The Reason More Leads Won't Fix Your Business featuring Aaron Gaunt

The Reason More Leads Won't Fix Your Business featuring Aaron Gaunt

Aaron Gaunt is a Navy veteran turned firefighter turned full-time real estate investor who runs a wholesale operation in Southern California's Inland Empire — one of the most competitive markets in the country. He went from a $22,000 assignment fee on his first deal in 2019 to building a laser-focused wholesaling business that pushes more direct-to-seller inventory than almost anyone in his local market, all while raising three kids and treating recruitment like a lead generation engine. In this episode, host Leon Barnes sits down with Aaron to trace the journey from his time aboard the USS Carl Vinson to quitting his firefighter job on the day a $55,000 deal hit his account, to the leadership and culture breakthroughs that unlocked his business growth. Aaron lays out his full hiring process, the interview questions that reveal character before you ever make an offer, and why getting smart, culture-fit people in the right seats has been the real driver of growth in a brutal market. If you're an investor hitting a ceiling and wondering whether the answer is more leads or better people, this one is required listening. Timeline Summary [1:30] – Leon introduces Aaron Gaunt from Southern California's Inland Empire and what his business looks like today [3:25] – Aaron describes his wholesaling focus: a pure sales and marketing company that does nothing but transactions in a high-price-point market [4:43] – Leon on why the most successful operators post-2022 are the ones who stayed laser focused on a single asset class or exit strategy [5:26] – Aaron's Navy background: eight years, tours in Asia and Europe, stationed in Sicily, and being on the USS Carl Vinson when Osama bin Laden was buried at sea [8:39] – From crash crewman to firefighter: why Aaron left the military to start a family and how he ended up in San Diego chasing a dream job [9:02] – The real reason Aaron got into real estate: needing attorney fees to fight for custody of his daughter, picking up Rich Dad Poor Dad again, and Googling "how to get into real estate with no money" [10:48] – Going $5,000 into credit card debt to hire a coach, closing a $22,000 wholesale deal two months later, and putting half toward his attorney [12:50] – Cold calling out of his car trunk with the radio in his ear at the fire department — until the chief called him in and said it had to stop [13:36] – The $55,000 deal that closed while he sat in an ambulance refreshing his bank account, and walking into the chief's office to give his two weeks notice [17:45] – Why most investors hit their ceiling between $1M and $2M, and what Leon has watched happen at years 1–3, 3–5, and beyond [19:03] – The leadership shift that changed everything: deciding "I need A players, but I need to be an A leader" and spending years studying leadership [21:58] – Whether balance actually exists for a competitive investor and family man — and Aaron's answer on prioritizing fitness, time-blocking, and 4am wake-ups [27:01] – Aaron's full hiring process: funneling candidates like leads, VA pre-screens, in-office skills tests, role play rounds to test coachability, and one question that reveals character fast [30:22] – The interview question Aaron uses to spot toxic hires before they get in the door: "Name three people who inspire you — and they must know you" [34:11] – Why CG score minimums matter in acquisitions, and why Leon would take a smart team of five over an average team of ten every time [37:29] – What Aaron is most focused on in 2026: becoming the go-to source for local buyers by pushing more direct-to-seller inventory than anyone else in the Inland Empire 5 Key Takeaways 1. Focus Beats Diversification in Hard Markets — The operators who have thrived post-2022 are the ones who stayed in their lane. Aaron runs a pure wholesale business in one of the most competitive markets in the country, and that single-mindedness is what's allowed him to go deep enough to dominate. 2. Leadership Unlocks the Ceiling — Most investors stall between $1M and $2M because they're grinding without culture or team infrastructure. Aaron's breakthrough came when he stopped trying to get better people and started trying to become a better leader — the people followed. 3. Hiring Is a Lead Generation System — Aaron treats recruiting the same way he treats deal flow: a constant funnel with a defined multi-stage process. Candidates go through VA pre-screens, video reviews, in-office shadow days, skills tests, and multiple role plays before an offer is ever made. 4. You Can't Coach Character, So Screen for It Early — The interview question Aaron uses isn't about sales skills — it's "name three people who inspire you, and they must know you." What candidates say reveals who they are or who they want to become, which matters far more than their pitch ability coming in the door. 5. Balance Isn't Real, But Center Is Achievable — Aaron doesn't pretend balance exists when you're building a business and raising kids. Instead, he time-blocks ruthlessly: 4am workouts, protected family time in the evenings, and deliberate seasons of sacrifice so the things that matter most don't fall through the cracks. Links & Resources * Aaron Gaunt on Instagram — @algaunt88 * Collective Genius Community — https://www.explorecg.com If Aaron's story hit home — going from firefighter to $55K deal to building a team that runs without him in the room — share this episode with someone in your network who's trying to figure out what the next level actually looks like. And if you want to be in the room with operators like Aaron, head to ExploreCG.com to learn more and apply.

