The Real Build

In this episode of The Real Build, I had on feng shui specialist and top Interior designer Rania Yacoub with Owner of Design By Rania.  

Rania has been practicing design for celebrities like Jay-Z, P Diddy, Melania Trump, Woopy Goldberg, other high-profile clients, and people worldwide for over 17 years. 

Rania and I discussed topics like design trends, delivering the wow factor, what is Fengshui, inexpensive design tips while stuck at home, things you can do to add value to your home, and so much more.

Rania is an Allied ASID member, a tenured NYC interior designer, and a certified Feng Shui Practioner practicing in the Tampa Bay area. 

She loves to create beautiful environments that ensure prosperity, happiness, and harmony.

Through her superior knowledge and experience, she can help you with:

Interior design

 remodeling

 Feng shui

 window treatments

 bathroom design

 project management

 space planning

 decorating

 staging

 organizing solutions

In this episode of The Real Build, I enjoyed speaking with Andrew Gordan of Reliable Claims Adjusting.  Andrew is a public adjuster and assists many people throughout Florida with insurance claims.  His goal is to make sure clients receive all the money they deserve from their insurance carrier.

Let's face it- when making a claim with the insurance company, it is always hard to get the money that you deserve.  Most insurance companies drag their feet and try to pay out as minimal amount of money they can on a properties claim.  This is where Andrew comes in.  He has many years of experience in law and fights to get every client the money they deserve.

Andrew and his company assist clients in residential, commercial, and business claims. A past study by a state agency found that policyholders using a public adjuster to help them settle a claim with Citizens Property Insurance received higher settlements, an estimated $9,379 per claim versus $1,391 – 574% difference – than those working with only the company staff adjuster.

Andrew and his company came up with the following core values:  community, honesty, accountability, and integrity.  They showcase these values every day as they provide significantly more of an opportunity to help the policyholder receive a fair settlement for all the claimed losses legitimately covered under the insurance policy.

In this episode of The Real Build, I wanted to talk about a subject I am passionate about, which is- why do we defend success? People have said to me "it must be nice, you're lucky, you're rich, your dad gave you everything.."  But am I lucky? Or am I lucky to be born with parents that taught me how to get ahead?

I have worked my whole life.  If I wanted something, I worked. I spent my upbringing digging ditches, moving blocks, sweeping jobs, painting, trenching, running the bobcat, and more. 

I would have football practice every weekend, and right after would go to work. I played division one football in college and still would come home on weekends to work.

When I was home from college, I wrecked my truck. I didn't have a vehicle, and my dad made me take the Greyhound bus home every weekend to work.  I missed parties because he told me I had to work.  After college, I moved home back into my parent's house with no car, and I rode a bike with a backpack full of tools to the job sites.

All of this wasn't easy.  But today, I look back, and I am incredibly grateful for it all.  Everything I went through has got me to where I am today.  

If people say you're lucky, let them. Maybe you are lucky? Lucky enough to know what it takes to get ahead. The people saying that your lucky are the ones doing nothing to be lucky. They look at everyone else and wish they were as "lucky."

In this episode of The Real Build, I got the privilege of interviewing an amazing husband and wife renovation duo- Emily and Ryan Pahler.  If you haven't heard of them, I have no doubt you will in the future.

Over the last ten years, they have served over 800 clients online & in-person.

Emily and Ryan started remodeling & managing rental units after college, & it cumulated into remodeling homes & creating income-producing properties.

A transition point in their home improvement business was in 2015 when they purchased the worst home in their favorite neighborhood in San Luis Obispo. They converted the garage into a luxury guest unit, which was turned into a vacation rental that funded the complete remodel of their property. This experience has led to a focus on income properties and garage conversions.

Emily and Ryan love anything home-related & are seriously happiest in construction zones. With the ability to visualize a project before it’s even started, their goal is to help others discover and plan for their own dream spaces. They come alongside their clients in project planning, interior design, renovations, and budgeting.

Whether you want to create an income-producing property or redo your bathroom, they are here for you.

Most importantly, they are proud parents of two boys & their dog, Louie.

Emily and Ryan continue to help clients every day, not only with their amazing construction projects, but also with their online courses.  They offer classes like smart home improvement, Airbnb super host, and a free home improvement mini-course.

Here is a link to the courses.

Half Off Smart Home Improvement Masterclass: https://courses.emilyryanhomes.com/offers/Crz9iAwj

Free Smart Home Improvement Mini Course: https://courses.emilyryanhomes.com/offers/FfTYjzNH

In this episode of The Real Build, I sat down with Maria Camila Betancur.  Maria tells her incredible story of coming to the U.S. as an immigrant, working hard at a young age to support her family, and then finding her passion for real estate at a very young age.  

In her first full year in Real Estate, Maria was fortunate to close one of her first million-dollar deals where she represented the buyer. That was only one amongst her 30+ transactions that same year, giving her plenty of exposure to quickly become very knowledgeable in the field and known in the Luxury Market.  What is more impressive about this is that Maria is only twenty-three years old.

Her motto is “Make a customer, not a sale.” She believes in treating and advising all her clients as she would her family. Maria is known within the Miami market for her innovative methods leading to long-lasting and genuine connections with her clientele. 

