For years, I built my real estate portfolio like a secret agent — in the shadows, unseen, unheard, and definitely uncoached.
I had no community, no mastermind, no mentors.
Just me, my business partner (who was winging it the same way), and a truckload of stubbornness fueled by podcasts, YouTube, and the delusion that “I’ll figure it out.”
And honestly? We did figure some things out.
Very slowly.
Very painfully.
Very unnecessarily.
It wasn’t until July 2022 — the month I call “The Great Awakening” — that everything changed. I finally joined my first mastermind, and let me tell you:
It felt like I had been trying to win a NASCAR race on a tricycle for years, and someone finally handed me a set of keys to a stock car.
Since then, I’ve paid for coaches, mentors, and communities.
And the results?
Staggering.
More deals, better deals, bigger confidence, faster growth.
Not because magic happened.
Because I finally figured out a few key things — things I wish someone had slapped me with years ago.
Here they are:
1. Set Your Ego Down Before You Hurt Yourself
For a long time, my ego whispered sweet lies to me:
“You’re smart enough.”
“You don’t need help.”
“Books and podcasts are enough.”
“You’re basically the next Warren Buffett if he had YouTube.”
Here’s the truth:
My ego wasn’t protecting me. It was suffocating me.
Real growth started when I realized being “self-made” is mostly a myth — and mostly lonely.
Success skyrockets when you accept that other people can (and should) help you.
2. Be a Good Student (Yes, That Means Taking Action)
Getting advice and doing nothing with it is like buying a gym membership and thinking you’ll get abs by osmosis.
Good students don’t just listen. Good students move.
Every mentor, mastermind, and coach I’ve paid for poured knowledge into me — but it only mattered because I actually used it.
Listen. Take notes. Ask questions.
Then — and here’s the part most people miss — go do the damn thing.
3. Research Your Mentors Like They’re Dating Your Daughter
The real estate education space is like a Walmart clearance rack:
There are a few gems… and a whole lot of junk.
Charlatans are everywhere.
They slap together a flashy Instagram page, rent a Lambo for the day, and act like they’re the second coming of Rockefeller.
Here’s how I avoid the fakes:
I get to know people personally first.
Trust is earned, not marketed.
Two great examples for me:
Tim Bratz and Kelli Garrett.
Before I paid either of them, I knew who they were as people.
Their character showed up long before their invoice did.
And the value they’ve given me?
Absolutely priceless.
(And that’s saying something, because if you know me, you know I don’t even like paying extra for guac.)
4. Take Relentless Action (Not Just Relentless Selfies)
Joining a mastermind and thinking success will magically appear is like buying a treadmill and expecting it to make you fit just by parking it in your living room.
Proximity is a privilege — not a plan.
Michael Jordan didn’t become the GOAT by watching Dr. J dunk and then going home to nap.
He studied, trained, acted, failed, and kept acting.
Your mentor isn’t going to do the work for you.
They can show you the door — but you still have to kick it open, sprint through it, and build your dream on the other side.
5. Always, Always Be a Grateful Student
Even when you’re paying a coach or mentor, don’t forget:
They’re choosing to invest time and energy in you.
And time is the one thing even the richest person can’t get more of.
When Kelli Garrett coached me, she didn’t need my money.
(Spoiler alert: Kelli’s doing just fine.)
She charged me because when you pay, you pay attention.
The investment forced me to lock in, stay serious, and show up.
And I’ve stayed grateful.
Gratitude is the magic that keeps good mentors in your corner long after the official coaching period ends.
Say thank you. Mean it. Show it.
You’ll be amazed at how many doors that attitude keeps open.
Final Thoughts
If you’re trying to build something great — in business, fitness, life — stop doing it alone.
Find great mentors.
Join powerful communities.
Be coachable.
Take massive action.
And maybe most importantly…
Check your ego at the door, or it’s gonna check you.
I’m living proof:
Everything changed when I stepped out of the shadows and into the room.
And guess what?
The room is way more fun than the shadows.
(Also, the coffee’s better.)