The Smart Real Estate Coach Podcast|Real Estate Investing

In this episode of the Smart Real Estate Coach Podcast, I sit down for a family cast with Annette Weber from Minnesota, one of our Wicked Smart® Associates whose journey perfectly illustrates what happens when you combine creative real estate, hands-on coaching, and a relentless mindset reset.     Annette walks through trying three other coaching programs before finding our community, joining the...

In this episode of the Smart Real Estate Coach Podcast, I'm bringing back a good friend of the community, Jim Oliver, one of the world's foremost authorities on Infinite Banking and the founder of CreateTailwind. Jim has 38 years in the financial trenches, 12 of those under the late R. Nelson Nash, the pioneer of the Infinite Banking Concept®. Together, we break down how to take back control from...

In this special coaching sit-down, I hit pause on tactics and deals and go deep into the mental game of real estate investing—the part that actually determines whether you ever hit your income goals, leave your W-2, or build the life you keep saying you want.     I walk our community through practical mindset work: scripting your perfect day and perfect year, shifting from reaction to creation, r...

In this episode of the Smart Real Estate Coach Podcast, I'm hanging out with someone who's been in the trenches in some of the toughest rental markets and came out retired on a Florida beach — Ron Faraci. Ron has owned and managed several hundred low-income rentals, transformed ugly, problem portfolios into highly profitable ones, and ran CT REIA, the fifth-largest real estate investors associatio...

In this episode of the Smart Real Estate Coach Podcast, I'm finally pulling back the curtain on how we insure our own portfolio. For about 12 years, my family and I have insured all of our non-owner-occupied, investment properties through National Real Estate Insurance Group (NREIG), whether it's buy-and-hold rentals, multifamily, or creative subject-to deals.   I'm joined by Seth Markum, Executiv...

In this episode of the Smart Real Estate Coach Podcast, I sit down with Alex Arguelles—CEO, co-founder, and operator who scaled from a two-man startup in a garage to 9,000+ units across multiple states by his early 30s. We unpack how he started buying distressed debt right out of college in 2007–2008, raised 100% investor capital, vertically integrated management, and navigated all the headaches t...

In this masterclass episode of the Smart Real Estate Coach Podcast, I sit down with Trevor Mauch, founder and CEO of Carrot, a five-time Inc. 5000 company that's helped thousands of real estate investors and agents generate highly motivated seller leads online. Trevor's not just a "software guy" either—he's a buy-and-hold commercial investor himself, doing owner-carry deals and turning dead space...

In this episode of the Smart Real Estate Coach Podcast, I sit down with Arizona real estate advisor and coach Asher Cohen to talk about building a real estate career and portfolio you actually enjoy.    We cover how he went from marketing and commercial real estate through the 2008 crash to closing nearly 1,000 deals, focusing on buy-and-hold rentals, high-demand markets, and turning your current...

In this solo episode of the Smart Real Estate Coach Podcast, I pull back the curtain on my early days of investing and the messy transition from the 2008 crash into creative real estate. I walk you through the "dead zone" years, the IRS and creditor headaches, the move from a waterfront home into a 900-square-foot apartment, and how those experiences forced me to design what eventually became our...

In this episode of The Smart Real Estate Coach Podcast, I sit down with Mike Stohler—Navy veteran, former airline pilot, and now co-founder of Gateway Private Equity Group to talk about the highs, lows, and pivots that shaped his real estate journey.   Mike's story is a masterclass in perseverance and reinvention. He went from losing everything in his early 20s to owning and managing over 1,500 mu...

In this episode of The Smart Real Estate Coach Podcast, I welcome back Evan Carmichael—entrepreneur, author, YouTube powerhouse, and global speaker—to share powerful insights on belief, content creation, and taking bold action.   Evan first joined us way back in Episode 241, before the world changed. Since then, his YouTube channel has exploded to over 4 million subscribers and hundreds of million...

In this episode of The Smart Real Estate Coach Podcast, I sit down with Mike "Big Mike" Zlotnik, CEO of TF Management Group and host of The Big Mike Fund Podcast. Mike's journey from tech executive to full-time investor and fund manager is a masterclass in timing, risk management, and courage.   We unpack what it takes to transition from a corporate career to real estate, why masterminds are the f...

