When people hear about raising tens of millions of dollars in private capital with zero missed payments, they usually focus on the result.

But what really matters is how that result was built.

In a recent conversation, we broke down what actually separates successful investors and borrowers from those who struggle to get funding.

And it’s not what most people think.

It Starts With Trust. Not Just Deals

As an entrepreneur, I have successfully borrowed and repaid tens of millions of dollars without a single missed payment.

Not because of luck.
Not because of aggressive deals.

But because of discipline, consistency, and honoring commitments.

“There is proof of concept. This works when it’s done the right way.”

That’s the foundation.

For lenders, it shows that private lending can be a reliable, income-producing strategy.

For borrowers, it proves you can build a long-term business rooted in reputation and integrity.

Where Most Borrowers Get It Wrong

One of the biggest mistakes new investors make?

They focus too much on the deal…
And not enough on the lender.

They focus too much on the deal…
And not enough on the lender.

• Risk
• Downside protection
• Who they’re trusting with their money

The reality is simple:

Private lending is relationship-driven.

If you’re not building trust, asking questions, and understanding your lender’s concerns, you’re already behind.

What Lenders Actually Look For

Before anything else, lenders ask one key question:

👉 Do I understand this deal?

From there, they evaluate two things:

The deal itself (the asset)
The operator (you)
Because even the best deal can fail with the wrong person behind it.

Strong borrowers focus on:

• Clear deal structure
• Conservative numbers
• Experience or mentorship
• Skin in the game

 Why Conservatives Win Long-Term

In a world where social media highlights big wins and “high returns,” I take a different approach:

Boring. Predictable. Repeatable.

My secret?   FOCUS ON:

• Medium-priced housing
• Multiple exit strategies (flip, rent, owner finance)
• Lower risk opportunities

Because when markets shift—and they always do
conservative deals survive.

The Power of Consistency Over Hype

One of the most powerful insights from the conversation:

Chasing higher returns doesn’t always make you more money.

A lender earning 12% on short-term deals might actually underperform someone earning 7% consistently—simply because their money isn’t always deployed.

“Consistency beats bursts of high returns.”

This applies to both lenders and investors.

Equity Is Oxygen

Another key principle:

👉 Equity = protection

The more equity in a deal, the more room you have for:

• Market shifts
• Cost overruns
• Delays

Pushing deals too aggressively, especially with low equity, is where many investors get into trouble.

The Bottom Line: It’s Always Win-Win or No Deal

At the end of the day, successful deals come down to one simple standard:

Both sides need to feel good about it.

• The lender feels secure and confident
• The borrower can still operate profitably

If that balance isn’t there…
It’s not the right deal.

🎯 Want to Go Deeper?

If you want to understand how to actually apply these principles, structure deals the right way, and build a sustainable investing business…

👉 Watch the full interview here

You’ll walk away with clarity that most people in this space never get.

Learn How to Raise Private Money for Your Deals

👉 START HERE

Brant Phillips

There comes a point in your investing journey where you realize something important:

It’s not about chasing the next deal.
It’s about building predictable, protected, and scalable income.

That’s exactly why this announcement matters.

 

The Private Lender Playbook – 2nd Edition

 

The Private Lender Playbook – 2nd Edition is officially here and this is more than just a book release.

This is a real-world blueprint for how private lending is actually done in today’s market.

Not theory.

Not outdated strategies.

Not guesswork.

This is built from 1,000+ real loans and 10,000+ mortgages paid and zero losses backed by experience, discipline, and proven systems.

 

Why This Matters Right Now

The market has changed.

Traditional strategies are getting tighter. Margins are shrinking. Risk is higher.

But one thing remains consistent:

Private lending when done right creates predictable, asset-backed returns.

This book is designed to show you:

• How to structure deals the right way
• How to protect your capital first
• How to generate consistent income without being the operator
• How to build a lending portfolio that actually scales

Whether you’re a current lender, or someone looking to transition into more passive income this is your next step.

 

This Isn’t Just a Book It’s a System

The 2nd Edition goes deeper.

It’s not just about understanding private lending, but giving you the steps to execute with confidence.

Inside, you’ll learn:

• The exact framework behind successful lending deals
• What separates safe deals from risky ones

• • How to analyze deals and borrowers

• How to create long-term, repeatable results

This is the same approach used to build a track record of consistency over time not luck.

This is your opportunity to:

• Get ahead of the curve
• Learn directly from real experience
• Position yourself for long-term wealth through lending

 

Register Now

If you’re serious about building predictable income backed by real estate, this is where you need to be.

Secure your spot and get access to the early release:

 

👉https://privatelenderplaybook.com/book-launch/

Is house flipping still viable in today’s market?

The answer is YES, but the rules have changed.

Success in real estate or any business is not just about making money. It’s about creating a life that aligns with your values, goals, and long-term vision.

That requires:

• The right mindset

• The right skill sets

• The right environment and community

When those three elements work together, growth accelerates.

Market Cycles and Opportunity

Real estate markets are cyclical. There are seasons where deals are everywhere, and there are seasons where opportunities require more discipline and skill.

Right now, the market is in a transition phase.

Many investors who were active in previous years have stepped out because deals are harder to find and mistakes are more expensive.

But historically, the investors who stay in the game during difficult markets are the ones who benefit the most when conditions improve.

The End of the “HGTV Era”

A decade ago, flipping houses looked very different.

During what many refer to as the HGTV era, the market had:

• Cheap and widely available money

• Rapidly rising home prices

• Large numbers of foreclosure opportunities

• Quick resale timelines

Because of those conditions, mistakes were often forgiven. Rising prices and quick sales covered many operational inefficiencies.

Today, the environment is very different.

The New Reality of House Flipping

Several major shifts have changed the landscape for investors:

1. Fewer opportunities

Many homeowners are holding onto properties because they have extremely low interest rates.

2. Higher financing costs

Capital is no longer as cheap or easy to access.

3. Rising construction costs

Renovations are significantly more expensive than they were a few years ago.

4. Longer holding times

Properties are taking longer to sell in many markets.

5. Thinner margins

Profit margins are tighter, meaning mistakes can quickly turn a deal into a loss.

These changes mean flipping is no longer a casual side project. It must be approached like a real business.

Multiple Exit Strategies Are Critical

Another major theme was the importance of having multiple exit strategies on every deal.

In today’s market, a property may not sell as quickly as planned. Having backup strategies protects investors from market shifts.

Possible exit strategies include:

• Traditional resale (flip)

• Rental property

• Wholesale exit

• Short-term rental

• Shared housing models like PadSplit

The more options available, the more control investors maintain over the outcome of the deal.

The Four Quadrants of Profitability

Another key concept discussed was the four quadrants that can INCREASE or DECREASE the profitability of your deals:

1. Sourcing – How the deal is acquired

Direct-to-seller leads often provide higher margins than purchasing from wholesalers.

2. Funding – How the deal is financed

Private capital can be more profitable than traditional hard money.

3. Managing Rehab – How renovations are handled

Using an in-house team can reduce costs compared to hiring outside contractors.

4. Selling – How the property is marketed and sold

Holding a real estate license or managing the sale internally can preserve additional profit.

When investors outsource all four areas, their margins often disappear.

The New Rules for Success:

• Buy better
• Finance smarter
• Manage risk wiser
• Have multiple exits
• Operate like a Pro

House flipping is no longer the easy, fast-profit model that many people saw on television years ago.

Success today requires discipline, strategy, and consistency — but those who stay in the game position themselves far ahead of those who sit on the sidelines.

WATCH FULL LESSON HERE

 

Talk Soon,

Brant Phillips

 

What would happen if an experienced real estate investor suddenly lost everything?

No money.
No network.
No credit.
No reputation in the market.

Now imagine that investor is dropped into a completely new city with one challenge:

Build $1 million in wealth within 24 months.

This hypothetical scenario sparked a powerful discussion among real estate professionals about the exact strategies they would use to rebuild from nothing. The conversation revealed a clear blueprint for investors who want to grow wealth starting from zero.

The Core Strategy: Focus on Building Equity

One of the biggest takeaways from the panel was that the goal is not immediate cash flow.

Instead, the focus should be on building equity and long-term wealth.

While cash flow is important, chasing small profits too early can slow down long-term growth. Experienced investors often prioritize deals that create equity, because equity becomes leverage for future opportunities.

 

Read the Transcription Here

Below is a portion of the discussion highlighting the mindset behind rebuilding wealth through real estate:

0:00 Hey, what’s up my friends?

0:02 So in this video, you’re gonna see some clips

0:04 from a recent real estate panel

0:07 that I was invited to speak on.

0:09 And the topic was pretty cool.

0:10 It’s kind of like Grant Cardone, Undercover Millionaire.

0:15 I never watched the show.

0:16 I heard about it.

0:17 Maybe I watched the episode or two,

0:18 but it’s the same premise.

0:20 Like, how would you react and how would you respond

0:25 if you were taken from wherever you’re at,

0:27 uprooted from your business, from everything,

0:29 dropped into a remote area market and you had nothing,

0:35 no money, no contacts, no network, nothing.

0:38 Like, you gotta start over from ground zero

0:40 and essentially how long would it take you

0:43 to acquire either $2 million cash,

0:47 equity, what have you, combined, whatever.

0:50 What would you do?

0:51 What are those strategies?

0:53 What are some of the thought processes?

0:55 What would you focus on?

0:56 What would you not focus on

0:57 in order to hit that milestone as quickly as possible?

1:03 So that was the context of the panel.

1:06 It was pretty, pretty cool.

1:07 Like, I enjoyed it.

1:08 So we’ve cut out some of my thoughts and my takes

1:13 and my perspectives on this challenge, if you will.

