Sam's On Fire Podcast

Episode 12: Sam’s Conversation with Rob the House Guy on The Real Estate Investor’s Roundtable

During this episode of the Sam’s On Fire Podcast, host Sam Livingston, business coach, and realtor, is interviewed by Rob the House Guy on The Real Estate Investor’s Roundtable, alongside real estate investor, Scott Derringer. Livingston shares why he got into real estate, why he doesn’t typically work with investors, and the importance of educating everyone on both sides of any deal. Episode Highlights: * Scott Derringer, a real estate investor, says he did not see a competitive advantage to becoming a realtor. * Sam Livingston started dabbling in real estate as a flipper. When he disliked the agents he came across, he decided to become a realtor himself. * Scott likes networking with REO agents and feels they are under-compensated. * Realtors who represent REO’s are often more relaxed. * Sam likes to approach everything from an educational standpoint. * Both Sam and Scott discourage buyers from joining them when making an offer. * Scott likes to come up with creative solutions when he finds a home that is overpriced. * Sam describes the different types of agents you can become in the state of Ohio. * Scott uses agents when flipping homes. * There’s no emotional attachment with an investor. * Scott describes some of the issues he has with agents, especially misrepresentation of their ability and skill level. * Sam sometimes prefers when someone isn't an A-agent because they can give him the reins and he'll take care of it. * The MLS system has become a bastardized system. * Everyone has an app, but not everyone knows how to use them. * When people misunderstood data or do funny math, this is a chance to educate. * The number one marketing tool Sam has is price. * They discuss the inaccuracies of Zillow Zestimates. This is another chance to educate. * Investors have a lot of flexibility. * Sam enjoys having professional standards as an agent. He also enjoys the opportunities presented by working in volume. * Sam has no issue with investors who become agents. * When you have people that have different backgrounds and diversity, it only brings more to the industry. * Real estate has given Sam flexibility in raising his three sons. * Real estate investing has given Scott flexibility in raising his six children. 3 Key Points: 1. A real estate investor may see no competitive advantage to obtaining a real estate license. A realtor may not be interested in         handling the same types of deals that an investor would. 2. Investors approach transactions differently because there’s not an emotional component to the deal. 3. Becoming a realtor or a real estate investor can offer flexibility and financial freedom. Resources Mentioned: * Sam Livingston website [https://www.samsonfire.com/], Facebook [https://www.facebook.com/burningboats], Twitter [https://twitter.com/sams_onfire], Instagram [https://www.instagram.com/sams_onfire/], YouTube [https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCjci00Z2mBjHaAseIucA3kw?view_as=subscriber], LinkedIn [https://www.linkedin.com/in/samsonfire/] * Real Estate Investor’s Roundtable podcast [https://www.iheart.com/podcast/269-real-estate-investors-roun-52370549/episode/ep-4-real-estate-agent-vs-52526026/] * Rob the House Guy [http://robthehouseguy.com/] * Scott Derringer Facebook [https://www.facebook.com/pg/Derringer-Realty-Investments-LLC-406795809488644/services/] * Realeflow [https://realeflow.com/]

