FinTech And PropTech Company Tellus App Thrives With RobustTechnology And Team Development
Wealth building has long been viewed as the sole province of big businesses, established investment firms, and the already-wealthy—especially when it comes to real estate. There are reasons for that; the systems modern individuals have for building wealth through real estate are fragmented, opaque, and aimed toward established institutions more than lone savers. There are few opportunities for the everyday American to save toward ownership, manage a rental property, and access the capital needed to access real estate markets and build wealth on their terms.
The Tellus App was founded in 2016 to give those people the opportunity and access they otherwise lack. Tellus has dedicated themselves to building financial infrastructure capable of connecting the average citizen to the wealth-building power of real estate, all through user-led programs facilitated by the app’s systems. Tellus app blends the principles of high-yield savings, property management software, and asset-based lending to define a new personal finance system. Tellus does this not by being a bank—they’re not FDIC-insured—but by giving users a combined set of tools that lets clients set goals, engage with app systems, and drive their own outcomes.
Those tools are an outward sign of Tellus App’s inward focus on their own development and growth. Technology is the driving force of today’s markets, and Tellus has dedicated themselves to not just keeping up with new tech, but developing it themselves. Beyond technology, Tellus App is able to help its clients achieve their goals by putting time and effort into their team, their leadership, and their operational growth.
“We’re impact-driven and we operate as one team,” says Jeromee Johnson, President and CTO of Tellus. “People here aren’t motivated by activity. We’re motivated by the difference between a problem existing and a problem solved.”
Building Bridges To Wealth
Tellus App’s objective is to solve a problem that many in America struggle with: a lack of real access to real estate. For one of Tellus’ founders, the problem was that his lack of W-2 income (as he was an entrepreneur) presented an institutional barrier that kept him out of the US mortgage system, despite having funds. It’s a problem facing those with rental property portfolios, doctors and lawyers who own their own practice, and gig workers without set working hours. Because banks look for stability and reliability in their loans, and often rely on evaluating the credit scores of borrowers, these people are all but locked out of real estate ownership, and thus real wealth building. Tellus App aims to bridge this gap.
“Tellus exists to make the power of real estate work for everyone—not just the wealthy few who own it,” says Johnson. “Housing is the single largest driver of wealth creation and financial stability in American life, yet the systems built around it—saving, lending, and managing property—have historically been fragmented, opaque, and tilted toward institutional players.”
So how does an innovative fintech platform solve this problem? By combining a competitive savings platform with a business-purpose lending operation powered by asset-based residential real estate loans grounded in the value of the property. Through the app and the company’s Boost product, any American citizen can put their savings into Tellus to build better savings habits, improve their financial expertise, and actively impact their rewards. Tellus App also provides the tools that everyday savers, tenants, and landlords use to connect, building a financial ecosystem outside of the modern fascination with speculation—something important in today’s economic culture.
“The trend for financial services firms to keep tacking towards speculation—betting—rather than sound personal finance behavior is very concerning,” Johnson explains. “Tellus strongly believes in educating the U.S. about responsible financial management and savings. As we continue to grow and build, we want to show the value in real estate as a part of responsible financial planning and continue to be a counter-voice against the push towards more risk and economic fatalism.”
Internal Development Drives Operational Excellence
A core contributor to Tellus App’s ongoing growth, development, and adaptability within today’s markets is the company’s focus on developing both its technology and its team. The company isn’t staying informed about new trends or technologies by reading about it in journals or industry media, they’re staying informed by building with and around them. Tellus’ eager adoption and reflexive use of AI is but one example, and it’s the default starting point for the team. They’ve integrated AI into the company from top to bottom, and their key overall operating discipline is to focus on solving structural problems instead of wasting time chasing symptoms.
“Our Forge Labs program puts engineering and operations in the same room with a regular cadence to pressure-test what’s actually changing and how live customers are actually driving the product,” Johnson says. “The market itself tells you the truth faster than any report does.”
It can be hard to keep communications and objectives clear when everything moves so quickly, but the company is able to stay focused by managing toward clear outcomes, not mere motion. Part of that comes from the company’s appreciation for an ownership mindset, and the rest comes from clear communication. Tellus App looks for operators who run toward the difficult core of a problem rather than skirt around it, and especially prioritize those who can hold themselves to a high standard without needing to be managed into it. With those kinds of people on the team, everyone knows what ‘good’ outcomes look like, and that keeps feedback loops short so problems are diagnosed early and solved fast.
No matter how high quality a company’s employees may be, they’ll only go so far if they aren’t willing to learn, grow, and evolve. In Tellus’ case, they invest in their team both through robust benefits and through the foundational role of mentorship within the company. Even beyond events and resources made available through the company, Jeromee Johnson mentors CEOs and small business owners through the Helzber Entrepreneurial Mentoring Program in Kansas City. That mentorship experience comes right back to the Tellus Team, and is a driver of continual growth internally.
“We aim for the strong employees and then trust them with consequential problems,” explains Johnson. “Competitive compensation and flexibility matter, but those things are just table stakes. What retains people is a culture where their judgment is respected.”