1:20 And for any of you guys watching this,

1:23 any of my content in, you know, you’re watching YouTube,

1:28 you’re watching blogs, things like that,

1:29 videos, social media videos, I would encourage you this.

1:33 Like, this was a, like, in my opinion,

1:36 like a really valuable panel and exercise.

1:40 Like, I spent a lot of time on, not a lot of time,

1:43 but I spent a fair amount of time, like, thinking about it

1:45 and had some really big insights.

1:46 Like, man, if I were starting today,

1:49 like, I could drastically speed up the process

1:53 and the results that I’ve created in almost 20 years.

1:56 So my encouragement to you, if you’re watching

1:59 any of my videos, other people’s videos

2:02 that are sharing, like, real, genuine, like,

2:06 information that you can use and share

2:09 from their past experiences, like, don’t devalue,

2:12 don’t devalue that information just because it’s free.

2:16 Okay, a lot of times there’s a saying about

2:18 when there’s little investment,

2:20 there’s little appreciation.

2:22 So just because you haven’t, you know,

2:24 financially invested in information that you’re receiving

2:29 from myself and from others, like,

2:31 make sure that you’re not devaluing it

2:33 because it can be just as valuable as if you paid

2:36 10,000 or $100,000 for a coach or mentor,

2:38 which I’ve done in the past.

2:40 It’s a lot of my insights and training

2:41 is coming from previous investments.

2:44 So that being said, I hope you enjoy the video,

2:48 short video, just cut out some of my excerpts

2:51 and there’s some little audio issues,

2:54 so I apologize about that.

2:55 But I hope you enjoy it.

2:56 If you like it, thumbs up, subscribe, comments,

3:00 all that kind of stuff, we love that.

3:01 And if you don’t, let us know.

3:03 Either way, it’s fine.

3:04 I hope you guys enjoy it.

3:05 We’ll talk soon.

3:07 All right, so everybody’s heard my version of y’all’s story.

3:11 But what I would like for y’all to do

3:13 is take two minutes or less,

3:17 and let’s start with Peggy and go down the row.

3:20 Go two minutes or less and give us the short version

3:23 of your real estate journey, how you got started,

3:26 and how it’s evolved to today.

3:31 So, Brant Phillips, so I started about 18 years ago.

3:34 How I got into real estate, I kind of hated my life

3:36 and I hated my job and I was broke.

3:38 So, pain’s a really great motivator

3:40 if you allow it to motivate you.

3:42 And because I had no money, I was forced to get creative.

3:47 And so, I love when people say,

3:48 I don’t have any money, so I can’t invest.

3:50 I’m like, that’s why I got started,

3:52 because I saw some books at Barnes & Noble

3:54 that said I could invest without money.

3:56 So, I learned how to put deals together.

3:59 I bought 10 deals, 10 rentals my first year,

4:02 creative stuff, using hard money loans,

4:04 using credit cards, whatever.

4:06 And then my second year, put together partnerships,

4:10 bought 10 more rentals and that was great,

4:12 but I was sharing equity.

4:14 So, my third year, I learned about private money

4:16 and since then, we’ve been raising private money

4:18 and doing deals, done over 500 transactions.

4:22 Majority are single family homes, rentals, flips,

4:25 but we do a lot of owner finance notes

4:27 and I moved into buying mobile home parks.

4:30 I love mobile home parks, I love affordable housing,

4:32 RV parks, we’ve done several land syndication deals.

4:37 And I would say what I’m most proud of

4:39 is from starting with zero,

4:41 we’ve paid out over 10,000 mortgages plus

4:44 to our private lenders over the years,

4:46 never missed a single payment or a dime

4:47 with any of my commitments to my lenders.

4:50 So, if you do things right and build your business

4:54 sustainably, capital’s the easiest part of this.

4:57 So, I’m excited about the conversation today

4:59 because it’s really doable for some of you

5:01 who are just getting started out,

5:02 if you have the right fundamentals

5:04 and do your business the right way.

5:07 So, now let’s get into the fun part.

5:11 Y’all have built up quite a net worth,

5:17 portfolio and quite a lifestyle.

5:19 Well, we’re gonna do something a little different today

5:22 and we’re gonna pretend, we’re gonna imagine

5:26 that you wake up in a brand new city

5:28 that you’ve never been to before

5:29 and you’ve lost everything.

5:32 You don’t have any money, you don’t have any credit,

5:34 you don’t have any friends,

5:35 you don’t have any connections, your network,

5:38 everything is gone.

5:40 Including, which part of it’s good news,

5:43 including the burden of your current expenses,

5:46 employees, obligations, things like that.

5:48 You literally have nothing.

5:50 You’re gonna live in a studio apartment

5:52 and you have barely enough money to survive on

5:56 for the next six months, but your goal,

5:59 because the one thing that you do have

6:02 is your experience and your knowledge.

6:03 We can’t take that away from you.

6:05 So your goal is to use your experience and knowledge

6:10 and make a million dollars over the next 24 months.

6:14 Sound like a game plan?

6:16 All right, so that being said,

6:18 what would your very first moves be?

6:21 What resources would you gather?

6:23 What types of people would you hang out,

6:24 strive to connect with and where would you hang out?

6:27 What about my kids?

6:28 I have five kids, are they a part of this thing or?

6:33 Okay, I was kind of getting excited there

6:37 because I was gonna have all this free time and money.

6:40 So it’s gonna be hard with five kids,

6:42 but we’ll make it work.

6:44 So what I would say is if the goal

6:48 is a million in 24 months,

6:51 so you break it down, it’s like 40,000 a month,

6:55 so that’s 10,000 a week, it’s 1,200, 1,300 a day.

6:59 So the first thing that you have to do

7:01 is get real, real clear on your goal.

7:04 You gotta look at the landscape,

7:05 what are your strengths, what are your weaknesses?

7:08 Eliminate anything that’s a weakness and focus,

7:11 you’re gonna have to,

7:12 this is probably one of the biggest hurdles

7:14 of most real estate investors I’ve seen

7:17 is just the ability to get super clear

7:19 on what the objective is

7:22 because they come in and they’re doing a little of this,

7:23 little of that, little of this, little of that

7:25 and they get no traction.

7:27 When I first came in, I’m like,

7:28 I’m buying 10 rentals this year.

7:29 So I told my wife, we’re broke, live in an apartment.

7:32 She said, how are we gonna do that?

7:33 And I was like, I have no clue,

7:35 but it’s what I’m gonna figure out.

7:36 So I would get real clear on your goal.

7:38 I would also say that for this task,

7:44 I would focus on the equity side more so than cash.

7:50 I would only focus on very little on generating cash

7:54 during this point in time.

7:56 I would focus on creating equity.

7:59 And the way that I would go about it

8:01 is very similar to what I did

8:04 was in the beginning, look for deals

8:07 that you can take down and keep.

8:09 In today’s market, it would probably be subject to,

8:13 I’m not a big subject to guy,

8:15 but in this example,

8:17 I would be looking for subject to deals

8:19 on the residential side of things.

8:21 I would be looking for seller financing

8:23 on the commercial side of things.

8:25 And I would spend a majority of my time

8:28 on raising capital or lending relationships.

8:33 Case in point with me was

8:34 when I was very wet behind the ears,

8:37 I was able to put together some small partnerships

8:40 and began buying rental properties.

8:41 And I knew very, very little at the time.

8:44 I knew very little at the time,

8:46 but was able to do 10 deals my first year,

8:50 10 deals my second year.

8:51 And I was working a full-time job with a wife and kids,

8:54 finding deals, managing the rehabs,

8:57 renting the properties out, all that kind of stuff.

8:59 So with this amount of time, that would be fairly easy.

9:03 And then, so I would start there,

9:05 probably get some deals under your belt

9:07 on the single family side of things,

9:10 while at the same time talking to investors and partners,

9:13 and then begin to kind of level up that game.

9:16 So I took that skillset from single family

9:20 and moved it over to commercial

9:22 where I began buying RV parks, mobile home parks,

9:26 same strategy with seller financing and or private money.

9:31 And we’ve even done several land syndication deals.

9:34 We’ve done three land syndication deals,

9:37 roughly 100 to 200 acre land syndication deals

9:43 that we bought from anywhere from one to $2 million.

9:48 Those are all valued now at 2.5, 3.5,

9:52 and both of those are in a contract,

9:53 and another one at 5.9 without putting any money

9:57 into those deals with a substantial equity piece.

10:02 So I would just start there,

10:03 get really clear on what you want,

10:05 focus on the equity side,

10:08 and yeah, there’s gonna be some opportunity.

10:09 You gotta make some money as per the challenge here.

10:14 Wholesale the deals that come to you

10:16 that don’t meet or exceed what you’re looking for

10:19 just to get some cash in,

10:21 but focus on taking and controlling real estate,

10:25 utilizing wise leverage,

10:26 because that’s how you create wealth

10:27 And that’s how, I mean, honestly,

10:29 like if you’re really focused on this,

10:32 whether you have full-time, part-time,

10:34 all this kind of stuff, it’s not that hard of a challenge.

10:39 And the last thing I will say is this,

10:41 that James said, you’re going to this with no money.

10:44 One of the things that I do with my coaching students

10:47 is one of the first things we talk about

10:51 is I don’t care how much money they have,

10:54 but I was like, I need you to be in a mind state

10:56 that you don’t have any money.

10:59 Because one of the things that I’ve seen

11:00 that has crippled people coming into real estate with money

11:04 is they wire their minds to say,

11:07 I personally need to have money to do a deal.

11:11 So I’ve worked with multiple people over there

11:13 is they’ll have 20,000, 50, 100,000,

11:15 they’ll buy a rental, they’ll buy two, and then they stop.

11:19 And I’ve seen this pattern happen over and over again.

11:22 I’m like, where have you been?

11:24 What are you doing?

