In this episode of Burning the Ships, I sit down with Chris Lloyd — a young but incredibly sharp real estate investor and broker who built serious momentum in a very short period of time. From selling sunglasses out of his lunchbox in high school to running a high-volume real estate team and leading a Coast-to-Coast brokerage in Virginia, Chris’s story is all about action.

We talk about what it really looks like to leave a “safe” W2 job, grind through six months of zero results, reinvest your first commission instead of upgrading your lifestyle, and build a real estate business around investors instead of retail buyers. Chris breaks down why working with investors supercharges an agent’s career, how to build systems instead of burnout, and why most people fail simply because they won’t take consistent action.

If you’re an agent, investor, or entrepreneur stuck in analysis paralysis — this episode is your reminder that the only difference between where you are and where you want to be… is action.

Key Talking Points of the Episode

00:00 Why working with investors supercharges a real estate career

01:03 Introducing Chris Lloyd and his background

02:00 JJ’s Joke of the Week

04:00 Selling sunglasses in high school and building a “mini CRM” in a lunchbox

05:50 Learning high-ticket sales at a bicycle shop

07:20 Taking the “safe” job at Newport News Shipyard

08:11 Realizing performance doesn’t equal promotion in corporate America

09:40 Reading Rich Dad Poor Dad and the lightbulb moment

11:00 Buying a duplex, house hacking, and living for free

13:00 The $6,000 sewer repair as “cost of tuition”

15:00 Taking action when others don’t

17:59 Why courses don’t matter if you won’t act

21:00 Accountability vs. lone wolf entrepreneurship

29:22 Getting his license and grinding six months with zero results

31:00 Reinvesting his first commission instead of upgrading lifestyle

32:00 Quitting his W2 job after proving the math

34:00 Time blocking, discipline, and earning his spouse’s support

44:00 Burnout from doing everything alone — and building a team

47:00 Connecting with David Greene through Instagram Live

49:00 Raising your hand when opportunity appears

53:00 Why most agents avoid investors (and why that’s a mistake)

54:00 Building recurring business through investor clients

57:00 Telling clients NOT to buy bad deals

58:00 Playing the long game with investor relationships

Quotables

“Information means nothing unless you take action.”

“My $6,000 sewer bill was cheaper than my college tuition — and way more valuable.”

“I wasn’t happy being restricted by tenure instead of performance.”

“You don’t need more clients — you need better ones.”

“Choose the work you want to do. Real estate is going to be work either way.”

Links

Coast to Coast Brokerage (David Greene)

https://coasttocoastbrokerage.com

608B Capital

https://608bcapital.com