Real investors share the moments that moved them from stuck to their first deal. If creative finance, SubTo, or landing that first deal still feels out of reach, this Dream Start Own compilation shows you what actually worked for people who started right where you are.

What we cover:

How everyday people found creative finance and took over their first mortgage

Finding the right community and why the people matter more than the mentorship

Pushing past fear, hesitation, and shiny object syndrome to take the leap

Why partnership and the right team speed everything up

How SubTo, Gator, and Owners Club fit into a real beginner's path

This one is a Dream Start Own compilation. Different guests, one throughline: they stopped waiting and started.

⏱️ Chapters

00:00 Discovering Creative Finance

02:18 Finding the Right Real Estate Community

03:11 Don't Be Afraid to Take the Leap

08:32 Why Partnership Matters

08:41 Joining SubTo and the Gator Community

If one story here sounds like where you are right now, follow the show and start with one small action this week.

👉 Don't forget to 👍like, 💬comment, 🔔subscribe, and share.

🔧 Tools & Resources Mentioned 🔧

Some of the links below may be affiliate partnerships. We only share tools we personally trust and use.

💸💸 Need funding for your next deal? Get approved fast here:

👉 app.dealfunding360.com/?ref=EdgarSalgado

💤 Sleep better, dream bigger! — Eight Sleep

👉 https://refer.eight.sl/edgardsalgado

💵 Prime Corporate Services (LLC setup + business credit)

👉 https://primepartner.info/edgardsa

💵 Foundational Funding, EMD, Transactional Lending, Double Close

👉 https://foundationallending.com/funding-wl?ref_name=Josh+Smith&[email protected]

► Join the SubTo Community and learn creative finance from Pace Morby

👉 https://join.nre.ai/mQ9T9vZ

► Learn to make money on other people's deals with the Gator Method

👉 https://join.nre.ai/mQBDJK5

► Tools I use for productivity

👉 https://linktr.ee/EdgartheConnector

🔌 PLUG IN & SUBSCRIBE 🔌

Instagram: @edgartheconnector

TikTok: @edgarsrei

🚧 DISCLAIMER 🚧

We are not a CPA, attorney, insurance, contractor, lender, or financial advisor. Content is for entertainment purposes only; verify all information yourself.

AI is a giant tsunami. You can get swept under it or you can learn to surf. In Part 2 with Owen Mecham we get tactical on how AI agents actually buy back your time as an entrepreneur, and how everyday business owners can start today.

What we cover:

How Owen and his wife Mary built My Business Genie AI to make automation simple for regular business owners

Using AI agents to underwrite real estate deals on their own (Mary bought back 15 hours a week)

Making money while you sleep by letting AI do the pre-work before you clock in

Training your AI like an employee instead of treating it like a search bar

Real AI use cases for real estate investors

The biggest AI mistake business owners are making right now

Where to start if AI still feels overwhelming

About the guest:

Owen Mecham is the founder of My Business Genie AI, built to put automation in the hands of everyday entrepreneurs. This is Part 2. If you missed Part 1, that one is his personal story of health, healing, family, and turning pain into purpose.

CHAPTERS

00:00 Preview

01:05 Welcome Back with Owen Mecham

01:40 When My Business Genie AI Started

05:12 Buying Back Time with AI

06:37 AI Underwriting Real Estate Deals

09:42 Making Money While You Sleep

11:45 The Moment AI Changed Everything

17:13 Building My Business Genie with Mary

19:47 Training Your AI Like an Employee

29:19 AI Use Cases for Real Estate Investors

33:26 What AI Gave Back to Owen Personally

34:28 The Biggest AI Mistake Business Owners Make

38:27 Where to Start with AI

42:26 Where to Find My Business Genie AI

Connect with Owen Mecham

Instagram: @theowenmecham

My Business Genie AI: mybusinessgenie.ai

If this one helped you, follow the show and share it with one person who needs to hear it.

