From Adversity to Abundance: Inspiring Stories of Mental, Physical, and Financial Transformation

Transcript

Buckle up, you're in for a treat with this episode. So our book called From adversity to abundance, inspiring stories of mental, physical, and financial transformation is out, and it features eleven former podcast guests from my podcast who we hand selected, handpicked to be featured in the book. This episode that you're about to hear is a compilation of clips from those podcast episodes. So these are special guests that are featured in the book and you're gonna get four to six minutes of audio from the podcast episode where we had these these special guests on. There's a reason we handpicked these guests. There's a reason we handpicked them for this episode and the book. This one is is special. Please take a listen. I hope you love it. I hope you buy the book. Buy a copy for a friend. Share this episode. Enjoy.

Speaker 1

Welcome to the from adverse today to abundance podcast. Are you an entrepreneur or aspiring entrepreneur? Then this show is for you Each week, we bring you impactful stories of real people who have overcome painful human adversity to create a life abundance. Life of abundance. You are not alone in your struggle. Join us, and you will experience the power of true stories and gain practical knowledge from founders who have turned poverty into prosperity and weakness into wealth. This podcast will encourage you through your health, relationship, and financial challenges so you can become the hero in your quest for freedom. Take ownership of the life you are destined to live. Turn your adversity into abundance.

Speaker 2

For me, it was like, oh, wow. You know, I was just grateful that. I was still there. Right? So, if it was shocked, and then it was really I felt like it was it was a set up. A lot of step of things were going through my mind. So I was able to, remove myself from that element for a long period of time, and I went through a healing process. Right? I went through trust issues. I went through a whole bunch of stuff. And it really took, I would say, probably about two years for me really to understand what happened and how did it help me. Right? Because it turned me into a beast, really, with the real estate, because now that that next six months at the I got shot, I was working from home, September nine eleven happened that same year. That's September. I got shot of March, that's September nine eleven. There was all these different things that happened that just made me stronger, made me more focused, made me more grateful. You know, I would walk around and say, this person is probably not even great for that date in Tati's shoes. They can bend over Tati's shoes. It has staples in my stomach. So for this person, it's not even great for that they get to use the bathroom. This small stuff it really made me become grateful for the little things and appreciate everything. And I was just like, wow. I I never really appreciate this appreciated this smaller thing so much.

Speaker 3

Mhmm. It's

Speaker 2

really put the things into perspective. So that's when I became grateful for the situation and started to use that. You know, use that energy to kinda drive me through it.

Speaker 3

Mhmm.

Speaker 2

Same thing. Yeah. Two thousand eight came in.

Speaker 0

I was spending two thousand

Speaker 2

and nine money. Well, it was two million dollars of my own money and basically had to press the reset button because after that, then I got divorced and you know, that was the best thing that happened to me as well because again, the circle people that I was around was around me for the things that I had, not because of who I was. So that was a materialistic phase of my life. That I went through coming from where I was at, didn't have anything in getting into real estate, getting everything, feeling like god, you know, being materialistic, having the wrong people around you. Right?

Speaker 3

Mhmm.

Speaker 2

Where if you're the smartest one in the room, then you know, that's the problem. So that happened where that kinda shifted where I was able to, you know, again, get out of that circle I was in.

Speaker 3

Mhmm.

Speaker 2

And then go deeper within myself. So if from that part, you lose the money, get in divorce, you know, getting custody of my boys, trying to get rid of whatever real estate I had to survive and everything else, growing within myself, that helped me a great deal because I started getting into meditation, I started getting into a deli ritual and doing things to build up myself. Right? And that really was a game changer for me also.

Speaker 4

So those

Speaker 2

two situations really built the foundation for for who I am today. So another situation I was grateful, even though I lost, you know, a bunch of money, really, it was really, showing me that it was more than the money because I was a slave of money. I was chasing him.

Speaker 3

Mhmm. Mhmm.

