Hello BP! New Member Intro/Action Steps/Goals

[Devin Sumner]

Hello Bigger Pockets Community!

My name is Devin Sumner. I’m originally from South Florida but I am currently living in northern California just outside of Sacramento.

About four years ago I relocated to Sacramento in the pursuit of my dreams as a professional drummer/instructor. I am currently the lead drum instructor/multimedia manager at three different music schools in the Sacramento area and I’ve worked very hard over the last four years to build a considerable social media following of almost 20,000+ organic followers. This is my full time gig and I absolutely love it. Now why does any of this matter? It means when I want something, I work my tail off to get it and I understand that great things take time… lots of time. More importantly, they also take discipline and action oriented steps - this post being one of them!

Little back story to understand the psyche: Being raised by an entrepreneurial single mother, my mom paved the mental pathway of creating your own job to manifest your own dreams instead of working for someone else to fulfill theirs. Being raised with this mentality, I am lucky enough to say that as a young and inspired entrepreneurial spirit I started and ran my own car detailing business, landscaping company and of course, private drum instruction, all while attending school. Oddly enough, through this entrepreneurial upbringing, I was also taught to subconsciously be absolutely terrified of money, or the simple fact that if you have none, you’re screwed. Despite all of this, other than being incredibly frugal based out of fear, I have developed a sour relationship with money that I’m truly trying to change indefinitely.

Even though I have a career of passion (that I would do and HAVE DONE for free for many years) money does play a certain roll (any fellow drummers out there? haha). Bad jokes aside, a new independent contractor law (AB-5) was passed in California in January of 2019 (as I’m sure most of you savvy individuals know) and it has and continues to greatly impact the way I am paid as a professional musician. So much so that the entire music industry is slowly starting to move east due to this new correction in how to categorize an independent contractor.

After throwing a fit for about an entire month from achieving my “dreams” and then having an outside source come in and slash that in half, I decided I had to unfortunately figure out a new way. Sifting through the muck, one of my students actually recommended the Bigger Pockets Real Estate Podcast - and then my life changed. Being in my early 30’s, my dreams had significantly changed as well and this opportunity for a new way of thinking was incredibly refreshing to me.

I have listened furiously for the last year and I’ve read more books than I have in my entire life (sad, but true). The strategies behind creating financial freedom is a new found infatuation of mine and I’ve been enjoying learning the differently styles and processes everyone has for achieving essentially the same goal. I have always been a numbers man (music is just how math actually sounds - pretty cool!), and I’m currently infatuated with all of the different strategies to make your money work for YOU. Its truly incredible! Creative strategies, intelligent and interesting stories as well as a general sense of still serving and helping the community. Count me in!

If you’ve survived this story thus far, I really appreciate ya :). Heres where the action steps come in.

Since discovering the power of REI, I have made some major life changes to get me (and my family) closer towards my goals:

• 1 - Eliminated my living expense - 11 months ago I moved out of my apartment and into a camper/trailer (yes a camper, where you and your family take amazing vacations - thats my home haha) - where I’m currently able to live for VERY cheap. Lots of time to read haha.
• 2 - Over hauled my finances and started budgeting according to a certain savings rate I would like to achieve/uphold. (Currently at 49%) - took a while but I did it!
• 3 - Started a side landscaping/handyman business for extra income to accelerate the savings rate.
• 4 - Set a plan to pay down all debt (will be achieved in two months)
• 5 - Stopped eating. (just kidding lol)

As I have promised myself, I wanted to simply join the amazing community of Bigger Pockets and start rubbing shoulders with the people that are truly inspiring me at this point in my life.

Some Goals: Looking to get into the science of Property Management (as this is what I will become essentially through certain parts of the REI journey I would imagine), Creative Financing, Single/Multifamily Investing, BRRRR Methods as well as learning the systems to help streamline these things. So rad! In it for the long haul and a big life change.

Wanted to put all of this out into the universe as I know it will inevitably attract some incredible individuals that I can learn and grow from. 

Thank you so much for reading this and I’m truly grateful to have found such an inspiring community in a place I never thought I would have. Looking forward to interacting with all of you. 

Rock on!