Some businesses start with an opportunity. Others start with a personal mission. For Darnell, it was both.

In this episode of The Housing Dept. Podcast, Terence sits down with Darnell Gibson, founder of Gibson Way, to share how his experience with homelessness as a teenager shaped his desire to help others find safe and stable housing. What started as a vision to serve people in need eventually became a growing independent living home business—built while working a full-time job and raising a family.

Along the way, Darnell and his wife learned how to market their homes, build relationships with local organizations, find landlord partners, and create systems that allowed them to grow without sacrificing their everyday responsibilities.

What we cover:

• How Darnell got started in the independent living home business
• The marketing strategy that landed his first referrals
• Finding landlord partners and getting past rejection
• Building a waiting list before opening another home
• Operating housing homes while working a 9-5
• Creating systems that save time and reduce stress
• Lessons learned from serving people in need
• Why action beats waiting for the "perfect" time

One of the most powerful parts of this conversation is hearing how Darnell turned a difficult chapter of his own life into a mission to help others create a better future.

👉 Want to learn how to start your own housing business?

Join The Housing Dept. Community:

https://www.skool.com/kingdomhousing✅

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Can you really run an independent living home business inside a mobile home?

Most people would immediately say no.

But in this episode of The Housing Dept. Podcast, Terence sits down with Larry — a Las Vegas real estate investor and housing operator who shares how he successfully turned a mobile home into a profitable shared housing opportunity.

From buying a manufactured home in cash…to filling beds through case manager relationships…to helping people transition into stable housing…

Larry breaks down the reality of operating independent living homes in unconventional properties — while still working a 9-5 job.

What we cover:

• Can you use a mobile home for an independent living home business?
• How Larry filled his first shared housing property
• Using case manager relationships to get referrals
• Mobile home investing for shared housing
• The difference between Airbnb vs. group homes
• Why Larry transitioned back into the housing space
• Mistakes, lessons, and challenges in the business
• Why beginners should market BEFORE getting a property
• Renting vs. buying your first group home property
• What landlords actually want to hear from operators

This episode is a great reminder that you do not need the “perfect” property to start helping people and building a housing business.

👉 Want help starting your own independent living home or shared housing business?Join The Housing Dept. Community:
https://www.skool.com/kingdomhousing

✅ Follow Terence:
https://www.tiktok.com/@iamterencegarcia
https://www.instagram.com/iamterencegarcia

💸 Work With Terence:
https://stan.store/Terence-Garcia

Most beginners think they’re too late to start an independent living home business.

Too old.Too inexperienced.Too far behind.

But Michelle’s story proves otherwise.

In this episode of The Housing Dept. Podcast, Terence sits down with Michelle — a former nurse who started her independent living home business later in life after major career and life changes.

She had no background in real estate, no perfect roadmap, and no experience running shared housing. But despite landlord rejection, uncertainty, and fear, she still took the first step.

Today, her home is full.

What we cover:

• How to start an independent living home business as a beginner
• Starting a shared housing business later in life
• Finding landlord partners for group homes
• Filling rooms using Facebook Marketplace
• Building confidence as a first-time operator
• The reality of starting from scratch
• Why consistency matters more than perfection

If you’ve been thinking about starting a group home, sober living home, co-living space, or shared housing business… this episode is the reminder that it’s never too late to begin.

👉 Want help starting your own housing business step-by-step?Join The Housing Dept. Community:
https://www.skool.com/kingdomhousing

✅ Follow Terence:
https://www.tiktok.com/@iamterencegarcia
https://www.instagram.com/iamterencegarcia

💸 Work With Terence:
https://stan.store/Terence-Garcia

Before the homes… before the systems… before the results…There was someone who believed in the vision from Day 1.In this episode of The Housing Dept. Podcast, Terence sits down with Alyssa—his now fiancée—to talk about the journey of building a group home business from the ground up, the early struggles, and what it really looked like behind the scenes.From putting up flyers at bus stops in the rain to dealing with doubt from people close to them, this episode shows what it takes to build something real—and why having the right person in your corner matters.What we cover:

• What it looked like starting a group home from scratch in 2021
• The role of support and having the right partner around you
• Dealing with doubt from family and close circles
• Early marketing strategies (flyers, bus stops, hustle phase)
• The reality of handling residents, challenges, and tough moments
• Lessons from building the business together over the years
• How consistency and belief turned into growth—and now a new chapter

If you’re building something from the ground up… this is a reminder that who’s with you matters.👉 Want the system, support, and community to build your own housing business? Join The Housing Dept. Community (formerly Kingdom Housing): https://www.skool.com/kingdomhousing✅ Follow Terence: https://www.tiktok.com/@iamterencegarcia https://www.instagram.com/iamterencegarcia💸 Work With Terence https://stan.store/Terence-Garcia

