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⁠In this eye-opening episode of In The Lab, Ruben breaks down one of the biggest misconceptions in entrepreneurship and real estate investing: confusing an asset class vs. building an actual business. Too many people say they want to “quit their W2 through real estate,” but never stop to ask the deeper question… are they trying to become an investor or build a business machine that produces cash flow at scale?

Throughout the episode, Ruben unpacks the difference between long-term investing, operating a real estate business, and using business income to fund wealth-building assets. He explains why most successful entrepreneurs didn’t get wealthy from the asset class itself first, but from the business engine behind it. From wholesalers and flippers to coaches, syndicators, and short-term rental operators, Ruben challenges listeners to study how people actually made their money instead of blindly copying the final product.

He also dives deep into the importance of context when making business decisions. Instead of asking generic questions like “What’s the best strategy?” Ruben explains why better outcomes come from reverse engineering your goals based on your skills, location, liquidity, lifestyle, time availability, and long-term vision. The episode also explores why B2B businesses create leverage faster than B2C models, and why AI may be the greatest business opportunity window modern entrepreneurs have ever seen.

Tune in now to learn why “the math has to math,” how to stop chasing misleading business models, and why understanding the difference between owning assets and operating a business could completely change your financial future.

#EntrepreneurMindset #BusinessGrowth #RealEstateInvesting #WealthBuilding #AssetVsBusiness #QuitYourW2 #B2BStrategy #AIForEntrepreneurs #FinancialFreedom #InTheLab

Sign Up For Relay through My Referral Link: ⁠https://join.relayfi.com/partner/?referralcode=temporaryhousingmeetup&utm_source=events&utm_medium=…In this insightful episode of In The Lab, Ruben sits down with Wendy Wei from Relay (a digital banking and money management platform) to unpack one of the most overlooked skills in entrepreneurship and real estate investing: understanding your cash flow. What starts as a conversation around money management quickly turns into a deeper discussion on psychology, conditioning, identity, habits, and the systems that shape how entrepreneurs operate their businesses and lives.

Wendy shares her journey from growing up in a traditional immigrant household to building a career across psychology, marketing, SaaS, storytelling, and fintech. With a background in psychology from Harvard University and experience spanning photography, creator partnerships, and performance marketing, Wendy explains how curiosity, experimentation, and human behavior became the foundation for the work she does today helping business owners better understand and organize their finances.

The episode dives deep into the Profit First framework and how entrepreneurs can stop operating with one giant “bucket” of money and instead build systems that create visibility, automation, accountability, and profitability. Ruben also breaks down exactly how Invested Escapes uses Relay internally across multiple properties, vendors, virtual cards, owner payouts, and operational systems to move faster and stay organized while scaling nationwide.

Relay is a digital banking and money management platform that helps real estate investors get clear visibility into what they’re earning, spending and saving—so they can better understand the cash flow in their business.

Throughout the conversation, Wendy also shares powerful insights around neuroplasticity, conditioning, growth mindset, rewiring limiting beliefs, and how small consistent habits can completely change the trajectory of your life and business over time. This episode blends entrepreneurship, psychology, systems, and financial organization into one conversation designed to help operators think differently about both money and growth.

Tune in now to learn how to stop leaking money, organize your business like a true operator, and build systems that help you pay yourself first while scaling with clarity.

HIGHLIGHTS:

42:21 - Wendy talks about rewiring your brain through growth mindset. 

55:50 - Wendy talks about automating cash flow for entrepreneurs. 

Keeping it Real:

01:00 – Building micro communities

03:20 – Understanding cash flow

06:10 – Graduation season pressure

11:30 – Travel shapes perspective

15:20 – Psychology meets marketing

16:30 – Curiosity drives growth

20:10 – Small actions compound

31:00 – Understanding conditioning

34:30 – Coaching changed everything

36:00 – Rewiring self-talk

42:20 – Neuroplasticity explained

46:10 – Identity shapes habits

51:20 – Profit First explained

54:40 – Automating cash flow

58:20 – Relay inside operations

1:03:00 – Virtual card controls

1:07:00 – Banking misconceptions

1:10:00 – Most-used Relay features

1:15:00 – Building real community

1:17:00 – People over logos 

CONNECT WITH THE GUEST

Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/company/bankwithrelay/

https://www.linkedin.com/in/wendyhwei/
#RealEstateInvesting #ProfitFirst #CashFlowManagement #EntrepreneurMindset #RelayFinancial #BusinessSystems #FinancialFreedom #MoneyManagement #RealEstateBusiness #Entrepreneurship 