Speaker 0

That's I wasn't when

Speaker 2

my former wife would say, Hey, let's push the stroller and walk head to the park. I'm not doing that. That's your job. I gotta go go with these clothes and I to do this and do that. I'm getting this money. I'm paying the bills. You do that. When the reality is, you know, as we know now, families first, Right? The kids grow really fast, and you only have eighteen sounds with them. So every moment you get with them from the time they're born to know, they become teenagers and start hanging with their friends. You wanna, yeah, really, value those moments.

Speaker 5

Really, what I've come to learn is that you know, obesity is, is a symptom of these deeper underlying emotional sorts of problems, right? And like it doesn't just happen in a vacuum the inside reflects the outside and the outside reflects the inside. Right? So Mhmm.

Speaker 0

That's really good.

Speaker 5

It's it's really hard for me to just kinda pinpoint one or two specific things that happened, right? You know, but I was just, I was in a chronically negative state is how I would describe it. But what was really challenging is is if you're in a chronically negative state, you don't necessarily realize you're in a chronically negative state, you know, much in the way the the the fish doesn't see the, you know, you know, water that it's in, right? If this is just how you experience life,

Speaker 3

you

Speaker 5

don't necessarily realize that, you know, this is different. You know, if you would have told me, you know, if you would have asked me what anxiety was, in in my mid twenties, I wouldn't have been able to tell you, let alone identify and say, oh, I'm I have chronic anxiety problems, right? Because that was just That was just life as I knew it.

Speaker 0

That was your default. Right?

Speaker 3

Yeah.

Speaker 5

And and that was just how I experienced life, you know. And and I really never would have thought that a life that I'm living now, you know, with the sort of energy and the emotion that I feel on a day to day basis, I didn't even realize that something like that was possible for me But, you know, there there was always a part of me for some reason that that was optimistic, right? You know, and and I would say I was in a chronically negative state, but I always had some optimism about me, and I always kind of knew that it would, it would work out. You know, and I just, I stuck with it, you know, as best as I could. You know, there were certainly lots of adversity along the way, right? I lost the same seventy five pounds three times, right? So you know, I did it once in high school, and then I ended up gaining all the weight back again, you know, and it's it's really demoralizing to to put in all that work and put in all that effort and and reach a goal, right? And then just have it just kinda slip through your fingers and vanish, you know, and it's, it's, you feel a lot shame and embarrassment when that happens, you know, because you just you're failing so publicly. People are are seeing you and and seeing what you're going through. Right?

Speaker 0

So, you know, you know,

Speaker 5

these sorts of things are are are are tough to overcome and, you know, it's this is why it it took me so long to to do

Speaker 6

it.

Speaker 5

But, you know, part of me just just never gave up and, you know, always knew that there was a way out. I just needed to to to keep trying to do better every day, you know, putting one foot in front of the other, educate myself more, you know, just just try to do more with with what energy I had at the time. And and, you know, that's This is how I got to the place where I am now.

Speaker 0

Yeah. No. It's really good. I mean, it just yeah. It sounds like you you just got, like, probably a lot of people can identify with you've got on into a mental pattern of this is my default. This is who I am. This is my identity. And for those who, you know, are listening or you know, are gonna watch this on YouTube, even go back and look at at at Matt's, you know, like your Twitter or Instagram. I mean, I've seen it before and after, and it's It's like HDTV pics, you know, people love that in real estate. It's like the the before and after pictures are amazing, but they're so much work that went into that that, you know, that's easy to gloss over. So I I, I just have a ton of respect for your transformation and and and this time keeping it off. I mean, it's it's really incredible. So okay. So you lost the weight a couple times, regained it a couple times, and then and then have kept it off for coming up on five years, you said, I believe. What's been the difference this time?

