CEO Pulse Podcast

In this episode of the Pulse Podcast, co-founders Miguel and Rudy of Acquired share their rapid growth in the California real estate market, tracking toward $300 million in sales volume and over 6 million in assignments for 2024. They discuss the transition from solo entrepreneurs to building a systematic real estate ecosystem that includes wholesaling, flipping, escrow, and staging. 𝗪𝗲 𝗱𝗶𝘃𝗲 𝗱𝗲𝗲𝗽...

In this episode of the CEO Pulse Podcast, real estate investing veteran David Olds shares his journey from reading "Rich Dad Poor Dad" in an airport to building the nation's largest transaction coordination company. With over 24 years of experience and 9,000+ transactions managed, David provides a raw look at the grit required to scale a service-based business and the critical import...

Join us for a deep dive into the entrepreneurial journey of real estate veteran Derek Jarr, who shares his experiences from starting out in 1996 to building a successful career across multiple real estate sectors. In this episode, Jarr discusses his early days of "hustle" following college, including his entry into fix-and-flips and pre-foreclosures in Phoenix. He offers unique insights...

In this episode of the CEO Pulse Podcast Brian and Gina Kingdeski, founders of the Green Light Buying Machine, break down their powerful PadSplit co-living strategy that transforms single-family homes into high-quality shared housing designed to maximize cash flow and address the affordable housing crisis. They explain how converting homes into 8–10 bedroom co-living spaces can generate $7,500–$10...

In this exciting episode of the CEO Pulse Podcast, I’m joined by Al Fuentes, a dynamic coach and mentor who has spent the last two decades guiding entrepreneurs, high-level CEOs, Fortune 500 companies, and professional athletes through transformative personal growth and performance improvement. 𝗔𝗹, a breathwork expert and energy coach, shares his fascinating journey from overcoming his own struggl...

In this exciting episode of the CEO Pulse Podcast, I'm joined by Victor Heredia, a dynamic real estate entrepreneur who's been making major strides in the industry. 𝗩𝗶𝗰𝘁𝗼𝗿, who entered the real estate scene in 2018, shares his fascinating journey from the produce business to wholesaling, fix and flip projects, and even hard money lending. He opens up about his evolution in the real estate...

In this powerful episode of the CEO Pulse Podcast, I'm joined by two incredible entrepreneurs, Stratton Brown and Dean Rogers, who are making waves in the real estate investing and wholesaling space. 𝗦𝘁𝗿𝗮𝘁𝘁𝗼𝗻, a former NFL player, shares his journey from the football field to entrepreneurship, revealing the lessons he learned while navigating massive setbacks and triumphs in his new career. 𝗗𝗲𝗮𝗻,...

In this inspiring episode of the CEO Pulse Podcast, I’m joined by the one and only Aaron Chapman. He’s been ranked in the top 1% of mortgage loan originators nationwide, closing over 100 transactions per month, with his impressive achievement of ranking #7 out of 1 million+ loan originators in 2022. 💼🔥 But that’s not all! Aaron is also the author of Redneckonomics — a powerful mindset-driven boo...

In this episode of the CEO Pulse Podcast, we sit down with Sandy J Moll, a seasoned entrepreneur and coach with over 30 years of experience. Sandy, along with her husband Dave, has built multiple successful businesses, including in real estate and lending, always with purpose and integrity. Sandy shares her faith-driven approach to entrepreneurship, how her values have shaped the success of her se...

In this episode of the CEO Pulse Podcast, we sit down with Jordan Samuel Fleming — Co-Founder & Chairman of smrtPhone, one of the most widely used communication platforms in real estate investing and business operations. Jordan Fleming breaks down how he built smrtPhone from $0 to $10M+ in revenue, scaled a global team, and did it all without outside funding. We talk SaaS, REI tech, Podio, AI...

Want to tap into your feminine energy and build a thriving business? In this episode, Rafael sits down with Joanna Vasquez—entrepreneur, insurance agency owner, and powerhouse leader—to discuss how she’s harnessed her feminine power to scale her business and empower other women. Joanna’s journey started with getting fired and led her to build a successful insurance agency. Now, she’s expanding int...

