Founder · Okwin Capital

Cecily Shi.

From the trading floors of international commerce to the doorsteps of real estate opportunity, my journey has been anything but conventional, and I wouldn't have it any other way.

Cecily Shi
Origin

How I got here.

Since 2000, I have built a career in international trade, navigating global markets with precision, adaptability, and an entrepreneurial spirit that refuses to settle.

My corner of that world has been wholesale supply: sourcing, importing, and building the kind of supplier relationships that hold up across continents and decades. Two and a half decades of doing that has shaped how I now look at every multifamily opportunity, the same eye for counterparty risk, the same patience for due diligence, the same comfort with complex deals that don't fit a template.

In 2016, I added a new dimension to that foundation: I stepped into real estate investing. And everything changed.

What started with single-family homes, small multifamily properties, and short-term rentals wasn't just about returns. It was about proof. Proof to myself, and most importantly, to my two sons, that life bends toward those who are intentional, creative, and willing to do the work.

Desire backed by discipline creates freedom.

Now, as my journey evolves into large multifamily syndications and large-scale investing, I carry everything I've learned with me, the resilience from two decades in international trade, the creativity from building a diverse real estate portfolio, and the fire of a mother who refuses to let her sons inherit a ceiling.

Career arc

A non-linear path that all leads here.

2000, Present
International Wholesale Trade

Two and a half decades sourcing, importing, and managing supplier relationships across global markets. The discipline of cross-border counterparty risk, complex transactions, and patient relationship-building is what now informs every multifamily underwrite.

2016, Present
Real Estate Investor

Built a portfolio across single-family homes, small multifamily properties, and short-term rentals, one property at a time. A decade of hands-on operating taught what spreadsheets cannot: how a property actually generates cash, where execution risk hides, and what makes a sponsor worth partnering with.

2026, Present
Multifamily Syndications

Evolution into large multifamily, applying twenty-five years of operating discipline and a decade of hands-on real estate experience to a larger asset class. Okwin Capital is the firm built to do that work, with the kind of investor relationships that hold up over the long arc.

Why I do this

My mission is simple.

To show others the power of action.

Because financial freedom isn't just about numbers on a balance sheet, it's about buying back your most precious resource: time.

Time with the people who matter most. Time to be present, intentional, and fully alive in the moments that no investment portfolio can replace.

I have always believed that financial independence isn't a privilege reserved for the few, it is a path available to anyone willing to pursue it on their own terms. That belief is what drives me every single day.

Through my expertise in multifamily syndications and years of building across asset classes, I am here to walk alongside you, helping you take the bold, informed steps that transform dreams into real, lasting freedom.

Act boldly. Build intentionally. Live fully, with the ones who make it all worth it.
Why I invest

Three reasons I keep showing up.

01 · Time & Family

The most valuable currency isn't money, it's time.

Multifamily syndication allows me to build wealth through collaboration and shared expertise, freeing up what no investment strategy can manufacture: quality time with my family. When your portfolio works as a team, so can you.

02 · Passive Income

True passive income isn't a myth, it's a strategy.

While I sleep, my investments are working. Multifamily assets generate consistent, reliable cash flow without requiring my daily presence. That's the definition of financial freedom, money that moves independently of your time and energy.

03 · Legacy & Security

Equity built today becomes the foundation my family stands on tomorrow.

There's a profound peace of mind in knowing the equity growing inside my investments is quietly securing my family's future. Multifamily syndication doesn't just build wealth, it builds certainty, stability, and a legacy that outlasts any single deal.

The Capital Raiser

The Capital Raiser Who Refused to Stay Quiet.

Now, as my journey evolves into large multifamily syndications, I have discovered one of my greatest strengths, and one of my greatest personal challenges: raising capital.

I was raised to live humbly and stay quiet. For a long time, that little girl followed those rules.

But she is gone now.

As a capital raiser, I push myself beyond every comfort zone I once accepted:

01

I reconnect intentionally.

I reach back out to people I haven't spoken to in years, former colleagues, trade partners, old friends, because meaningful relationships are dormant gold. A simple, genuine conversation can open doors that no cold pitch ever could.

02

I get comfortable talking about money.

