Dream Start Own Podcast - The Path to Own Your Time

Co-Living Cash Flow: How to Turn a Single Family Home Into 8 Rooms and Double Your Rent — With Karl Larsen

What does a $20M sales organization, a private school and a co-living portfolio in Phoenix have in common? Karl Larsen built all three. In this episode, Karl breaks down how he transitioned from 15 years in Herbalife to solving the housing affordability crisis one co-living property at a time — and why rent by the room is the most underrated cash flow strategy in real estate right now. What we cover: * How co-living turns a 3-bed single family into 8 rooms and nearly doubles gross rent * Why Karl moved from fix and flips to co-living and multifamily * The tax problem that pushed him into real estate and how he found Pace Morby at midnight in Montana * Lake Academy: the private school he built in 90 days out of necessity * How to invest passively with Karl and Kyle Kargas — no experience required * How investor money is protected: liens, guarantees and cross-collateralization explained * The Elite Operator: scale without chaos coaching for real estate operators * Building a business with your spouse — what the first 18 months really looked like * The second mountain: why purpose now drives every business decision * One action to take this week if you want to start in real estate About Karl Larsen:Karl is a real estate investor, co-living operator, entrepreneur and co-founder of Lake Academy in Minnesota. He partners with Kyle Kargas on co-living properties in Phoenix and Atlanta and runs the Elite Operator coaching community for real estate operators who want to scale without chaos. Chapters:00:06 - Intro + who Karl Larsen is01:30 - Growing up without entrepreneurial examples03:08 - Living in a van: the scariest moment of his first business07:02 - Herbalife brick and mortar: from 22 to 120 customers10:02 - Why Herbalife — and what a storefront changed11:43 - Building with his wife Brooke: the first 18 months15:36 - What made Brooke see his potential18:06 - How they grew the organization to $20M a year21:07 - Why spending time with your people is the actual secret26:22 - Why he pivoted from Herbalife to real estate28:05 - The tax problem and finding Pace Morby at midnight in Montana31:04 - Letting go of the baby you built for 15 years34:48 - Lake Academy: the private school built in 90 days39:28 - Project-based learning and the Shark Tank session43:19 - What co-living actually is and why it's getting mainstream45:38 - Why houses won't go back to 1999 prices — and what to do instead47:57 - PadSplit, property managers and their Phoenix operation48:33 - The numbers: 3-bed to 8 rooms, $2,500 rent to $6,400 gross50:14 - How to work with Karl and Kyle: kyleandkarl.com51:32 - No experience needed to invest — here's how it works52:36 - How investor money is protected55:16 - Biggest misconceptions investors have57:20 - Phoenix and Atlanta: the two co-living markets58:07 - The Elite Operator: scale without chaos coaching1:01:57 - Why busy founders need a community not a podcast vault1:05:00 - What running all of this actually costs him personally1:09:00 - The second mountain: what purpose means now1:14:40 - What the next 10 years look like1:18:15 - One thing to do this week if you haven't started yet1:21:24 - Where to find Karl 🔧 Tools & Resources 🔧Some links may be affiliate partnerships.🏠 Karl Larsen: multiunitincome.com | carlglarsen.com🤝 Co-living with Kyle and Karl: kyleandkarl.com🎓 Lake Academy: lakeacademy.com💸 Deal Funding 360: app.dealfunding360.com/?ref=EdgarSalgado💤 Eight Sleep: https://refer.eight.sl/edgardsalgado [https://refer.eight.sl/edgardsalgado]🏢 Prime Corporate Services: https://primecorporateservices.com/ [https://primecorporateservices.com/]?_...🏦 Foundational Funding: https://foundationalfunding.com/fundi [https://foundationalfunding.com/fundi]...🛠️ Edgar's tools: https://linktr.ee/EdgartheConnector [https://linktr.ee/EdgartheConnector] 🔌 Don't forget to 👍 like, 💬 comment, 🔔 subscribe, and share!Instagram: @edgartheconnector | TikTok: @edgarsrei 🚧 DISCLAIMER 🚧Not a CPA, attorney, insurance, contractor, lender, or financial advisor. Content is not tax, legal, financial, or other professional advice. For entertainment purposes ONLY.