In this perspective-shifting episode of In The Lab, Ruben breaks down one of the hardest lessons entrepreneurs and investors eventually face: sometimes the thing holding you back isn’t what’s failing, it’s what’s still working. From business ventures to habits, routines, and even ways of thinking, growth often requires subtraction before addition can happen.

Throughout the episode, Ruben unpacks the idea of “making room” for bigger opportunities by intentionally removing what no longer aligns with where you’re trying to go. He shares personal examples of shutting down profitable businesses, evolving into new seasons, and why some of the biggest breakthroughs in life come after difficult decisions that initially make no logical sense from the outside.

He also dives into how entrepreneurs can use AI, mentors, and reverse engineering to make smarter decisions with less emotional bias. Instead of asking which tactic or business model is best, Ruben explains why the better question is: “What outcome am I trying to achieve?” From there, the vehicle becomes clearer. The episode reframes how to think about opportunity cost, blind spots, and the hidden weight of trying to carry too many things at once.

Tune in now to learn how to trim the fat, stop overloading your plate, and create space for the version of your life and business that actually aligns with where you’re trying to go.

#EntrepreneurMindset #BusinessGrowth #RealEstateInvesting #MidTermRentals #WealthBuilding #PersonalDevelopment #ScaleSmart #AIForBusiness #MindsetShift #ExperimentNation

In this episode of In The Lab, Ruben sits down with Anja Schaer, broker, investor, and author of The Hybrid Rental Strategy, to break down how she went from a government job in Germany to building, scaling, and selling multiple businesses in the U.S.—all while creating a real estate portfolio designed for both cash flow and long-term exit.

Anja dives into the real reason more investors are shifting away from short-term rentals and into midterm strategies. It’s not just about higher nightly rates—it’s about stability. Instead of chasing unpredictable bookings, she explains how locking in 3–6 month contracts creates consistent income, reduces workload, and removes the stress of staring at an empty calendar.

This episode also goes beyond tactics and into mindset. From the “immigrant advantage” to breaking social norms and embracing discomfort, Anja shares how stepping outside the expected path creates exponential opportunities. The conversation ties it all together with a bigger play—building systems, leveraging AI, and creating a business that isn’t just profitable, but actually sellable.

Tune in now to learn how to shift from chasing bookings to building predictable income and a real estate business designed for long-term freedom.

HIGHLIGHTS:

36:10 - Anja talks about why Why midterm rentals are exploding

41:36 - Anja talks about the hybrid model

Keeping it Real:

06:00 – The immigrant advantage explained

10:30 – Breaking social norms & taking risks

18:30 – From e-commerce to real estate pivot

24:30 – Finding real estate through Facebook

30:00 – Evolution: flips → wholesale → rentals

36:10 –

41:20 – How the hybrid model actually works

46:30 – Calendar strategy to unlock MTR deals

50:30 – Building a sellable property business

54:00 – AI, systems, and future-proofing

1:06:00 – What buyers will value in your business

1:16:00 – Community, collaboration, and growth

1:21:00 – From communism to entrepreneurship

CONNECT WITH THE GUEST

Website: https://www.peachhausfurnishedrentals.com/contact

Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/in/anjaschaer/

#RealEstateInvesting #MidTermRentals #PassiveIncome #EntrepreneurMindset #FinancialFreedom #RentalStrategy #WealthBuilding #AirbnbBusiness #PropertyManagement #RealEstateScaling

In this powerful episode of In The Lab, Ruben sits down with Dr. Noah St. John, a neuro-performance architect who has helped clients generate billions in revenue, to unpack the real reason so many entrepreneurs stay stuck despite having the right strategies, tools, and knowledge.

