Domingo Valadez

Groundbreakers

Business EN ↓ 105 episodes

Groundbreakers is where real estate investors and operators share how they started, scaled, and built freedom through real estate. Hosted by Domingo Valadez, these conversations go beyond the numbers to uncover the decisions, setbacks, and mindset shifts that shaped their journeys. Whether you’re chasing your first deal or your next big leap, these stories will inspire you to take action and create your own path.

Author

Domingo Valadez

Category

Business

Latest episode

Jun 3, 2026

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Episodes

Deploying $100M+ Into Mobile Homes, Mental Health Housing & Diverse Operators with Ryo Ishida of Rainbow Capital Partners 27.03.2025

Episode Summary In this episode of Groundbreakers , Ryo Ishida, Managing Partner at Rainbow Capital Partners, shares how he’s unlocking alpha by backing overlooked operators and investing in underfunded markets. From working construction in high school to deploying over $100M in capital, Ryo’s journey is a masterclass in identifying market inefficiencies and betting on long-term trends. Ryo breaks...

How Chris Lento Went from House Hacking to Building a $100M Real Estate Portfolio 18.03.2025

Episode Summary In this episode of Groundbreakers , Chris Lento , founder of EM Capital , shares how he scaled from small house hacks in Boston to building a $100M+ real estate portfolio. Starting with a mechanical engineering degree and a career in aerospace, Chris realized that real estate offered a better path to financial freedom. Over time, he transitioned from self-managing triplexes to lead...

How David Hamer Built a $15M Multifamily Portfolio by Finally Taking Action 10.03.2025

Episode Summary In this episode of Groundbreakers , David Hamer, founder of Expedition Capital , shares his journey from spending 15 years on the sidelines to building a $15 million multifamily portfolio . David discusses how reading Rich Dad, Poor Dad sparked his real estate ambitions, the mental hurdles of raising capital, and why he focuses on value-add multifamily deals in landlord-friendly st...

From Interior Design to $40M in Multifamily—How Chelsea Garber Uses Design to Unlock Value 03.03.2025

Episode Summary In this episode of Groundbreakers , Chelsea Garber , CEO of Ascend Equity and ROI by Design , shares how she transitioned from a career in high-end interior design to managing a multifamily portfolio of over 430 units. Chelsea’s journey highlights the power of leveraging creativity, partnerships, and strategic design to scale in real estate investing. She discusses the lessons lear...

From Corporate Sales to 1,000+ Units: Brooke Ceballos-Piñero’s Playbook for Multifamily & NNN Investing 24.02.2025

Episode Summary In this episode of Groundbreakers , Brooke Ceballos-Piñero , founder of 10X Business Consulting and an active real estate investor , shares how she left a successful corporate career to build a real estate portfolio spanning 1,000+ multifamily and Triple Net (NNN) units. Brooke breaks down the lessons she learned transitioning from corporate sales to full-time real estate investing...

Flipped 100+ Homes—Then He Went Bigger: Todd Dexheimer’s Path to Syndication 16.02.2025

Episode Summary In this episode of Groundbreakers , Todd Dexheimer, Co-Founder and Principal at Endurus Capital, shares his journey from being a high school teacher to completing over 100 real estate deals and scaling a multifamily and senior housing portfolio. Todd discusses the lessons he learned flipping houses, why he pivoted into larger commercial assets, and how he’s now focused on bringing...

Turning Legal Nightmares into Real Estate Gold: Rodrigo Camargo, Founder of Tantum 11.02.2025

Episode Summary In this episode of Groundbreakers , Rodrigo Camargo, founder of Tantum, shares how he transforms distressed real estate into high-value investments. From navigating complex legal disputes to structuring creative financing, Rodrigo’s expertise lies in unlocking hidden opportunities where others see obstacles. With projects spanning Texas and Mexico, he’s redefining what’s possible i...

