In this episode, James Michener pulls back the curtain on his unlikely real estate journey—from a master’s student dreading cold calls to brokering nearly 1,500 home sales and amassing a 32‑property portfolio (half of which are fully paid off). Inspired by his “guardian” father’s 24‑rental retirement strategy, James shares how six months of zero deals turned into 26 by year’s end, then 365, all by dialing relentlessly, house‑hacking duplexes for $400/mo, and reinvesting every dollar back into real estate.

He also dives into the often‑invisible scaffolding that supports a high‑performing team: documenting systems, setting realistic expectations, and balancing individual goals with collective growth. Whether you’re launching your first transaction or scaling a multi‑agent operation, James’s hard‑won playbook—covering budgeting, risk‑management, and the art of recruiting rockstar assistants—offers practical tactics to build your own stress‑tested “real estate machine.” Tune in to learn how discipline, persistence, and smart leverage turned cold calls into a thriving, seven‑figure empire.