---

PROMO BLOCK

👉 Don't forget to 👍like, 💬comment, 🔔subscribe, and share.

🔧 Tools & Resources Mentioned 🔧

Some links below may be affiliate partnerships. We only share tools we personally trust and use.

💤 Sleep better, dream bigger — Eight Sleep

👉 https://refer.eight.sl/edgardsalgado

💸 Need funding for your next deal? Get approved fast:

👉 app.dealfunding360.com/?ref=EdgarSalgado

💵 Prime Corporate Services (LLC setup + business credit)

👉 https://primepartner.info/edgardsa

💵 Foundational Funding — EMD, transactional lending, double close

👉 https://foundationallending.com/funding-wl?ref_name=Josh+Smith&[email protected]

► Join the SubTo Community and learn creative finance from Pace Morby

👉 https://join.nre.ai/mQ9T9vZ

► Learn to make money on other people's deals with the Gator Method

👉 https://join.nre.ai/mQBDJK5

► Tools I use for productivity

👉 https://linktr.ee/EdgartheConnector

🔌 PLUG IN & SUBSCRIBE 🔌

Instagram: @edgartheconnector

TikTok: @edgarsrei

🚧 DISCLAIMER 🚧

We are not a CPA, attorney, insurance, contractor, lender, or financial advisor. Content is for entertainment purposes only; verify all information yourself.

Owen Mecham spent 24 years building tech systems at Carvana. Then a milkshake triggered the most painful condition known to medicine — both types at once, a 1-in-10 million diagnosis — and for almost two years, doctors had no answers. What he built on the other side of two brain surgeries at Stanford is now helping kids do what no one taught him as a child: train the mind before it breaks.

• How losing his job, his promotion and his housing the same day he returned from his honeymoon wired his resilience before he knew he'd need it
• What trigeminal neuralgia actually does and why pharmaceutical options ran out first
• The 48-hour call from Stanford's chief neurosurgeon and what his wife Mary held onto when he couldn't
• The Tim Story moment at Squad Up that became the seed for Warrior Thoughts
• How the app helps kids reframe negative thinking and build a tribe that checks in on them

This is Part 1 of Owen's conversation. Next week he's back with his AI business tool My Business Genie and what he's building for entrepreneurs.

Connect with Owen:
Instagram: @theowenmecham
Warrior Thoughts: @mywarriorthoughts | warriorthoughts.com

👉 Don't forget to 👍like, 💬comment, 🔔subscribe, and share.

🔧 Tools & Resources Mentioned 🔧
Some of the links below may be affiliate partnerships. We only share tools we personally trust and use.

💸💸 Need funding for your next deal? Get approved fast here:
👉 app.dealfunding360.com/?ref=EdgarSalgado

💤 Sleep better, dream bigger! — Eight Sleep
👉 https://refer.eight.sl/edgardsalgado

Get your LLC 👉 Prime Corporate Services
👉 https://primepartner.info/edgardsa

👉 Foundational Funding, EMD, Transactional Lending, Double Close
👉 https://foundationallending.com/funding-wl?ref_name=Josh+Smith&[email protected]

► Join The Subto Community for Life & Learn Creative Finance from @PaceMorby
👉 https://join.nre.ai/mQ9T9vZ

► Learn How to Make Money on Other People's Deals with the Gator Method
👉 https://join.nre.ai/mQBDJK5

► Tools I use for productivity
👉 https://linktr.ee/EdgartheConnector

🔌 PLUG IN & SUBSCRIBE 🔌
Instagram: @edgartheconnector
TikTok: @edgarsrei

🚧 DISCLAIMER 🚧
We are not a CPA, attorney, insurance, contractor, lender, or financial advisor. The content in these episodes shall not be construed as tax, legal, insurance, construction, engineering, health & safety, electrical, financial advice, or other and may be outdated or inaccurate; it is your responsibility to verify all information yourself. This is a podcast for entertainment purposes only.

