Financial Freedom Through Faith And Opportunity

From professional hockey to leading a multi-million-dollar investment firm, Zane Schartz’s journey is nothing short of inspiring. In this conversation, he shares how his experiences on the ice shaped his career in commercial real estate, his vision for Freedom Commercial Real Estate, and his passion for helping others achieve financial freedom. Discover the values, strategies, and ambitions that drive Zane’s success and his mission to make an impact beyond business.

Can You Give Us a Little Bit of a Background on How You Got Your Start in Real Estate?

I started about six years ago as a summer intern in college at WolfeInvestments. Kenny Wolfeis the president here. I worked for them that summer, and throughout college, I did underwriting and analysis. We also own a property management company, Allied Property Management, where I worked during college doing all the pro formas. I learned the multi-family underwriting side, analyzing deals, and got to see both the investment and operational sides. After that, I went on to play professional hockey for three seasons in North America and Europe—living in Budapest, Finland, Canada, and the States.

When COVID hit, that was kind of my sign to move on from hockey, so I joined WolfeInvestments full-time about three and a half years ago. Since then, I've been part of the company's growth. Now, I'm the Chief Investment Officer at Wolfe and the president of Freedom Commercial Real Estate, a company I started that runs cash-flow-focused investment funds across the country.

Where Was the Impetus for You Starting Your Own Company?

From a young age, I knew I didn’t want to work for anyone else. When I first started my internship at WolfeInvestments, I told Kenny Wolf, the president of the company, that my long-term goal was to eventually start something on my own. I’ve always had that entrepreneurial spirit and a desire to create something for myself.

My focus from the beginning was to learn as much as I could and get paid to learn along the way. I knew that every experience at Wolfe Investments would contribute to the bigger picture of what I wanted to build in the future. Kenny has been an incredible mentor, and he’s given me the freedom to grow. What’s unique about Kenny is that he’s not just supportive—he’s empowered me to pursue my own vision while still contributing to Wolf.

Kenny’s generosity and trust have been instrumental. He’s allowed me to start Freedom Commercial Real Estate while staying at Wolfe, and he’s even brought me into the ownership side of the company. That kind of mentorship and flexibility is rare, and I’m truly grateful for it. It’s given me the foundation to launch my own business while continuing to grow alongside an incredible team.

Where Did the Idea for Freedom Commercial Real Estate Come From, and What Does the Name Mean to You?

Freedom Commercial Real Estate was created to acquire cash-flowing assets across the country, allowing investors to achieve financial freedom and do the things they love. Financial freedom is something I’m really passionate about—helping people retire or become work-optional through multiple streams of income.

Unlike Wolfe Investments, which focuses more on value-add multi-family plays and development deals that may not cash flow immediately, my funds are specifically designed to cash flow from day one. A key difference in my funds is that we reinvest refinance proceeds into the fund for compounding growth.

The name ‘Freedom’ means a lot to me. It represents financial freedom, but also my faith. I’m a Christian, and freedom in Christ is incredibly important to me. One verse that inspired the name is, ‘Where the Spirit of the Lord is, there is freedom.’ My goal is to offer both financial freedom and share the freedom I’ve found in my faith.

Are You Still Playing Hockey Professionally or Otherwise?

I do still play for fun and stay active. I actually played professionally last season in Finland for about six weeks at the end of their season, covering regular season and playoffs. I’m likely going to play again this season.

On top of that, I’m in the process of buying part of a professional hockey team. It’s exciting to transition into the ownership side of things while continuing to play the sport I love.

What Is Freedom Commercial Real Estate Doing Differently?

Our funds focus on cash-flowing investments from day one. We also reinvest refinance proceeds to create compounding growth, which is different from most funds that return refinance proceeds directly to investors. This allows for steady, long-term cash flow while also building the fund’s value over time.

What Did You Take From Professional Hockey That Helps You in Real Estate?

Being an athlete instills characteristics like hard work, punctuality, accountability, and teamwork. At the professional level, those who excel are the ones who fine-tune their craft and dedicate extra time to rise to the top.

My time in hockey gave me a high threshold for work. Training four hours a day and focusing on the sport taught me how to stay laser-focused on goals. That same drive applies to my work now—going to the office for eight or nine hours a day feels easy in comparison.

What Are Your Goals for Wolfe Investments and Freedom Commercial Real Estate?

At Wolfe Investments, my goal is to make the company as great as it can be. I want to be a good steward of what I’ve been given and help Kenny grow what he’s built.

For Freedom Commercial Real Estate, my goal is to have $2–$3 billion under management in the next four to five years. This will come from various funds, including multi-family, commercial real estate, and potentially industrial funds.

Long-term, my ultimate goal is to create a nonprofit organization that funds missionaries worldwide. I want to build a bucket of money that keeps refilling through cash flow, supporting those spreading my faith.

What’s the Worst Job You’ve Ever Had?

I’ve only had two jobs—playing professional hockey and working for Kenny Wolf. If I had to pick, my favorite was playing hockey, so I guess working for Kenny would technically be the worst, but it was still great. My first paycheck ever came from playing hockey, and my parents supported me, so I didn’t have to work as a kid.

What’s a Book That Changed Your Life?

"You and Me Forever" by Francis Chan. It’s about marriage in light of eternity and having an eternal perspective on life. It changed the way I think about what’s truly important and what will matter in the long run.

What Skill or Talent Would You Like To Learn?

I’d love to learn to speak Italian. Italy is my favorite place in the world, and while most people there speak English, I’d like to become proficient enough to live there for a while.

What Does Success Mean to You?

Success is being a faithful steward of the gifts I’ve been given. It’s about using those gifts to tell people about the truth I believe in. I don’t have a specific financial number in mind; my goal is to give away as much money as possible to support missionaries and share the faith that changed my life.