In this episode of the Collective Genius Podcast, I sit down with Saul Zenkevicius—a Lithuanian-born investor running a wildly profitable operation out of Jacksonville, Florida. Saul pulled off a $1.6M net profit year without managing a construction crew, owning a massive portfolio, or running a traditional flip team. How? By getting laser-focused on lean systems, trusted partners, and high-margin wholesale and wholetail deals.

We get into how Saul went from burnout and broken systems to a streamlined business that feeds his lifestyle and fuels his freedom. He shares his hiring strategy, his unique "four lanes" org chart, and how he uses minimal overhead and high trust to maximize every deal. This is the playbook for anyone who's tired of complexity and ready to make real money with a real team—without the chaos.

Timeline Summary

[0:00] - Introduction

[2:10] - Saul's backstory: from Lithuania to Jacksonville and into real estate

[6:00] - Why flipping burned him out—and how he pivoted to lean wholesaling

[10:20] - How he netted $1.6M with no full-time project manager or flip team

[13:30] - Saul's org chart: four lanes, five people, no fluff

[18:40] - How he builds trust with his title company and JV partners

[22:00] - Why staying small and profitable beats scaling for ego

[26:00] - The one meeting he holds every day—and why it keeps the team aligned

[30:20] - How he filters new opportunities and stays in his zone of genius

[34:00] - Advice for investors who feel stuck managing chaos

[38:15] - What "freedom" means to Saul—and why it's more important than units or revenue

5 Key Takeaways

1. Small Teams Can Win Big – Saul's $1.6M net year came from a 5-person team with no construction overhead or bloated org chart.

2. Focus on Trust, Not Control – Long-term relationships with partners and vendors are worth more than micromanaging.

3. Profit Over Prestige – You don't need a massive business to make massive income—just a smart, clean, efficient one.

4. Structure = Sanity – A simple "four-lane" team structure helped Saul delegate, focus, and scale without chaos.

5. Redefine Success – Saul's goal isn't to build an empire—it's to build freedom. And his business is designed around exactly that.

Links & Resources

• ExploreCG.com – Join the Collective Genius community

• Saul's recommended mindset shift: Measure net peace, not just net profit

• Tools mentioned: Simple KPI dashboard, daily standup rhythm

If Saul's story helped you rethink what your business could look like, follow, rate, and review the Collective Genius Podcast. And share this with someone who needs permission to build lean and live free.