11:25 Well, I don’t have any more money.

11:27 And I’m like, real estate is the single greatest investment

11:32 that I know of that you don’t have to have any money.

11:36 You have to have creativity,

11:38 you got to be willing to work hard,

11:40 ingenuity and provide value and help others.

11:42 And if you do that, and you have that mindset,

11:46 you absolutely can crush it

11:47 because if you’re putting money into deals,

11:50 every time a deal comes up, you’re like,

11:51 well, I don’t have enough money.

11:53 Because I started with no money,

11:56 it wired my mind to say,

11:58 I can do any deal theoretically that makes sense.

12:02 And so that’s always been my mindset,

12:05 that’s been my MO.

12:06 When these land deals and other commercial deals came up,

12:09 I’m like, no, if this makes sense, the money’s going to come.

12:13 So you got to just really, really put yourself in position

12:16 to where you’re talking to sellers,

12:18 talking to people with the deals,

12:20 and then seeing how that makes sense

12:22 to bring investors in that deal as long,

12:24 and you remain controlling the assets

12:27 and using leverage that way.

12:33 All right, I think you guys almost did your homework

12:36 because y’all answered a bunch of questions

12:38 that I already had lined up.

12:40 So what I want to shift gears to

12:46 is, especially in markets like today,

12:50 and especially when you’re first starting out,

12:53 you may not have a bunch of money.

12:57 You can really get into a rut

12:59 where you’re deploying your marketing,

13:02 you’re talking to wholesalers,

13:04 you’re out there working.

13:06 The quality of leads is not where you need to be,

13:10 where you want them to be.

13:13 Getting the leads that you want,

13:15 or if you are talking to,

13:17 you’re not getting the deals closed.

13:19 It’s really easy to get discouraged.

13:22 So how do you really know

13:24 that you’re actually making progress

13:26 and you’re on the right track

13:28 even before your first deal closes?

13:33 So it is easy to get discouraged

13:35 when things aren’t going the way

13:36 that you think they should be.

13:37 And sometimes it’s maybe just kind of

13:41 the way that you’re structuring

13:43 not just your business, but your thoughts.

13:45 So the way that I would try to avoid the discouragement

13:49 is like boiling it down to that,

13:50 essentially having KPIs,

13:53 where as long as you are putting out offers consistently,

13:57 let that kind of be your win.

13:59 Say, hey, I know based on data,

14:01 if I’m putting out five offers a day

14:03 or 10 offers a day or what have you,

14:05 that I may not get those offers accepted today,

14:09 but you’re building your pipeline

14:12 and all of your deals,

14:14 and they’re going to start popping

14:15 at a certain time at a certain percentage.

14:19 So I would focus on what is your output offer.

14:23 And that is a key thing is like offer.

14:26 So many people, they’re just not making offers,

14:28 whether it’s for deals or private lenders.

14:31 Every time I talk to somebody

14:33 and they’re having a problem raising capital,

14:35 how many lenders have you spoken to

14:37 in the last week or last month?

14:39 And it’s usually zero or one or two.

14:41 It’s a numbers game.

14:43 Just putting out offers and things like that.

14:45 And then to take a step back also,

14:47 to build off what they said,

14:49 focus on your niche and focus on your area.

14:54 And then you just, you attack it, right?

14:58 You attack it.

14:59 So you live, eat, breathe, sleep in your niche,

15:03 in that market with offer after offer after offer,

15:06 and let that be your goal each day.

15:08 Not, hey, I’m going to get these contracts

15:10 because that’s a little bit out of your control.

15:12 And we need to focus on what we can control.

15:14 And what you can control is making offers,

15:17 having those conversations.

15:19 And if you do that and relying on data

15:23 that has been proven to work over time,

15:26 it’s going to turn into closings and deals

15:31 and things like that.

15:32 So I would focus on what your output is.

15:35 And I got kind of two questions here.

15:38 Okay, so first thing, you talk about making offers, okay?

15:41 80 offers a day, 100 offers a day,

15:43 how many offers you got to make, okay?

15:45 But remember, you guys barely have enough money

15:48 to survive on the next six months, okay?

15:51 So how do you wrap your mind around,

15:53 well, if I make you an offer and you say yes,

15:57 or you make me an offer and I say yes,

15:59 how are you going to pay for it?

16:00 Where’s money going to come from?

16:01 So how do you get around that?

16:02 How do you approach that?

16:03 That’s part one.

16:04 And then how do you get from doing deals that pay you cash?

16:08 How do you approach the actual building wealth part?

16:11 All right, so going back to a couple of things

16:13 I’ve been mentioning.

16:14 So every single day,

16:16 and this is something I live, teach and preach.

16:19 There’s two things, if you’re a true real estate investor,

16:23 there’s two things that you should be doing

16:25 each and every day, every day period.

16:28 Whether you’re doing it personally, you’re automating it,

16:30 you’re delegating, you have team members.

16:32 You gotta be making offers on deals

16:34 and making offers on dollars, okay?

16:36 So every single day we are marketing

16:38 and making offers on deals, but also to private lenders.

16:42 So what I would encourage you to consider is like,

16:46 begin thinking about the money side

16:47 before you’ve got the deal, right?

16:50 So my whole method of operation for raising money

16:53 is I just educate.

16:55 Educate, teach, private mortgage lending,

16:59 the benefits, how to analyze deals, how to analyze borrows.

17:03 And I just teach and teach and teach.

17:05 And the more that I’ve done that over the years

17:07 is people that kind of the know, like, and trust rule,

17:11 they’re gonna wanna invest with you.

17:12 So you need to start doing that day one

17:14 while at the same time you’re putting out offers.

17:17 As you’re putting out offers, our standard contract,

17:20 like for single family, for example,

17:22 we have a 30 day option period built in.

17:24 That nine times out of 10 that sellers agree with.

17:27 So if you get a deal today, and y’all could do this today,

17:30 like you could go out and start door knocking today

17:33 and get a contract today.

17:34 It doesn’t mean you have to close it today.

17:34 It doesn’t mean you have to close it today.

17:36 You give yourself 30 days, typically.

17:40 That’s more than enough time to raise the money.

17:43 Okay, so when you’re doing that,

17:44 I would also be looking for when you’re making your offers

17:48 is really identifying the creative financing opportunities.

17:52 Those are where you’re gonna want to put your full focus on

17:56 because there’s a big difference in if someone’s,

18:00 you know, we’re doing a sub two right now

18:02 and the seller wants $30,000 at closing, 2.75% interest.

18:07 And there’s about 50 to $60,000 of equity on top of that.

18:12 That’s a no brainer.

18:13 And it’s a lot easier to raise $30,000

18:17 rather than $250,000, right?

18:20 So I would focus on those opportunities

18:23 that you can easily get financing for,

18:25 get in the deal, build up the equity and cashflow.

18:28 The ones that don’t meet your buy box,

18:30 going back to like getting really focused,

18:33 those are the ones that I would wholesale

18:35 for the purpose of this exercise.

18:39 And then also, like, you know, you were mentioning,

18:42 you gotta look at, I think a big piece of this as well,

18:47 not just for this topic that we’re talking about,

18:50 but for investors in general.

18:54 Boring, to build on Havon’s point,

18:58 like talking about doing the boring things,

19:00 boring is sexy.

19:02 The really big, sexy deals, right?

19:06 A lot of these development deals,

19:08 the big fix and flip deals,

19:10 a lot of times those are nothing more than

19:14 they’re gonna take you off track of what you need to do.

19:18 And a lot of those deals that we’ve gotten

19:20 into big development deals,

19:22 ground up construction,

19:25 there’s a time and a place for them.

19:27 But what I’ve just found is like boring,

19:31 consistently over time is how this game is won.

19:34 So I would be focusing on those deals

19:37 that you can easily take down consistently, repeatedly,

19:40 looking for the creative financing opportunities

19:44 and then start there because like I said,

19:46 it’s really easy to raise 20, 30, 40, $50,000

19:50 rather than 500 or a million.

19:51 It’s not that hard to do that either,

19:53 but if you’re starting out, I would start from that place.

19:57 And then this is something else that I learned

19:59 from one of my lenders actually taught me this

20:03 when I began raising private money

20:05 right in the very beginning.

20:07 And I was borrowing money on a deal.

20:09 I don’t know, I was borrowing like 80, $90,000

20:11 at that time for this property.

20:14 And the lender came to me and she was looking at the deal.

20:17 She knew real estate very well.

20:19 And she said, hey, I was wondering,

20:22 could you use like five or $10,000 more on this deal?

20:26 And I was like shocked.

20:27 It was just a little single family rental we were buying.

20:30 And I was like, well, probably, why are you asking me this?

20:35 You’re already loaning me 100%.

20:37 And back then, and still to this day,

20:40 a majority of my lenders are investing

20:42 self-directed IRA capital, right?

20:45 And she said, well, I’m gonna loan you this money,

20:47 but I’m gonna have,

20:48 it was like seven or $8,000 left over.

20:50 She’s like, I’m gonna have seven or 8,000

20:52 left in my IRA account.

20:54 It’s not gonna earn me any money.

20:55 I can’t invest that on a real estate deal.

20:58 And she was only investing in real estate.

20:59 So she’s like, I looked at your deal.

21:01 Your numbers are really good.

21:02 There’s plenty of equity there.

21:03 If you could use the money, I’d like to loan it to you.

21:07 I’m like, gee, let me think.

21:09 So when we raise private money,

21:14 obviously, like I say this very cautiously

21:16 because I’ve kept a perfect track record,

21:18 and there’s a lot of people

21:18 who don’t take care of their lenders.

21:22 But a majority of the time,

21:24 when we’re raising money for real estate,

21:26 we’re borrowing 105, 110%.

