The Embassy Wealth Podcast

This episode is a re-run from earlier this year.

Joe Burkhead grew up in a small farming community in central Kentucky with a population of less than 400 people. In a place where fast food and manual labor jobs were plentiful, Joe knew no one in his hometown that was a serious investor. After joining the Marines Corps and being sent to Paris with the Marine Security Guard (MSG) program, Joe picked up “Rich Dad, Poor Dad” and was inspired to invest in real estate. 

At 23, with savings largely earned from his first year as an MSG, Joe bought a four-unit apartment building.  This purchase launched an amazing real estate investment journey spanning two decades, during which Joe built a small multifamily property empire in his hometown.

In this interview, Joe shares his experiences with:

• investing in all phases of the real estate market, including during periods of high mortgage interest rates (6%+!) and in periods of low inventory 

Joe’s incredible story is a testament to what just one person on a federal government salary can accomplish through sheer determination and persistence over time, no matter where in life you start. Be sure to listen to the end to catch Joe’s best tips for real estate investors!

Music: “Higher Up” by Shane Ivers

While assigned in Africa, Joe and his wife Marissa longed for a place in the states to hang their hats while on home leave.  Proximity to friends and family lead them to the largest lake in Maryland, Deep Creek.  A year after their first Deep Creek property was purchased, Joe put it on the market himself and realized there was an incredible demand in the area for vacation rental properties. 

After some wild adventures purchasing foreclosures and renovating sight unseen properties completely from abroad, Joe and Marissa founded Silver Paddle Investments, a business focused on purchasing, renovating, and managing properties in the Deep Creek area. Joe also partnered with his real estate agent and co-founded Cabine Custom Homes, which builds new construction homes in Deep Creek.

In this interview, Joe discusses:

• How looking for a home leave vacation property turned into an incredibly successful side business

… and much more! 

Music: “Higher Up” by Shane Ivers

As a Foreign Service spouse and young mother with small children living in South America, Eurona found herself passing by a Pilates studio everyday while taking her son to school.  Having never taken a Pilates class, she was intrigued. When she visited the studio in person, however, the instructors initially tried to dissuade her from taking classes, as she wasn’t the same build as the other students. Eurona persisted anyway and fell in love with the practice. She had a dream that one day she would find a way to make Pilates an inclusive practice that would welcome all shapes and sizes of students.

With vision, a lot of hard work, and a little bit of serendipity, Eurona first became a certified pilates instructor and then she had the opportunity to open her own studio in Fairfax, Virginia. Inclusivity is one of the studio’s core principles, and Eurona has dedicated herself to welcoming all students who attend her classes.

In this interview, Eurona discusses:

• how she adapted as a business owner/ fitness instructor during a time when COVID was forcing businesses to close their doors

… and much more! Learn more about all that Epiphany Pilates has to offer here: https://www.epiphanypilates.com. 

Music: “Higher Up” by Shane Ivers

James May from Houston Texas is the managing partner of J core partners, LLC. He has been investing in income producing real estate since 2005. He manages approximately $3.5 million in his personal portfolio and has properties in Texas, Florida, Virginia, Georgia, Ohio and Missouri. 

James is currently in the foreign service, but has served in the Marine Corps prior to his joining the State Department. 

In this interview, James talks about: 

• Starting investing in Real Estate with little money as a member of the Marine Corps.

...and much more! 

You can learn more about James on his company's website: 

www.jcoreinvestments.com

Music: “Higher Up” by Shane Ivers

In 2013, Scott Berman and his wife purchased a Capitol Hill row home in Washington D.C. and began renting out their basement and a spare bedroom on Airbnb to help pay their mortgage.  What seemed like a crazy expensive purchase at the time turned out to be a property that allowed them to live in a prime DC location for free. 

After selling their DC home for a significant profit, Scott used the proceeds to accelerate his real estate investing through partnerships. Today, he holds 18 units between Wisconsin and Kentucky all while traveling the world for assignments. 

In this interview, Scott discusses:

• Using an additional bedroom as an Airbnb (and making lifelong friends out of it)

… and much more! 

Music: “Higher Up” by Shane Ivers

James Snoddy never imagined his love for running would lead him to starting a million dollar online business. One day, after wishing he had a hammock that fit on top of his Jeep to catch a post-run breath, he decided to create such a product and bring his idea to the market.  After a few wrong turns and hundreds of hours of sweat and tears with a sewing machine in his basement, James created the Jammock, a product that thousands of Jeep owners around the world now use and enjoy.  

Since launching his product line, James has founded a second online State Department-themed business. all while working full-time and raising his six year old son with his wife. He also continues his love for running, consistently hitting his goal of running 1,000 miles every year. 

In this interview, James discusses:

• his inspiration for creating a new product and bringing it to the masses

… and much more! You can purchase your own Jammock here https://jammock.com/ or follow their Instagram @Jammock

Music: “Higher Up” by Shane Ivers

15 years into his real estate investment journey Anthony Diaz tells us how a balanced and conservative strategy can make a federal employee a millionaire.

• How having a team in place in your local market is crucial to success.

When Nate Carter returned to the U.S. after four years abroad with the Peace Corps, he reconnected with friends who had well paying jobs, houses, and cars. He felt left behind financially. Starting with just $1500 in savings, Nate vowed to do everything he could to learn about personal finance and investing and set himself a goal of being financially independent within 12 years!

In this episode Nathan discusses:

• How to look at your spending differently to help you save.

Listen and be inspired by Nathan’s focus on his investment goals while maintaining a healthy work-life balance and enjoying life overseas!

Music: “Higher Up” by Shane Ivers