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Updated about 7 years ago, 11/07/2017

User Stats

211
Posts
129
Votes
Kyle Grimm
  • Investor
  • St. Louis Mo
129
Votes |
211
Posts

WHO ARE YOU? What do you do besides real estate?

Kyle Grimm
  • Investor
  • St. Louis Mo
Posted

Hello BP nation! 

My question for BP nation is what is your day job? Although we would love to be, most of us are not yet full time investors.  

As I grow older and try to figure out the direction of my career, I love hearing the stories of other successful real estate investors and how they got there.  I am currently...struggling... at my day job (100% commission insurance salesman) and dream of finding a job I can enjoy while I slowly grow my real estate portfolio. 

So BP... What is your day job and what does your life look like trying to work it while you grow your investing career? 

Ready...GO!

User Stats

17
Posts
3
Votes
Eric Smathers
  • Ladson, SC
3
Votes |
17
Posts
Eric Smathers
  • Ladson, SC
Replied

Day job... 24 year AF Veteran now Lean Six Sigma healthcare professional. Black belt facilitator, teacher and performance improvement consultant for a major academic medical center in South Carolina.

User Stats

15
Posts
6
Votes
Brian O'Neill
  • Real Estate Agent
  • Greenville, SC
6
Votes |
15
Posts
Brian O'Neill
  • Real Estate Agent
  • Greenville, SC
Replied

Full-time Firefighter, full-time real estate agent, newbie investor. I've decided that spending another 25-30 years in the fire service is not going to fly so it's time to start building a portfolio to replace that income along with retirement!

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User Stats

1,141
Posts
1,140
Votes
Jeff Filali
Pro Member
  • Rental Property Investor
  • Broken Arrow, OK
1,140
Votes |
1,141
Posts
Jeff Filali
Pro Member
  • Rental Property Investor
  • Broken Arrow, OK
Replied

Hey @Kyle Grimm I was in sales for many years and sold insurance as well.  I credit most of my success in life to those years spent grinding in direct sales (B2B and Residential).  If you can succeed at direct sales, you have job security for life. IMO Every young aspiring entrepreneur should get a job in direct sales right out of high school, and learn to sell. It would give them a head start on their future success. 

I had setbacks along the way, especially when I merged a successful growing business I owned with a partnership that ended up with me losing everything two years later.  It took about 10 years to bounce back from that, but the ability to SELL is what got me there to begin with, and what got me back ahead after losing everything.

Why are you struggling?  Maybe look into a different field of sales.  A lot of products and services that provided great sales careers in the past have all went to online internet marketing.  You have to adapt, and look for the next thing that works for you.

Today, I am blessed to be a fulltime investor in Real Estate and a few other small business startups. All of this came from the ability to SELL.  Good luck, keep grinding!!

  • Jeff Filali
  • User Stats

    22
    Posts
    8
    Votes
    Michael Goodman
    • Rental Property Investor
    • Indianapolis, IN
    8
    Votes |
    22
    Posts
    Michael Goodman
    • Rental Property Investor
    • Indianapolis, IN
    Replied

    I currently work for a mid-sized steel company in Indianapolis, IN as a project manager. It is challenging and I like working with people and helping them solve problems or avoid them. My current position is attractive because the is a possibility of an ownership stake and the current owner has a brilliant business mind and I consider him a mentor. The downside is that he is in his later years and still working. I want my earn passive income that will give me more flexibility and financial freedom. 

    User Stats

    90
    Posts
    11
    Votes
    Casey Kooiman
    • Rental Property Investor
    • Milwaukee, WI
    11
    Votes |
    90
    Posts
    Casey Kooiman
    • Rental Property Investor
    • Milwaukee, WI
    Replied

    Cool post! I do International Business Development; somehow I travel the world while managing my properties (duplex & condo) myself! Going to need help managing though if I hope to expand! 

    User Stats

    29
    Posts
    2
    Votes
    Joshua Pagan
    • Philadelphia, PA
    2
    Votes |
    29
    Posts
    Joshua Pagan
    • Philadelphia, PA
    Replied

    I am a Professional Soccer Referee! I also manage a beer store down here in Philadelphia!

    User Stats

    67
    Posts
    9
    Votes
    Claudio Golia
    • Homeowner
    • Wallingford, CT
    9
    Votes |
    67
    Posts
    Claudio Golia
    • Homeowner
    • Wallingford, CT
    Replied

    Hello. I'm a Senior Business Analyst that's part of an Agile Software Development team at a Healthcare IT company. I've been here going on 10 years. Work is good, and I have no real reason to depart. I see REI as a secondary tool to help satisfy my financial goals and allow my family and I the flexibility to do more traveling, and time together.

    I've been bouncing around Bigger pockets for a few years now, sucking all the knowledge in, but not yet taken any action. Lots of variables as to why, but nevertheless I'm hoping to change that this year by house hacking a multi-family. I'm older than I'd like to be implementing this strategy, but with a F/T income and financially stability, I believe it's the REI strategy that is most likely to succeed.