21:30 So if you can focus on getting really, really good

21:33 at negotiating, finding deals,

21:36 and getting those deals, like really good deals,

21:40 you don’t even have to wholesale them

21:42 because now, yeah, maybe you made a million dollars,

21:44 but what are you paying in taxes?

21:46 Rather than you’re buying a rental,

21:48 you’re buying a sub-two,

21:50 and you’re borrowing 105, $110,000,

21:53 taking down the deal, getting the equity, and what?

21:57 You’re essentially taking your profit early,

21:59 putting that money into your account to live on,

22:02 put back into marketing, what have you,

22:03 and you’re not paying taxes, at least not now.

22:05 Maybe never if you do a 1031 exchange.

22:09 So I would focus on, as you’re writing your contracts,

22:13 give yourself some time, 30 days, you can negotiate that,

22:17 and then go there on these big, hairy fix-and-flip deals,

22:22 development deals, stay away from them.

22:25 Stay away from them.

22:26 A lot of times, experience has taught me

22:29 there’s time and place for those,

22:31 but for this, if you’re hard-charging for a million dollars,

22:35 you’re just getting started out, focus on the boring.

22:38 Focus on those little things over and over and over

22:41 and being consistent with them,

22:43 and the people that I have found

22:45 that have been most successful in this business,

22:47 that’s what they’ve done.

22:48 It’s like the tortoise versus the hare.

22:51 It’s just that consistency over and over and over,

22:53 and sometimes it’s boring,

22:55 but if you’re able to do those boring things

22:58 over and over and over again,

23:00 Alex Ramosi talks about this a lot.

23:02 He’s like, just your ability to do those things

23:05 when other people won’t,

23:06 that’s how you’re gonna create success,

23:08 and a lot of times, the boring things,

23:10 when you really step back

23:11 and look at what you’ve accomplished,

23:13 it’s like boring is really, really sexy.

23:16 Some of the things that I thought were sexy

23:18 and they were really cool

23:19 and I could do a really cool social media thing,

23:21 nah, it’s not that fun.

23:23 It’s not what you thought it was gonna be.

23:30 Yeah, the 70% rule works,

23:33 and so how we analyze deals for the most part

23:36 is with that formula plus a few other things.

23:39 So our business model,

23:41 and it would be this way too for this experiment,

23:44 would be we focus on medium price housing

23:47 and below with that criteria

23:49 because part of creating wealth

23:52 and being able to be sustainable in business

23:56 and real estate is giving yourself options.

23:59 So medium price housing and below

24:01 is what we focus on with that 70% rule

24:03 because now you have options.

24:05 Now, you could flip it, you could rent it,

24:07 you could own or finance,

24:08 and you could wholesale.

24:09 You have all these options that you can do.

24:12 Another thing that we do though,

24:15 each strategy, whether it be a flip or a rental,

24:17 then we’ve got some data that we’re looking at for that

24:21 when we’re analyzing a deal.

24:22 For example, on a flip.

24:24 For me, a good flip deal is like,

24:26 I wanna know even if this home doesn’t sell

24:28 with conservative numbers on my after repair value,

24:32 if I hold this thing for 12 months and it doesn’t sit,

24:35 I’m still gonna at least be in the black.

24:37 I’m gonna make at least a sliver of a profit.

24:40 If you’re having to do everything right

24:42 and you’re gonna make 10, 15, $25,000 in six months,

24:45 that’s not a deal, okay?

24:47 That’s not a deal.

24:48 Other things I look at like when it’s a flip.

24:52 Previously in previous markets, we’ve taken this down.

24:55 I wanted my projected profit to be in alignment

24:59 with how much rehab I was doing, right?

25:02 So I’ve seen investors bring a deal

25:03 and they’re doing like $100,000 rehab to make $30,000.

25:09 No, risk versus reward.

25:11 So we’re looking for low risk opportunities

25:14 with the potential for high reward.

25:16 Not a high risk and a high reward.

25:19 That means no deal.

25:21 So we’re looking at it through that lens, right?

25:23 So if you’re gonna do whatever, 80, $90,000 of rehab,

25:28 that equates to one risk.

25:30 Number two equates to time, okay?

25:33 The time you’re spending it.

25:34 The time, that opportunity is also maybe taking away

25:39 other opportunities from you.

25:42 So that’s what we’re looking at.

25:44 We’re like, hey, if we’re gonna do 80, $100,000 of rehab,

25:47 that’s okay, but we want a chance here with our numbers

25:51 to make an $80,000 profit, right?

25:54 That has to make sense.

25:55 And then we look at certain things,

25:57 if it’s a rental, if it’s an owner finance.

26:00 And then one thing that I was thinking about saying as well,

26:05 in context of this, like starting from ground zero, nothing,

26:10 you’ve gotta pay your bills and things like that,

26:13 which you wouldn’t have a lot of bills.

26:15 But one thing I would do immediate,

26:17 like day one, I would door knock,

26:21 or I would go find, I would go pull a list.

26:24 I would go find out some burned out Airbnb investor.

26:29 And I would take that thing over

26:30 and I would pad split it.

26:32 And I would live in a room

26:33 and I’d rent out four or five other rooms

26:35 and boom, I’m done.

26:36 I’ve got my housing taken care of

26:38 and I’ve got some cashflow.

26:39 As I was really thinking about that a second ago,

26:41 what would I really do?

26:42 All right, I would pad split a burned out Airbnb.

26:46 And that might be a good strategy too, right?

26:48 Cause there’s these people get into Airbnb

26:50 and like they suck management wise.

26:54 And so you could do that.

26:56 But that’s some of the criteria we look for.

26:59 The 70% thing is, right?

27:02 That’s like the 10 commandments.

27:04 And it gives you flexibility.

27:06 There are some exceptions that you can utilize, right?

27:13 Geographically, if it’s newer construction,

27:15 great area, sub two, low interest rate, things like that.

27:20 So yeah, it’s about it.

27:22 Challenge you guys up here to think about

27:25 everything that you talked about today.

27:26 Think about the education,

27:28 whether you purposely invested in that education

27:31 or the school of hard knocks taught you

27:33 whether you wanted to learn it or not.

27:36 Think about some books that you’ve read over the years.

27:39 What is one final piece of advice?

27:42 What is one thing that we haven’t talked about today?

27:44 What is one thing that you wanna leave the audience with?

27:47 And then after this, we’ll open it up for questions.

27:51 Well, I guess what I would say is,

27:54 coming back where I came from

27:56 and when I really decided to go all in,

28:01 that’s when everything changed for me.

28:03 And I saw the life that my parents lived and raised me in.

28:10 And it was, my father had a job.

28:12 He lost a job multiple times.

28:15 My family lost everything.

28:16 There was always struggle and challenges.

28:19 And it was stressful.

28:21 And then I saw myself here,

28:23 I’m in my early thirties at that time.

28:26 And I’m like, I’m doing exactly what I saw my parents do.

28:31 I was very, very unhappy.

28:34 And so I was like, I started thinking about

28:38 how does this story play out

28:41 if I go on the path that I was on, which was I had a job

28:47 and I could stay in that job probably

28:49 and work there for 20 or 30 years

28:51 and I could live very middle-class.

28:54 Nothing’s wrong with that

28:55 unless something’s wrong with that for you.

29:00 So I just got to a point where like, this is not acceptable.

29:05 I would rather go all in with this, even if I fail,

29:11 that’s okay, I can always go back and get a job.

29:14 I remember when I quit my job,

29:15 my dad’s like, you’re an idiot.

29:16 What are you doing?

29:18 And I had to like, I took that and I’m like,

29:21 doesn’t matter.

29:22 So I’m going all in, I’m going to give,

29:23 and it wasn’t that I was just going to give it a try.

29:26 Like I’m going to go a hundred percent, a thousand percent.

29:30 I’m going to give it my all.

29:31 I’m not going to leave anything to chance.

29:34 And if I fail, then I fail and I’ll be okay with it.

29:37 So I just, I made a decision to go all in

29:41 and people I’ve seen over the years,

29:44 when you look around at people who are successful,

29:47 they did the same thing.

29:48 They went all in.

29:49 It doesn’t mean that it was always pretty.

29:51 Doesn’t mean that it’s always going to be easy.

29:53 It’s not.

29:54 A lot of times it’s going to suck.

29:55 And that’s a part of it.

29:58 But going to the question also.

If you want to learn more about real estate investing strategies, creative deal structures, and raising private capital, stay connected for more educational content and discussions like this.

Whether you are new to real estate or looking to scale your investing business, understanding these fundamentals can help you build a stronger foundation for long-term success.

Stop Chasing Yield. Start Protecting Principal.

If you’ve ever thought about becoming a private lender or you’ve already funded a deal and wondered if you structured it correctly this session was for you.

Here’s the truth:

Your first deal isn’t about maximizing return.
It’s about minimizing risk.

The Real Goal of Your First Deal

Protection.
Foundation.
Repeatability.

Too many new lenders chase the highest rate in the room.

Smart lenders build a system they can scale.

Your first deal sets the tone for every deal after it. If you build it wrong, you scale risk. If you build it right, you scale confidence and capital.

Ultra-Conservative Deal Analysis

Hope is not a strategy.

As a private lender, you must underwrite conservatively. That means:

• Verifying ARV using multiple recent niche comps

• Lending at a conservative Loan-to-Value (LTV)

• Ensuring a realistic timeline

• Reviewing a detailed, line-item scope of work

• Demand a clear exit strategy (Plan A and preferably Plan B & C)

And the ultimate test:

“If I had to own this property, would I feel good about it?”

If the answer isn’t a strong yes don’t fund it.

Build Your Team Before You Fund

Never do your first deal alone.

Before wiring a dollar, you should have:

• A real estate attorney

• A trusted title company

• An insurance agent who understands lender protection

• A CPA (especially if investing through an IRA)

• An experienced investor or lender for guidance

Private lending is simple, but it must be structured correctly.