Episode 11: Take Ownership of Your Life with Matt Motil

During this episode of the Sam’s On Fire Podcast, host Sam Livingston, business coach and realtor, speaks with Matt Motil. Matt is an entrepreneur, best-selling author, and host of the  Cash Flow King podcast. He has worked with hundreds of investors and shares some great advice on entrepreneurship. This one is a must-listen for business owners at any level. Episode Highlights: * Matt Motil earned an engineering degree, then an MBA and a doctorate. He found himself unemployable. * It's intimidating for people to manage someone with more credentials than they have. * He taught at two colleges and couldn't handle the bureaucracy of higher education. * He doesn't look at education as a waste. * Many people go to school without doing due diligence. * No one is coming to save you because you spent hundreds of thousands of dollars trying to figure out who you are. * Take ownership of your life. * We’re buying credentials now. * Matt and Sam discuss the government’s role in supporting higher education. * Every decision we make through life, at that moment it was what you wanted or you thought you needed. * When you feel like you wasted your life, you will be surprised later to see how you can actually use that experience. * In 2015 Matt decided he would pursue real estate. He landed into wholesaling real estate contracts. Then he pivoted and decided to convince people who want passive income to become private lenders. * They should have 2500 rental units by the end of the year. * Matt and Sam discuss online haters. * No one will ever hate on you that's doing more than you. * When he got really busy he didn't have time for things other people were saying. * They discuss how they met at a mastermind group in another city. * Money is energy and a tool. * They discuss the elevator of entrepreneurship. * When you realize there are people you can have high-level conversations with, you naturally gravitate to them and become friends with those people. * Every time you level up you need to make new friends at that level. * When you join a true mastermind, people just help each other without the expectation of return. * He feels that when he's generous with money it comes back to him. * Matt is in the process of starting a family office. * At this point, he has an addiction to growth. * He likes the idea of providing his kids with a lifestyle where they can make decisions about their future and it's not tied to money. * He wants to leave a legacy for future generations. * Learn about Matt’s podcast, The Cash Flow King. 3 Key Points: 1. When pursuing credentials or investing in education, do your due diligence. 2. No one who is doing more than you are doing, has the time to criticize you online. 3. When you are generous with money it will come back to you. Resources Mentioned: * Sam Livingston website [https://www.samsonfire.com/], Facebook [https://www.facebook.com/burningboats], Twitter [https://twitter.com/sams_onfire], Instagram [https://www.instagram.com/sams_onfire/], YouTube [https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCjci00Z2mBjHaAseIucA3kw?view_as=subscriber], LinkedIn [https://www.linkedin.com/in/samsonfire/] * Matt Motil Facebook [https://www.facebook.com/drmattmotil/], Instagram [https://www.instagram.com/drmattmotil/] * Cash Flow King podcast [https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/cash-flow-king/id1245921917?mt=2]

Episode 10: Turn Your Dreams Into Plans with Kayleigh Keller Sammarco

During this episode of the Sam’s On Fire Podcast, host Sam Livingston, business coach and realtor, speaks with Kayleigh Keller Sammarco of Keller Meats. She tells us about her exciting project in Medina that started out as a dream, turned into a plan, and is soon becoming a reality. She will inspire you to tackle big projects with energy and enthusiasm. Episode Highlights: * Kayleigh describes her upbringing in Medina County and provides the history of Keller Meats. * Her father always had a passion for farming and wanted to be a full-time farmer. * Doing honest work has built their company’s reputation for many years. * Kayleigh and Sam discuss how many great companies in different industries started in garages. * Kayleigh describes Keller Meats’ expansion. * She loves connecting with other people. * Becoming the face of the company was never really her intention but she's at the forefront of making more connections. * They’ve created a recognizable brand without ever focusing on branding. * When you take on anything, try to see what the end goal is. * Many people get stuck in the details when they take on something big. * Kayleigh has undertaken the huge project of building a new multi-purpose building in Medina. * This project began with Kayleigh sitting in the parking lot and asking herself how the building could fill a need for the people of Medina. * Sam admires Kayleigh’s mindset. * Mindset gets all the work done. * This building project originates with the idea of serving others and adding to their happiness. * Kayleigh loves feeding off of high energy and bringing other people up. * She prays for her energy and God takes care of her. * She is fulfilled by helping others and doesn’t have to worry about herself too much. * Sam describes Kayleigh’s project as the most exciting thing that has happened in Medina in the last decade. * The 40,000 square foot project will include apartments, an exchange market, a restaurant, and a brewery. * Kayleigh explains how her passion for food comes from knowing and understanding that you need to have control over your food systems. * We learn more about the building’s history and Kayleigh’s vision. * This project will meet the need for more housing while providing products people want and bringing back some of Medina’s agricultural history. * Kayleigh is passionate about getting fresh food products to people so they can eat better and feel better. * She shares the importance of having her family’s support. * Kayleigh shares some surprises she ran into during the construction process. * She would gladly take on a massive project like this again. 3 Key Points: 1. Connecting with people is the heartbeat of your business. 2. You can turn your dreams into ideas and your ideas into plans. 3. Think about how to serve people a little bit better and how to increase their happiness. Resources Mentioned: * Sam Livingston website [https://www.samsonfire.com/], Facebook [https://www.facebook.com/burningboats], Twitter [https://twitter.com/sams_onfire], Instagram [https://www.instagram.com/sams_onfire/], YouTube [https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCjci00Z2mBjHaAseIucA3kw?view_as=subscriber], LinkedIn [https://www.linkedin.com/in/samsonfire/] * Kayleigh Keller Sammarco Instagram [https://www.instagram.com/thekellerlife/?hl=en] * Give and Take [https://www.amazon.com/Give-Take-Helping-Others-Success/dp/0143124986/ref=sr_1_1?crid=3DYRZOPPJW3QG&keywords=give+and+take+adam+grant&qid=1573197459&sprefix=give+and+%2Caps%2C211&sr=8-1] (book) * Keller Meats [http://kellereats.com/site/]

