The Big Break Show

In this episode, we sit down with Blake Anthony Carter. He is a real estate agent and entrepreneur based in Austin, Texas. He has a background in property management and has built a successful business in the short-term rental industry. Blake is known for his expertise in co-living and short-term rentals, and he also runs a real estate brokerage and design team. He has experienced both the highs a...

In this episode, we sit down with Derek Sherrell, also known as "That ADU Guy." He is an expert in the field of accessory dwelling units (ADUs) and infill housing. He has been involved in the real estate industry for over 27 years and is passionate about helping people navigate the complexities of ADU development. He believes that ADUs can play a crucial role in addressing the housing crisis and c...

In this episode, we sit down with Sean Martin. He is a successful entrepreneur and business owner. He grew up in the Bronx during the late 80s and early 90s and faced many challenges and hardships. Now, he is dedicated to giving back and making a positive impact on the lives of young people. Sean is the founder of R.e.a.l. Success Mentors, a program that aims to empower underserved youth, transfor...

In this episode, we sit down with Fouad Bazzi. He is a real estate investor and entrepreneur based in Detroit, Michigan. He has a background in banking and has built a successful portfolio of short-term rental properties. Fouad is passionate about building relationships and creating awesome experiences for his guests. Fouad shares his journey from the corporate world to short-term rentals. He emph...

Claire Bays is a CrossFit athlete, coach, and nutrition and fitness coach. She overcame her alcohol addiction and now helps others on their wellness journeys. In this episode, Claire shares her journey from growing up in a small town in Oklahoma to overcoming alcohol addiction and finding her passion for fitness. She emphasizes the importance of community and support in her recovery and the transi...

Aileen Grimesey is a healthcare professional with over 12 years of experience in the industry. She and her husband own and operate residential care facilities for the elderly in the Bay Area. Aileen is passionate about providing compassionate care and helping others start their own facilities.    In this episode, Aileen shares her journey in the healthcare industry, her passion for helping others,...

Jeff Welgan is an investor strategist at Blueprint Home Loans with 19 years of experience in the mortgage industry. He specializes in helping clients build and scale their real estate businesses, providing guidance and expertise in financing options for real estate investors.   In this episode, Jeff shares his expertise in the mortgage industry and provides insights into the current market conditi...

Fraser Bayley is a strength coach and nutritionist who specializes in helping entrepreneurs and business owners optimize their health to improve their overall well-being and performance. He has a background in nutrition and physiology and has worked with high-profile clients such as musicians and entrepreneurs.    In this episode, Fraser shares his personal journey of overcoming mental health issu...

We had the pleasure of speaking with Dan Tollens. He is a real estate investor and entrepreneur based in Charleston, South Carolina. He is the co-founder of several businesses, including a boutique hotel company, a construction company, a property management company, and a roll-off dumpster business. He shared how his journey started with flipping houses and then evolved into managing job sites fo...

In this episode, we had the pleasure of speaking with Diya Liu. Diya's journey is truly inspiring as she went from being a patent litigation attorney to achieving financial freedom through real estate. Her success includes owning and managing STRs and expanding her ventures to include boutique hotels. She now owns four boutique hotels and a dozen short-term rentals across the USA. She has become a...

In this episode, we had an awesome conversation with Alvin Uy. He is a successful real estate investor who immigrated to the US from the Philippines at the age of 12. Alvin diversified his investments and started flipping houses and building his rental portfolio in Los Angeles. He is the CEO of a design agency and uses the profits to invest in real estate. Recently, he decided to pivot 100% to rea...

Join us as we have an awesome conversation with Mercedes Sanchez. She went to high school specifically for hospitality, which led to a full-ride scholarship to UNLV, for hospitality. She then worked in hospitality sales for Four Seasons Resorts International for 8 years plus. So, by bringing together her hospitality and real estate experience, it all led to a six-figure business. We explored hospi...

We had the privilege of having this awesome conversation with Tim Bratz, the founder, and CEO of Legacy Wealth Holdings, a prominent real estate investment company. Tim's focus lies in vision-casting, marketing, and providing unwavering support to his team of exceptional individuals, or as he calls them, "A" players. Throughout his career, Tim has built his company on the pillars of integrity, fai...

