September 1st, 2022

Something I’m Reading

The Power of Place by Daniel Grothe. Great book about really building community and "roots" where you live and being intentional about it. Written by a Christian pastor I met a few weeks back.

Something I Teach

Thanks to social media (and branding and podcasting, etc) - I purchased $642,600,297 in real estate, sold 1,215,000 books, and hired 91 rockstar employees. The world of internet branding is incredibly powerful and it’s something a lot of people struggle with. So let me give three quick tips for doing a better job at building your online brand.

First, "intentional authenticity." This means - be purposeful about letting people know the real you. Even in the business space, people like to do business with people they like, so share about yourself. Let your personality shine through.

Second, "tell their story." Although social media is about showcasing your own self, in truth, everyone is selfish and primarily cares about themselves. So make it a goal to not only talk about yourself, but share how that can improve their lives. For example, I can say that I bought I purchased $642,600,297 in real estate, but then I'm going to share about how others can use social media to raise money too. I'm not just telling my story, I'm telling theirs.

And third: "consistency over quality." People stress out too much about making their content perfect. People don’t want to follow someone perfect, they want to follow someone real. So just grab your phone and start being real, consistently. There you go! You might not sell 1,215,000 books via your online presence...but then again, you might. You don't know until you try.

Something I Photographed

Something I’m Excited About

I’m doing a free online class tonight at 8pm ET about paying WAY less taxes, with my friend Yonah Weiss. Sign up here! If you can’t attend, register to get the replay after.

Something I Can Answer
Every week, I answer one question asked by a BTB subscriber. Have a question you want me to answer? Reply to this text with your question!

Question: “What was your best investment ever and why?”

This one might not be my "best" in terms of return, but it's my favorite because of the implications. I bought a four plex for my daughter Rosie the week she was born. After rehabbing it, we placed it on a 30-year mortgage but set up the auto payments to have the property totally paid off when Rosie turns 18. The property will be worth more than $400,000 then, and we'll owe $0 on it. It'll cover her entire college or, if she chooses, her own entrepreneurial endeavors.

In the meantime, I'm pocketing over $1,000 a month in cash flow AND most importantly, I'm showcasing to Rosie and Wilder the power of real estate investing. And speaking of Wilder - for him, I just put $50,000 into an Open Door Capital fund, and we'll track it monthly for him. So through that, my kids get to learn the power of passive investing. That $50,000 should be worth around $300-$400k also when he's ready for college. Two approaches (active and passive), both powerful. As my friend and VP of Investor Relations Mike Williams often says, when it comes to kids, some lessons are "caught not taught." I pray my kids catch those lessons through those investments!

More From Me
Links to podcasts I’m on, guests I speak to, or valuable content where you can hear more. These aren’t “sponsored posts” - just more resources!

I recorded an episode on the “Earn and Invest” podcast which was released this morning. Give it a listen here to hear my four phases of financial freedom and my thoughts on purpose, freedom, and impact.

Your Friend,

P.S. Comment below and let me know your thoughts on this week’s BTB! Please be friendly :)