Episode 09: A Healthy Business Profits First with Mike Michalowicz

During this episode of the Sam’s On Fire Podcast, host Sam Livingston, business coach and realtor, speaks with Mike Michalowicz, author, entrepreneur, and founder of several extremely successful companies about the Profit First model. Michalowicz shares how you can change your mindset around profit to create amazing results. He will inspire you to manage your backend finances in a whole new way. Episode Highlights: * Many people are good at selling but have large failure rates when it comes to backend finances. * Mike grew, and exited from, a few businesses but they were never profitable. * A healthy business is a calculated profit machine. * In healthy businesses, profitability is baked into every transaction. * Unfortunately, most people put profit last. * Mike’s formula is sales-profit = expenses. * Confirmation bias tells us this is hard to do, but it’s actually quite simple. * He took the pay yourself first principle and translated it into business. * Our behavior starts to adjust to what we have. * When you reduce the availability of supply, you consume less and become more innovative. * They discuss some habits 1099 workers can have when managing their income and expenses. * Mike explains loss aversion. * Profit First is a behavioral based cash management system, not an accounting system. * Mike estimates that over 200,000 businesses have implemented the Profit First system. * Some businesses take an extreme approach to implementation and the system collapses. * Mike is passionate about eradicating entrepreneurial poverty and he went through it himself. * Driving profitability to your business can drive stability to your life. * They discuss the tax implications of the model. * In Profit First, one of the allocations is your tax account. The business has reserved the money for taxes proactively. * They discuss Mike’s process for writing books. * He works on multiple books at a time, but each book takes around five years. * Instead of envying someone, ask how you can learn from them to step up your own game. 3 Key Points: 1. Profit First provides a surprisingly simple model for building profitability in your business by managing cash in an innovative way. 2. Driving profitability to your business can drive stability to your life in general. 3. Mike writes books about challenges he has faced personally to help eradicate entrepreneurial poverty. Resources Mentioned: * Sam Livingston website [https://www.samsonfire.com/], Facebook [https://www.facebook.com/burningboats], Twitter [https://twitter.com/sams_onfire], Instagram [https://www.instagram.com/sams_onfire/], YouTube [https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCjci00Z2mBjHaAseIucA3kw?view_as=subscriber], LinkedIn [https://www.linkedin.com/in/samsonfire/] * Mike Michalowicz website [https://mikemichalowicz.com/], Twitter [https://twitter.com/MikeMichalowicz], Facebook [https://www.facebook.com/MikeMichalowiczFanPage/], podcast [https://mikemichalowicz.com/podcast/], Instagram [https://www.instagram.com/explore/tags/mikemichalowicz/], YouTube [https://www.youtube.com/user/MikeMichalowicz] * Profit First [https://www.amazon.com/Profit-First-Transform-Cash-Eating-Money-Making/dp/B06X15WW79/ref=sr_1_1?keywords=profit+first&qid=1570422271&sr=8-1] (book) * Clockwork [https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/0525534016/ref=dbs_a_def_rwt_bibl_vppi_i1] (book) * The Pumpkin Plan [https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/1591844886/ref=dbs_a_def_rwt_bibl_vppi_i2] (book) * The Toilet Paper Entrepreneur [https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B002P8MEFE/ref=dbs_a_def_rwt_bibl_vppi_i4] (book) * Fix This Next [https://www.amazon.com/Fix-This-Next-Change-Business/dp/0593084411/ref=sr_1_1?keywords=fix+this+next&qid=1570422619&sr=8-1] (book)