    Good to meet you all and see the various backgrounds out here on the forums.

    Look forward to speaking with folks as I re-engage.

    Account Closed
    • Property Manager
    • Houston, TX
    3
    Votes |
    14
    Posts
    Account Closed
    • Property Manager
    • Houston, TX
    Replied

    I am a flight paramedic. I only work two days a week. Plenty of time for real estate!

    User Stats

    42
    Posts
    20
    Votes
    Marlon Long
    • Investor
    • Chester Springs, PA
    20
    Votes |
    42
    Posts
    Marlon Long
    • Investor
    • Chester Springs, PA
    Replied

    I am currently a process engineer for a packaging company in PA. But the bulk of my w-2 experience is in aerospace engineering, specifically testing and validation.

    User Stats

    47
    Posts
    22
    Votes
    Jonathan Azoulai
    • Miami, FL
    22
    Votes |
    47
    Posts
    Jonathan Azoulai
    • Miami, FL
    Replied

    I practice Emergency Medicine in Miami, Florida @ the University of Miami Hospital.

    I love my job and honestly if ... no... when I know my family has the financial security (cash flow) to support our modest lifestyle I will continue to do this job until I am physically unable to!

    I am in real estate because I want to have the ability to go to work on my terms.  

    I want to be able to focus on providing the best patient care possible without having to worry about seeing a certain number of patient's per hour and without having to worry about anything other than delivering the most compassionate and best damn Emergency Medical care to every one of my patients every single day.

    User Stats

    322
    Posts
    238
    Votes
    Stephen Barton
    • Real Estate Agent
    • Indianapolis, IN
    238
    Votes |
    322
    Posts
    Stephen Barton
    • Real Estate Agent
    • Indianapolis, IN
    Replied

    I am a veteran. I have not specifically been able to connect my injuries through being in the Army but I know in the back of my mind carrying rucksacks that weigh in excess of 80 lbs. and at the time I only weighed about 135 that could have contributed to some of my back issues (herniated disc, bulged discs, pinched sciatic nerve, etc). 

    I was merely on social security disability and had very little prospect of being able to do anything. I could not work a normal manual labor job (cannot stand for longer than an hour or so at a time and only have 1 year of college) and due to financial reasons could not continue schooling. Therefore, I was stuck. I put pretty much everything I had into getting my real estate license and learning how to wholesale houses. It has been 3 years now and I have to say that it is really amazing what anyone with any background can accomplish when they have a "do or die" mentality. For me, failure really was not an option and in this business, I continue to believe this. 

    We all tend to sell ourselves short on what we "think" can be accomplished or what can really be possible. Now, I am not some millionaire investor but from someone who went from having an $800 paycheck a month to earning well over 6 figures, you better believe that anything is possible once you put your mind to it!

    User Stats

    211
    Posts
    64
    Votes
    Ivan Terrero
    • Investor
    • Naples, FL
    64
    Votes |
    211
    Posts
    Ivan Terrero
    • Investor
    • Naples, FL
    Replied

    I'm just a singer in a rock and roll band

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    User Stats

    18
    Posts
    0
    Votes
    Giuseppe Mordini
    • Investor
    • North Bergen, NJ
    0
    Votes |
    18
    Posts
    Giuseppe Mordini
    • Investor
    • North Bergen, NJ
    Replied

    Hello i am new to being an investor But my full time job  is To be an  investor I wake up every day I look for properties to make a deal and trust me its tough and i almost get discourage but i know if i keep at it i will get my first deal 

    on the side i occasionally do handyman jobs

    User Stats

    160
    Posts
    76
    Votes
    Bill Regan
    • Investor
    • Clearwater, FL
    76
    Votes |
    160
    Posts
    Bill Regan
    • Investor
    • Clearwater, FL
    Replied

    I'm a yacht broker.  Like a real estate agent, but for boats.  Good income, but not without its ups and downs.

    User Stats

    1
    Posts
    0
    Votes
    Ryan Hough
    • Cleveland, OH
    0
    Votes |
    1
    Posts
    Ryan Hough
    • Cleveland, OH
    Replied

    Hey all! I am a youth minister in a rough neighborhood in Cleveland. I stumbled into REI trying to support my family and do what I feel called to do.

    User Stats

    10
    Posts
    0
    Votes
    Ben Morris
    • Investor
    • Racine, WI
    0
    Votes |
    10
    Posts
    Ben Morris
    • Investor
    • Racine, WI
    Replied

    I am a Software Engineer by day.  I made some accidental money early on, made a couple bad choices, but it's now looking up again.  I wish I knew about BP 10 years ago!