Most people think you need money, credit, and experience to get a rental…She got her first home with no deposit, no first month’s rent, and no credit check.In this episode, we break down exactly how she did it—and how you can start finding landlord partners in 2026.What we cover:How she got her first rental with $0 upfrontThe exact Zillow message that gets landlords to respondWhy most beginners fail to get approvedHow many landlords you actually need to contactThe biggest mistake that leads to empty homesIf you’re trying to start a group home or shared housing business… this is the part most people miss.✅ Connect with Nicole:https://rentalhomelocator.com/https://www.instagram.com/rentalhomelocator/✅ Follow Terence:https://www.tiktok.com/@iamterencegarciahttps://www.instagram.com/iamterencegarcia💸 Work With Terencehttps://stan.store/Terence-Garcia

Most people stay stuck in “analysis paralysis”…Meanwhile, Vincent built 40+ rental properties, flipped 30 homes, and now buys deals with $0 of his own money.In this episode, we break down exactly how he did it—and how you can get started even as a beginner.What we cover:How to start in real estate with little or no moneyThe BURR strategy explained (simple + beginner-friendly)How to invest out of state successfullyWhy networking is the real shortcut in this businessHow to increase cash flow using shared housingIf you’ve been overthinking… this is your sign to start.✅ Follow Vincent:https://www.instagram.com/vincent__rei/https://www.tiktok.com/@vincent__rei?lang=en✅ Follow Terence:https://www.tiktok.com/@iamterencegarciahttps://www.instagram.com/iamterencegarcia💸 Work With Terencehttps://stan.store/Terence-Garcia

Starting a group home sounds simple… until your first mistake costs you thousands.In this episode, Michel shares how he launched his first home from scratch, what went wrong, and the exact lessons that saved his business.If you're just getting started, this will save you time, money, and stress.What we cover:• The #1 beginner mistake that cost $2,000• Why you should NEVER rely on one organization• How to find your first residents (even with no experience)• The importance of systems in your group home business• How one connection turned into long-term growthThis is real, unfiltered insight from someone who actually did it.✅ Connect with Michel: https://www.skool.com/houston-referrals-2969/about✅ Follow Terence:https://www.tiktok.com/@iamterencegarciahttps://www.instagram.com/iamterencegarcia💸 Want help starting your own group home?Join The Housing Department Community: https://www.skool.com/kingdomhousing/about

She failed the test 3 times… and almost gave up.In this episode of The Housing Department Podcast, we sit down with Lanita, who shares how she went from struggling to pass the assisted living test to opening her very first group home and filling it with residents.This is a real, beginner story of what it actually takes to become a group home investor without having everything figured out.Inside this episode, we break down:How she secured her first propertyHow one connection led to multiple residentsThe biggest mistakes new operators makeWhat to do if you feel stuck getting startedWhy relationships matter more than adsWatch until the end because she also shares the mindset shift that changed everything for her.Want help starting your own group home?Join The Housing Department Community: https://www.skool.com/kingdomhousing/about

In this episode of The Housing Dept. Podcast, we sit down with Darcy, a grant expert with over 5 years of experience, to break down how to find and win business grants — using AI.Darcy shares how she got started with grants, how she won her first grant and quit her six-figure job, and how entrepreneurs today can access free money for their business without taking on debt.We also talk about how to use AI tools like ChatGPT to find grants faster, improve your applications, and increase your chances of getting approved.If you're a business owner, entrepreneur, or someone looking to start a group home or housing business, this episode will show you how to tap into business funding opportunities that most people don’t even know exist.📥Resources Mentioned:Join Darcy’s community (The Grant House): https://www.skool.com/granthouse/about?ref=57cc7ba98b90430ab08a6b8a69f4bc8a✅ Follow Darcy: https://youtube.com/@DarcysBusiness✅ Follow Terence: https://www.tiktok.com/@iamterencegarcia https://www.instagram.com/iamterencegarcia 💸 Work With Terence https://stan.store/Terence-Garcia

In this episode of The Housing Dept. Podcast, we sit down with Erica, an insurance expert with over a decade of experience, to break down one of the most confusing parts of starting a group home — insurance.Erica shares what type of insurance you actually need when starting an independent living home, why many people struggle to get approved, and what insurance companies are really looking for when reviewing your application.We also talk about how underwriters check your website and social media, what can impact your premiums, and how to find the right insurance agent or broker in your area.If you're planning to start a group home or already in the process, this episode will help you avoid costly mistakes and get properly protected from day one.✅ Follow Erica:https://www.tiktok.com/@compass.bay.insurance✅ Follow Terence:https://www.tiktok.com/@iamterencegarciahttps://www.instagram.com/iamterencegarcia💸 Work With Terencehttps://stan.store/Terence-Garcia