Beyond The Build with Wendell Butler

This episode is a two-part look at where the market stands right now: the bigger economic picture, and a real deal that got walked away from because of it. Interest rates just climbed to 7.4% on a 30-year mortgage, and that’s adding real monthly cost for buyers and squeezing real estate investors on every deal. The bigger story might be the tech sector: AI-heavy stocks now make up a huge share of...

This episode breaks down subject-to (sub-to) real estate, the good and the bad, and why building a whole portfolio on it is a bigger gamble than most people admit. Sub-to gets pitched as a way to get into deals with little money down, no bank approval, and a rate you can't get anymore. Most of that is true. But the people teaching it tend to skip the risks: the due-on-sale clause, the seller&#...

This episode is a straight-talk look at where the real estate market and the economy actually are right now, with no guru energy and no pretending it's easier than it is. Sellers are still anchored to COVID-era prices and locked into low interest rates. Wholesalers are sending over deals that don't work, and fix-and-flippers are overpaying just to keep the lights on. Rentals are hard to ca...

This episode breaks down why the BRRRR method isn't the infinite-money cheat code social media makes it out to be, and what's actually true about it in today's market. Buy, rehab, rent, refinance, repeat sounds simple, but the people selling courses on it aren't talking about the deals that blow up. Most locations right now just don't pencil for a true BRRRR the way they did in 2020-2022, and the...

This episode breaks down exactly what it takes to go from flipping and renting to building from the ground up. New development gives way more flexibility than buying an existing asset, and the numbers tend to stay far more predictable than a fix and flip. But almost all the real work happens before you ever close on the land. Inside this episode: the front-end checklist for location, comps, topogr...

In this episode, I get real about something almost every entrepreneur deals with: comparing yourself to other people and feeling like you're behind. I break down why that comparison trap is mostly built on a lie, why social media only shows the highlight reel (never the maxed-out credit cards or the deals that fell apart), and why there's no such thing as a "timeline" for success...

In this episode, I go on a full rant about the guru and course-selling culture that's taken over social media, and why 99% of it is a grift. I break down why the BRRRR strategy doesn't work the way it used to, why rentals aren't cash flowing right now, and why so many "successful" investors online are actually funding their lifestyle by selling courses instead of running real...

In this episode, I explain why discipline isn't something you're born with, it's a skill you build through consistency. I share my own struggles with staying disciplined, why I'm restarting 75 Hard, and the systems I use to stay productive while building multiple businesses. We dive into time blocking, the Power 5 method, long-term goal setting, and why motivation will never outper...

In today's episode, I break down why we're shifting our real estate business away from fix-and-flips and focusing more on new build development. I share what's happening in today's market, why fix-and-flip margins have become increasingly difficult, and how adapting to changing market conditions is critical if you want to keep growing. We also dive into the differences between fix-...

In today's episode, I break down how I structure my business using virtual assistants, systems, and AI while still keeping the human element at the center of everything. I share how I approach hiring, training, and managing VAs, why I believe people often overcomplicate AI, and where I think automation helps versus where it can actually hurt your business. We also dive into creating SOPs, buyi...

In today's episode, I share one of the biggest personal milestones of my life: getting engaged. But this isn't just a story about relationships. It's about why choosing the right life partner can have a bigger impact on your future than almost any business decision you'll ever make. I talk about why I waited until my 30s to get engaged, the importance of aligning on vision, values,...

In today’s episode, I break down the real reason most people never start the business, brand, podcast, or life they actually want. It’s not a lack of information. It’s fear. Fear of failing. Fear of looking stupid. Fear of losing money. Fear of what other people think. I talk about analysis paralysis, why overlearning becomes an excuse, and how taking imperfect action will always beat waiting for...

Today’s episode is about one of the worst real estate deals I’ve ever been part of. What started as a projected $120,000 profit turned into a complete nightmare filled with foundation issues, retaining walls, grading problems, holding costs, and expensive mistakes that destroyed the margins. I break down exactly where we went wrong, the due diligence mistakes we made, how emotion can kill a deal,...