Want to build a lasting business with the right structure for healthy leverage? In this episode, Rafael sits down with Aaron Chapman—author, top 1% mortgage loan originator, and real estate financing expert—to break down how you can set up your business for success from day one. With over 25 years of experience, Aaron advises over 100 clients a month, helping them source and finance cash-flow posi...

CEO Pulse Mindset Monday Ep 88: How to Think BIG & the Magic of Possibilities with Justin Thorstad & Rafael Cortez In this episode of Mindset Monday, Rafael Cortez and Justin Thorstad dive deep into the power of thinking big and embracing the limitless potential that lies within us. They explore how expanding your mindset can open doors to opportunities beyond what you could ever imagine....

From High School → High 6 Figures (in under a year!) Rafael sits down with Joshua Douchee & Tyler Williams of Silverstone Capital (Chicago) to unpack how they went from a senior-year bathroom cold call to consistent deals and high 6 figures—fast. We cover:  1️⃣ Scrappy start: JV’ing “dead leads” and early novations that worked in overlooked markets  2️⃣ Role clarity that unlocked scale: ops vs...

𝗖𝗘𝗢 𝗣𝘂𝗹𝘀𝗲 𝗠𝗶𝗻𝗱𝘀𝗲𝘁 𝗠𝗼𝗻𝗱𝗮𝘆 𝗘𝗽 𝟴𝟳: 𝗧𝗵𝗲 𝗘𝗺𝗼𝘁𝗶𝗼𝗻𝗮𝗹 𝗜𝗻𝘁𝗲𝗹𝗹𝗶𝗴𝗲𝗻𝗰𝗲 𝗼𝗳 𝗮𝗻 𝗔𝗻𝘁𝗶-𝗙𝗿𝗮𝗴𝗶𝗹𝗲 𝗘𝗻𝘁𝗿𝗲𝗽𝗿𝗲𝗻𝗲𝘂𝗿 𝘄𝗶𝘁𝗵 𝗥𝗮𝗳𝗮𝗲𝗹 𝗖𝗼𝗿𝘁𝗲𝘇 & 𝗝𝘂𝘀𝘁𝗶𝗻 𝗧𝗵𝗼𝗿𝘀𝘁𝗮𝗱. In this episode of Mindset Monday, we explore what it really means to be anti-fragile — to thrive through adversity, chaos, and uncertainty instead of breaking under it. Rafael Cortez and Justin Thorstad break down the emotional intelligence behind the mindset of an...

CEO Pulse Mindset Monday Ep 86: The Power of Letting Go with Rafael Cortez & Justin Thorstad In this episode of Mindset Monday , we explore the art of letting go and how it can transform your personal and professional life. Whether it's shedding old habits, beliefs, or even past successes, we dive deep into the importance of releasing what's no longer serving you in order to make space...

𝗛𝗼𝘄 𝗱𝗼 𝘁𝗼𝗽 𝗱𝗶𝘀𝗽𝗼 𝘁𝗲𝗮𝗺𝘀 𝗺𝗼𝘃𝗲 𝗱𝗲𝗮𝗹𝘀 𝗳𝗮𝘀𝘁 𝗶𝗻 𝟮𝟬𝟮𝟱? Rafael sits down with Daniel McClam —Owner of Hawks Real Estate & Co-Founder of InvestorBase —to break down a no-fluff dispo playbook: ranking the most-likely buyers , phone-first outreach that 2–3x’s contact rates, and the systems that keep your pipeline moving even when the market tightens. Daniel scaled Hawks Real Estate to 10+ deals/month acr...

In this episode of Mindset Monday, we're diving deep into how you can stop getting in your own way.  Whether you're struggling with perfectionism, procrastination, or the fear of not being fully prepared, we break down the mental blocks that hold us back. Justin Thorstad and I  discuss how often we sabotage our own progress by overthinking, hesitating, or clinging too tightly to control. W...

In today’s episode, Rafael Cortez is joined by Amanda Webster , the Chief Revenue Officer at Accruity , a leading financial advisory firm. With over two decades of experience, Amanda shares her insights on how real estate investors and professionals can optimize their financial strategies to save money, grow their revenue, and navigate the complex world of taxes. Amanda Webster is an expert in fin...

