How to Overcome No Experience and Do More Deals Than You Can Handle

How does a person get a leg up in this business when some level of experience is technically required, and you have absolutely none?

I have that answer, but, first, let me preface it by telling you this true story…

I remember it like yesterday; a friend of mine told me about this investment group that he was going to attend and invited me. At this time in my life, I was under the distinct impression that there was a better way to live a life. I had been infected by the words of Robert Kiyosaki and I desired financial freedom. Robert said to attend your local REIA anyway; so, I thought “what do I have to lose?”

There they were: a whole table full of real estate investors; staring at my friends and me as if we just walked into the wrong place. Luckily, being the polar bear that I am, I was able to break the ice and introduce myself and was offered a seat amongst the “elite.”

If you have ever been here before, you can appreciate and understand the difficulty it is to relate to people that are, for a lack of better words, ‘above you.’ What do you say? How do you act? Is honesty the best policy? Or, will they see through your bull ****? Playing stupid was more or less my method. After being greeted, I was asked what brought me in, which led to a string of questions that systematically disarmed me from being anything of an equal to these people – it was disheartening.

After picking up my balls from the ground and putting them back in my pocket, there was a very distinct voice I heard; a voice unlike the others, one that spoke of practicality, common-sense, truth, and wisdom. It was then I knew who I must sit next to in order to get some “real answers” about this whole investing mumbo-jumbo. This person was the elephant in the room. I don’t know how I exactly figured it out, but all I know is that I had found the person I knew I needed to speak to, get to know, and learn from in order to succeed.

To make a long story short, that first meeting didn’t go so well. I left with my ego bruised and probably more confused than I was before I even got there. Nevertheless, I learned from playing sports all my life that “quitters never win, and winners never quit,” so I kept going back to the meetings determined to plug into the network and learn from the elephant. After all, there was something prolific, and exciting about this endeavor; this business/life I was trying to create.

So, back to the question at hand, how do you get going in this business, when experience is technically required, and you have absolutely none? For those of you that are expecting some silver-bullet of an answer, I am sorry to disappoint when I tell you that enthusiasm is your key to success.

Stay with me, you see, I kept going back to the meetings, asking questions, networking, trying to establish some common ground with these people who were doing what I wanted to do. All the while, positioning myself to be around “the voice” I had mentioned earlier (stalker-ish – I know). It was my enthusiasm though that allowed me to keep going, not quitting, not missing any meetings, volunteering to help fellow landlords, participating at the general meetings, which in turn, eventually lead to me being asked to become a board member. I’m the type of person that when I get involved, I give it 100% or nothing, and, by becoming a board member, it held me accountable to be there and not miss a thing – in an unorthodox way I became obsessed. All the while, being the new guy and getting razzed A LOT.

“When you going to buy something, Chris?” “You just got to do it, Chris.” “What are you waiting for; this is the best real estate market you’ll ever see in your life, Chris.” [Broken record]

As crazy as it sounds, this pushed me further to succeed. If it weren’t for my enthusiasm, this intense and eager interest in the business of investing in real estate to one day become financially free, I would have succumbed and not be where I am today - FACT.

Ironically, that voice ended up whispering to me. Noticing my relentless pursuit to be active in the group, paying it forward, and trying to get experience points without actually earning experience points because I wasn’t necessarily investing yet – I was just helping the others. That person later on became my mentor, and, told me, that it was my enthusiasm that proved to him I might be able to do this business. I later on came to earn true experience by maintaining my enthusiasm and working with the elephant – and I still am. At this point, I am doing more deals than I can handle and growing my portfolio like I never thought I would. 

So, the bottom line is: if you really want to do this business, don’t worry about your level of experience. Run your own race and don’t concern yourself with the lack thereof. Get excited, get obsessed, and become intense and eager in your interest to invest in real estate to become financially free. And then maybe you too, will meet the millionaire next door that notices your enthusiasm and will want to help you and get you that experience that this business technically requires. 

P.S. This is just one way to get started and excel. How did you get started? Did you find a mentor first? What hurdles are you trying to overcome? Please comment below and share your thoughts. 

P.S.S. Was this too long? Was this helpful? There's much more that can be expounded from my story, I'd be glad to share more if response is positive - be gentle.