Rolling Up Car Washes: How Adeola Oladimeji is Using Private Equity to Build a Cash Flow Empire 04.02.2025

Episode Summary In this episode of Groundbreakers , Adeola Oladimeji , General Partner at Ascendi Capital , shares how he’s using private equity strategies to roll up car washes into a high-cash-flow empire . Starting in multifamily real estate, Ade saw a unique opportunity to consolidate fragmented, mom-and-pop car wash businesses and turn them into scalable, institutional-quality assets. Key Poi...

From Family Business to a $160M Real Estate Portfolio: Joseph Root’s Approach to Chicago Real Estate 28.01.2025

Episode Summary In this episode of Groundbreakers, Joseph Root, Managing Partner at Root Realty and ESRE Partners, shares his evolution from managing a family business to building a $160M real estate portfolio. Joseph offers a deep dive into his strategy for identifying value in Chicago’s multifamily market, fostering community impact, and scaling sustainably in a competitive environment. Key Poin...

1,700 Multifamily Units and Counting: How Dr. Rajkumar Venkatramani is Helping Physicians Invest in Real Estate 22.01.2025

Episode Summary In this episode of Groundbreakers , Dr. Rajkumar Venkatramani, founder of REIDOC Capital and a pediatric oncologist, shares his unique journey from medicine to real estate. Raj discusses how he transitioned from being a passive investor to actively helping physicians achieve financial freedom through syndications and automation. His dual expertise in healthcare and real estate high...

From Medicine to a $40M Multifamily Portfolio: Victor Leite, Founder of 25/8 Capital 15.01.2025

Episode Summary In this episode of Groundbreakers , Victor Leite, co-founder of 25/8 Capital, shares his incredible journey from a career in medicine to creating a thriving real estate business. Victor’s story exemplifies the power of pivoting, perseverance, and building efficient systems to scale rapidly in the real estate space. Victor dives deep into how he leverages his unique background to ap...

From House Hacking to 250+ Mobile Home Lots: Jeff Flynn, Founder at Aspen Ridge Capital 08.01.2025

Episode Summary In this episode of Groundbreakers , Jeff Flynn, Founder of Aspen Ridge Capital, shares his inspiring journey from a Navy veteran leveraging a VA loan to building a thriving career in mobile home park investing. Jeff discusses the innovative strategies he uses to find off-market deals, the challenges and opportunities in the affordable housing space, and how Aspen Ridge Capital is m...

From Brokerage to $100M in Multifamily: Luis Frias, Founder of Caltex Capital Group 02.01.2025

Episode Summary In this episode of Groundbreakers , Luis Frias, founder of Caltex Capital Group , shares his journey from a career in real estate brokerage to becoming a multifamily investor with over 700 units and $100M in assets under management . Luis opens up about how his background in underwriting deals helped him confidently transition into multifamily investing and why Texas remains a top...

Building a $30M Portfolio in Mortgage Notes: Christopher Seveney, CEO at 7e Investments 19.12.2024

Episode Summary In this episode of Groundbreakers , Christopher Seveney, Founder and CEO of 7e Investments, dives into the world of mortgage note investing, sharing how he transitioned from civil engineering and construction management to building a $30M portfolio of over 500 mortgage notes. Christopher’s unique approach to real estate investing focuses on creating win-win scenarios by helping bor...

Balancing a Corporate Career and a $40M Real Estate Portfolio: Shawn Dwyer, Founder of Golden Oak REI 12.12.2024

Episode Summary In this episode of Groundbreakers, Shawn Dwyer shares how he has successfully balanced a demanding corporate career with building a robust real estate portfolio focused on mobile home parks and self-storage facilities. Shawn discusses how he strategically entered real estate investing, chose recession-resistant asset classes, and managed his time effectively to achieve sustainable...

From Tech Sales to 5,000+ Multifamily Doors: Jeremy Dyer, Managing Partner at Starting Point Capital 04.12.2024

Episode Summary In this episode of Groundbreakers, Jeremy Dyer, Founder & Managing Partner at Starting Point Capital, shares his inspiring journey from tech sales to becoming a passionate advocate for passive real estate investing. Jeremy discusses his transition from actively flipping houses to syndicating multifamily properties as a limited partner, emphasizing the importance of community, t...

