Own Your Upside

Today's episode features a special guest appearance I made on the RAL Room Podcast with my friend Charlie Cameron, who is now a partner of ours at Everwood Reserve. Memory care project.

So we talked through a little bit of my story and also dig actually deep into the details of the deal behind Everwood Reserve. If you're interested in hearing the nitty gritty, some of the numbers and where we're at in the project, this is a great interview for you.

Tune in to hear:

 ✅ Aaron’s powerful story of recovery, reinvention, and new purpose

 ✅ How two accidental RAL deals sparked a strategy that changed everything

 ✅ Why the “Lease to Operator” model is unlocking massive opportunity

 ✅ How he and Andrea are turning a painful family memory into a meaningful impact

 ✅ The power of taking action—and how that led to a partnership with the RAL Room

Welcome  back to the Hybrid Real Estate Professional Podcast. I have a very special episode today. I am going to air an appearance I had where my good friend, Dr. Alex Schloe, interviewed me on his podcast, the Physicians and Properties Podcast. If you haven't checked it out, he speaks primarily to medical professionals who are looking to diversify.

Into real estate or small business, and we unpacked our entire Everwood reserve deal, the 32 bed memory care mansion project that we were building in Tomball, Texas. And, a little bit of my story as well.

Follow Alex-https://www.instagram.com/physiciansandproperties/?hl=en

In today’s episode, I sit down with Lindsay Barrientos — a first-gen Latina, former frontline nurse, and now a full-time real estate investor to talk about her powerful journey from burnout during the pandemic to building a portfolio of 10+ rental properties out of state.

We dive into how she got started with zero background in business, why she chose markets like Gary, Indiana, and what financial freedom means to her today.

Lindsay also opens up about mental health, her dream of launching a nonprofit, and what it looks like to create a meaningful, flexible life — even while still working full-time.

00:00 From Nursing to Real Estate

02:49 Discovering Real Estate and Initial Steps

05:52 Right Market and Building a Network

09:26 First Investment and Learning from Experience

16:58 Balancing Real Estate with a Full-Time Job

24:31 Future Goals and Giving Back

29:58 Advice for Healthcare Professionals

40:11 Connecting with Lindsay 

Connect with Lindsay- https://www.linkedin.com/in/namaqlin/

In this episode, I sit down with Kaaren Hall, the CEO and founder of UDirect IRA Services, to uncover the truth about self-directed IRAs — and why the idea of "passive income" might be misleading.

We dive deep into how self-directed retirement accounts actually work, what you can and can’t invest in, and how real estate investors are using them to take back control of their financial future. Kaaren shares decades of experience in real estate, mortgage origination, and retirement planning — plus how she went from losing everything during the Great Recession to building one of the most respected self-directed IRA companies in the country.

If you're curious about how to invest in real estate, syndications, or private lending tax-free, or you're wondering if a self-directed IRA is right for you — this episode is packed with actionable insights.
Timestamps- 

00:00 Introduction

02:26 The Great Recession and New Beginnings

04:57 Understanding Self-Directed IRAs

13:24 The Importance of Active Investment Management

20:28 Types of Self-Directed Accounts

23:59 Exploring Different Types of IRAs

24:52 Clarifying Solo 401k and SEP IRA

26:27 New Roth Contributions to SEP and Simple IRAs

28:18 Responsibilities of Self-Directed IRAs

30:40 Opening and Funding a Self-Directed IRA

32:52 Due Diligence and Fraud Prevention

39:32 The Importance of Diversified Retirement Planning

43:13 Connecting with U Direct IRA Services

 Joseph Rasberry, a healthcare professional turned real estate entrepreneur. They discuss Joseph's journey from working in healthcare to investing in real estate, the importance of community and masterminds, and their partnership in building Everwood Reserve, a luxury assisted living and memory care community.

The conversation highlights the challenges and rewards of entrepreneurship, the significance of ethical investing, and the impact they aim to have on residents' lives.

Takeaways

• Joseph transitioned from healthcare to real estate to seek more fulfillment.
• The entrepreneurial itch is a common feeling among high achievers.
• Mastermind groups provide invaluable support and networking opportunities.
• Building relationships is key to success in real estate investing.
• Joseph's healthcare background gives him a unique perspective on assisted living.
• Quality of care and staffing are critical in residential assisted living.
• Capital raising is an essential skill for real estate entrepreneurs.
• Ethical investing can create positive impacts on communities.
• The importance of resilience and not giving up in business.
• Team dynamics and shared values are crucial for business success.