What New Lenders Get Wrong

We addressed the biggest mistakes new lenders make:

• Chasing rate instead of safety

• Trusting too quickly

• Skipping document review

• Lending based on relationship alone

• Funding too much, too fast

When you lend money, you’re not just a friend.

You’re a banker.

Think like one.

Structure for Maximum Protection

These are non-negotiables:

• First lien position

• Proper recorded documents

• Title and hazard insurance naming you as mortgagee

• Personal guarantee

• Clear payment terms and maturity date

• Funds wired to title never directly to the borrower

• Defined draw schedule for rehab funds

Protection first.
Return second.
Scale third.

If you’re serious about becoming a private lender or raising capital the right way this training could save you from an expensive mistake.

Don’t learn this lesson the hard way.

👉 Missed it? Watch the full replay here.

 

Underwrite it like a pro.

Brant Phillips

For many real estate investors, hard money lenders feel like a necessary evil. They’re fast, accessible, and they’ll fund your deals—but often at the cost of high fees, rigid terms, and a constant feeling that you’re stuck in a toxic relationship.

Here’s the good news: breaking free is easier than you think.

It doesn’t take an army of investors or years of experience. It starts with just one private lender.

When you lead with integrity and deliver on your promises, that one lender won’t just fund your deals—they’ll become your best lead source for tomorrow. Why? Because money flows toward two things:

✅ Solid deals
✅ Trustworthy people

I was reminded of this recently while talking with one of my longtime lenders. We laughed about how simple it really is. At the end of the day, private lending comes down to three things:

• Treat people right
• Honor your word
• Deliver results

Do that consistently, and lenders won’t just stick with you—they’ll become raving fans. They’ll tell their friends, colleagues, and network. Before long, you won’t be chasing money. Money will be chasing you.

That’s the real shift: from relying on expensive hard money loans to building long-term, trust-based relationships that fuel your business for years to come.

If you’re ready to raise private money but don’t know where to start, that’s where I come in. Over the years, I’ve raised millions in private capital and built systems and strategies that work in any market.

👉 Want to learn the playbook for raising all the capital you’ll ever need? Reach out—I’ll show you how.

What’s up, my friends? Let’s talk about what it really takes to succeed in the affordable housing game—and in business and real estate as a whole.

I’m walking through one of our communities right now, an RV park we bought a little over six years ago. Back then, this property looked nothing like it does today. It’s been a long road of transformation—cabins, tiny homes, RVs, even Airbnb conversions—but none of it came easy.

If you’d shown me a crystal ball on closing day, listing all the challenges I’d face before this property would become a stabilized, income-producing community, I probably would’ve walked away.

Here are just a few things we dealt with:

• Immediate Competition: Six months after closing, a brand-new RV park broke ground right off the freeway exit, half a mile from our entrance. Not ideal.
• Occupancy Crashes: Our park was full because of a big job nearby. Thirty days later, the project ended, and occupancy dropped in half overnight.
• Water & Septic Problems: After closing, we learned our water well wasn’t registered with the state. That mistake alone cost years of TCEQ dealings and tens of thousands in engineering fees.
• Management Nightmares: In the early days, we had to deal with riffraff—criminals, bounty hunters, even federal agencies showing up on property.
• COVID Fallout: Supply chain issues, skyrocketing prices for cabins and homes, and contractor chaos made improvements extremely costly.
• Safety Issues: Team members had lives threatened, residents were attacked, and the stress was constant.

And that’s just scratching the surface.

Looking back—would I have signed up for all of this? Honestly, no.

But here’s the truth:

The #1 Key to Succeed in Real Estate (and Business)

Don’t quit.

That’s it. Assuming you’ve got a real, sustainable business plan, the way you win is by not giving up. Too many people throw in the towel when things get hard.

Over the years, there were so many times I wanted to quit on this property. Times when I thought, “Let’s just sell it and be done.” But we stayed the course. We installed better infrastructure, brought in cabins and storage buildings, stabilized management, and built a real community.

Now, six years later, we’re not just meeting our income goals—we’re exceeding them. We’ve created a place I’m proud of, and more importantly, a community where good people can afford to live.

That’s what affordable housing is all about.

Final Thoughts

If you want to build something worthwhile in real estate or in life, you need three things:

1. A clear blueprint.
2. A plan you can execute.
3. The grit to stay in the game and not quit.

It won’t be easy. It never is. But if you keep showing up, keep solving problems, and keep moving forward, you can build something amazing.

👉 [Watch the full walk-and-talk video here on YouTube]

When I first started in real estate, I never imagined I’d be buying mobile home parks. Like most investors, I had my sights on single-family homes. But after hundreds of single-family deals, I began noticing some unsettling trends: rising home prices, shrinking affordability, and more investors fighting over fewer deals.

That’s when I stumbled into the world of mobile home park investing — and it completely changed my perspective.

Since then, I’ve bought 1–2 parks per year and now own multiple mobile home, RV, and small home communities. I do this part-time, yet these investments have become one of the most stable, predictable parts of my portfolio.

Why Mobile Home Parks Are Different

1. The affordability gap is growing.
Median home prices have skyrocketed, making homeownership nearly impossible for many lower- and middle-income families. Mobile home parks fill that gap.

2. Decreasing supply, increasing demand.
Every year, mobile home parks are being torn down and replaced with other developments — yet the need for affordable housing continues to rise.

3. Stigma keeps competition low.
While hedge funds and REITs are buying up apartments, many overlook mobile home parks due to outdated perceptions. That means more opportunity for informed investors.

A Proven Business Model

In its simplest form, mobile home park investing is about owning the land and renting lots to homeowners who own their mobile homes. This creates:

• Lower maintenance costs (since tenants own the homes)
• More stable tenants (moving a mobile home is expensive and rare)
• Predictable, recurring lot rent income

It’s a business model that’s so solid, investors like Warren Buffett and Sam Zell have made massive long-term bets on it — and never looked back.

Real-Life Example

One of my favorite case studies is a small 15-lot park I purchased for $100,000 from a mom-and-pop owner. With simple improvements — better roads, upgraded utilities, removing abandoned homes, and owner-financing renovated homes to residents — the park’s value and income grew substantially.

Over time, the projected returns are strong, and the risk is low compared to other real estate asset classes. And best of all? It provides affordable, dignified housing to families who need it.

How You Can Invest — Actively or Passively

There are two main ways to get involved:

• Active investing: Buy and operate your own park.
• Passive investing: Lend money to experienced operators (like me) and earn a return, often using your cash or self-directed IRA.

In fact, many of my projects are funded entirely by private lenders who prefer a hands-off approach but still want strong, predictable returns backed by real estate.

Learn More in My Full Video

This post barely scratches the surface of mobile home park investing. In my full presentation, I walk through:

• The biggest misconceptions about mobile home parks
• How to find and analyze deals
• How to structure passive investments
• Detailed case studies with real numbers

If you’re curious about how this works — or how you could invest alongside experienced operators — watch the full video here:
▶️ [Watch the full video here]

If you want to die with regrets, here’s the cheat code: just keep living with them.

That’s the message my friend — and it’s something most people need to hear.

There’s a book called The Five Regrets of the Dying.

In it, people at the end of their lives almost always regret the same things:
– Working too much
– Not spending enough time with family
– Not pursuing what really mattered to them
– Not becoming who they were called to be

Nobody says, “I wish I worked more” or “I wish I made more money.”

Yet every day, most people make trades that lead them exactly there.

The solution? Start making different trades today.
– Stop chasing “balance” and start making impact.
– Make the time you do have with family matter.
– Replace regrets with habits that move you closer to who you’re meant to be.

You don’t have to quit everything overnight.

Just add one new habit — one intentional, purposeful choice — that trends you away from regret and toward a life you’ll be proud of.

We all have a choice. Every single day.

You don’t have to live with regret. Start choosing differently — today. I’m here if you need help.

Choose wisely.

  [Watch the full video here]

Recently, I had the privilege of speaking at the EXPAND event hosted by my good friend and partner Ben Deal. This event brought together ambitious real estate professionals to share knowledge, strategies, and inspiration for building wealth through real estate — the right way.
During my talk, I shared my journey from police officer to full-time investor and explained the mindset, strategies, and systems I’ve used to raise millions in private capital and close over 500 deals while never missing a single mortgage payment.

Below is the full transcript of my presentation. I hope it inspires and equips you to take action and become the kind of person lenders want to invest with.

Transcript begins:

Ben Deal:

So Brant, along with Chris Bounds, are two of the men that I found in the real estate business who not only created the results I wanted — wealth in real estate — but more importantly, did it in a manner I respect. Brant’s married, an incredible father, a man of integrity and faith who leads his businesses with those values. That’s why I’ve partnered with him over the last three years, and why I’m excited for you to hear from him. Please welcome my friend and partner, Brant Phillips.

Brant Phillips:

All right, clicker’s here. What’s up, everybody? There’s been some really good knowledge today, and like my man Andre said: put it to use.

My slides say “Private Money Mastery,” and that’s what we’re talking about — raising private money.
Quick poll: how many of you are real estate investors? [Audience raises hands.] How many of you need money?

[Laughter.] We all do.

More importantly: how many of you have a marketing plan to raise money? Very few, right? Most of you have a plan to find deals but not to fund them. That’s what we’ll fix today.

A little about me: I started as a police officer, then worked a terrible corporate job I hated. I had a dream, a drive, and a credit card. I bought 10 rental properties my first year while working full-time, then more partnerships the next year.

But by year three, I was tired of giving up 50% to partners and paying high hard money costs. That’s when I learned about raising private money. Since 2009, I’ve done over 500 deals, paid over 10,000 mortgages without missing one, and never skipped a deal for lack of funds.