What if you could apply the same creative finance strategies you use in real estate to buy or sell a car with no bank involved? Mike Davis Jr. figured it out. He's the founder of Top Wheels, the nation's leading TC company for creative vehicle deals, creator of the Sellify marketplace and the AIOS Blueprint AI operating system. This episode covers vehicle creative finance and how AI agents are changing the way business owners work.

What we cover:

• How subject-to and seller finance translate directly to cars trucks RVs boats and aircraft
• Why most sellers are stuck between trading in for nothing or a lowball offer
• What a TC does in a vehicle deal and what goes wrong when you skip one
• The Bentley Bentayga deal: how a seller got above asking price with zero down
• Why high-income buyers use creative finance even when they qualify
• What an AI agent actually is and why it is not a magic wand
• How Mike built an entire product launch from his phone in bed
• First step for real estate investors wanting to get into vehicle deals

About Mike Davis Jr:Founder of Top Wheels, creator of Sellify.io and the AIOS Blueprint. He has coordinated creative vehicle deals across 49 states and has been building with AI since ChatGPT launched in 2022.

Chapters:00:00 - Intro + who Mike Davis Jr. is01:59 - From wholesaling real estate to creative car finance03:28 - The main problem: winging deals on handshakes and hope06:13 - How a creative vehicle deal works start to finish07:06 - Sellify.io: the first AI driven creative vehicle marketplace08:22 - What goes wrong without a transaction coordinator09:42 - 49 states: cars trucks RVs boats and aircraft15:22 - The AIOS Blueprint: AI operating system for your business18:15 - Building a product launch from his phone in bed19:46 - Computer specs and subscriptions you actually need26:13 - Why every business owner needs an AI agent33:33 - What work means when AI handles 90% of your output42:55 - Tasks Mike no longer does manually48:42 - First step this week for real estate investors entering vehicle deals49:22 - Where to find Mike

🔧 Tools & Resources 🔧Some links may be affiliate partnerships.🚗 Top Wheels TC: topwheels.io🛒 Sellify marketplace: sellify.io🤖 AIOS Blueprint: aiosblueprint.com📘 Top Method community: facebook.com/groups/TopMethod🎓 Top Method Academy: jointopmethod.com📱 Mike: @MikeWillCloseIt on Instagram and Facebook💸 Deal Funding 360: app.dealfunding360.com/?ref=EdgarSalgado💤 Eight Sleep: https://refer.eight.sl/edgardsalgado🏢 Prime Corporate Services: https://primecorporateservices.com/?_...🏦 Foundational Funding: https://foundationalfunding.com/fundi...🛠️ Edgar's tools: https://linktr.ee/EdgartheConnector

🔌 Don't forget to 👍 like, 💬 comment, 🔔 subscribe and share!Instagram: @edgartheconnector | TikTok: @edgarsrei

🚧 DISCLAIMER 🚧Not a CPA, attorney, insurance, contractor, lender, or financial advisor. Content is not tax, legal, financial or other professional advice. For entertainment purposes ONLY.

Most investors walk when a deal gets complicated. Vincent Lanza walks toward it. Known as Uncle Lanza in Pace Morby's Subto community, Vincent has been doing creative finance deals in one of the hardest real estate markets in the country since 2019. In this episode he breaks down how he structures hybrid deals others can't touch, handles sellers who pass away mid-close and mentors complete beginners to their first $20K deal.

What we cover:

• The hybrid deal: combining subject-to and seller finance to acquire a $400K hoarder house with almost no cash
• How he structured $200K in seller equity with zero payments until sale
• The deal where the seller passed away on closing day and what they did next
• Solar liens, tax liens and the title company that blew up a deal at the last minute
• How he went from student to one of Subto's most trusted leaders
• What makes San Francisco one of the hardest and most rewarding markets to invest in
• The Lanza method: how he mentors beginners from zero to their first deal
• The one mistake that keeps most people stuck in creative finance
• Why taking action beats having all the answers every time
• How to join his free weekly deal review call

About Vincent Lanza:Vincent is the CEO of Verity Property Investors and founder of Lanza Partners. He was one of the first members of Pace Morby's Subto community and is known as Uncle Lanza for his leadership mentorship and deal teaching. He operates across California, Tennessee, North Carolina and Texas.