Today’s episode is the intro to Beyond the Build . It’s about why most people are only seeing the highlight reel of entrepreneurship and missing what actually happens behind the scenes. I break down my journey through real estate, sales, lending, and building businesses, and why I decided to stop the polished conversations and just speak the raw truth about what it really takes to build. 00:00 – W...

Ryan is an avid entrepreneur with a love for real estate. He currently serves as the Producing Branch Manager of Northpoint Mortgage with a focus in house-hack lending. As a top 1% originator nationally, he helps clients confidently buy their first, second, or 5th house-hack utilizing low down payment options. He is currently house hacking a 2 family and self manages a portfolio of 19 units consis...

Dave Seymour, a retired firefighter, became a top real estate investor during the last market crash. He is an expert in commercial multi-family and Ground Up Development transactions. Dave starred in A&E's "Flipping Boston" and has been featured on CBS, ABC, CNBC, and FOX News. He helps both new and large investment groups through complex deals at Freedom Venture Investments. Leg...

Starting in the corporate world, Joao worked his way up from a per diem driver to a National Operations Manager in the pharmacy industry, gaining valuable experience in operations and leadership. His real estate journey began after discovering Rich Dad Poor Dad, leading him to dive into the BRRRR strategy and property investing. Joao started with residential flips, learned through trial and error,...

John Casmon is a real estate entrepreneur, who has partnered with busy professionals to invest in over $145M worth of apartments. He hosts the Multifamily Insights Podcast and is the co-creator of the Midwest Real Estate Networking Summit. Prior to becoming a full-time investor, John worked in corporate America, overseeing marketing campaigns for General Motors, Nike and Coors Light. Connect with...

David Fredenberg is a real estate wholesaler and founder of Atlas Residential, serving the Charlotte Metro area. While specializing in wholesaling, his work extends across the real estate spectrum, including land development, flipping, rental properties, and creative financing strategies such as subject-to deals. Through the wholesale side of the business, David partners with investors at every le...

Eddie Speed has over 40 years of experience in real estate note investing and has revolutionized the note-buying industry through innovation and education. As the nation's top note buyer, Eddie has purchased over 50,000 notes and is a leading authority on wealth-building through discounted mortgage notes. As the founder of NoteSchool, he offers disciplined note-investing education that has led...

Jessica Sinski is a seasoned Realtor and Broker with over a decade of experience in the Charlotte real estate market. Her journey began early—tagging along on appointments with her mom and helping in the office as a teen—but officially took off in 2013 when she joined a top-producing team. Today, Jessica leads the sales department at Carolina Residential Group and has personally been involved in o...

Scott Carson is a highly sought-after guest and host of the popular podcast, the Note Closers Show. An active entrepreneur, he is an expert in real estate investing, raising capital and marketing. He speaks regularly at different events and industry conventions focused on real estate, marketing, and podcasting. He also helps thousands of investors and entrepreneurs each year create wealth through...

Jay Conner began investing in real estate in 2003. At the start of his career, he relied on his local banker and was able to put together a few deals. However, that also meant coming up with large down payments, paying origination fees, and signing personal guarantees on every deal. After years of feeling owned by the bank and being stressed out, he learned how to buy properties using creative fin...

DR. NOAH ST. JOHN is known worldwide as "The Father of AFFORMATIONS" and creator of Power Habits for Real Estate Professionals. Working with Hollywood celebrities, professional athletes and 8-figure company CEOs, Noah is famous for helping real estate pros make more in just 12 WEEKS than they made in the last 12 months, while winning their lives back. He's the author of 25 books and...

Justin spent the first decade of his professional career building Heartland Foods which was acquired by a private equity firm in early 2022 after the company had generated $87 million in gross revenue. Now, Justin raises capital & manages investor relations as the Capital Advisory Chair for SafeSpace Global (Stock Ticker: SSGC), Managing Partner of Kerns Capital & Fund Manager at Pitch Equ...