Here’s what I learned: money is a mindset. In the beginning, I approached lenders nervously, almost begging. Then one of my early investors thanked me because the money she invested with me saved her retirement. That changed everything — I realized I wasn’t begging, I was offering an incredible opportunity.

Our competition isn’t each other; it’s Wall Street. But we have what banks don’t — we can deliver secured, steady, predictable returns backed by real assets, often in their own backyard.

Another lesson: be the person you’d lend to. If you’re not there yet, figure out what you need to fix — your experience, your team, your confidence — and work on it.

Also: over-perform. Communicate, pay early, exceed expectations. Those little things make lenders become loyal raving fans who refer others and fund you for years.

And stop pitching desperation deals. Instead, educate and position yourself as the expert. I built a website, wrote The Private Lender Playbook, hosted trainings, and focused on building trust by educating and solving problems.

Finally: play the long game. Treat lenders like partners. Honor their trust. If things ever went sideways, I was prepared to sell my house to make them whole. That’s how seriously I take it — and they can feel that.

Today, I still use the same principles and now help others through my Private Money Mastery training. If you want free access, post a photo from today’s event on Instagram or Facebook, tag me, and include “Private Money Mastery — let’s go!” We’ll send you a free code.

Remember: too much is given, much is required. Take care of your lenders like family, and they’ll take care of you.
Thanks for having me, and I’ll be around to connect afterwards!

Just wrapped up a garage workout.

Sweaty, sore—and full of clarity.

That’s what a good workout does: it gives you wisdom.

Here’s the thought on my mind:
Work smarter, not harder.

Yeah, I know you’ve heard it before. But let me break it down.

A lot of you are out there grinding.

Working your face off.

But still not getting any closer to where you want to be.

*Ask me how I know.*
I lived that life for years.

When I first got into real estate, I’d walk into investor meetings surrounded by MBAs, finance pros, brokers—people way smarter (on paper) than me.

So I made a decision: I’d just outwork them.

While they were sleeping, I’d be hustling.

While they were golfing, I’d be grinding.

And yeah, that mentality helped me get started.

It got me out of the gate fast.

But it didn’t get me to the next level.

My go-to move was always “work harder.”

Like one of those video game power moves that kids talk about.

But eventually, I had to learn a new move: **work smarter.**

Now that I’m 50, I can say this with full conviction:

Hard work is powerful—but *smart* work wins.

And this goes way beyond business.

It applies to every area of life—the 4 pillars of real wealth:

~Spiritual
~Relational
~Physical
~Financial

Ask yourself:
👉 Where in your life are you pushing harder when you should be getting smarter?

Spiritually– Are you trying to “do” more for God instead of just listening and being present?

Relationally– Are you doing acts of service hoping to earn love, instead of learning what your people actually need from you?

Physically– Are you pushing through pain and trying to prove yourself in the gym, when your body’s asking for a smarter plan (like yoga, swimming, recovery)?

Financially/Professionally– Are you trying to build everything yourself instead of leveraging wisdom, systems, and the right people?

Working hard will always be a badge of honor. But if you want to win long-term—you need wisdom.

You need leverage.

You need strategy.

You need to work smarter.

That’s how you build Wealth 4x.

Spiritual. Relational. Physical. Financial.

Invest in those every day.

That’s the real grind worth showing up for.

Take care, my friends.
Brant

Just wrapped up a garage workout.

Sweaty, sore—and full of clarity.

That’s what a good workout does: it gives you wisdom.

Here’s the thought on my mind:
Work smarter, not harder.

Yeah, I know you’ve heard it before. But let me break it down.

A lot of you are out there grinding.

Working your face off.

But still not getting any closer to where you want to be.

*Ask me how I know.*
I lived that life for years.

When I first got into real estate, I’d walk into investor meetings surrounded by MBAs, finance pros, brokers—people way smarter (on paper) than me.

So I made a decision: I’d just outwork them.

While they were sleeping, I’d be hustling.

While they were golfing, I’d be grinding.

And yeah, that mentality helped me get started.

It got me out of the gate fast.

But it didn’t get me to the next level.

My go-to move was always “work harder.”

Like one of those video game power moves that kids talk about.

But eventually, I had to learn a new move: **work smarter.**

Now that I’m 50, I can say this with full conviction:

Hard work is powerful—but *smart* work wins.

And this goes way beyond business.

It applies to every area of life—the 4 pillars of real wealth:

~Spiritual
~Relational
~Physical
~Financial

Ask yourself:
👉 Where in your life are you pushing harder when you should be getting smarter?

Spiritually– Are you trying to “do” more for God instead of just listening and being present?

Relationally– Are you doing acts of service hoping to earn love, instead of learning what your people actually need from you?

Physically– Are you pushing through pain and trying to prove yourself in the gym, when your body’s asking for a smarter plan (like yoga, swimming, recovery)?

Financially/Professionally– Are you trying to build everything yourself instead of leveraging wisdom, systems, and the right people?

Working hard will always be a badge of honor. But if you want to win long-term—you need wisdom.

You need leverage.

You need strategy.

You need to work smarter.

That’s how you build Wealth 4x.

Spiritual. Relational. Physical. Financial.

Invest in those every day.

That’s the real grind worth showing up for.

Take care, my friends.
Brant

We all want results.
More success. Better health. Stronger relationships. More money in the bank.

But here’s the hard truth that most people don’t want to face:
If you’re not fully committed to the work required, then you’re not truly committed to the result.

That’s not judgment—it’s just reality.

The Illusion of Commitment
It’s easy to say we want something.

But real outcomes—the ones that truly matter—don’t come from wanting.

They come from working.

From showing up.

From doing what’s required over and over, long after the excitement fades.

If you’re not willing to commit to the process—aka the grind, the discomfort, the repetition, the stretch—it might be time to stop lying to yourself about the goal and move on.

Results don’t happen without commitment.

One doesn’t exist without the other.

This Truth Shows Up Everywhere
Let me give you a few real-life examples from my own journey.

Physical Health

There’ve been seasons where I said I wanted to improve physically.

But if I’m being honest, I wasn’t willing to show up at the level the goal required. And that’s okay.

It was just a signal to shift my focus—toward a goal I was actually ready to commit to.

Business
I’ve failed in business more times than I care to admit.

Not because I lacked skill or opportunity—but because I didn’t honor the full commitment required.

I took shortcuts. I dabbled. I told myself I was “in,” but my actions said otherwise.

Marriage
There have been times where we were stagnant, or even on the brink of throwing in the towel.

But we made a decision. We wanted more—and more importantly—we created more by committing to show up for each other and doing the work.

My wife and I just returned from a trip to Jamaica.

Yes—we have five kids.

Yes—we run multiple businesses.

But we do what’s required.

We don’t make excuses—we find ways to create what we want.

And what we want from our marriage is quality time to travel, reconnect, and continue growing together.

Today, our marriage is at an all-time high because we are honoring the commitments we have made to one another.

So Where Are You Right Now?
If you’re feeling frustrated or stuck—whether it’s in your health, your finances, or your relationships—pause and ask yourself this:

Have I truly committed to the work required to create the result I say I want?

If the answer is yes—then go. All in.

Burn the boats. Give it everything you’ve got.

But if the answer is no?

Then it’s time to get honest, stop wasting time, and redirect your energy into something you can go all-in on for the long game.

Because that’s where the real results are waiting.

Need Help Getting Unstuck?
If you’re stuck, struggling, or unsure what your next move should be—I’m here to help.

I’ve walked through the fire in business, marriage, and personal growth—and I help people every day do the same.

Shoot me a message or schedule a call and let’s talk.

You don’t have to figure this out alone.

Stay committed. Stay real. Build something that lasts.
—Brant

Let’s be real for a minute.

If you’re stressed out, burned out, and can’t think straight—it’s not just a bad day.

It could be a warning sign.

That your business, your health, or your relationships are heading for a crash if something doesn’t change.

I’ve been there.

And after 18 years of building businesses, bootstrapping deals, and fighting through challenges, here’s something I heard recently and I absolutely love:

👉 Not wanting something is as good as having it.

We chase things that stress us out—not because they actually matter, but because we think they’re supposed to.

Vanity metrics.

Ego-driven goals.

The illusion of success we see on social media.

But when you stop and ask, “Do I even want this?”, a lot of the stress melts away.

And that peace of mind? That’s real wealth.

That doesn’t mean give up at the first sign of pressure.

If what you’re chasing really matters, then embrace the process.

Accept that it’s going to be hard.

Because business is hard.

It’s not supposed to be easy.

And that’s okay.

But you have a choice.

Let go of what doesn’t serve you.

Or lean all the way in and do the work.

Just don’t stay stuck in between—because that’s where burnout lives.

So breathe. Reflect. Ask yourself the hard question.

And then decide: Lay it down. Or lean in.

Either way—you win.

All the best,

Brant Phillips

*PS, if you’re tired of staying stuck and ready to lean in to create the greatest version of you, lets talk

Today’s lesson is about love. The real kind—the kind that challenges you. The kind that doesn’t just comfort, but confronts.

Here’s the truth: The people who love you the most will sometimes be the ones who challenge you the most.

And if they don’t, something’s off.

Love isn’t just hugs and encouragement.

Real love says, “You can do better.”🔥

Real love holds up a mirror—even when you don’t want to look.

I learned that the hard way in my marriage.

There were years—seasons—where I took certain comments from my wife as criticism.

When she expressed her thoughts, I’d get defensive.

I labeled it as judgment.

I made her the problem.

I pulled away.
I fought to be right instead of fighting for us.

But with time, I’ve come to see the truth: she wasn’t attacking me.

She was calling me higher.

She was loving me in the only way she knew how—honestly.