Chapters:00:04 - Intro + who Uncle Lanza is01:06 - One of the first Subto members: how he found Pace at a Fresno meetup03:19 - COVID hits and why creative finance made sense in San Francisco04:46 - Entrepreneurial roots: his dad left Bell Labs for a Silicon Valley startup08:03 - How real estate entered the picture: from CD-ROMs to wholesaling10:39 - Why Kevin O'Leary brought them into real estate in 201914:55 - From student to Uncle Lanza: how he stepped into leadership17:52 - The Lanza method explained simply18:23 - The hybrid deal: hoarder house squatters sub-to and seller finance23:07 - Getting the seller to carry $200K with no payments until sale26:36 - The seller passed away on closing day: what happened next30:43 - Lanza Partners: building a full team around the business33:11 - Building a business with your spouse for 40 years37:27 - Deal that nearly broke them: solar liens tax liens and a bad title company42:09 - The moral dilemma: walk away or close anyway?45:33 - How they saved the deal by going back to the hard money lender50:11 - Why having your property in a trust matters more than most people realize51:50 - What most investors from cheaper markets misunderstand about San Francisco55:33 - California pros and cons: wholesaling landlord laws and co-living57:14 - Watching a beginner go from zero to $20K on his first deal1:02:04 - The one mistake that keeps people stuck in creative finance1:07:38 - Where to find Vincent and the free weekly deal call

🔧 Tools & Resources 🔧Some links may be affiliate partnerships.🤝 Uncle Lanza free weekly call: lanzapartners.com/Vincent💸 Deal Funding 360: app.dealfunding360.com/?ref=EdgarSalgado💤 Eight Sleep: https://refer.eight.sl/edgardsalgado🏢 Prime Corporate Services: https://primecorporateservices.com/?_...🏦 Foundational Funding: https://foundationalfunding.com/fundi...🛠️ Edgar's tools: https://linktr.ee/EdgartheConnector

🔌 Don't forget to 👍 like, 💬 comment, 🔔 subscribe and share!Instagram: @edgartheconnector | TikTok: @edgarsrei

🚧 DISCLAIMER 🚧Not a CPA, attorney, insurance, contractor, lender, or financial advisor. Content is not tax, legal, financial or other professional advice. For entertainment purposes ONLY.

What if your next rental property paid three times the cash flow and changed someone's life at the same time? Jim Boad went from watching 18 of his 20 properties stop paying rent during COVID to running 14 sober living homes with 12 more on the way in a town of just 11,000 people. He breaks down the full business model and what it really takes to get started.

What we cover:

• How one property went from $2,400 to $8,500 a month using the bed-by-bed model
• Why sober living stayed full during COVID when traditional rentals collapsed
• The OD on his first night open and why it made him go harder not quit
• Investor vs. operator: two models and which one is right for you
• How to open a sober living home in 60 days with no prior experience
• Working with the Department of Corrections: 20% of Jim's residents come from DOC
• Why location near transit matters more than square footage
• The one thing to do this week to find out if this path is right for you

About Jim Boad:25-year real estate veteran turned sober living operator in Washington State. He runs 14 recovery homes under the nonprofit Shelton Housing First, authored Group Home Accelerator and coaches investors and operators to open their first home in 60 days or less.