🎥 Watch/subscribe for more “Hybrid Real Estate Pro” stories.

📈 Interested in our current raise? Grab the deck + webinar replay here → ⁠www.everwoodreserve.com

In this episode, Andrea and I sat down for our second Coffee Chat to reflect on some major milestones in our Everwood Reserve journey—starting with the $1M we just raised from friends and family.

We talked about why we chose to build from the ground up (instead of converting an old house), the vision behind creating a true home for seniors, and some of the behind-the-scenes work no one sees—like negotiating gas easements, working through title issues, and building out our Care Tribe team.

Andrea also shares what she's learned from secret shopping nearby facilities and why things like food presentation, lighting, and even having pets in the home matter more than people realize. We're building a place we’d be proud to have our own loved ones live in—and that standard is everything to us.

If you're curious about what it takes to build a memory care home from scratch—or you just want a peek behind the curtain as we figure this out in real time—we hope you’ll join us for this one.

Let us know in the comments what stood out or what you'd want in a place like this for someone you love.

Everwood Reserve: www.everwoodreserve.com

This is a special one.

In this episode, I’m pulling back the curtain and introducing you to someone who’s played a massive role in shaping my next chapter as a real estate investor, my mentor and now partner, Brett Chotkevys.

Brett is the founder of Platinum Resorts Assisted Living, and the mind behind the "Memory Care Mansion" model that Andrea and I are now building in Tomball, Texas. If you've ever been curious about residential assisted living (RAL), this episode is packed with everything I wish I’d known when we first got started — from how to find the right land, to funding, to filling beds, to building and retaining an amazing staff.

But more than that — this is the story behind the business.

We go deep into Brett’s early days: flipping over 200 homes, running two construction companies, nearly burning out, and the personal turning points that led him to RAL. You’ll hear what finally clicked for him (and for me), and why we believe this is one of the most impactful and scalable real estate strategies out there.

If you want a behind-the-scenes look at what it really takes to build a high-cashflow, high-impact assisted living business and you're curious about what it looks like to learn directly from the person who helped us shape Everwood Reserve — this episode is for you.

Chapters-

00:00 Introduction

03:02 Challenges and Lessons

05:55 Transition to Assisted Living

07:40 Building a Successful Assisted Living Business

14:19 Marketing Strategies

20:56 Staffing Challenges and Solutions

25:58 Community Engagement

26:37 Data-Driven Business Management

28:13 Operational Challenges and Solutions

29:24 Holistic Approach

30:34 Construction and Land Acquisition

36:51 Funding Options

37:26 SBA Loans and Investor Capital

42:48 Partnering for Success

46:37 Tomball, Texas Project

50:14 Webinar Announcement

Follow Brett: https://www.linkedin.com/in/brett-chotkevys-13a217293/

Brett’s Podcast: https://open.spotify.com/show/4bCRKGIFhWtldTmJpAHPXL

Welcome to the very first episode of A-mean Coffee Chat! I’m Aaron Ameen, and I’m here with my incredible wife and co-founder, Andrea. We recorded this from our couch—coffee in hand—to share the real story behind Everwood Reserve, the 32-bed memory care community we’re building from the ground up in Tomball, Texas.

In this episode, we go way beyond real estate.
We talk about how a couple of “accidental” assisted living rentals changed everything, what we learned from watching our family members age, and the series of life events—job loss, twins, COVID—that pushed us toward building something deeply personal and wildly ambitious.

If you’re thinking about buying a small business, quitting your job, or partnering with someone on your next venture, this conversation is a must-listen. It’s honest, raw, and packed with hard-earned insight.

Carley Mitus went from leading strategic programs at GE HealthCare to buying not one, but two small businesses in less than six months. But what looked like a dream move into entrepreneurship quickly became something else: overwhelm, identity crisis, and a whole new version of growth.

In this episode of the Hybrid Real Estate Professional Podcast, Carly opens up about:

- Why the "passive business ownership" dream is misleading

- How to build a business partnership that doesn't blow up your life

- What happens when your “why” starts to evolve

- How her role at Legacy Investment Group is reshaping her skills and mindset

- Why reinvention isn’t a pivot — it’s part of the process

Is single family real estate investing really dead in 2025?

In this episode, Nathan and I share our honest take on what’s actually happening in the market right now. We talk about why it’s harder (but not dead), how we’re adapting to higher interest rates, and the mindset shift that’s helping us keep moving forward—even when deals are tough to find.

If you’re feeling discouraged or unsure about your next move, this 20-minute episode will help you reset and refocus.