In many cultures and households, money is a silent subject. I break that silence, not with arrogance, but with clarity and care, because financial illiteracy is one of the greatest inequalities of our time.

03

I think outside the box.

I explore unconventional investor profiles, women re-entering the workforce, first-generation wealth builders, busy professionals who have never heard of syndications, because the best opportunities often live where others aren't looking.

04

I speak up against inequality.

When I see financial gaps, particularly for women and children, I don't look away. I use my platform, my network, and my voice to make sure underrepresented communities have a seat at the table and a stake in the deal.

05

I lead with education, not pressure.

The most powerful thing I can offer an investor isn't a pitch, it's understanding. When people truly grasp how large multifamily syndications build passive income and generational wealth, the decision becomes their own, and that's exactly how it should be.

What I bring

What I bring to every deal.

Built on 25+ years of international business, deep community roots, and an unshakable mission, here's what partners and investors gain when they work with me.

Capital Network & Investor Relations

A trusted network of business owners and entrepreneurs across the U.S., built over 25 years of hands-on international trade. Relationships forged in loyalty, not just transactions.

LP Onboarding & Education

I meet investors where they are, especially first-generation wealth builders and underrepresented communities, guiding them from curiosity to confident, committed LPs.

Multicultural Outreach

Fluent in bridging cultural and language barriers, I reach investor communities that traditional capital raisers overlook, unlocking untapped pools of aligned capital.

Deal Marketing & Storytelling

With a natural gift for connecting people to purpose, I translate complex syndication deals into compelling narratives that inspire action and build investor confidence.

Business Owner Investor Pipeline

A direct line to hardworking entrepreneurs, many of whom have never been introduced to passive real estate investing, seeking smarter ways to protect and grow what they've built.

Mission-Driven Capital Raising

I don't just raise capital, I raise awareness, equity, and opportunity for women, minorities, and families who deserve a seat at the wealth-building table.

Who I build for

If any of this sounds like you, you're in the right place.

The most rewarding conversations I have aren't with investors who already know everything, they're with the ones the industry usually overlooks. The ones who weren't taught this in school. The ones who weren't invited into the room. If you're any of these, let's talk.

Women re-entering or rebuilding.

You've taken a career break, gone through a transition, or are building wealth on your own terms for the first time. You're done apologizing for needing time, space, or a real explanation. Multifamily can be a powerful piece of what you're building next.

First-generation wealth builders.

You didn't inherit a portfolio, you're constructing one. You want assets that produce real cash flow, not just growth on paper. You want partners who explain things plainly, not in industry shorthand.

Busy professionals new to syndications.

You earn well, you've maxed your 401(k), and your CPA keeps mentioning real estate. You don't have time to chase deals, you want a partner who already vets them and explains the trade-offs clearly. Passive multifamily was built for you.

Process

How I work with investors.

01 · A real conversation, first.

Every investor relationship starts with a 30-minute introductory call. We talk about your goals, your portfolio, and whether multifamily fits. No pitch deck.

02 · Get on the investor list.

If there's mutual fit, you join Okwin's investor list. From there, you receive periodic updates on the asset class, my thinking, and, when the timing is right, invitations to specific opportunities.

03 · Invest when it actually makes sense.

Okwin doesn't push deals. When an opportunity comes that matches your profile, you'll see the full underwrite, the sponsor's history, and have time to ask questions. Or skip it. The list isn't a treadmill.

Co-GP Partners

The operators I work with.

Okwin doesn't operate properties, we partner with sponsors who do. The operators we co-invest and raise alongside have multi-cycle track records, conservative debt structures, and a culture of communication that matches ours.

Two Tower Capital

Corey Petros & Aaron Gray

Operating partners on multifamily syndications. Two Tower Capital brings the multi-cycle operating track record, conservative debt structuring, and quarterly investor communication culture we hold every partnership to.

Visit twotowercapital.com →

Additional operating partners are introduced during the introductory call as deal-specific opportunities arise.

The next step

Have a conversation with Okwin Capital.

A 30-minute introductory call is the simplest way to learn about Okwin Capital's approach and whether passive multifamily investing is a fit for your portfolio. No pitch, no pressure.

Schedule an Investor Call