Maria has a bachelor's degree in Criminal Justice and a minor in business, which allows her to apply many skills from research, law, rules, and regulations, as well as her strong determination and impeccable work ethic. 

Maria is a natural-born leader, and she is an advocate for women empowerment and personal growth. Through her coaching programs, she seeks to inspire and motivate our young generation to reach their full potential. She is an avid philanthropist, and she supports various charities,  including local organizations such as Miami Model Citizens, where she is an active ambassador. 

Maria spends her small amount of free time doing water activities, mindful practices such as mediation and yoga, traveling, reading books, and enjoying the company of her family and friends. 

In this episode of The Real Build, I sat down with Josh Marzucco.  Josh and I have known each other for a while now.  We both got our real estate licenses around the same time.  After a lot of success selling real estate, Josh decided he wanted to start his own real estate brokerage.  He knew that he could do it better than a lot of the current brokerages out there.  Josh wanted to teach agents that with proper branding and marketing, they too can have a lot of success in real estate.  He created Marzucco Real estate, and in just two short years, the brokerage has sold over 100 million in real estate transactions.

Josh is a true entrepreneur.  He also runs his family sports bar Zookies.  Josh is now building homes with his family construction company Marzucco Construction.  He also has upcoming speaking events where he plans to share his expertise in the real estate market.  

Most importantly, Josh is a family man and is the father of two daughters and owns one of the coolest dogs, an Italian Mastiff named Luca.

In this episode of The Real Build, I got the opportunity to talk remodeling with Jason Avery of Avery Construction.  Before the Coronavirus, many people were in the process or getting ready to remodel their homes.  Now that more people have been stuck in their homes, they are noticing it is time to upgrade and change things.  Before you move forward, you need to know what to look for when remodeling your home.  So that is why I brought on expert remodel contractor Jason Avery.

Jason is the President / CEO of Avery Construction, Designer Cabinets LLC, and Constructing Success.  He's a state-certified general contractor that specializes in remodeling kitchens and bathrooms, new room additions, and also does light commercial build-outs throughout the Greater Tampa Bay area.  Today, he employs 40 full-time trade professionals, completing more than 4 Million per year in renovations. 

Jason and I talked about how he has positioned himself to work on his business, instead of in his business.  More than 55% of his business comes from referrals.

He is also a trainer for both Business Networking International and Asentiv, teaching business owners and managers about networking, referral generation, power teams, and behavioral styles. 

Jason is the author of the #1 Best Selling book, Constructing Success – Blueprints for a Referral Based Business. 

He is now using his knowledge and experience to consult and advise general contractors, tradesmen, architects, and interior designers on how to grow their businesses by referral. 

In this episode of The Real Build, I sat down with Ed Stulak.  Ed Stulak is an NJ licensed realtor & social media shark. He is an up and coming personal brand to continuously watch. In 2013 after an ice hockey injury, Ed received his wake up call and pushed a massive presence in the world of social media.

Ed has earned several acclaimed titles in the industry, such as; Creative Director, Chief Creative Officer, and Co-Founder of multiple companies that developed his digital platform niche.

Along with selling real estate in New Jersey, today, Ed teaches national and international real estate professionals how to grow a reputable & capable personal brand that matters.

Ed and I talked about how to develop and use your personal brand to stand out in a crowded real estate industry but also use it to benefit your customers.  We are in a world today where your business is your brand.  We have to continue to build and develop our brands to continue to have success.

We also discussed which social media platforms are best and how to use them to attract customers.  We also talked about the importance of Tik Tok and why now is the time to get on.

In this episode of The Real Build, I got the opportunity to sit down with Teo Bogdan.  Teo is with Platinum Properties, where he does a variety of real estate-related transactions like fix and flips, rentals, buys and sell distressed properties, and multi-family investing.  I was excited to have Teo on because real estate investing is so crucial to building financial success.

Teo and I discuss how he quit his corporate job as an engineer to get away from a cubicle and 40 hour work weeks to become his own boss.

Before figuring out what he wanted to do, he turned to personal development by listening and reading multiple books and joining Arete.

 He had to sell everything, give up a lot of the finer things, he had to start over and found a home he turned into a duplex, which is where his real estate journey began.

Teo and I discussed how someone could start there journey in real estate investing and make a career as there own boss.  

In this episode of The Real Build, I had the opportunity to sit down with Anya Chrisanthon.  Anya is a real estate professional with the Gary Mercer Group of Keller Williams Realty.  She specializes in new construction sales, where she was one of the top sales professionals in her area.

Anya is an immigrant with an unbelievable story and is the definition of someone living the American dream.  Anya is the creator of the New Construction Marketing Academy-an online learning resource for new home sales professionals. 

She hosts a top-rated New Construction Marketing Podcast. She is a keynote speaker.  She was also a recipient of the Rookie of Year, MVP of Sales, and many other sales achievement awards, and most recently, she was recognized by the National Association of Home Builders with the One To Watch Award.

In her free time, she loves to hang out with her family, and that includes her husband, twin boys, and two very furry huskies.

Anya and I have a lot in common in that we both have a passion for selling new construction but teaching customers what to look for before making one of the most significant investments of there live.