Dr. Noah breaks down the concept of the “invisible brake”—the hidden force that silently limits your income, growth, and results. While most entrepreneurs focus heavily on the outer game like marketing, sales, and systems, this conversation reveals why that’s only half the equation. The real bottleneck lies in what happens after you set a goal—when doubt, limiting beliefs, and what he calls “head trash” begin to take over.

Through real examples, including scaling a company from $4M to $20M in under 18 months, Dr. Noah explains how mastering your inner game is what unlocks exponential growth. He dives into why copying successful people doesn’t work, how unconscious beliefs shape your outcomes, and why most people are unknowingly operating with one foot on the brake.

This episode also explores the idea of “permission to succeed,” the difference between conscious and unconscious competence, and how high performers think, decide, and act differently. From breaking through income ceilings to gaining clarity on what you actually want, this conversation gives you the missing piece most people never address.

Tune in now to learn how to identify your invisible brake, eliminate the beliefs holding you back, and finally align your inner and outer game to unlock the results you’ve been chasing.

HIGHLIGHTS:

09:22 - Noah talks about why results matter more than personal success

17:53 - Noah talks about outer and inner game.

Keeping it Real:

05:06 - Why most entrepreneurs fail despite good intentions

07:43 - The truth about “fake gurus” and social media

09:21 - Why results matter more than personal success

12:10 - Why proximity alone doesn’t create results

13:19 - Architect analogy: why watching isn’t enough

15:27 - $4M plateau to $20M breakthrough story

17:47 - Outer game vs inner game explained

20:13 - How beliefs control every area of your life

22:24 - Why “The Secret” missed the real work

25:28 - Gary Vee and unconscious competence

27:51 - The concept of “permission to succeed”

31:17 - The framework behind the invisible brake

32:17 - Why most people sabotage their own goals

33:11 - Driving with one foot on the brake analogy

35:03 - Neuroplasticity and rewiring your beliefs

36:19 - From poverty mindset to building wealth

40:33 - Decision vs doubt: what actually drives action

42:05 - Pain vs pleasure as motivators

46:04 - Technology’s impact on your inner game

47:19 - Identifying your invisible brake

50:42 - Power habits of successful people

51:08 - Why clarity beats “wanting more money”

52:34 - The myth about personality and success

54:01 - Building a clear vision that actually works

55:27 - How to identify your “head trash”

56:30 - Turning limiting beliefs into opportunity

57:03 - Where to connect with Dr. Noah 

CONNECT WITH THE GUEST

Website: ⁠https://noahstjohn.com/⁠

Linkedin: ⁠https://www.linkedin.com/in/noahstjohn/⁠

Instagram: ⁠https://www.instagram.com/noahstjohn/⁠

Youtube: https://www.youtube.com/@drnoahstjohn

#EntrepreneurMindset #BusinessGrowth #RealEstateInvesting #WealthBuilding #PersonalDevelopment #HighPerformance #MindsetShift #FinancialFreedom #SuccessHabits #ScaleYourBusiness

In this powerful episode of In The Lab, Ruben sits down with Joe Downs, CEO of Belrose Group, to break down how real wealth is built through iteration, problem-solving, and identifying opportunities most people overlook. This conversation goes beyond surface-level strategies and dives into the mindset required to build across multiple industries and market cycles.

Joe shares his journey from early failures—including losing $100,000 in a restaurant—to raising nearly $100 million in real estate and building a mortgage resolution company that purchased over 20,000 distressed loans. His story highlights a key truth: success doesn’t come from getting it right the first time, but from learning, adapting, and continuing to move forward through every setback.

The episode also explores one of the biggest opportunities ahead—acquiring cash-flowing, mom-and-pop businesses. With millions of owners aging out, Joe explains how inefficiencies in operations, pricing, and systems create massive upside for those willing to step in, optimize, and scale. From distressed debt to self-storage, the same principles apply across industries.

Tune in now to learn how to identify hidden opportunities, leverage acquisitions instead of starting from scratch, and build long-term wealth by thinking differently, acting faster, and eliminating excuses in today’s market.