Looking back, those fights, those moments of tension? Many of them were mine to own.

My immaturity. My ego. My unwillingness to look inward.

Conflict takes 200% responsibility—100% from each side.

And that realization changed the game for me.

More recently, a situation with a family member brought all this back.

Emotions ran high. Words were exchanged. Old triggers flared up.

And I had a choice: react like the old me—or respond like the man I’m becoming.

I chose to slow down. To reflect. To sit with discomfort.

And what came up was this: this isn’t punishment—it’s an invitation.

An invitation to love better. To love more maturely.

To love without needing to be in control or to prove anything.

This kind of love? It demands vision.👁️‍🗨️

Tony Robbins calls it “focusing on a more compelling future.”

It’s the image you hold in your mind and your heart of what could be—of who you want to be.

For me, that vision is peace in my home.

Connection with my people.

Becoming a man my family can lean on—not tiptoe around.

That’s what’s getting me through.

Not dwelling on the words said or the heat of the moment—but focusing on the future I want to build.

This doesn’t just apply to relationships.

It applies to workouts, business, and life.

If you focus only on the pain of the rep, the sweat, the exhaustion—you’ll quit.

But if you keep your eyes on the result, the vision, the finish line—you’ll push through.

Same with marriage. Same with family. Same with building anything that matters.

Too many people live without vision. That’s why they drift. That’s why they quit.

That’s why they blow up small problems into big ones—because they’re not aiming at anything greater.

And when that happens in a marriage or a family? It breaks things.

You don’t have to live that way.

You can love better. You can lead better. You can build something that lasts.

But you need vision.

So if you’re feeling the heat in a relationship, don’t just look at the fire.

Look at what it’s burning away.

Maybe it’s ego.

Maybe it’s fear.

Maybe it’s the parts of you that need to go so something stronger can take their place.

This is your invitation:
To stop blaming.
To start building.
To cast a vision.

And to love with everything you’ve got.

You were made for more.

Brant can help.

We recently wrapped up a team meeting at Cost Plus Construction, and I left that room with two thoughts on my mind: Growth & Security

Not just revenue growth or expanding service areas—although we’re doing that too—but growth in leadership, systems, and sustainability to weather financial storms. A few years ago, I made the decision to rebrand and restructure our construction company from the inside out. We focused on transparency, systematizing our operations, and building something more stable for both our customers and our contractors.

We’re still dialing things in. Still tweaking. Still learning. But we’re building the type of company I always envisioned. And that’s something I’m proud of.

But Let Me Shift Gears…
This post isn’t just about construction or team meetings. It’s for my fellow real estate investors, especially those feeling the squeeze right now.

You’ve probably seen what I’ve seen…

• Investors backing out of deals
• People pausing their business
• Others running back to traditional jobs because they “need the stability”

Let’s be real: this market has spooked a lot of folks.
But here’s the truth:

Real estate is a great investment—but if it’s your only income stream, you’re just one market cycle away from getting rocked.

I’ve been through it all over the last 18 years—recessions, interest rate hikes, booms, busts, and everything in between. And I’ve been able to survive, thrive, and stay in the game because I never relied solely on real estate to “pay my bills.”

This Is Why I Built Businesses
Yes, I flip homes.
Yes, I’ve built a rental portfolio.
Yes, I invest in land, parks, and funds.

But what’s kept me in the game through every high and low is this: I built multiple businesses that cash-flowed, even when the market didn’t.

• It’s how I’ve paid over 10,000 mortgage payments to private lenders.
• It’s how I’ve returned over $50 million in capital—on time, every time.
• It’s how I’ve funded projects, grown teams, and kept moving when others had to sit out.

The difference?
I didn’t just build a real estate business.
I built real businesses that could stand on their own—construction, acquisitions, education, consulting.

That’s the secret to staying power.

The Blueprint for Real Wealth
If you’re serious about building real, lasting wealth—especially in a volatile economy—you need a new mindset:

You Need to Start Thinking Like a Business Owner.
Here’s the framework I’ve followed (and still do):

1. Cast the Vision – Know what you’re building and why.
2. Build the Systems – Don’t let your income depend on you doing everything.
3. Build the Team – Delegate. Hire. Lead.
4. Create Businesses That Cash Flow – Daily. Weekly. Monthly.
5. Invest the Profits Into Long-Term Real Estate – Rentals, notes, funds, land… you name it.

This isn’t a side hustle strategy.
It’s not a get-rich plan.
This is the long game—and it works.

Don’t Let the Market Dictate Your Life
The market will rise. The market will fall. It always has.

But you don’t have to ride that rollercoaster if you build the right foundation.

And that foundation starts with learning how to operate like a business owner, not just a hustler chasing the next deal.

So here’s the callout to all my fellow investors:

Stop building your entire life around your next flip or wholesale check.
Start building businesses that can weather the storm.

That’s how you gain freedom, stability, and wealth that lasts.

If you’re ready to start building your business the right way—or you want help mapping it out—reach out here (brantphillips.com/coaching), or check out some of the resources we’ve built to help other investors take control of their future.

Let’s build something that lasts.

#BuildTheBusiness #ThinkLikeAnOwner #RealWealth #BrantPhillips #CostPlusConstruction #Entrepreneurship #MultipleStreams #LongGame

When most people hear the word evil, they think of crime. Malice. Corruption. Obvious wrongdoing.

But what if I told you one of the most dangerous forms of evil in our world today wears a much more subtle face?

It doesn’t kick down doors or scream for attention. It blends in. It plays it safe. It looks responsible on the outside… but inside, it’s hollow.

I’m talking about the lack of vision.

The Silent Evil No One Talks About

This message is brought to you by Moby—the deer whisperer. No barking, no chaos. Just pure love and flow. 🐾

Today’s lesson hit me mid-workout. I was talking with my coach about how earlier this week, I had one of those days where I wanted to burn everything down—shut down some business ventures, walk away from projects. I felt done.

Truth is, I go to emotional extremes sometimes. I’m not saying it’s healthy—but I’m working on it. Talking to my coach helped. So did the workout.

He asked me, “What’s still driving you?”
And my answer was clear: “The vision.”

I’d just finished reading The Vivid Vision, and it reminded me that when things get cloudy, the best thing you can do is reconnect with the why. What’s the big picture? The purpose?

When you’re tempted to quit—whether it’s a business, a relationship, a goal—stop and ask yourself:

👉 What is my vivid vision for this?
👉 Is it worth enduring the hard days to bring it to life?

Chances are, the answer is yes. You’re just stuck in a disempowered state, zoomed in too tight on a problem that’s not the whole picture.

That’s where state change comes in.

For me, that shift happens through intense workouts. For others, it might be prayer, meditation, breathwork, yoga—whatever resets your system. Change your physiology and your mental state will follow.

After today’s workout, I snapped back into my flow state—that zone where everything clicks. I looked back at the same problems from earlier this week and laughed. They looked so small once I was out of that mental fog.

Here’s the truth:
We were created for more.
We’re not here just to get by—we’re here to 4x our life. Spiritually. Relationally. Physically. Financially.

And we can’t do that from a burned-out, reactive mindset.

So, my encouragement to you today:
Get back in your flow. Tap into your peak state. Don’t make decisions from a disempowered place.

The vision is still worth it.
Let’s go.

Shoot the Damn Shot: Choosing the Fire Will Set You Free

By Brant Phillips

What do you think you’re going to do—avoid suffering?

Let me save you the trouble.

You won’t. You can’t.

Because life is suffering.

That’s not pessimism.

That’s not negativity.

That’s truth.

But here’s the part that most people miss—and it’s everything:

You get to choose your suffering.

This weekend, my wife and I were watching Vikings, a netflix series. That’s not usually our vibe—we’re more The Office kind of people—but this one got us.

One scene in particular hit me like a punch to the chest. Lagertha, the shield-maiden queen, said something simple:

“There is no life without suffering.”

She didn’t elaborate. She didn’t need to. But I will.

Because embedded in that one line is a wake-up call for all of us—especially for those sleepwalking through life, clinging to comfort and wondering why they feel stuck, bored, or empty.

We are all going to suffer.

The only question is whether we will suffer on purpose.

The Suffering That Builds or the Suffering That Breaks
We suffer either way.

The difference is what that suffering produces.

You can choose the pain of discipline, the grind, the reps, the late nights, the early mornings.
The awkward conversations. The setbacks. The failures.

Or you can choose the pain of regret.

Of never going for it. Of staying stuck. Of living on repeat.

Of looking back one day and realizing you never became who you were meant to be.

Let’s make this real:

Skip the workout now? That’s easy. But the back pain, the low energy, the doctor visits later? That’s suffering.

Avoid the hard conversation now? Feels good for a moment. But the broken relationship? The unspoken resentment? That’s suffering.

Don’t take the risk, don’t make the investment, don’t follow the call in your heart? You’ll stay “safe.” But you’ll also stay small. And that’s the worst kind of suffering there is.

Look at Ragnar
Look at Ragnar Lothbrok in Vikings. He was not a perfect man. He was a man of consequence. A man who chose the long, hard road of greatness. Not because it was easy—but because it was right.

He didn’t run from the pain. He walked straight into it—with honor.

He fought for something bigger than himself. And in doing so, he left a legacy.

That’s what this is about.

Every day, you and I—we’re choosing.

We’re either choosing the short-term comfort that leads to long-term regret, or we’re choosing the suffering that leads to growth, peace, and prosperity.

And let’s be clear: comfort isn’t peace. It’s a lie.

A trap. A thief who slowly steals your purpose while whispering, “You’re fine. Just stay here.”

Stop With the Silly Little Thoughts
You know the ones I’m talking about.
“I’ll start next week.”
“Now’s not the right time.”
“I just need to get through this season.”

Those are the silly little thoughts that convince you to delay your destiny.