    User Stats

    6
    Posts
    0
    Votes
    Celo Bee
    • Investor
    • Salt Lake City, UT
    0
    Votes |
    6
    Posts
    Celo Bee
    • Investor
    • Salt Lake City, UT
    Replied

    I'm an aspiring real estate investor who has had some experience with buy and holding a triplex and a sfr. I want to learn to flip and to buy and sell notes.

    User Stats

    606
    Posts
    697
    Votes
    Bettina F.
    • Investor
    • Post Falls, ID
    697
    Votes |
    606
    Posts
    Bettina F.
    • Investor
    • Post Falls, ID
    Replied

    I vote for an hourly job with lots of opportunity for overtime.  I am a hospital RN.  There was one period in my younger days where I lived on my OT earnings and banked my regular salary.  That was a great way to raise cash for down payments.    I have worked in salaried administrative positions.  Unless you are at the very top of the pyramid, you make more money as an hourly worker.   I gross an extra $972 dollars every time I pull an extra 12 hour shift.

    User Stats

    33
    Posts
    32
    Votes
    Alan Taylor
    • Wholesaler
    • Manassas, VA
    32
    Votes |
    33
    Posts
    Alan Taylor
    • Wholesaler
    • Manassas, VA
    Replied

    I am a cartographer -- I make maps.  I do enjoy it -- but would love to spend more time at home with family, which is not currently possible.   I have not purchase a property yet -- I'm working on getting my real estate license (half-way through the pre-licensing course right now) -- and will be debt-free in a year. 

    User Stats

    29
    Posts
    11
    Votes
    Jesus Garcia
    • Rental Property Investor
    • Downey, CA
    11
    Votes |
    29
    Posts
    Jesus Garcia
    • Rental Property Investor
    • Downey, CA
    Replied

    I have been working as a Los Angeles County Deputy Sheriff for 10 years. Not an easy job, but someone has to do it.. 

    I am a buy-and-hold investor. Looking to implement the BRRRR strategy.

    Thank you all and have a blessed one! :)

    User Stats

    186
    Posts
    78
    Votes
    Nikki Grizzle
    • Rental Property Investor
    • Wake Forest, NC
    78
    Votes |
    186
    Posts
    Nikki Grizzle
    • Rental Property Investor
    • Wake Forest, NC
    Replied

    My husband works in IT. He's also in the process of starting his own consultant business and teaching classes part time. Right now he is taking a break from working to get one of our properties rent ready due to a crazy situation with a previous tenant. I'm a private investigator and own 3 businesses outside of REI. Our plans are to build our Real Estate Empire to where we are cash flowing at least 20k a month.

    User Stats

    1
    Posts
    1
    Votes
    Cherilyn Danzer
    • Wailuku Maui, HI
    1
    Votes |
    1
    Posts
    Cherilyn Danzer
    • Wailuku Maui, HI
    Replied

    Aloha everyone, 

    I'm just starting off in REI and decided to after relocating from the mainland back to Hawaii where I'm originally from. My education is in Computer Engineering (BS), Information Technology (MS) and Business Administration (MBA). My work experience has been anything from IT/Help Desk support for small businesses and at the Pentagon to Systems Integration Engineer as a contractor for the Air Force. Now that I'm back in the islands (and on one of the more remote locations) I'm finding it more difficult to find a job with a favorable schedule and that would support living in the islands. I'm currently unemployed and am taking advantage of the opportunity to explore different opportunities.

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    User Stats

    27
    Posts
    11
    Votes
    Casey Faul
    • Lafayette, LA
    11
    Votes |
    27
    Posts
    Casey Faul
    • Lafayette, LA
    Replied

    I am an IT professional in the healthcare industry. I also do volunteer work for my church and at times lead small groups to teach others things I am learning to help build up the church community. Real estate became an option for me since I started fanning the flames of a dream to own a lodge in Colorado to host men's leadership retreats. This is a picture of the lodge below. This picture doesn't do it justice. 

    User Stats

    12
    Posts
    6
    Votes
    Holly Hall
    • Realtor
    • Urbana, OH
    6
    Votes |
    12
    Posts
    Holly Hall
    • Realtor
    • Urbana, OH
    Replied

    What a diverse group we have on BP! I'm enjoying this thread. I work as an a circuit card assembler. I actually enjoy the job part, it's the workplace "politics" I don't. I've been working in manufacturing since I graduated high school. I'm very skilled with my hands but physically they could fail on me at anytime. I am too dependent on my physical abilities and the time clock. I want to be financially independent and in control of my time.

    User Stats

    48
    Posts
    12
    Votes
    George Temes
    • Investor/AZ Agent/Firefighter
    • Gilbert, AZ
    12
    Votes |
    48
    Posts
    George Temes
    • Investor/AZ Agent/Firefighter
    • Gilbert, AZ
    Replied

    I'm have been a full-time firefighter for 24 years. I'm a captain/paramedic, currently assigned to the Aircraft Rescue Firefighting Special Team. I'll be retiring in the next few years, and working at building my 'second career'.