HIGHLIGHTS:

12:12 - Joe talks about the “mind your kitchen lesson”

35:25 - Joe discovers self storage

Keeping it Real:

04:30 – Growth through acquisitions

10:15 – Leaving finance after 9/11

12:24 – Mind your kitchen lesson

15:23 – Raising millions before crash

16:50 – Discovering distressed debt

20:33 – Mortgage resolution explained simply

23:01 – Loan modification strategy

26:23 – Becoming the bank model

27:30 – Regulation forces reinvention

31:24 – Starting hard money lending

35:25 – Discovering self-storage opportunity

36:56 – Mom-and-pop inefficiency insight

41:25 – SBA financing unlock explained

43:11 – Why opportunity still exists

45:21 – Using AI for learning

49:00 – AI improves communication skills

51:31 – Seller financing deal strategies

53:39 – Future storage vertical opportunities

58:13 – Biggest demand opportunities ahead

1:00:23 – No excuses mindset

1:02:31 – Where to connect

CONNECT WITH THE GUEST

Website: https://belrosegrp.com/

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

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/josephmdowns/

#RealEstateInvesting #BusinessAcquisitions #EntrepreneurMindset #WealthBuilding #CashFlowStrategies #SelfStorageInvesting #FinancialFreedom #PassiveIncome #InvestingStrategies #BuildInPublic

In this sharp and perspective-shifting episode of In The Lab, Ruben breaks down a realization that most entrepreneurs miss: you don’t need to build everything to win—you just need to understand where you fit in the ecosystem.

Early in the episode, he references Episode 351: “The Five Pillars of Success in 2026,” where he introduced the framework of relationships, resourcefulness, resilience, speed, and standards—principles he continues to double down on as he navigates higher-level rooms and bigger opportunities.

Fresh off a major industry conference, he pulls back the curtain on how trillion-dollar insurance systems actually operate, revealing the layered structure between carriers, third-party administrators, adjusters, and housing providers. Instead of trying to control every piece, the biggest players focus on one thing and outsource the rest—and that’s where the real opportunities live.

Ruben shares how this applies directly to real estate investors and operators, especially those transitioning from short-term rentals into mid-term insurance housing. From understanding who the real decision-makers are, to identifying where value is created (and paid for), this episode reframes how to think about scale, leverage, and positioning.

He also dives into the importance of standards, knowing what your time is worth, and why trying to do everything yourself is one of the fastest ways to stay stuck. The operators who win are the ones who stay in their lane, build relationships in the right rooms, and plug into systems that are already moving at scale.

Tune in now to learn how to stop overcomplicating your growth, find your position in the ecosystem, and start playing a bigger game.

#PlayYourRole #EntrepreneurMindset #RealEstateInvesting #MidTermRentals #InsuranceHousing #WealthStrategy #ScaleSmart #BusinessGrowth #Leverage #HighPerformance

In this solo episode of In The Lab, Ruben breaks down a counterintuitive principle that most entrepreneurs avoid: cutting things that are actually working. As Q1 comes to a close, he challenges the common habit of stacking new goals on top of old ones without removing anything, and explains why this approach silently kills growth.

Using examples from Tesla’s strategic decisions and his own experience stepping away from profitable consulting work, Ruben introduces the concept of “trimming the good fat.” He explains that real leverage doesn’t come from doing more—it comes from removing distractions, even the ones generating income, to make room for higher ROI opportunities.

The episode also dives into how AI and mentorship should be used together, not separately. Ruben emphasizes that the advantage today is no longer access to information—it’s clarity of direction. Those who win are the ones who can define what they want, ask better questions, and use the right tools to reverse engineer the path forward.

This conversation reframes productivity, decision-making, and growth through a simple but difficult lens: less, but better. It’s a reminder that success isn’t about adding more—it’s about having the discipline to remove what no longer aligns with where you’re going.

Tune in now to learn how to trim the good fat, compress your timeline, and focus only on what actually moves the needle.