They sound logical. They sound safe. But they’re sabotage.

Because the longer you avoid shooting your shot—the one you know you were born to take—the more suffering you stack up.

You won’t feel it right away.

But it’ll catch up.

And when it does, it shows up as regret—and that’s the kind of suffering that doesn’t heal easy.

So Yeah, I Still Work Out
I’m 50 now.

I don’t go as hard in the gym as I used to. I don’t need to.

But I still show up. I still do the work.

I still choose the pain.

Why?

Because when I choose my suffering—on purpose, with intention—I get to walk through life with strength.

I get to lead my family. I get to build businesses. I get to move through the world with purpose and power.

And on the other side of that chosen suffering?

Peace.
Purpose.
Abundance.

Not comfort. Conviction.

Not easy. Essential.

If You’re Waiting for a Sign—This Is It.
This is the moment.
This is the sign.
This is the shot.

Shoot the damn shot.

Step into the fire.
Because only through the fire will you find your freedom.

Whether it’s your finances, your fitness, your family or your future—you already know the shot you need to take.

If you’re serious about building a life of purpose and freedom, I’m here to help.

Ready to take your shot?

📩 Fill out a quick form HERE and lets talk about your next step.

Here’s something that might sting just a little…

Most people are living a life they never actually chose.

They’re on a path someone else put them on—and they’ve been on autopilot ever since.

Not because they’re lazy.
Not because they don’t have potential.
But because no one ever taught them to stop and ask:
“Is this even what I want?”

👀 Are You Living or Just Following Instructions?
From day one, we’re handed a script:

Get good grades ✔️
Go to college ✔️
Get a “safe” job ✔️
Work hard for 40 years ✔️

Retire and hope you’ve got something left in the tank ❌

But what if that script doesn’t fit the life YOU want?

What if all the “right” decisions are leading you in the wrong direction?

“Don’t wake up one day realizing you climbed the wrong mountain.”

🎯 Clarity Creates Power
One of the biggest things I see new investors struggle with is clarity.

They say they want “freedom,” but can’t define it.

They chase “success,” but they’re using someone else’s scoreboard.

Without clarity, every decision feels like a guess.

With clarity, the path becomes obvious.

🔎 How to Get Clear
Here’s where to start:

1. Turn Off the Noise
No phone. No distractions. Just you. Ask: What do I actually want? Write down whatever comes up. Don’t filter it.

2. Burn the Old Blueprint
Stop chasing society’s version of success. Define what winning looks like for you. Make it non-negotiable.

3. Visualize Your Ideal Day
Where are you? Who are you with? What are you doing? That vision is your compass.

4. Take Imperfect Action
Clarity doesn’t come from thinking. It comes from doing. Take one step today, even if it’s messy.

🤯 Why This Hits So Hard
Because deep down, you know it’s true.

You’ve felt that whisper that says, “There’s more. I’m meant for more.”
And you are.

But no one’s coming to hand it to you.
You have to build it.

Brick by brick. Decision by decision.
It starts when you decide to take ownership.

💬 Ready to Build What’s Yours?
If you don’t take control of your life, someone else will.
And their plan for you? It’s not as good as the one you’d create for yourself.

So stop waiting.
Get honest.
Get clear.

And if you’re ready to go faster and avoid the costly mistakes, get around someone who’s already been to the mountaintop and is willing to show you the way.

👉 Let’s build something REAL

Brant Phillips

What I see over and over again—the number one excuse I hear—is:
“I don’t have money to invest in real estate.”

Does anybody else have this belief?
That you can’t get started in real estate because you don’t have the money?

I hear it all the time. It’s by far the most common reason people give for not getting started.

And honestly, it makes me chuckle a bit—not in a mean way—but because that’s exactly why I got into real estate in the first place:
I didn’t have any money either.

Back then, I walked into a Barnes & Noble—yeah, remember those?
I know some of the younger folks may not know what that is, but we used to go to actual bookstores and pick up real, physical books. No downloads, no PDFs—just shelves of books you could flip through.

And I kept seeing titles like:

• “How to Buy Real Estate with No Money Down”
• Robert Allen’s book
• Other guides on no-money-down strategies

I thought, “Sign me up—I’m broke!”
I couldn’t even afford to buy the book at the time. I’d sit there in the store and read as much as I could. (Okay, maybe I’m exaggerating a little… but not much.)

The point is:
That belief—that you need money to start—is just a mindset block.
Real estate is one of the few opportunities available to anyone—whether you have money or not.
And that’s what drew me in.

So, if you’re sitting there stuck in that mindset, just know:
You’re not alone—you can move past it.

🔥 RAW & REAL: Investor Interview with Ben Deal | Flip School Live Event 🎬**

In-person interview with Houston local real estate agent #exprealty superstar Ben Deal during an incredible Investor Showcase event—hosted and created by Ben himself. 🙌

What made this even more special is that the event took place **on stage at one of my current house flips 🏚️➡️🏠**, which also happened to be the feature property of our latest #flipschool training 🧠💡**. We had about 40 hungry agents / investors in the room soaking it all in. 👀🔥

During this conversation, I went raw and real*—diving deep into the **fundamentals and key factors* that truly move the needle when it comes to achieving success in real estate investing 💪📈

If you’re serious about growing in this game, do yourself a favor and *watch this all the way through 🎯**—and **take notes 📝**. There are **powerful and practical nuggets* throughout this conversation that can absolutely change the trajectory of your investing journey. 🚀

👉 Don’t forget to *like 👍, comment 💬, and subscribe 🔔* for more real estate investing insights, trainings, and behind-the-scenes content from the field.

#BenDeal #InvestorShowcase

There are times in life and business when you have to go all in. This past Sunday was one of those days for me. I told my wife, “I’m laser-focused today. Don’t expect much from me because this is where I need to be.” She understands that I’m not like this all the time, but there are seasons when it’s time to hunt—time to go after what needs to be done. It’s not a time for distractions like watching movies or playing sports. It’s hunting season.

But this isn’t just about working hard; it’s about building a legacy. I think about Robert Kiyosaki’s Rich Dad Poor Dadand how that book changed my life. Right now, I have an opportunity to take my shot, and I want you to see that.

My wife had asked me when I’d be home. “Two or three?” she wondered. I told her I didn’t know. I ended up at Black Rock Coffee for almost seven hours, running through three iced coffees, fully immersed in my work. I wasn’t just casually productive—I was locked in.

I want to be clear: I’m not like this all the time, but there are times when we need to be. It’s not about neglecting important things like faith, family, or health, but rather understanding that there are moments when obsession is necessary. After my long work session, I still came home, had dinner with my family, hung out with my son, and even watched a little home movie. But then, I got right back to work until midnight.

This idea of “balance”—throw it out the window. Nobody creates anything great by living in perfect balance. That’s not how the world was designed. We don’t neglect the core areas of life, but when it comes to business, there are times when you have to get hyper-focused, even obsessed. It’s the only way to gain traction and leverage. Business is too hard to succeed without that level of intensity. That’s why 8 or 9 out of 10 businesses fail—because the people running them aren’t willing to get obsessed enough.

And this is why loving what you do is so important. I was in the zone on Sunday, not because I had to be, but because I wanted to be. Would I have preferred to relax, go to church with my family, play basketball, barbecue, and watch a movie? Sure. And I’ll do that next week. But right now, it’s hunting season. Right now, I’m focused on building something bigger than myself.

When stress and pressure hit, many people back off. But we can’t do that. Marcus Aurelius said, The impediment is the way. The obstacle is the way. The very thing we fear or resist is often exactly what we need to push through. If you’re not seeing the results you want, it’s time to get obsessed. Block out distractions. Get hyper-focused. That’s when things start clicking, and you begin figuring things out.

This morning, during my reading time, I came across a story in The Game of Life. It reminded me of How to Win Friends and Influence People and Think and Grow Rich—one of those classic, century-old books. The story was about a woman who had an intense fear of walking under ladders because she believed it brought bad luck. She was encouraged to confront her fear, and finally, one day, she decided to do it. But when she got to the spot where the ladder had been, it was gone. The obstacle that had been holding her back wasn’t even there anymore. Her fear had created the obstacle, and once she decided to push through, it disappeared.

That’s how life works. When you commit, when you go all in—whether that means working around the clock, sacrificing sleep, or overcoming fear—things begin to shift. Last night, I worked until 1:30 AM, got up at 6 AM, hit snooze a couple of times, and then got back at it. The “ladder”—the thing holding me back—was gone.

I encourage you to get obsessed at times—not all the time, because you don’t want to burn down your relationships, your faith, or your health. I’ve been there, and I’ve almost done that multiple times. That’s why I make sure to integrate my faith, family, and fitness into my life. I even squeezed in a quick workout—a five-minute session with 100 sit-ups, five rounds of five pull-ups, 10 push-ups, and 15 air squats. I didn’t neglect my priorities, but I also didn’t let up on my mission.

I feel good about what I accomplished, and while the work isn’t done yet—I still have to deliver on Friday and Saturday—the groundwork has been laid. And that’s the key: lay the groundwork. Get obsessed. Go all in. And watch things start to move in your favor.

📢 Ready to take the next steps in your real estate journey?

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Owner financing can absolutely change the game for you in real estate—and in this Flip School session, Brant breaks down exactly how you can implement it in your business. Brant shares why he now sells 50% of his fix-and-flips through owner financing, how he structures deals with buyers and private lenders, and why this strategy is one of the most powerful tools for real estate investors.

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🔑 Key Takeaways from This Flip School Session:

How Brant structures his owner-finance deals
The role of private lenders and how he funds his deals
The benefits of selling fix-and-flips with owner financing
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📢 Want to learn more? Check out my website for coaching and resources:
🔗 https://brantphillips.com/
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