In this episode of The Smart Real Estate Coach Podcast, I sit down with Lon Welsh, founder and CEO of Your Castle Real Estate and Ironton Capital, to unpack how investors can navigate today's economic climate with data, discipline, and diversification.   Lon brings more than two decades of experience in commercial and residential real estate and now manages nearly $100 million in private funds thr...

In this episode of the Smart Real Estate Coach Podcast, Chris is joined by Lauren Keen Aumond, a Florida-based real estate investor, podcast host, and personal finance educator who left her corporate sales job at age 33 thanks to her strategic investing.   Lauren walks us through her journey from personal finance nerd to full-time investor, how she built her rental portfolio, and the importance of...

In this episode of The Smart Real Estate Coach Podcast, I'm joined by our newest team member and longtime friend of the community—Derek Dombeck.   Derek has completed thousands of creative real estate deals, built multiple successful businesses, and is now stepping into a coaching and mentorship role here at Smart Real Estate Coach. In this episode, we unpack Derek's negotiation training, explore...

In this episode of The Smart Real Estate Coach Podcast, I sit down with Kevin Bupp—real estate investor, bestselling author of The Cash Flow Investor, and host of the Real Estate Investing for Cash Flow Podcast. With more than $500 million in transactions and a portfolio spanning 14 states, Kevin has seen the highs, the lows, and everything in between.   Kevin shares how he got his start tending b...

In this episode of The Smart Real Estate Coach Podcast, I sit down with Tim Francis, founder of Great Assistant. Tim has helped over 800 entrepreneurs and investors hire trusted, high-level domestic executive assistants—not virtual assistants overseas, but real partners who become an extension of you.   Tim's story is remarkable. From losing $350K in the 2008 crash, to developing a rare illness th...

In this episode of The Smart Real Estate Coach Podcast, I sit down with Joe Fulvio of CAMA Plan, a leading firm in self-directed retirement accounts. Joe brings decades of experience in strategic marketing and distribution across multiple industries and now helps investors use self-directed IRAs and 401(k)s to unlock new opportunities.   We break down what "true self-direction" really means, how r...

In this episode, I welcome back Gerry Delang, founder of End Tax Problems Now, a firm he started in 2001 to help individuals and businesses resolve complex IRS issues. Gerry is who I call the "stress reliever", because when you're facing the most feared collection agency in the world, you need someone who knows how to fight back and win.   We talk about what really happens when you get that dreade...

In this solo cast, I'm bringing you behind the scenes of our In the Trenches Bootcamp and sharing the questions I ask every attendee—and the surprising answers I keep getting. Too many investors set goals but stop short of executing, and that's what holds them back. As you watch this episode, I challenge you to stop waiting for the "perfect time" and start treating your goals as committed plans ba...

In this Wicked Smart Master's Class, I sit down with Joe Jensen—a thrill-seeker turned real estate investor who scaled from 5 to 34 units in less than two years. Joe's story takes us from growing up on a rural ranch in Utah, to a decade in door-to-door sales, to building a diverse real estate portfolio that gave him the freedom to raise his kids and live life on his terms.   Joe shares how divorce...

In this Wicked Smart Master's Class, I sit down once again with Adam Carroll—internationally recognized financial literacy expert, best-selling author, TEDx speaker, and creator of The Shred Method.   Adam has been a repeat guest on our podcast because every time he joins us, he brings fresh strategies and insights that help our community accelerate their journey to financial freedom. In this epis...

In this episode, I'm joined by Shaun Farr, President of Landvoice, a leading real estate technology and data firm that's been helping investors and agents find profitable off-market deals since 1991.   Shaun shares exactly how Landvoice sources its unique lists that include pre-foreclosures, for-sale-by-owners, expired listings, and a brand-new distressed properties dataset—and why these tools giv...

In this Wicked Smart Master's Class, I sit down with Jason Abell—speaker, coach, and co-founder of Rewire, to talk about what it really takes to make a sustainable transition from W-2 life to entrepreneurial freedom. Jason spent over two decades in the mortgage industry before answering the deeper calling to help others grow through mindset transformation.   We unpack the difference between skills...

In this episode, I sit down with real estate investor and entrepreneur Rob Chavez, CEO of Caza Group and founder of the GRID Investor Network. Rob's built a vertically integrated real estate business spanning sales, construction, private lending, investments, and property management—and he didn't do it by doing everything himself.   Rob walks us through his transition from solopreneur to CEO, the...