Forged In Fire

What if your biggest vacation frustration became your next business breakthrough? That's exactly what happened to Troy Evans, founder of LRVP (Luxury Residence Vacation Portfolio). After years in corporate America, Troy found himself increasingly annoyed by inconsistent vacation rentals that never matched their photos and failed to deliver the experience his family deserved. In this captivati...

When Radhika Rastogi purchased her first condo in Long Beach a decade ago, she never imagined it would spark a journey toward a multimillion-dollar senior living portfolio. Today, as co-founder and managing partner of Relik Capital Group, she oversees 300 senior housing units with more than $17 million under management—all while balancing a Fortune 20 corporate career and motherhood. The turning p...

Could mobile home parks be the most overlooked wealth-building opportunity in real estate? On this episode of the Forge In Fire Podcast , we sit down with Chad Freeman , Founder of MHPinvestors and commercial airline pilot, to explore how he turned a side hustle into a portfolio of more than 200 mobile home pads . Chad’s story started with a crash pad for fellow pilots and a duplex house hack — bu...

What does it take to trade a dream tech career for a life of financial freedom and purpose? On this episode of the Forge In Fire Podcast , we sit down with Georgy Marrero , founder of Equis Capital , whose journey spans from coding as a kid in the Dominican Republic to managing a $28M multifamily real estate portfolio . After teaching himself to code at age 9, Georgy left his home country at 18 wi...

What happens when you trade a secure healthcare career for the uncertainty of real estate? On this episode of the Forge In Fire Podcast , we’re joined by Lee Yoder , Founder & CEO of Threefold Real Estate Investing , whose journey from physical therapist to real estate syndicator shows the power of perseverance, partnerships, and methodical scaling. Lee’s story began in 2017 with a single hous...

What does it really take to thrive as an entrepreneur in today’s challenging real estate market? In this episode, we sit down with Lilian Chen , founder of Proptimal , the 10X real estate analyst platform for lean teams. Lilian’s experience spans multifamily, commercial, and hospitality deals, having advised on over $2B in transactions , including $100M+ acquisitions and major projects like the Io...

What happens when the security blanket of a 20-year career gets ripped away in an instant? For Stephen Predmore, a seasoned engineer in the automotive industry, that shocking moment became the catalyst for an extraordinary transformation in his financial future. Stephen's journey begins with a gut punch—his entire department walked out after two decades of service, shattering the illusion of...

Pricing your products or services is perhaps one of the most emotionally charged decisions entrepreneurs face. In this deeply insightful conversation with Etiosa, CEO of Decision Alpha, we uncover the psychological underpinnings of pricing strategy and how behavioral economics can transform business monetization. When asked what emotions come up around pricing, business owners typically respond wi...

What does it take to walk away from a stable job and build a multimillion-dollar lending business? Avery Robertson pulls back the curtain on his remarkable journey from cattle rancher to capital provider in this riveting conversation. Avery's story begins in the wide-open spaces of one of America's largest cattle ranches before transitioning to agricultural lending. All the while, a pass...

What does it really take to build a thriving real estate business while homeschooling kids and maintaining your sanity? Aisha Govani doesn't sugarcoat her answer: "100 hours a week for two years, seven days a week, no days off." But the freedom and future she's building make every grueling moment worthwhile. Growing up watching her contractor father covered in sawdust and paint...

What does it really take to thrive for three decades in real estate investment? Matt Burk, founder and CEO of VeraVest, pulls back the curtain on his remarkable journey from desperate entrepreneur to seasoned fund manager in this candid conversation that every investor needs to hear. Starting with just $10,000 borrowed at a staggering 21% interest rate in the early 1990s, Matt transformed necessit...

What does it really take to build generational wealth through real estate? Not flashy strategies or market timing secrets, but something far more foundational – something Jonathan Green learned walking properties as a toddler. Jonathan's journey begins with childhood weekends spent at yard sales, where his attorney father would scout potential properties while young Jonathan hunted for baseba...