Episode 08: Is Wholesaling Right for You? With Christina Tamas

During this episode of the Sam’s On Fire Podcast, host Sam Livingston, business coach, and realtor, speaks with Christina Tamas, an agent that specializes in wholesaling and working with investors. She shares how she first became involved in wholesaling, why someone might choose to wholesale their home, and how she built her business organically. She will inspire you to think about new ways to collaborate, open up new possibilities for your business, and get out of your comfort zone. Episode Highlights: * Christina Tamas worked a corporate job for many years. After having her first child she wanted more flexibility. * When she first started in real estate, she worked with an investor-friendly brokerage. * She brought on a team so she could leave her business knowing it would still thrive. * Attending a mastermind inspired her to automate some of her business processes. * Many agents want to be the jack of all trades. * Christina likes having a team because she can then focus on her strengths. * Christina describes how she runs her business virtually. * Everything has to make sense for the investor and if it doesn’t, it isn’t a deal. * Working with investors takes the emotion out of transactions. * Investors present many opportunities because they're either going to be buying several homes or selling several homes. * She doesn’t like to see others as competition. Instead, she focuses on joint-venturing. * Once you try to talk to people and collaborate, the possibilities are endless. * It’s not only about making money. When you’re truly able to help someone, that feeling is phenomenal. * Why would someone want to wholesale as opposed to list? * Often they can’t afford the realtor and closing costs. * Sometimes they don’t want to list their home because there are too many repairs to do. * It’s truly about finding a homeowner’s motivation to sell and then finding out which exit strategy best meets their needs. * She grew her network organically and began with Facebook. * In the beginning, she attended monthly networking events. * Now she holds her own networking events. * You will get results if you are consistent on social media. * Everywhere you go, you should be talking about what you do. * Christina had to push herself out of her comfort zone with social media and networking. * Having a great social media presence can help people know, like, and trust you. * There are endless ways to make money in real estate investing. * If you’re thinking about investing in real estate or wholesaling, first ask where you need to get started. * Then ask who you need to connect with in order to get started. * Everyone Christina refers out is someone she uses personally. * Most people don’t know about private money lenders. * Find out more before you stop yourself from being successful. 3 Key Points: 1. Once you start seeing people as collaborators instead of competitors, the opportunities are endless. 2. There are many reasons someone might want to wholesale instead of listing their home. The top reasons include money and repairs. 3. You can grow your network organically by being consistent on social media. Resources Mentioned: * Sam Livingston website [https://www.samsonfire.com/], Facebook [https://www.facebook.com/burningboats], Twitter [https://twitter.com/sams_onfire], Instagram [https://www.instagram.com/sams_onfire/], YouTube [https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCjci00Z2mBjHaAseIucA3kw?view_as=subscriber], LinkedIn [https://www.linkedin.com/in/samsonfire/] * Christina Tamas website [http://www.christinasellscle.com/], Facebook [https://www.facebook.com/christinasellscle/], email [Christinasellscle@gmail.com]