maintain that level of trust and respect.”

For any would-be entrepreneur, the toughest challenge must be working with family members. Business spats can quickly spill-over into home life and place added strain on relationships. Murray is quick to point out the reality of growing a business alongside her husband: “We’ve had 12 years of marriage; 10 of those in business together. He probably takes on more than he should; I should allow him a little bit more space. Although we work well together, I want to find time to date my husband again. In some ways, our business has taken away from our personal life.”

Murray continues: “Entrepreneurs are often guilty of forgetting about themselves. You ask everybody about themselves, but sometimes people don’t ask you about you. You have to be the strong one. I’m really trying to make time for myself. If I’m thriving, it’s going to have a positive impact on others.”

Business

13 Reasons Investors Are Watching Phoenix Energy’s Expansion in the Williston Basin

Published

6 hours ago

April 23, 2025

Matthew Wiles

As energy security becomes a growing priority in the United States, companies focused on domestic oil production are gaining attention from investors. One such company is Phoenix Energy, an independent oil and gas company operating in the Williston Basin, a prolific oil-producing region spanning North Dakota and Montana.

Phoenix Energy has established itself as a key player in this sector, expanding its footprint while offering structured investment opportunities to accredited investors. Through Regulation D 506(c) corporate bonds, the company provides investment options with annual interest rates ranging from 9% to 13%.

Here are 13 reasons why Phoenix Energy is attracting investor interest in 2025:

1. U.S. energy production remains a strategic priority

The global energy landscape is evolving, with a renewed focus on domestic oil and gas production to enhance economic stability and reduce reliance on foreign energy sources. The Williston Basin, home to the Bakken and Three Forks formations, continues to play a critical role in meeting these demands. Phoenix Energy has established an operational footprint in the basin, where it is actively investing in development and production.

2. Investment opportunities with fixed annual interest rates

Phoenix Energy bonds offer accredited investors annual interest rates between 9% and 13% through Regulation D 506(c). These bonds help fund the company’s expansion in the Williston Basin, where it acquires and develops oil and gas assets.

3. Record-breaking drilling speeds in the Williston Basin

Phoenix Energy has made significant strides in drilling efficiency, ranking among the fastest drillers in the Bakken Formation as of late 2024. By reducing drilling times, the company aims to optimize operations and improve overall production performance.

4. Expansion of operational footprint

Since becoming an operator in September 2023, Phoenix Energy has grown rapidly. As of March 2025, the company has 53 wells drilled and 96 wells planned over the next 12 months.

5. Surpassing production expectations

Phoenix Energy’s oil production has steadily increased. By mid-2024, its cumulative production had exceeded 1.57 million barrels, outpacing its total output for 2023. The company projected an exit rate of nearly 20,000 barrels of oil equivalent per day by the end of March 2025.

6. High-net-worth investor offerings

For investors seeking alternative investments with higher-yield opportunities, Phoenix Energy offers the Adamantium bonds through Reg D 506(c), which provides corporate bonds with annual interest rates between 13% and 16%, with investment terms ranging from 5 to 11 years, and a minimum investment of $2 million.

7. Experienced team with industry-specific expertise

Phoenix Energy’s leadership and technical teams include professionals with decades of oil and gas experience, including backgrounds in drilling engineering, land acquisition, and reservoir analysis. This level of in-house expertise supports the company’s ability to evaluate acreage, manage operations, and execute its long-term development plans in the Williston Basin.

8. Focus on investor communication and understanding

Phoenix Energy prioritizes clear investor communication. The company hosts webinars and provides access to licensed professionals who walk investors through the business model and operations in the oil and gas sector. These efforts aim to help investors better understand how Phoenix Energy deploys capital across mineral acquisitions and operated wells.

9. Managing market risk through strategic planning

The energy sector is cyclical, and Phoenix Energy takes a structured approach to risk management. The company employs hedging strategies and asset-backed financing to help mitigate potential fluctuations in the oil market.

10. Commitment to compliance

Phoenix Energy conducts its bond offerings under the SEC’s Regulation D Rule 506(c) exemption. These offerings are made available exclusively to accredited investors and are facilitated through a registered broker-dealer to support adherence to federal securities laws. Investors can review applicable offering filings on the SEC’s EDGAR database.

11. Recognition for business practices

As of April 2025, Phoenix Energy maintains an A+ rating with the Better Business Bureau (BBB) and is a BBB-accredited business. The company has also earned strong ratings on investor review platforms such as Trustpilot and Google Reviews, where investors often highlight clear communication and transparency.

12. A family-founded business with a long-term vision

Led by CEO Adam Ferrari, Phoenix Energy operates as a family-founded business with a focus on long-term investment strategies. The company’s leadership emphasizes responsible growth and sustainable development in the Williston Basin.

13. Positioned for long-term growth in the oil sector

With U.S. energy demand projected to remain strong, Phoenix Energy is strategically positioned for continued expansion. The company’s focus on efficient drilling, financial discipline, and structured investment offerings aligns with its goal of building a resilient and growth-oriented business.

Final thoughts

For investors looking to gain exposure to the U.S. oil and gas sector, Phoenix Energy presents an opportunity to participate in a structured alternative investment backed by the company’s operational expansion in the Williston Basin.

Accredited investors interested in learning more can attend one of Phoenix Energy’s investor webinars, which are hosted daily throughout the week. These sessions provide insights into market trends, risk management strategies, and investment opportunities.

For more information, visit the Phoenix Energy website.

Phoenix Capital Group Holdings, LLC is now Phoenix Energy One, LLC, doing business as Phoenix Energy. The testimonials on review sites may not be representative of other investors not listed on the sites. The testimonials are no guarantee of future performance or success of the Company or a return on investment. Alternative investments are speculative, illiquid, and you may lose some or all of your investment. Securities are offered by Dalmore Group member FINRA/SIPC. Dalmore Group and Phoenix Energy are not affiliated. See full disclosures.

This article contains forward-looking statements based on our current expectations, assumptions, and beliefs about future events and market conditions. These statements, identifiable by terms such as “anticipate,” “believe,” “intend,” “may,” “expect,” “plan,” “should,” and similar expressions, involve risks and uncertainties that could cause actual results to differ materially. Factors that may impact these outcomes include changes in market conditions, regulatory developments, operational performance, and other risks described in our filings with the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission. Forward-looking statements are not guarantees of future performance, and Phoenix Energy undertakes no obligation to update them except as required by law.