Chapters:00:07 - Intro + who Jim Boad is03:03 - The night he found the website at 11pm and bought the course05:45 - 18 of 20 properties stopped paying rent during COVID09:03 - Who walks through the door and what week one looks like10:22 - The first life saved: the man who came in with just a bag of clothes11:32 - The OD on his first night and what changed after16:31 - Inpatient clinic vs. sober living: what the difference actually is20:06 - Cash flow comparison: $2,400 vs. $8,500 on the same property22:26 - Converting a single family home without structural changes24:01 - Two models: house leader vs. hired operator29:29 - The Irish pub moment: his whole staff lives in his sober homes33:25 - How to find great operators35:43 - When operators are too mission-driven to run it like a business42:11 - 60 days to open: the week-by-week breakdown47:48 - Investor vs. operator model: who furnishes the home53:26 - Location and why transit access matters more than size54:11 - Working with the Department of Corrections57:24 - 14 homes in a town of 11,000 with a waiting list1:01:54 - One thing to do this week to start1:03:54 - HOAs: can they stop you and what the ADA says1:07:10 - Property condition: sober living vs. traditional rentals

🔧 Tools & Resources 🔧Some links may be affiliate partnerships.📖 Group Home Accelerator: available on Amazon🌐 Jim Boad: jimboad.com💸 Deal Funding 360: app.dealfunding360.com/?ref=EdgarSalgado💤 Eight Sleep: https://refer.eight.sl/edgardsalgado🏢 Prime Corporate Services: https://primecorporateservices.com/?_...🏦 Foundational Funding: https://foundationalfunding.com/fundi...🛠️ Edgar's tools: https://linktr.ee/EdgartheConnector

🔌 Don't forget to 👍 like, 💬 comment, 🔔 subscribe, and share!Instagram: @edgartheconnector | TikTok: @edgarsrei

🚧 DISCLAIMER 🚧Not a CPA, attorney, insurance, contractor, lender, or financial advisor. Content is not tax, legal, financial or other professional advice. For entertainment purposes ONLY.

What does a $20M sales organization, a private school and a co-living portfolio in Phoenix have in common? Karl Larsen built all three. In this episode, Karl breaks down how he transitioned from 15 years in Herbalife to solving the housing affordability crisis one co-living property at a time — and why rent by the room is the most underrated cash flow strategy in real estate right now.

What we cover:

• How co-living turns a 3-bed single family into 8 rooms and nearly doubles gross rent
• Why Karl moved from fix and flips to co-living and multifamily
• The tax problem that pushed him into real estate and how he found Pace Morby at midnight in Montana
• Lake Academy: the private school he built in 90 days out of necessity
• How to invest passively with Karl and Kyle Kargas — no experience required
• How investor money is protected: liens, guarantees and cross-collateralization explained
• The Elite Operator: scale without chaos coaching for real estate operators
• Building a business with your spouse — what the first 18 months really looked like
• The second mountain: why purpose now drives every business decision
• One action to take this week if you want to start in real estate

About Karl Larsen:Karl is a real estate investor, co-living operator, entrepreneur and co-founder of Lake Academy in Minnesota. He partners with Kyle Kargas on co-living properties in Phoenix and Atlanta and runs the Elite Operator coaching community for real estate operators who want to scale without chaos.

Chapters:00:06 - Intro + who Karl Larsen is01:30 - Growing up without entrepreneurial examples03:08 - Living in a van: the scariest moment of his first business07:02 - Herbalife brick and mortar: from 22 to 120 customers10:02 - Why Herbalife — and what a storefront changed11:43 - Building with his wife Brooke: the first 18 months15:36 - What made Brooke see his potential18:06 - How they grew the organization to $20M a year21:07 - Why spending time with your people is the actual secret26:22 - Why he pivoted from Herbalife to real estate28:05 - The tax problem and finding Pace Morby at midnight in Montana31:04 - Letting go of the baby you built for 15 years34:48 - Lake Academy: the private school built in 90 days39:28 - Project-based learning and the Shark Tank session43:19 - What co-living actually is and why it's getting mainstream45:38 - Why houses won't go back to 1999 prices — and what to do instead47:57 - PadSplit, property managers and their Phoenix operation48:33 - The numbers: 3-bed to 8 rooms, $2,500 rent to $6,400 gross50:14 - How to work with Karl and Kyle: kyleandkarl.com51:32 - No experience needed to invest — here's how it works52:36 - How investor money is protected55:16 - Biggest misconceptions investors have57:20 - Phoenix and Atlanta: the two co-living markets58:07 - The Elite Operator: scale without chaos coaching1:01:57 - Why busy founders need a community not a podcast vault1:05:00 - What running all of this actually costs him personally1:09:00 - The second mountain: what purpose means now1:14:40 - What the next 10 years look like1:18:15 - One thing to do this week if you haven't started yet1:21:24 - Where to find Karl

