Guide 2 the Grind

As we approach the end of our 3rd season, I look back and think about all the guests we’ve had. Some have been back a couple of times… some never showed up the first time. 

But on this episode we have my all time favourite guest, not just because he’s an expert in the Crypto space, but because he’s become a true friend, even though we’ve never met in person. 

The more time I’ve spent with Zach, the more fascinated I am by his faith, knowledge, and depth of character. 

Yes it’s a bit of a bro-mance.

And one of the reasons I’m so grateful to connect with such an abundance of great guests on our show. 

Have a listen to the conversation we have with Zach Morrow, covering everything from Crypto to mindset. It’s one of my absolute favourite conversations. (Yes I know I say that a lot, but I mean it every time)

Check out this episode of “Guide 2 the Grind” with Crypto expert Zach Morrow. 

www.guidetothegrind.com

Every once in a while we have a guest that has so much great insight to share that JT and I barely have to speak. 

Preston Brown is one of those guests. 

He’s a serial entrepreneur with over 18 operating businesses, a college drop out, and makes nearly $200M dollars a year. So he’s got few insights to share. Lol

Have a listen to our conversation, or should I say, lesson with Preston Brown on this episode of “Guide 2 the Grind”. 

www.guidetothegrind.com

We all know the market is terrible, the sky is falling, and we should all probably just give up on trying to get ahead. 

…at least if you listen to the news. 

But there’s opportunities in every cycle of the market, and it’s no different today. Think about the “go-go 80’s”. They were some of the most prosperous times the western world has ever known. Yet mortgage interest rates were in the high teens and low twenties. 

How can that be?

Are we looking back on those times through rose coloured glasses, or is it that higher mortgage rates don’t mean the end of the world?

Yes there are absolutely some folks that are gonna get screwed over by the rates. And yes there will be some folks that can’t afford to stay in their homes. But the antidote to the poison being spewed by most major news outlets is simple…

…education.

See the market is cyclical. About every 12 - 15 years the market corrects. Those that are educated know this and can prepare for it. Those who don’t either seek education, or get swallowed up by the changing tide. 

One entrepreneur that stands out in this market is our guest on this episode of “Guide 2 the Grind”. Shannon Robnett has been in the real estate world as a developer, realtor, and syndicator of investments for nearly 30 years. He’s seen how the market cycles shift, and he’s been able to keep his head above water, and the heads of his investors, through all of it. 

Have a listen to some of the strategies Shannon uses to underwrite his projects, and the education he shares with his investors to keep them growing toward their goals no matter what the market is doing. 

www.guidetothegrind.com

One of the biggest problems we’re seeing right now is that buyers just don’t qualify for enough money to buy the homes they want. Banks have really tightened their lending restrictions, and the stress test isn’t giving them enough buying power.

But is the market really as bad as everyone thinks?

Truly, I don’t know. 

Here’s what I do know… Everyone hates change, and nobody is happy with the way it is. 

At the root of it, that’s what’s happening right now, change. It doesn’t mean the market is bad though. What it does mean is that we’ve gotten used to ridiculously low mortgage rates, and they couldn’t stay that way forever. They had to rise at some point.

The biggest problem is the cost of housing. Houses are just too damn expensive for most to afford. We simply aren’t producing enough homes to keep up with our immigration. Not to mention the international students and migrant workers that come here looking for a place to live. 

So… all this being said, how can folks get a leg up in this market?

There are always going to be opportunities in any market, and that’s exactly what we’re talking about on this episode of “Guide 2 the Grind”. 

The Equity Assist Program is helping first time homebuyers qualify with a 20% down payment. 

It’s a co-investment program that’s counting on the appreciation of the homes they co-invest on, so there’s no extra monthly payment, and folks are saving on insurance fees and even land transfer tax. 

Sounds too good to be true right?

That’s exactly what I thought when I first heard about it too, but have a listen to what Jonathan’s discovered and I’m sure you’ll be as fired up as I was. 

www.guidetothegrind.com

When most people think of franchising its fast food joints and coffee shops that come to mind first. And anyone that's owned this kind of business will tell you, it's not easy, and it's not a 9-5 kinda lifestyle. 

But what if there are franchises that offer passive, or at least mostly passive income?

On this episode of "Guide 2 the Grind" we're talking with Bob Bernotas. Bob helps folks create an exit plan from their corporate backgrounds, and buy franchises that offer mostly passive income. 

Have a listen to this different way of looking at franchising. 

www.guidetothegrind.com

Have you ever felt unfulfilled in your personal and/or professional life?

