What if every setback in your career was a setup for something greater?

 

In this episode of The Academy Presents Real Estate Investing Rocks, Angel welcomes Joe Downs, CEO of Belrose Storage Group, for a deep dive into self-storage investing. Joe shares his winding journey from financial advisor to entrepreneur, real estate investor, and distressed debt expert. He reveals how failures—like losing a bar business—became stepping stones to success, the power of persistence in wholesaling, and why self-storage is one of the most lucrative real estate niches today.

 

[00:01 - 04:13] The Wake-Up Call: From Finance to Real Estate

• A career in financial advising wasn’t fulfilling, prompting Joe to seek new opportunities
• 9/11 provided a moment of reflection, making him question his long-term career path
• Seeing the wealthiest people Joe knew thriving in real estate inspired his pivot

 

[04:14 - 08:25] Lessons from Failure: The Bar Business & Beyond

• Entrepreneurship comes with risks—Joe’s first major business, a bar, failed
• Instead of quitting, Joe saw it as an expensive but valuable education in business
• What led Joe to real estate investing, where he started with wholesaling

 

[08:26 - 12:57] Mastering Real Estate Investing & Raising Capital

• Joe transitioned into raising millions for large multifamily and office deals
• The importance of networking and relationship-building in real estate
• 1031 exchanges became a key tool in his real estate investment strategy

 

[12:58 - 16:07] The 2008 Crisis & the Move into Distressed Debt

• The mortgage meltdown changed the game, forcing Joe to pivot again
• An opportunity in distressed debt, buying non-performing second mortgages
• His experience in capital raising and risk management made this transition successful

 

[16:08 - 20:57] Why Self-Storage? The Final Pivot to Success

• Self-storage investing combines low risk with high cash flow potential
• How relationships and creative financing helped him break into this market
• Every challenge Joe faced in the past contributed to his expertise in this niche

 

 

Key Quotes:

 

“You’re not losing—you’re learning. Every business challenge is another lesson that prepares you for the next opportunity.” - Joe Downs

 

“If you want to succeed in real estate, you need relationships. No matter your personality type, building connections is key.” - Joe Downs

 

 

 

Connect with Joe:

 

Website: https://www.belrosestoragegroup.com/

LinkedIn:https://www.linkedin.com/in/joe-downs-7990851/

 

Visit sponsorcloud.io/contact today and unlock $2,000 of free services exclusively for REI Rocks community members! Get automated syndication and investor relationship management tools to save time and money. Mention your part of the REI Rocks community for exclusive offers. Help make affordable, low-cost education summits possible. Check out Sponsor Cloud today!

 

LEAVE A REVIEW + help someone who wants to explode their business growth by sharing this episode.

 

Are you confused about where to start? Join our community and learn more about real estate investing.