🔧 Tools & Resources 🔧Some links may be affiliate partnerships.🏠 Karl Larsen: multiunitincome.com | carlglarsen.com🤝 Co-living with Kyle and Karl: kyleandkarl.com🎓 Lake Academy: lakeacademy.com💸 Deal Funding 360: app.dealfunding360.com/?ref=EdgarSalgado💤 Eight Sleep: https://refer.eight.sl/edgardsalgado🏢 Prime Corporate Services: https://primecorporateservices.com/?_...🏦 Foundational Funding: https://foundationalfunding.com/fundi...🛠️ Edgar's tools: https://linktr.ee/EdgartheConnector

🔌 Don't forget to 👍 like, 💬 comment, 🔔 subscribe, and share!Instagram: @edgartheconnector | TikTok: @edgarsrei

🚧 DISCLAIMER 🚧Not a CPA, attorney, insurance, contractor, lender, or financial advisor. Content is not tax, legal, financial, or other professional advice. For entertainment purposes ONLY.

What if your real estate portfolio could build wealth and change lives at the same time? Jennifer Breitbach, real estate operator and transformative ecosystem builder, acquires co-living and boarding house properties to create affordable housing for people coming out of rehab, prison and other underserved situations. This episode is for every investor who wants their portfolio to mean something.

What we cover:

• What transformative housing is and how it differs from sober living
• How co-living unlocks cash flow when traditional rentals can't
• The exact buy box Jennifer underwrites to
• How to partner as a capital investor, private lender, or property owner
• Bird dogging 101: how to join a deals team with no experience
• The Warm Handoff Center nonprofit and why a friend's loss sparked it
• How to build a tenant waitlist before you even have a deal
• CliftonStrengths and finding your mission as a founder
• What profit with purpose really means — and how both reinforce each other

About Jennifer Breitbach:Military veteran, real estate operator and transformative ecosystem builder acquiring co-living properties across Montana, Texas and Chicago. She leads a bird dogging and deals team with three open calls per week.

Chapters:00:04 - Intro + who Jennifer is02:21 - The prayer that started it all04:21 - Why people stay stuck in the system09:42 - What the solution looks like today11:25 - The co-living buy box: exact numbers13:36 - Stages of housing: feeding tenants up19:38 - Post-sober living: what the program looks like21:31 - The Goose Foundation nonprofit explained25:39 - Co-living vs. traditional rental math27:29 - Investor structure: preferred return and IRR28:52 - How to invest with Jennifer29:43 - Meet the team32:24 - Handling skeptics: Jennifer's honest answer37:35 - Why co-living tenants treat properties better39:36 - Use your cleaner as a property reporter41:05 - Build your tenant waitlist before you have a deal43:23 - Workforce housing in Texas City and Baytown45:44 - Bird dogging 101: join the team with no experience52:39 - CliftonStrengths and founder alignment59:27 - Profit with purpose: how both reinforce each other1:00:49 - One thing to do this week1:03:14 - Where to find Jennifer