The struggle to find significance in our day to day can be subtle, but it underlies everything we do. For some the motivation to keep going is derived from their family and sense of duty to them. For others it can be a lot more challenging to define. 

What makes you feel like you have purpose in life?

What holds us back from finding it?

On this episode of “Guide 2 the Grind” we sit down with Xpansive Warrior founder, and a good friend of mine, David Pineo. 

David’s own journey of self discovery has led him to Costa Rica, and to form Xpansive Warrior. A men’s personal development group focused on processing past traumas and understanding how men can contribute to society while finding fulfillment in what they do. 

It’s a fascinating conversation, and there are definitely some cathartic moments as we talk about our own journey’s of loss and redemption. You don’t want to miss this one. 

www.guidetothegrind.com

It’s no secret that homeownership is becoming out of reach for a lot of first time homebuyers.

But does that mean they’re going to have to rent forever?

Our guest on episode 128 of “Guide 2 the Grind”, Franco Perez, proves that there’s always opportunity in real estate, no matter what the market is doing. 

By shifting his client’s focus away from buying their "dream home” right off the bat, and being house poor, he’s able to show them that there’s a far more affordable way to start building equity. 

Mobile homes.

We’re not talking about the stereotypical images that most folks conjure up when you mention trailer parks. These are purpose built mobile home parks that are already central to most major cities. And there’s a ton of opportunity for first time homebuyers to get into the market. 

This strategy helps folks start building equity years sooner!

Don’t miss this fascinating conversation.

www.guidetothegrind.com

Have you ever hit one of your goals, felt the immediate rush, and then thought it isn’t all it’s cracked up to be?

I learned early on that having goals is great, but achieving them can kinda suck...  

 ...if you don’t have the next one already lined up.  

In Proverbs there’s a great quote that says;  

            “Where there is no vision, the people perish.”

Like anything, real estate investing can become tedious, and even boring, if you’re not challenging yourself. Running a successful real estate business is incredible, but stagnation can bring down even the most passionate investor.  

That’s why I’m super happy when I get to talk with folks like our guest on the show today.  

Charles Carillo started as an individual investor and is now dealing with “syndicated multi-family, value add investing.” His strategy for buying “B class” apartment buildings and fixing them up to “A class” is yielding great results, and even better returns for his investor partners.   

On this episode of “Guide 2 the Grind”, have a listen to how Charles has continually grown his real estate business, and kept the same passion he’s had since the beginning. 

www.guidetothegrind.com

When I first got into sales (well over a decade ago now) I remember my mentors talking about building relationships. I remember learning all sorts of “tactics” to endear myself to people, but it always felt fake. Deep down I knew there was more to it. 

Relationships come down to one very simple concept: caring about other people. 

John Maxwell said it best when he said “People don’t care how much you know, until they know how much you care.”

This is a hard and fast rule that I choose to live my life by, and it’s not easy. Relationships take work. You need to answer the phone when someone needs help moving. You have to listen to people’s problems. And you have to really want to do it. Even when it sucks. 

But the rewards for your effort are exponential. 

I learned this a few years ago when I moved out of Toronto back to my hometown. Toronto was great, and I have some incredible friends there. But we were always so busy that we rarely got a chance to see each other. 

Moving back to a slower pace of life, and being surrounded by family showed me just how much it means to have relationships in my life. 

Money is great, trips, boats, and all of the luxuries that it can afford. But it’s the relationships you have, and the depth of those connections that make life truly rich. (Like chocolate cake, not the money kind)

Our guest on this episode of “Guide 2 the Grind” is the embodiment of this ethos. Rob Dundas is a Realtor in the Niagara Region, and he runs his business heart first. Everyone one of us can benefit from the way Rob runs his business, and his life. 

www.guidetothegrind.com

When I was a kid one of my all time favourite shows was the Fall Guy. If you’re old enough to remember it, what could make for better tv than a Hollywood stuntman who fights crime in his spare time. And how cool was that truck?

As I got older, there seemed to be less magic in the world. And of course I knew that a show like that wasn’t real. 

But there are real stuntmen in the world.

Randy Butcher is well known and well respected stunt coordinator with decades in the film business. He’s worked one hit shows like Flashpoint and Mayor of Kingstown, and huge blockbuster movies like Suicide Squad. 

I’ve known Randy for about 15 years now, and I’m happy to say that he’s our guest on this episode of “Guide 2 the Grind”. It takes a ton of confidence to be competent in the stunt game, and he shares with us some of the strategies he’s used to keep him and his team safe over the years. 

www.guidetothegrind.com