Attorney Reveals Why Most Hotel Syndicators Are Breaking the Law | Bethany LaFlam E65
The Hotel Investor Playbook
Lessons from a failed $50M fund
Bethany shares mistakes: overcomplex structure, poor partner fit, and overlawyering that confused investors.
Most first-time hotel syndicators are already breaking the rules; they just don't know it yet. If you've ever taken money from friends and family without the right structure, you may have accidentally sold securities. And if you're paying someone just to raise capital? That's another violation waiting to happen.
In this episode, you'll learn exactly how to raise money for hotel deals without putting yourself or your investors at risk.
A securities attorney who's structured hundreds of capital raises and lost $1 million on her own failed fund shares the hard lessons that transformed how she builds partnerships today. Bethany LaFlam now co-owns a boutique resort in Belize and is building a luxury hospitality portfolio, all while helping Main Street operators avoid the costly legal mistakes she's seen kill deals.
In this episode, you'll discover:
- The #1 way sponsors accidentally break SEC rules (and how to stay compliant)
- Why 506B vs. 506C matters and how to choose the right structure for your raise
- The capital raiser compensation mistake that can get you investigated
- How to vet partners before you commit (including the exact questions to ask)
- Why "investor perks" like free hotel nights require careful legal structuring
- The mindset trap that kept her broke for years after a failed $50M fund
If you're planning to raise capital for a hotel deal, this episode could save you from a costly legal mistake or worse, an SEC investigation. Don't skip the compliance conversation.
About Bethany
Bethany LaFlam is a seasoned securities attorney, real estate investor, and Managing Partner at Premier Law Group, where she helps syndicators navigate complex SEC regulations to raise capital safely and effectively. With over two decades of legal experience, she champions the "Power of OPE" (Other People’s Everything), a strategic framework designed to help entrepreneurs scale their wealth and businesses without burnout. Bethany is also the author of the bestselling book The Power of OPE and the founder of the Conscious Capital Collective, a community dedicated to intentional wealth creation and luxury hospitality investing.
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