Jennifer Breitbach: Profit With Purpose — How Co-Living and Transformative Housing Create Wealth and Community Impact

What if your real estate portfolio could build wealth and change lives at the same time? Jennifer Breitbach, real estate operator and transformative ecosystem builder, acquires co-living and boarding house properties to create affordable housing for people coming out of rehab, prison and other underserved situations. This episode is for every investor who wants their portfolio to mean something. What we cover: * What transformative housing is and how it differs from sober living * How co-living unlocks cash flow when traditional rentals can't * The exact buy box Jennifer underwrites to * How to partner as a capital investor, private lender, or property owner * Bird dogging 101: how to join a deals team with no experience * The Warm Handoff Center nonprofit and why a friend's loss sparked it * How to build a tenant waitlist before you even have a deal * CliftonStrengths and finding your mission as a founder * What profit with purpose really means — and how both reinforce each other About Jennifer Breitbach:Military veteran, real estate operator and transformative ecosystem builder acquiring co-living properties across Montana, Texas and Chicago. She leads a bird dogging and deals team with three open calls per week. Chapters:00:04 - Intro + who Jennifer is02:21 - The prayer that started it all04:21 - Why people stay stuck in the system09:42 - What the solution looks like today11:25 - The co-living buy box: exact numbers13:36 - Stages of housing: feeding tenants up19:38 - Post-sober living: what the program looks like21:31 - The Goose Foundation nonprofit explained25:39 - Co-living vs. traditional rental math27:29 - Investor structure: preferred return and IRR28:52 - How to invest with Jennifer29:43 - Meet the team32:24 - Handling skeptics: Jennifer's honest answer37:35 - Why co-living tenants treat properties better39:36 - Use your cleaner as a property reporter41:05 - Build your tenant waitlist before you have a deal43:23 - Workforce housing in Texas City and Baytown45:44 - Bird dogging 101: join the team with no experience52:39 - CliftonStrengths and founder alignment59:27 - Profit with purpose: how both reinforce each other1:00:49 - One thing to do this week1:03:14 - Where to find Jennifer 🔧 Tools & Resources 🔧Some links may be affiliate partnerships.🏠 jenniferbreitbach.com | 📋 Free download: The Five Seats🤝 Jordan Reyes: jordanreyes.me❤️ The Goose Foundation: link in show notes💸 Deal Funding 360: app.dealfunding360.com/?ref=EdgarSalgado💤 Eight Sleep: https://refer.eight.sl/edgardsalgado [https://refer.eight.sl/edgardsalgado]🏢 Prime Corporate Services: https://primecorporateservices.com/ [https://primecorporateservices.com/]?_...🏦 Foundational Funding: https://foundationalfunding.com/fundi [https://foundationalfunding.com/fundi]...🛠️ Edgar's tools: https://linktr.ee/EdgartheConnector [https://linktr.ee/EdgartheConnector] 🔌 Don't forget to 👍 like, 💬 comment, 🔔 subscribe, and share!Instagram: @edgartheconnector | TikTok: @edgarsrei 🚧 DISCLAIMER 🚧Not a CPA, attorney, insurance, contractor, lender, or financial advisor. Content is not tax, legal, financial, or other professional advice. For entertainment purposes ONLY.

Glenis Romero Hargreaves: Don't Get Burned Twice — What Fire Survivors Must Know About Insurance Claims

Most homeowners don't read their insurance policy until it's too late — and insurance companies count on it. Glenis Romero Hargreaves, a senior public insurance adjuster with nearly 40 years of experience, helps fire survivors collect what they're actually owed — not just what the insurance company volunteers to pay. This conversation is practical, personal, and powerful for every property owner. What we cover: * What a public insurance adjuster actually does — and why you need one on your side * How insurance companies pay less than your policy allows — and why they count on you not knowing * Code upgrades, extended replacement cost, and the endorsements most homeowners never collect * How to check if you're underinsured before a disaster (the square footage test) * What your declaration page is and the 3 numbers every homeowner should review right now * How to negotiate additional living expense — even to buy another home during displacement * Why you should NOT pay off your mortgage with your insurance settlement check * The 2-year window: you can reopen a settled claim and still recover more money * What fire survivors need emotionally — beyond the check * The integrity moment that changed her entire career About Glenis Romero Hargreaves:Glenis is a senior public insurance adjuster licensed in California and Florida with nearly 40 years in fire restoration and claims advocacy. She represented over 300 families from the Paradise fire alone and specializes exclusively in helping fire survivors recover every dollar they're owed. No recovery, no fee. Chapters:00:06 - Welcome + who Glenis is01:16 - Her calling: 40 years advocating for families10:16 - Origin story: 1988 Baldwin Park fire — 11 families hired her on the spot14:00 - From insurance company side to policyholder advocate16:52 - What insurance companies don't volunteer to tell you18:20 - When should you hire a public adjuster?21:00 - Public adjusters recover 40-60% more than policyholders alone25:11 - Taking emotion out of the claims process26:16 - No out-of-pocket cost — paid from settlement only28:38 - Code upgrades: how to prove what the insurance company owes31:49 - Review your policy BEFORE a disaster — the square footage test37:06 - The declaration page explained simply39:06 - Personal property and loss of use coverage demystified41:32 - The one house being rebuilt on the block: Elmer Chan's story43:19 - Don't pay off your mortgage with your settlement check44:38 - How ALE works — and how to use it to buy another home53:04 - The moment she quit her biggest account for integrity57:41 - Why she focuses exclusively on fire claims1:00:12 - What to do immediately after a fire1:07:08 - What fire survivors need beyond the money1:09:23 - Her personal claim: the ceiling that almost killed her son1:15:29 - The 2-year window: you can still reopen your claim1:17:04 - What working with Glenis looks like (free valuation)1:20:11 - The most missed money: extended replacement cost explained1:22:38 - "Don't get burned twice" — her mission1:32:10 - Message to anyone feeling overwhelmed right now1:34:25 - Where to find Glenis 🔧 Tools & Resources 🔧Some links may be affiliate partnerships.🏠 Glenis Romero Hargreaves: propertyclaimsspecialist.com💸 Deal Funding 360: app.dealfunding360.com/?ref=EdgarSalgado💤 Eight Sleep: https://refer.eight.sl/edgardsalgado [https://refer.eight.sl/edgardsalgado]🏢 Prime Corporate Services: https://primecorporateservices.com/ [https://primecorporateservices.com/]?_...🏦 Foundational Funding: https://foundationalfunding.com/fundi [https://foundationalfunding.com/fundi]...🛠️ Edgar's tools: https://linktr.ee/EdgartheConnector [https://linktr.ee/EdgartheConnector] 🔌 Don't forget to 👍 like, 💬 comment, 🔔 subscribe, and share!Instagram: @edgartheconnector | TikTok: @edgarsrei 🚧 DISCLAIMER 🚧Not a CPA, attorney, insurance, contractor, lender, or financial advisor. Content is not tax, legal, financial, or other professional advice. For entertainment purposes ONLY.