What happens when someone with investigative skills meets the investment world? You get a powerful tool for protecting individual investors from fraud. Shane, founder of Aegis RSI, brings institutional-level due diligence down to earth for everyday investors. Shane's journey began in an unexpected place. Originally pursuing a career in law enforcement, a heart condition discovered during mili...

What happens when radio broadcasting skills meet real estate opportunity? Dave Cole's journey reveals how unexpected pivots can lead to entrepreneurial success when you're paying attention to the possibilities others miss. Dave's story begins in Chicago's radio industry, where a station sale forced him to reevaluate his path. This unexpected development led him to telecommunica...

What does it take to go from complete novice to successful commercial real estate investor? Beth Underhill's journey reveals it's not expertise, connections, or money—it's the courage to raise your hand and say "I can do that" even when you have no idea how. Beth and her husband's real estate adventure began unexpectedly in 2018 when a middle-of-the-night infomercial...

Todd Mitchell transforms cybersecurity for small businesses by bridging the gap between enterprise-level protection and solo entrepreneurs who lack resources but face the same legal requirements. Drawing from 20 years of Navy experience and advanced cybersecurity training, he focuses on protecting the most vulnerable business owners by taking a people-first approach rather than just securing netwo...

Ever felt that gnawing sensation—the one where you're working at your corporate job until 1 AM, only to go home and hustle on your side business until 4 AM? That entrepreneurial itch that just won't go away? Matt knows this feeling all too well. After nearly 11 years on Wall Street at prestigious institutions like Bank of America and UBS, Matt finally took the leap into entrepreneurship,...

What truly separates effective marketing from forgettable noise? The answer lies in powerful, persuasive copywriting – and few understand this craft better than Holly Seibert, founder of Holly Seibert Copywriting. In this captivating conversation, Holly shares her unconventional path from marketing major to HR professional to successful copywriting entrepreneur. After experiencing two corporate la...

Mark Schinski, CEO of Capital Companion, shares his journey from psychology and engineering studies to building a successful real estate investment firm with his business partner Joe. His background in construction combined with strategic partnerships has enabled him to tackle challenging properties that other investors avoid, turning the "worst houses" into profitable investments. • Bac...

Joe Frederick's real estate journey began with a teenage epiphany in a New Jersey beach house. "This is not the family type that I come from," he recalls thinking at 16, discovering the owner built wealth through real estate. That moment sparked a decade-long path from finance student to savvy entrepreneur. Frederick's tactical approach to building wealth started with house hac...

What happens when you find yourself crawling through an attic at 2AM, breathing insulation, and realize "this isn't it"? For Alejandro, that moment sparked a transformation from blue-collar HVAC technician to successful entrepreneur helping others access interest-free capital and harness the power of AI. Alejandro takes us through his journey of investing $40,000 in mentorships and...

Brian Briscoe never imagined he'd become a multifamily investor with $35 million in real estate holdings. After earning degrees in mathematics and serving 20 years in the military, his path took an unexpected turn when he realized the power of real estate investing. During a military deployment with limited outside communication, Brian found himself alone with a computer and spreadsheets, cal...

Jonna Weber transforms from a reluctant investor who viewed real estate as risky to a community leader and team builder with a thriving portfolio spanning decades of experience. Her journey illustrates how consistent action over time, learning from others, and pushing through fear creates lasting success in real estate investing. • Sold an underperforming property losing $800 monthly during a mark...

Jerome Myers shares his journey from corporate America dropout to entrepreneurship expert, revealing how he helps founders find post-exit fulfillment rather than just maximizing valuations.  • Built a $20 million division for a Fortune 550 company before leaving to pursue entrepreneurship • Created "the eight X's of a founder" framework to guide entrepreneurs through common pitfalls...

Nate and Cole share personal stories of their most challenging real estate moments and how they transformed these potential disasters into opportunities that strengthened their businesses and mindsets. • Nate recounts managing a duplex that caught fire when a child found a lighter and toilet paper • The catastrophe led Nate to purchase the property, get his GC license, and transform it into a prof...