#TrimTheFat #EntrepreneurMindset #BusinessGrowth #RealEstateEntrepreneur #Leverage #DecisionMaking #HighPerformance #AIForBusiness #WealthBuilding #ScaleSmart

In this insightful episode of In The Lab, Ruben breaks down a simple but overlooked truth that separates those who grow from those who stay stuck: the quality of the questions they ask. Drawing from a real conversation inside a barbershop, Ruben unpacks how proximity to the right people means nothing if you don’t know how to extract the real lessons.

The episode explores why most people misinterpret advice, hearing surface-level feedback like “be more consistent” without understanding the deeper principle behind it. Through layered questioning, Ruben reveals the real takeaway: consistency isn’t just about discipline—it’s about increasing your chances of capturing opportunities that compound over time, like walk-in clients that turn into long-term relationships.

Ruben also connects this lesson to entrepreneurship, real estate, and skill-building, emphasizing that success comes from borrowing the belief systems, thinking patterns, and behaviors of those already operating at a higher level. He highlights how AI has eliminated the excuse of not knowing “how,” shifting the real advantage to those who can define what they want and ask better questions to get there.

This conversation is a reminder that information is everywhere, but transformation only happens when you learn how to think, question, and execute differently. The gap isn’t access—it’s awareness.

Tune in now to learn how to ask better questions, leverage proximity the right way, and build the consistency that creates long-term results.

#EntrepreneurMindset #AskBetterQuestions #ConsistencyWins #BusinessGrowth #RealEstateEntrepreneur #HighPerformance #ExperimentNation #MindsetShift #ProximityMatters #SuccessPrinciples

In this insightful episode of In The Lab, Ruben welcomes back returning guest Zeona McIntyre for a conversation on how real estate investors can evolve with the market while staying grounded in what really matters. Zeona first joined the show in Episode 215, “Normalizing the 30-Day Stay in Your Short-Term Rental Business.” Since that conversation, both the market and Zeona’s investing approach have continued to evolve, making this return to the lab a timely update on where opportunities exist today.

Zeona shares how her journey has progressed from short-term rental arbitrage to property ownership, mid-term rentals, and now creative financing strategies designed to help investors operate in a higher-interest-rate environment. She breaks down the concept of subject-to financing in simple terms, explains how creative deal structures can solve real problems for buyers and sellers, and highlights how investors can position themselves to acquire properties without relying solely on traditional lending.

Throughout the discussion, Ruben and Zeona explore the importance of experimentation in entrepreneurship, emphasizing how investors must continually adapt their strategies as markets shift. Zeona also shares real examples of creative deals, including situations where distressed sellers were able to exit challenging financial positions while investors stepped in with new visions for the property. These stories highlight how creative financing can create multiple wins across a single transaction.

The conversation expands beyond deal structures into the broader mindset required to thrive as an entrepreneur. Ruben and Zeona discuss collaboration, relationship-driven deal flow, and the shift from trying to do everything alone to building networks where multiple people benefit from a single opportunity. They also explore the growing influence of AI and why building strong cash-flowing assets may become even more important as technology reshapes industries.

Toward the end of the episode, Zeona shares insights from her upcoming book, The Creative Closer, which outlines several creative financing strategies and the negotiation frameworks investors can use to structure deals in unconventional ways. She closes with a reminder that while entrepreneurs often focus on the next milestone, it’s just as important to slow down, appreciate the present moment, and find small pockets of joy in everyday life.

Tune in now to hear how Zeona McIntyre continues to experiment, adapt, and help investors think differently about creative financing, collaboration, and the future of real estate.

KEEPING IT REAL

03:20 – Investor evolution

04:36 – Experimentation mindset

06:38 – Sub-to deal story

07:43 – Creative financing shift

08:15 – STR tax strategy

10:41 – Subject-to explained

12:20 – Writing new book

15:00 – Creative deal case

21:27 – Creative deal tools

24:14 – AI and real estate

25:01 – Cash flow strategy

31:26 – Collaboration mindset

45:15 – Enjoy the moment

CONNECT WITH THE GUEST

Website: https://www.zeonamcintyre.com/

Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/in/zeona-mcintyre/

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/zeonamcintyre

#CreativeFinancing #RealEstateInvesting #CashFlow #SubjectTo #Wholesaling #InvestorMindset #Entrepreneurship #MidTermRentals #InTheLab