Raz Mihalyi: Buy Back Your Time With AI - How to Automate Your Business Without Hiring More People

What if your next hire didn't need a salary, benefits, or a Slack account? Raz Mihalyi, fractional AI partner and CTO at AZ Labs, breaks down how business owners are using AI agents to eliminate manual busy work, automate lead generation, and buy back their time — without adding headcount. Whether you've never touched an AI tool or you're already tinkering, this episode makes it practical. What we cover: * What AI agents actually are — and how they differ from ChatGPT or Google Search * The "Second Brain" concept: a personal AI executive assistant that knows your business, goals, and calendar * How Raz automated multi-source data entry for a lender using AI — without needing API access * One agent vs. many agents: why starting with one is always the right move * Why Claude is Raz's top recommendation right now — and what makes Anthropic different * How to use an AI agent to watch a 2.5-hour course and get a personalized summary in 15 minutes * When to hire a person vs. deploy an agent — and how to elevate your VA instead of replacing them * The biggest mistake businesses make when implementing AI (hint: it's not the tech) * How to automate your calendar using project priority, availability, and delivery dates * What will separate businesses that win in the next few years from those that get left behind About Raz Mihalyi:Raz is a software engineer, real estate investor, and fractional AI partner and CTO at AZ Labs. He helps business owners replace manual busy work with automated systems — so they can scale operations without scaling headcount. He works with founders across real estate, lending, and operations on custom AI agent builds and second brain systems. Chapters:00:54 - Intro + who Raz is01:32 - From W2 software engineer to real estate and Airbnbs03:33 - STR tax strategy for high-income W2 earners06:05 - How Raz became a fractional AI partner and CTO09:14 - How AI lets him scale custom solutions11:15 - How to know when to switch AI tools14:37 - What AI agents actually are (search → answer → agent)16:34 - The Second Brain concept explained19:08 - One agent or many? Start with one21:16 - Best agent right now: why Raz recommends Claude24:40 - The invisible busy work quietly killing your growth25:00 - Automating multi-source data entry for lenders28:31 - Automating Facebook and LinkedIn outreach with agents30:46 - Building a unified inbox across all platforms36:02 - When to hire a person vs. use an agent38:58 - How AI elevates your team instead of replacing them39:39 - Using an agent to watch a 2.5-hour course in 15 minutes42:51 - AI calendar management: the Buy Back Your Time system47:29 - Add CliftonStrengths to your agent to optimize delegation48:09 - Where to start: just get a Claude subscription53:01 - Best first areas to automate in your business55:07 - Biggest AI implementation mistakes founders make57:21 - What clients actually pay Raz for (it's not just the tech)1:00:06 - Raz's ideal client1:01:24 - The Second Brain — available for clients now1:03:17 - What separates businesses that win vs. get left behind1:05:49 - One piece of advice for founders buried in operations1:12:11 - Where to find Raz 🔧 Tools & Resources 🔧Some links may be affiliate partnerships.🤖 Raz Mihalyi — AZ Labs: Instagram @raz.mihalyi💸 Deal Funding 360: app.dealfunding360.com/?ref=EdgarSalgado💤 Eight Sleep: https://refer.eight.sl/edgardsalgado [https://refer.eight.sl/edgardsalgado]🏢 Prime Corporate Services: https://primecorporateservices.com/ [https://primecorporateservices.com/]?_...🏦 Foundational Funding: https://foundationalfunding.com/fundi [https://foundationalfunding.com/fundi]...🛠️ Edgar's tools: https://linktr.ee/EdgartheConnector [https://linktr.ee/EdgartheConnector] 🔌 Don't forget to 👍 like, 💬 comment, 🔔 subscribe, and share!Instagram: @edgartheconnector TikTok: @edgarsrei 🚧 DISCLAIMER 🚧Not a CPA, attorney, insurance, contractor, lender, or financial advisor. Content is not tax, legal, financial, or other professional advice. For entertainment purposes ONLY.