Speaker 5

So what I realized was I needed to make a plan, right, because I I I lost weight again in my mid twenties And I really educated myself a lot about fitness and nutrition, right? And I taught myself all this stuff, and I did it in a really intelligent way. And then I, I kind of realized I thought then at least that, okay, my problems are solved, right? I have all this knowledge now. And, you know, I didn't have this knowledge before, but now I know how to eat. I know what protein, fat, and carbohydrates are, all all this stuff. And I'm like, great. I did it My problem is solved. Well, knowledge is useless if you don't apply it. Right? So I I had the knowledge, but I stopped applying it, you know, and and I dealt with some some adversity, right, to keep in the theme of the show, had some some some more emotional trauma suffered an injury, you know, and and next thing, you know, I'm back being fat again. And, you know, it took me eight years to kind of get around to doing it again because, you know, it's, it's an overwhelming proposition. You know, you know, trying to lose a large amount of fat as I'm sure many people can can relate to.

Speaker 6

There I was, you know, doing my my paying my bills and then after finishing that long shift at the hospital. And and I just got I got I got home, and I realized that Wow. The the the neighbors paying mortgage. They're paying my mortgage. That was a nice feeling to have, you know. But then I was like, and it was I was single then, and I was like, well, someday I won't be able to go to work, you know, age or anything could happen. I mean, I was making good hospital, and I was working really long hours, but I realized that if I don't go to work, I wasn't gonna be making any money. That that was, I needed to be present to make that money. Right?

Speaker 0

Yeah.

Speaker 6

And and I realized that someday I might not for whatever reason be able to And I saw the possibility of having the cash flow from investments, like putting the money to work, and then the money was making more money. So I figured If I do more of this, then I can fix it. Right? And so that that really was how I got started thinking about it, and and growing it up in Mexico, the duplex team wasn't a thing. You know, the we don't have duplex we either have, a house that is occupied by generations for stories, for kids, you know, but there's really no kind of investment. So I was lucky, that my my, agent, for me, because I told him I'm not looking for something big. I want a house for me, something just me. And some something else that I can, you know, have a roommate. And use the concept of the duplex duplex. So having that mentality, I thought, well, if I buy more duplexes, then I can then, you know, reduce my hours or not have gonna work. And and by looking into it. And when I deployed, I actually spent a lot of time learning on how how does that real estate can actually build your wealth and and how, you can scale it. And so that's when I learned about syndications and how you can do persons.

Speaker 0

Now where where did you deploy?

Speaker 6

I was in, Jabberty Africa.

Speaker 0

Okay. Gotcha. I wasn't expecting that answer. Okay. Yeah. I mean, and people say, how did you have time to do that when you were deployed? And you know, I was deployed to a rack and it's even though you're busy a lot, you still have downtime, and you don't have you know, twenty four seven, you're not busy with work. So what are you gonna do with that downtime? And I actually started started a second degree because it was like, alright. I don't know. What what else would why not? And that was before remote learning was so popular. But, yeah, but two thousand six, you said, is when you got started, right, in real estate?

Speaker 7

Yes.

Speaker 0

So, I mean, that's you know, the internet was obviously around, but I don't think bigger pockets was a thing. And, you know, you didn't have all these books and all these resources. So That's that's impressive. You know, because it was until much later that we really went full on with, you know, because there's podcasts and, and things staring you in the face with, how to learn and how to how to grow your network. So sounds like you did it more locally through, oh, you know, through your agent and then started to scale from there. Is that fair to say?

Speaker 6

Yes. Yes. When I came back, I I have saved, a lot of money from, you know, my my my income was non flexible. And like you said, when you're deployed, they provide all your meals, everything. There's no no where you can spend the money. And, pull of that when I came back, I was looking for more duplexes. And then that, you know, at four plex came along, and I'm like, wait, My goal was to buy one one home a year, one house a year. And, and then I was like, wow, I can buy four.

Speaker 4

You know, a family relationship with, a very strong emotional relationship with. The things that weren't resolved weren't resolved, not by my choice. They were

Speaker 3

Mhmm.

Speaker 4

Because she wasn't able to deal with those and in her, you know, her situation and and that's that's unfortunate. You know, to have somebody that that goes through that. But for me, you know, having your friend, I don't think I've ever I'll ever fully recover from that. I think, and, you know, it definitely inexorably changed me because you never wanna feel that pain again. Mhmm.