🔧 Tools & Resources 🔧Some links may be affiliate partnerships.🏠 jenniferbreitbach.com | 📋 Free download: The Five Seats🤝 Jordan Reyes: jordanreyes.me❤️ The Goose Foundation: link in show notes💸 Deal Funding 360: app.dealfunding360.com/?ref=EdgarSalgado💤 Eight Sleep: https://refer.eight.sl/edgardsalgado🏢 Prime Corporate Services: https://primecorporateservices.com/?_...🏦 Foundational Funding: https://foundationalfunding.com/fundi...🛠️ Edgar's tools: https://linktr.ee/EdgartheConnector

🔌 Don't forget to 👍 like, 💬 comment, 🔔 subscribe, and share!Instagram: @edgartheconnector | TikTok: @edgarsrei

🚧 DISCLAIMER 🚧Not a CPA, attorney, insurance, contractor, lender, or financial advisor. Content is not tax, legal, financial, or other professional advice. For entertainment purposes ONLY.

Most homeowners don't read their insurance policy until it's too late — and insurance companies count on it. Glenis Romero Hargreaves, a senior public insurance adjuster with nearly 40 years of experience, helps fire survivors collect what they're actually owed — not just what the insurance company volunteers to pay. This conversation is practical, personal, and powerful for every property owner.

What we cover:

• What a public insurance adjuster actually does — and why you need one on your side
• How insurance companies pay less than your policy allows — and why they count on you not knowing
• Code upgrades, extended replacement cost, and the endorsements most homeowners never collect
• How to check if you're underinsured before a disaster (the square footage test)
• What your declaration page is and the 3 numbers every homeowner should review right now
• How to negotiate additional living expense — even to buy another home during displacement
• Why you should NOT pay off your mortgage with your insurance settlement check
• The 2-year window: you can reopen a settled claim and still recover more money
• What fire survivors need emotionally — beyond the check
• The integrity moment that changed her entire career

About Glenis Romero Hargreaves:Glenis is a senior public insurance adjuster licensed in California and Florida with nearly 40 years in fire restoration and claims advocacy. She represented over 300 families from the Paradise fire alone and specializes exclusively in helping fire survivors recover every dollar they're owed. No recovery, no fee.

Chapters:00:06 - Welcome + who Glenis is01:16 - Her calling: 40 years advocating for families10:16 - Origin story: 1988 Baldwin Park fire — 11 families hired her on the spot14:00 - From insurance company side to policyholder advocate16:52 - What insurance companies don't volunteer to tell you18:20 - When should you hire a public adjuster?21:00 - Public adjusters recover 40-60% more than policyholders alone25:11 - Taking emotion out of the claims process26:16 - No out-of-pocket cost — paid from settlement only28:38 - Code upgrades: how to prove what the insurance company owes31:49 - Review your policy BEFORE a disaster — the square footage test37:06 - The declaration page explained simply39:06 - Personal property and loss of use coverage demystified41:32 - The one house being rebuilt on the block: Elmer Chan's story43:19 - Don't pay off your mortgage with your settlement check44:38 - How ALE works — and how to use it to buy another home53:04 - The moment she quit her biggest account for integrity57:41 - Why she focuses exclusively on fire claims1:00:12 - What to do immediately after a fire1:07:08 - What fire survivors need beyond the money1:09:23 - Her personal claim: the ceiling that almost killed her son1:15:29 - The 2-year window: you can still reopen your claim1:17:04 - What working with Glenis looks like (free valuation)1:20:11 - The most missed money: extended replacement cost explained1:22:38 - "Don't get burned twice" — her mission1:32:10 - Message to anyone feeling overwhelmed right now1:34:25 - Where to find Glenis

🔧 Tools & Resources 🔧Some links may be affiliate partnerships.🏠 Glenis Romero Hargreaves: propertyclaimsspecialist.com💸 Deal Funding 360: app.dealfunding360.com/?ref=EdgarSalgado💤 Eight Sleep: https://refer.eight.sl/edgardsalgado🏢 Prime Corporate Services: https://primecorporateservices.com/?_...🏦 Foundational Funding: https://foundationalfunding.com/fundi...🛠️ Edgar's tools: https://linktr.ee/EdgartheConnector

🔌 Don't forget to 👍 like, 💬 comment, 🔔 subscribe, and share!Instagram: @edgartheconnector | TikTok: @edgarsrei

🚧 DISCLAIMER 🚧Not a CPA, attorney, insurance, contractor, lender, or financial advisor. Content is not tax, legal, financial, or other professional advice. For entertainment purposes ONLY.