How He Lost $400K on Fix and Flips and Bought a $500K Home for $9K Using Creative Finance - Jose Cortes

What does it actually cost to learn real estate the hard way — and what can you build after? Jose Cortes, 22-year Air Force veteran turned real estate investor and private lender, gets brutally honest about losing $400K across three fix and flip projects, winning an 18-month court battle, and coming out the other side buying a $500K home in Texas for just $9K using subject-to creative finance. What we cover: * From wholesaling and Airbnb arbitrage to lending — Jose's full journey * How a bad contractor cost him $400K and an 18-month lawsuit * Why out-of-state investing fails without true boots on the ground * The Sub-2 deal: acquiring a $500K home for $9K at a 2.765% interest rate * Creative deal structure: helping a seller avoid tax sale using an LLC membership * How he underwrites every deal with a 25% "war chest" for unforeseen expenses * Cross-collateralization explained simply — how to protect private lenders * Why he always underwrite to long-term rental — even for Airbnb or co-living * How to show up to networking events with value, not a handout * What success looks like now: generational wealth, housing vets, and giving back About Jose Cortes:Jose is a 22-year Air Force veteran, real estate investor, and private lender based in Colorado. He runs free weekly deal underwriting office hours every Tuesday at 6 PM Eastern and leads the Deal Execution Lab community on School.com. Chapters:00:54 - Intro + who Jose is02:24 - How Jose got into real estate (starting at 19)06:08 - The bad contractor who cost him everything08:26 - 22 years in the Air Force — IT career and transition11:26 - Pivoting to private lending and transactional funding17:23 - Free Tuesday underwriting office hours18:30 - Creative deal: helping a seller avoid tax sale with LLC structure27:41 - The deal that changed everything — $400K loss in Minnesota37:42 - How he evaluates risk differently now38:15 - Sub-2 deal: $500K Texas home acquired for $9K at 2.765%40:55 - The divorce deal breakdown — zero out of pocket, 50% ownership43:16 - What he had to let go of to grow: embracing failure46:43 - Where to start in real estate if you feel overwhelmed51:25 - Don't show up to networking with your hand out53:17 - What success looks like now57:23 - How he handles stress when the stakes are high1:00:00 - Conservative underwriting: the 25% war chest strategy1:05:24 - Should buyers or sellers handle repairs at closing?1:07:20 - How to structure offers with the seller's situation in mind1:09:21 - Stop being the bottleneck — emulate what's working1:13:21 - Where to find Jose + free underwriting Zoom 🔧 Tools & Resources 🔧Some links may be affiliate partnerships.📊 Jose's free deal underwriting (Tuesdays 6PM ET): DM on IG or Facebook🏫 Deal Execution Lab: school.com — search Deal Execution Lab📺 YouTube: Good, Bad & Ugly of Real Estate with Jose Cortes📱 Instagram: @JosePurposeOverProfits📧 Email: jcortez@cortezhomesolutions.com [jcortez@cortezhomesolutions.com]💸 Deal Funding 360: app.dealfunding360.com/?ref=EdgarSalgado💤 Eight Sleep: https://refer.eight.sl/edgardsalgado [https://refer.eight.sl/edgardsalgado]🏢 Prime Corporate Services: https://primecorporateservices.com/ [https://primecorporateservices.com/]?_...🏦 Foundational Funding: https://foundationalfunding.com/fundi [https://foundationalfunding.com/fundi]...🛠️ Edgar's tools: https://linktr.ee/EdgartheConnector [https://linktr.ee/EdgartheConnector] 🔌 Don't forget to 👍 like, 💬 comment, 🔔 subscribe, and share!Instagram: @edgartheconnector | TikTok: @edgarsrei 🚧 DISCLAIMER 🚧Not a CPA, attorney, insurance, contractor, lender, or financial advisor. Content is not tax, legal, financial, or other professional advice. For entertainment purposes ONLY.