Speaker 3

Sometimes

Speaker 4

I was pulled away from you. So you know, it it's hard to really develop deep relationships after you've been hurt so deeply. And people look, if you're listening, you know, people, whether you're in a relationship or some you break up with somebody or you're divorced or, you know, somebody dies, you know, or we wanna protect ourselves. Right?

Speaker 3

Mhmm.

Speaker 4

So it's, you know, I think I'm I'm I'm pretty good at having relationships with doing that, but at the same time, you know, it's it's painful. And it's also hard when you experience that depth of a relationship with somebody, and it's really not possible to experience that again. What I mean is we were we were friends through high school.

Speaker 8

Mhmm.

Speaker 4

And during very formative parts of our lives, and I won't ever be able to have that you know, that bond with somebody again. Yeah. But the flip side is I'm very grateful for the time I got to spend.

Speaker 3

Mhmm.

Speaker 4

You know, with with all those people in my life.

Speaker 0

Now I appreciate you getting vulnerable there. I mean, it's not easy to talk about and relive. And, but so, yeah, with with your friend, Chris, it's like, yeah, not only did he pass, but you you're not like you said, you're not gonna be able to replicate or duplicate that. And so there's almost like a double, you know, I don't know. It's a double hardship there. So that's that's really, really tough And again, I don't we're glossing over this. Like, it's no big deal, but it's I appreciate that. So then how did you, you started to get into it a little bit? What what did your how did you change your mindset, or how did you approach kind of the your future from there.

Speaker 4

Yeah. So this is where this is where you look at kind of the, there's there's two way. I'm gonna say the first way I'm gonna say it. It it might it might sound callous, but then I'll explain. So this is where, like, the silver lining comes in. And what I mean is if you ever lost somebody, I'm sure the last thing that person wants is for you to go through the rest of your life and and and really put the brakes on anything or live less of a life because you're you're burdened by that or not having that person in in your life. Anybody that loves you wants you to go and experience life to the fullest. And a lot of my friends, Sam lucky. And I don't have to go into details, but I've had I've had some good fortune in my life. Just look things that have happened, things that are kinda unusual. And I say that's because I have a lot of people watching out for me because they want me they're looking down. They want me to be successful. And I believe that. I feel like I have a positive energy, but at the same time, I feel like it's my duty to do all these things. It's my duty to to live like this. So, you know, the the I said, you know, I said silver lining. But when you lose somebody and you realize that life is finite, especially as a young person. So, Jamie, I crossed forty one years old, and I achieved all these things in my life. And I realized my father was forty one when he died. And I know that in the back of my head, I had this this feeling of fatality that, you know, I had there was things I had to get done. So when you know that, the time value of money has I'm sorry. The, the value of time

Speaker 9

Right.

Speaker 4

Has has time on the bottom of the equation. I'm an engineer by training. Yeah. Think of it that way. When you're young, you think you're gonna live forever. You're gonna live forever in that number on the bottom's infinity, the value zero Right?

Speaker 0

Right. Sure.

Speaker 4

As soon as you put a value or as yes. As soon as you put an actual value on that time, whether you're gonna live ten days or ten thousand days, or, you know, fifty thousand days, whatever that number is, the value of your time goes up exponentially.

Speaker 0

Sure. Yeah.

Speaker 4

And that's what I think happens subconsciously in my mind. And as soon as really once, you know, when I was an adult and Chris passed away, I thought Hang on a second. I got I got stuff to do. Like, I got stuff to do. I'm a serious person. I'm gonna get things done. And, you know, some people are like, why do you work so hard? My neighbor was like, if you don't have to work anymore, why do you still work? Yeah. Like, one, I enjoy it. And it energizes me. Yeah. And two, it's my duty. I have an impact that I'm here to make on this planet.

