Ever feel like your business is running your life? In this episode, Chris G. talks with Ian Noble, a former small business owner who found a better way, using real estate to buy back his time. Ian shares how he went from long days and burnout to a life where he has more freedom, more family time, and steady income through passive real estate investing. They talk about the difference between being a landlord and investing passively, how to protect your money, and why getting started early matters. If you’re a business owner wondering what’s next, this episode is for you.

Ian Noble is the founder of RunSteady Investments and a former small business owner who successfully scaled and exited a 14-location service company in Austin, Texas, after 14 years in operation. With over a decade of experience in real estate investing, Ian now helps individuals invest passively in real estate funds, including mobile home parks, self-storage, and private credit. His personal portfolio includes residential, commercial, and syndicated investments across Texas and Colorado. Today, his focus is on helping busy professionals and business owners build wealth and time freedom through low-risk, well-vetted real estate opportunities.

Connect with Ian:

Website: https://runsteadyinvestments.com/

LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/iannoble1/

Get his free Passive Investing cheat sheet: https://tinyurl.com/4pphyjfh

Episode highlights:

(0:00) Intro

(1:05) Ian’s background: From dry cleaning to real estate

(1:40) Active vs passive real estate investing

(3:13) Why betting on the operator matters

(4:42) Using business income to build wealth

(6:08) How to legally protect your assets

(7:44) Reinvestment strategy and mindset

(9:50) Transitioning to passive investing after selling a business

(11:48) Tax advantages and depreciation explained

(14:14) Helping others invest through syndication

(18:04) Who can join and what’s required

(20:33) Long-term thinking and letting tenants build your wealth

(25:17) Return on time vs return on money

(29:11) What financial freedom really feels like

(32:14) Outro

Connect with Hard Hat to CEO on:

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/share/g/1BrHqc3wdF/

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/hardhattoceo/

LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/dcgilman/