Humble Beginnings

Coming from a humble background, my parents, a mechanic and a secretary, fell in love in high school. They worked hard, bought a house, and lived what seemed like the epitome of the "American Dream." However, one day, that dream ended. Our family fell apart, and my parents had to sell our house at a minimal profit. With no savings, I quickly learned the importance of hard work and making ends meet in addition to the importance of a what real estate investment could do.

So I got to work at the ripe age of 16, day in day out and was set out on the same path my parents traveled.

New Opportunities

When I turned 19, a network marketing company swept through my town like a storm. It was all the rage, with people selling healthy energy drinks and actually making money from it. This "side hustle" caught my attention, especially since I consumed 2-3 Redbulls daily.

This venture introduced me to a world I never knew existed - the world of entrepreneurship, belief, personal development, encouragement, coaching, and teamwork. Until then, my only route was to go to school, attend college, get a job, and hope for the best. However, considering that this path hadn't worked for my parents, I grew skeptical of the system. While I was in college, I had no idea what I wanted to do in the future. This new opportunity sparked a fire within me.

For the next year, I immersed myself in self-education. I watched videos on YouTube and read books like "The Secret," "Think and Grow Rich," and "Rich Dad Poor Dad." I delved into the minds of successful people, studying their thoughts and actions, and implementing their strategies. This is also when I met my fiance, Keith. We grew together.

I then decided to venture into the high-end restaurant industry as a server, despite having no prior experience. I relied on my confidence and self-belief. To my surprise, I was hired on the spot, and in just one night of serving, I earned what would take me a week at the daycare. The best part was that I realized I had control over my earnings. My efforts, the service I provided, and the products I sold directly correlated with my income. To earn more, I had to be better.

Not long after the network marketing craze faded, Keith asked me if I would be interested in attending a real estate seminar with him. We were both only 20 years old. I had learned from Robert Kiyosaki that successful people owned real estate, although I was aware of my parents' negative experience in the field. However, I had confidence in my selling skills and eagerly said, "Yes, absolutely."

The Road Less Traveled

That was the turning point. We were fully committed to our next adventure – investing in real estate. We invested every dollar we had (and even relied on credit cards) to join a coaching program that taught us the ins and outs of becoming real estate investors. Buying, wholesaling, and flipping homes became our newfound passion. Our days were consumed by marketing and analyzing deals, while the rest of our time was spent working at restaurants at night. There were no days off, no rest for the weary. Six months later, we sold our first property as a wholesale, earning $10,000. It was the largest sum of money I had ever seen at once, and the check was written to my own business, my LLC. It was truly life-changing.

Years of dedication, perseverance, and unwavering commitment were poured into the establishment of our business. We dedicated ourselves to mastering the intricacies of real estate investing and the industry as a whole. From becoming Realtors and collaborating with local investors, to joining a renowned corporate brokerage and eventually running our own team, we took every opportunity that came our way. Typically unpaid, but eager to learn.

In 2019, Keith and I felt the immense financial strain of solely relying on real estate sales commissions while working in the restaurant industry to make ends meet. It was challenging, often leaving us feeling overwhelmed. We had a goal of homeownership for ourselves and this hustle was not going to get us there.

Hard Work Pays Off

To pursue one of our ultimate goals of homeownership, we made the decision to temporarily step back and secure full-time jobs. I ventured into property management, while Keith focused on sales. After six months, we stumbled upon the perfect first home. Although the rental income helped in making it affordable, we still required some assistance with the down payment. With the help of a personal loan from a family member, we were able to turn our dream into a reality. In just one year, we successfully paid off our personal loan and saved $12,000 annually compared to our previous rent expenses.

The purchase of our house brought about a profound transformation in both our financial and personal lives. It instilled in us a newfound confidence to pursue and achieve our goals. After countless hours of hard work, we finally reaped the rewards. This experience served as a testament that wealth is not a prerequisite for its creation; we possess the power to shape our own destinies.

Now, my aspiration is to empower others to realize the same. I am driven to demonstrate that opportunities are abundant in our surroundings, awaiting our discerning eye, coupled with the right resources and guidance, to seize them.