Speaker 7

First and foremost, yes, especially my dad. Huge warrior. The sky was always falling. The world was always ending, and the market was always crashing. Everything was going wrong all the time. And that has been extremely difficult to get out of that sort of thinking. I catch myself and I'll say, wait, no, that's your dad. That's not you. That's ridiculous. So I I still struggle with that to this day. And we can talk about some of the things that have gone wrong in business up to this point. The bit you're gonna get kicks in the teeth. I'll I'll tell you that. And the second point, what you just said is is so true because it's it's not that money itself money itself is just a concept because bartering is difficult. But it enables all of the things that matter in life. So whether it be, you know, I live out here with my brother. I've seen my family. I'll see my parents six or seven times this year, he'll see them once. Why? Cause I have money. It doesn't it doesn't really matter. I can trade that for things that matter. I can go travel. Whatever I want. So money is just a tool to trade for the things that actually matter. So when I hear people say, oh, what's more in, you know, this and that and this are more important than money? Well, somewhat misleading because money is the thing that enables all the things that matter.

Speaker 0

Yeah. I love that. I mean, and it's like, you know, I equate money to it's it's like the internet. It's like, is it inherently good or bad? No. But it's ex extremely powerful. It can be very powerful. And it is. It's just a tool, and it's how you wanna use it. And I think to take the approach of money doesn't matter. Or or becoming a slave, you know, to to that fear surrounding money that you're talking about is really not not the the right way to go. Yeah. You know, it's it's easy for me to sit here and judge your parents or my parents, obviously. But I think too many people take that kind of cop out where it's like, no. I mean, I, you know, I shouldn't money isn't isn't, something to to strive for. And so, therefore, I'm just gonna,

Speaker 3

you

Speaker 0

know, go the easy route and and not, not try to acquire more money. But what it can do is enable things like you just talk about enable freedom, really, is what enable time freedom and and location freedom, and, like you were, like you were talking about. So,

Speaker 7

Yeah. Yeah. When someone says money doesn't matter, that's very interesting. My first question would be, well, what does your week look like? When they tell me, oh, they get up, they go to work, I would, you know, respond most in most cases, it sounds like money dictates everything you do all day every day. So that's interesting because

Speaker 0

Yeah.

Speaker 7

You typically If you don't have it, then money controls your life. If you do have it, then you control your life.

Speaker 0

Sure.

Speaker 4

Yeah.

Speaker 3

No.

Speaker 0

That's really good. So What other obstacles or kind of themes that were were difficult for you exist existed? In other words, anything not money related, that you grew up with that was kind of challenging from a either human or a business, perspective.

Speaker 7

I I would say the biggest thing that pertains to this conversation, that I would wanna get into would probably be just that intense fear based scarcity mindset. Right? Just the pen so they never figured out how to make money. So they're just super conservative with spending money and then never got to see their, you know, their parents, my grandparents, their siblings. I'm talking about my parents. That's probably the biggest one that applies to this conversation. Because it's so hard, you know, I, in hindsight, I have cut myself so short by having been stingy about marketing dollars Right? I have hiring people. Just, I have made my own life so much harder because of this. So Yeah. That's been a huge one for me, and it still is to this day. I I catch myself thinking very irrationally or worrying about things that I shouldn't worry about at all. You know? So that's probably the biggest one. And for me, self awareness has helped the most. Right? Trying to catch myself and say, hey, that's It's not you that's just, you know, twenty years of hearing your dad. Right? Sure. That has helped me a lot there.

Speaker 0

Okay. So take us from, say twenty through twenty six, just kinda bring us up to speed.

Speaker 3

Sure. How

Speaker 0

did you how did you get out of that scarcity mindset, you know, or or attempt to anyway? And then get to where you are today. What were some some tools or tactics that that got you where you are?