From Cold Calls to Closing Real Estate Deals: Jarod Alexander’s Journey in Multifamily Investing 27.11.2024

Episode Summary In this episode of Groundbreakers , Jarod Alexander, founder of Optimal Equity Group, shares his inspiring journey from a successful sales career to building a thriving multifamily syndication business. Jarod dives into how his upbringing in a real estate family shaped his approach to investing and how he now helps busy professionals achieve financial freedom through passive invest...

From Silicon Valley Brokerage to Multifamily Syndications: Arn Cenedella, Founder at Spark Investment Group 21.11.2024

Episode Summary In this episode of Groundbreakers , Arn Cenedella, founder of Spark Investment Group, shares his journey from Silicon Valley residential brokerage to becoming a multifamily syndicator in South Carolina. With over 40 years of experience in real estate, Arn brings a wealth of knowledge about navigating market cycles, scaling through partnerships, and leveraging local expertise to suc...

From Capital Markets to Sustainable Real Estate: Jack Arevalo, Director at AVLV and Founder of STOA Capital 13.11.2024

Episode Summary In this episode of Groundbreakers, Jack Arevalo, Director of Finance and Acquisitions at AVLV and founder of STOA Capital, shares his unique journey from capital markets to real estate development. With deep experience in finance, architecture, and community-focused projects, Jack offers an insightful look at how to approach development sustainably and holistically. He discusses th...

From Passive Investor to Syndication Sucess: Ryan Byrne, Founder at Cashflow Capital Club 06.11.2024

Episode Summary In this episode of Groundbreakers, Ryan Byrne, Founder of Cash Flow Capital Club, shares his transformative journey from the stock market to building wealth through multifamily syndication. Ryan’s story highlights the power of leveraging passive investments as a limited partner (LP) to gain experience, build confidence, and transition into active roles as a general partner (GP). He...

From Local Roots to Queens Multifamily Impact: Jorge Jorge & Daniel Papa, Co-Founders of Leather Street Realty 30.10.2024

Episode Summary In this episode of Groundbreakers , George and Daniel Papa, co-founders of Leather Street Realty, discuss their thoughtful journey from property management to launching a specialized real estate firm focused on the evolving market in Queens, NYC. George and Daniel share how their hyper-local knowledge and deep roots in the community provide them with unique insights to identify val...

From Corporate Finance to Multifamily Success: Vessi Kapoulian, Managing Partner at DBA Capital Group 22.10.2024

Episode Summary In this episode of Groundbreakers, Vessi Kapoulian, founder of DBA Capital Group, shares her journey from corporate finance to full-time real estate investing, detailing how she built multiple income streams to achieve financial freedom. Vessi offers valuable insights into diversifying investments, performing deep market research, and adapting creative strategies to navigate today’...

35 Wholesale Deals in Year One: Jeff Ortiz, Founder of Ortiz Equity Group 15.10.2024

Episode Summary In this episode of Groundbreakers , Jefferson Ortiz, founder of Ortiz Equity Group, shares his inspiring journey from immigrating to Canada to building a $40 million multifamily real estate portfolio. Jeff discusses how he started in wholesaling before transitioning into multifamily investing, and how mentorship played a crucial role in his rapid success. He dives into his approach...

From Soil Science to Real Estate Private Equity: Jasmine Nazari, COO at Urban Green Investments 08.10.2024

Episode Summary In this episode of Groundbreakers , Jasmine Nazari, COO of Urban Green Investments, shares her journey from an unconventional background in soil biogeochemistry to becoming a leader in urban real estate investing. Jasmine discusses the importance of strategic diversification and sustainable development, highlighting how Urban Green balances high-yield investments with positive comm...

Unlocking Creative Deals in Real Estate with Max Shah, CEO of ROS Capital 01.10.2024

Episode Summary In this episode of Groundbreakers , Max Shah, CEO of ROS Capital, shares his journey from a successful career in tech with Microsoft to becoming a real estate investor and business acquisition expert. Max provides insights into how he shifted from focusing on tech deals to mastering multifamily and commercial real estate acquisitions. He dives deep into the importance of investing...

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