Zev and Melissa Forrest are a husband-and-wife team doing real estate full-time operating as short-term rental operators since 2018 in southern CA. They met while working at a commercial real estate company and decided to try out Airbnb after attending a free workshop. They started by buying a property in Riverside and then moved on to arbitraging units. They now own properties, arbitrage properti...

Join us as we have this very insightful conversation with Tatianna! She is a successful interior designer and author who resides in Vancouver, BC. She specializes in coaching individuals on short-term rentals and co-founded the popular STR conference, Level Up Your Listing. Tatianna's expertise in both interior design and real estate allows her to assist clients worldwide in maximizing their Airbn...

In this episode, we sit down with Stephanie Figueros. She is a registered nurse turned real estate investor and educator. She was able to quit nursing in nine months because of short-term rentals and has experience in arbitrage, owning, joint-venturing, and co-hosting. She specializes in long-distance real estate investing and is currently in CA, TX, TN, and FL. She's the co-founder of STR Nation...

We are so glad to be back and have an awesome conversation for you guys to listen to! Join us as we talk to Leonard Nesmith, also known as "Lenny the Boss". He’s a real estate investor who came from humble beginnings in North Philadelphia, and in this podcast, he shares his journey from being the 10th kid in a large family to becoming a vice president of operations in a corporate job for 22 years!...

In this episode, we discussed the current state of the hospitality industry in the recessionary period, our thoughts on "Airbnbust" and "Airbnb bubble," and the strategies needed to transition during down markets. We briefly talked about the increasing popularity of short-term rentals (STR) in the post-pandemic season and how it affected demand, as well as the current rise of the midterm rental (M...

In this episode, we are joined by Rich Somers. He is an active real estate investor and entrepreneur, holding a portfolio of boutique hotels, apartment buildings, and short-term rentals. He previously worked for the government as an air traffic controller for 11 years before cashing out his 401(k) to get started in real estate investing. He's also the founder and CEO of two businesses: Somers Capi...

Grace Gudenkauf is a real estate investor, entrepreneur, and cofounder of Women Invest in Real Estate (WIIRE) from eastern Iowa. She currently has 17 doors doing flips, wholesaling, and short- to long-term rentals (everything!) at the age of 25! She literally does it all at a young age, and her portfolio continues to grow exponentially!    Join us as we check out her story as she shares how she an...

If you are looking to get funding to expand your short-term, mid-term, or long-term rental business, capital will always be one of the things that is difficult to deal with, and Derrick Barker and his team at Nectar help experienced real estate entrepreneurs get fast, flexible, non-debt financing that they need to scale their rental portfolio without giving up any equity. No loans. No investors. ...

Join us in this very special episode as we talk with Igor Kostin, the cofounder and CTO of one of the most well-known property management systems, iGMS!    iGMS is an all-in-one vacation rental software for professional hosts. It helps you raise occupancy rates as it automates most everyday management activities on your property.    This was a really fun conversation because not only did we talk a...

In this episode, we have Amelia McGee on the show. She is a full-time real estate investor from Des Moines, Iowa. Amelia started as a project manager, which led to her starting to invest in buy-and-hold rentals in October 2020. From there, her business catapulted to having 36 doors, which are a combination of short-term, medium-term, and long-term rentals.     Join us in this conversation as we di...

Want to take your social media game to the next level? Well, in this episode, we will be talking with Ms. Coni!    Coni is a seasoned pro in the real estate world, as she has been a licensed realtor in Fort Lauderdale for more than 10 years and has over a decade of experience as a social media manager! She is now sharing their expertise as a social media mentor for real estate investors and recent...

Auston Cook is a successful real estate investor, developer, and entrepreneur. He holds a degree in mathematics from the University of Michigan and is an avid outdoorsman, particularly enjoying mountain climbing. He began his career in sales, selling solar panels, and eventually transitioned to the insurance industry. It was during this time that he discovered his passion for real estate and decid...