Speaker 7

Yeah. Probably the two biggest things are just proceeding taking action in spite of being afraid and, the people you get around, I'd say are the two biggest. So I bought that duplex in college and then moved out to Colorado, bought another house hack out here, and it was around that time that I realized, hey, the the whole low and no money down thing sounds really great. It sells a lot of courses and books and podcasts, but at the end of the day, this is a cash intensive venture. You're gonna have things go wrong. If you don't have cash or or someone partnered with you who does, you're gonna get yourself hurt. You're probably not gonna last very long. So I started going to the real estate group that I now host out here. And I met a guy who had been investing in land, building houses, apartments, commercial strip centers, etcetera, for the last forty years. So I would drive an hour south every weekend and go work with him, work for him, and just learn. And that was how land and development came into the picture originally. You can really consolidating a lot of information here. But through that, I eventually just started doing it myself. And that's where front range land came about, and that has allowed me to buy more properties. So again, I, I just turned twenty six now and, and that's, what the business is at this point. Front range land feeding the investing. And I wanna tell a story about that guy. I I just mentioned.

Speaker 0

Yeah. Yeah. Go for it.

Speaker 9

I don't think I know of anyone, you know, but I'll let you know if I I can think of anybody. And she said, what about would you be interested? And I said, well, but, Glenn, I don't have a degree, and I don't have any sports experience. And she said, well, Beth, do you have a resume? And I said, no. And so she said, come over Sunday. So I did. And we cobbled together what was probably the worst history, worst resume of all time. But it got me this job, which You know, it doesn't sound like a lot now, but it in two thousand four, for me, it paid me fifty thousand dollars a year and really good benefits plus, generous commission structure.

Speaker 0

Nice.

Speaker 9

Yes. It is. So what

Speaker 0

so what had changed? I'm curious, like, why did she be I know her position changed. I think

Speaker 9

she was desperate.

Speaker 3

Okay. Okay.

Speaker 0

She must have been right.

Speaker 9

I think yeah. I do. So the first week at that job, I was just like, on cloud nine. I was like, woah. I'm in the money now. You know?

Speaker 0

Right.

Speaker 3

Well,

Speaker 9

it's money now. But, Right. Right.

Speaker 0

It's all relative. Right?

Speaker 9

It's all relative.

Speaker 7

Because now

Speaker 0

you're making fifty two thousand, you said? Yeah.

Speaker 9

I know. I'm I'm the oldest of high water.

Speaker 0

But no. But, seriously, so you were making your you were for a month, you worked the receptionist job. Right?

Speaker 9

And I was at ten dollars an hour.

Speaker 0

Ten dollars an hour. Okay.

Speaker 9

Thirty seven point five hours a week.

Speaker 0

To get the health insurance? Right?

Speaker 6

Yep.

Speaker 0

Got it. And then you did that for a month or two.

Speaker 9

I did. For exactly one month.

Speaker 0

Okay. And then so, I mean, a fifty thousand dollar I mean, that is a big that is a huge jump.

Speaker 9

Well, and then the commission structure was also very good. So, you know, I have the potential of earning, you know, six figures immediately, really, or pretty pretty immediately.

Speaker 0

Mhmm.

Speaker 9

But it was funny because after the first week, I had this, this inspiration that, you know, oh my god. They hired a a fake, and they're gonna figure it out.

Speaker 10

Right.

Speaker 9

And so I went to Barnes and Noble, and I bought all the books on sales I could find. And, you know, I've read about a chapter of each one. And then I started flowing door to door because it was all commercial energy. And I knew the area I lived in very well. So I I just started on a corner at an inter went door to door to businesses because it was fear, Jamie. It was absolute fear driving me. But

Speaker 0

They were gonna find find you out that you didn't know They were

Speaker 9

gonna find me out. Yeah. We have hired a fraud.

Speaker 0

Well, I've heard a lot of successful salespeople and successful entrepreneurs, business people in general who have started out with door to door sales, whether residential, commercial. Because at the end of the day, books are fine. They're great. And honestly, podcasts are great, but you're not gonna learn how to sell insurance through a podcast or how to sell, you know, commercial energy through a book you're gonna learn it

Speaker 9

by doing it. So Yeah. That's exactly right.

Speaker 0

Okay.

From Adversity to Abundance: Inspiring Stories of Mental, Physical, and Financial Transformation

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