From Refugee, to Real Estate Disruptor, Millionaire Maker and AI Maverick In today’s episode, we’re joined by Steve Trang, a real estate legend and founder of the Real Estate Disruptors Podcast. Steve shares his incredible journey from a refugee camp to building multiple businesses, closing thousands of deals, and leveraging AI in real estate lead generation. 🔥 Whether you’re a wholesaler, invest...

🎙️ Rafael Cortez Podcast - Direct Mail Mastery with Joshua Ax! 🚀 In today’s episode, we're joined by Joshua, a powerhouse in real estate investing with a focus on direct mail campaigns and wholesaling. Joshua shares his proven strategies that have led him to build a $5M+ portfolio and achieve 10X ROAS! 🔥 Whether you're new to wholesaling or looking to improve your direct mail game, this...

In this thought-provoking episode of the Rafael Cortez Podcast, we're joined by Tim Fergestad, a real estate expert with a unique background in neuroscience. He shares his incredible journey from obtaining a PhD in neuroscience to becoming a successful player in real estate syndication. 𝗪𝗲 𝗱𝗶𝘃𝗲 𝗱𝗲𝗲𝗽 𝗶𝗻𝘁𝗼: 1️⃣ How neuroscience principles influence real estate decisions. 2️⃣ The power of shiftin...

CEO Pulse Mindset Monday Ep 84: Navigating the Stop-and-Go Effect in Entrepreneurship In this episode of Mindset Monday , we're diving deep into the entrepreneurial journey and how to deal with the frustrating stop-and-go moments we all face. Whether it's distractions, creative avoidance, or getting stuck in a rut, we break down how to navigate these obstacles without losing momentum. Just...

🎙 𝗛𝗼𝘄 𝘁𝗼 𝗛𝗶𝗿𝗲 𝗬𝗼𝘂𝗿 𝗙𝗶𝗿𝘀𝘁 𝗧𝗿𝗮𝗻𝘀𝗮𝗰𝘁𝗶𝗼𝗻 𝗖𝗼𝗼𝗿𝗱𝗶𝗻𝗮𝘁𝗼𝗿 | 𝗞𝗶𝗿𝘀𝘁𝗲𝗻 𝗕𝗮𝗻𝗸𝘀 & 𝗥𝗮𝗳𝗮𝗲𝗹 𝗖𝗼𝗿𝘁𝗲𝘇 𝗣𝗼𝗱𝗰𝗮𝘀𝘁 In this enlightening episode of the Rafael Cortez Podcast, we’re joined by Kirsten Banks, a seasoned expert in transaction coordination with over 20 years in the real estate industry. She’s here to share her invaluable insights on the role of a transaction coordinator (TC) and why hiring the right one is k...

🎙 𝗦𝗰𝗮𝗹𝗶𝗻𝗴 𝗦𝗲𝗿𝘃𝗶𝗰𝗲 𝗕𝘂𝘀𝗶𝗻𝗲𝘀𝘀𝗲𝘀 𝘁𝗼 𝟳 𝗙𝗶𝗴𝘂𝗿𝗲𝘀 | 𝗝𝗼𝗲𝗹 𝗠𝗲𝗿𝗰𝗮𝗱𝗼 𝗼𝗻 𝗠𝗶𝗻𝗱𝘀𝗲𝘁, 𝗦𝘆𝘀𝘁𝗲𝗺𝘀 & 𝗘𝗺𝗽𝗼𝘄𝗲𝗿𝗺𝗲𝗻𝘁 | 𝗥𝗮𝗳𝗮𝗲𝗹 𝗖𝗼𝗿𝘁𝗲𝘇 𝗣𝗼𝗱𝗰𝗮𝘀𝘁 In this insightful episode of the Rafael Cortez Podcast, we chat with Joel Mercado, a service business expert who helps entrepreneurs scale to seven figures. From his humble beginnings in the gym industry to coaching contractors and business owners, Joel’s journey highlights the p...