What if your next hire didn't need a salary, benefits, or a Slack account? Raz Mihalyi, fractional AI partner and CTO at AZ Labs, breaks down how business owners are using AI agents to eliminate manual busy work, automate lead generation, and buy back their time — without adding headcount. Whether you've never touched an AI tool or you're already tinkering, this episode makes it practical.

What we cover:

• What AI agents actually are — and how they differ from ChatGPT or Google Search
• The "Second Brain" concept: a personal AI executive assistant that knows your business, goals, and calendar
• How Raz automated multi-source data entry for a lender using AI — without needing API access
• One agent vs. many agents: why starting with one is always the right move
• Why Claude is Raz's top recommendation right now — and what makes Anthropic different
• How to use an AI agent to watch a 2.5-hour course and get a personalized summary in 15 minutes
• When to hire a person vs. deploy an agent — and how to elevate your VA instead of replacing them
• The biggest mistake businesses make when implementing AI (hint: it's not the tech)
• How to automate your calendar using project priority, availability, and delivery dates
• What will separate businesses that win in the next few years from those that get left behind

About Raz Mihalyi:Raz is a software engineer, real estate investor, and fractional AI partner and CTO at AZ Labs. He helps business owners replace manual busy work with automated systems — so they can scale operations without scaling headcount. He works with founders across real estate, lending, and operations on custom AI agent builds and second brain systems.

Chapters:00:54 - Intro + who Raz is01:32 - From W2 software engineer to real estate and Airbnbs03:33 - STR tax strategy for high-income W2 earners06:05 - How Raz became a fractional AI partner and CTO09:14 - How AI lets him scale custom solutions11:15 - How to know when to switch AI tools14:37 - What AI agents actually are (search → answer → agent)16:34 - The Second Brain concept explained19:08 - One agent or many? Start with one21:16 - Best agent right now: why Raz recommends Claude24:40 - The invisible busy work quietly killing your growth25:00 - Automating multi-source data entry for lenders28:31 - Automating Facebook and LinkedIn outreach with agents30:46 - Building a unified inbox across all platforms36:02 - When to hire a person vs. use an agent38:58 - How AI elevates your team instead of replacing them39:39 - Using an agent to watch a 2.5-hour course in 15 minutes42:51 - AI calendar management: the Buy Back Your Time system47:29 - Add CliftonStrengths to your agent to optimize delegation48:09 - Where to start: just get a Claude subscription53:01 - Best first areas to automate in your business55:07 - Biggest AI implementation mistakes founders make57:21 - What clients actually pay Raz for (it's not just the tech)1:00:06 - Raz's ideal client1:01:24 - The Second Brain — available for clients now1:03:17 - What separates businesses that win vs. get left behind1:05:49 - One piece of advice for founders buried in operations1:12:11 - Where to find Raz

🔧 Tools & Resources 🔧Some links may be affiliate partnerships.🤖 Raz Mihalyi — AZ Labs: Instagram @raz.mihalyi💸 Deal Funding 360: app.dealfunding360.com/?ref=EdgarSalgado💤 Eight Sleep: https://refer.eight.sl/edgardsalgado🏢 Prime Corporate Services: https://primecorporateservices.com/?_...🏦 Foundational Funding: https://foundationalfunding.com/fundi...🛠️ Edgar's tools: https://linktr.ee/EdgartheConnector

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🚧 DISCLAIMER 🚧Not a CPA, attorney, insurance, contractor, lender, or financial advisor. Content is not tax, legal, financial, or other professional advice. For entertainment purposes ONLY.