Zach Betters: Why Due Diligence is Where New Construction Succeeds or Fails

In this CG Live episode recorded at the CG Select and Elevate event in Clearwater Beach, Florida, Zach Betters joins the host for a deep conversation on new construction investing. Zach and his wife Stephanie have built their Charlotte, North Carolina business through multiple iterations — from rentals to flipping to wholesaling — before making a deliberate shift into new build construction around 2018 and 2019. This episode covers how to get started in new construction using third-party GCs, how to approach lot due diligence, and how the shifting buyer pool is forcing experienced operators to rethink their price point strategy. If you're a real estate investor who keeps hearing buzz about new construction and wants a practical, no-fluff entry point, this one is required listening. Timeline Summary [0:22] – Host sets the scene at the CG Select and Elevate event in Clearwater Beach, Florida [0:45] – The member feedback that made new construction the focus of this event's master class [1:32] – Zach Betters is introduced; he just wrapped a packed two-session master class on new construction [2:17] – Zach describes the three types of attendees: active builders, those just starting, and the curious [3:22] – Zach traces his business evolution from rentals to flipping to wholesaling to new build construction [4:29] – How and why Zach made the transition to new construction starting in 2018 and 2019 [4:51] – The case for using third-party GCs: what they protect you from matters more than what they cost [7:05] – Why "who not how" applies to new construction and how to vet a builder relationship before committing [7:37] – The due diligence framework: why most problems show up before a shovel hits the ground [10:15] – The most common early mistake: taking on too much variability in lot conditions and project scope [11:09] – The shifting buyer pool and why Zach is moving from affordable housing to the $600K–$1.2M range [14:39] – The long feedback loop in new construction and why Zach is using a "bullets before cannonballs" strategy [16:00] – The biggest self-limiting belief holding investors back from getting started in new construction [18:33] – What Zach is most excited about in 2026, including expanding the wholesale operation across the Carolinas 5 Key Takeaways 1. Hold Tightly to Purpose, Loosely to Plan — Zach's business has gone through multiple evolutions because he stayed committed to the mission of bringing homes to market and improving lives while adjusting the strategy to match the market. Knowing when to evolve versus when to double down is a skill in itself. 2. Third-Party GCs Are a Protection Play, Not Just a Cost — Most investors get stuck on the percentage a GC takes. Zach flips the question: what are they going to save you from? Their expertise protects your project from the costly mistakes you don't even know to look for yet. 3. Minimize Variability Before You Build — Starting on lots with city sewer and city water gives you fixed, knowable costs. The moment you introduce wells, septic systems, or complex site prep, you're padding an unknowable number. In competitive markets, those pads will price you out. 4. New Construction Has a Long Feedback Loop — Decisions made today won't produce results for months. Zach intentionally slowed his pipeline and started running smaller test projects so he can read the market before committing full gunpowder to a new price point or product type. 5. You Don't Need All the Answers to Start — The biggest self-limiting belief in new construction is thinking you have to know everything about codes, utilities, and site prep before taking your first step. Every county is different. Use your network, lean on your GC partner, and commit to learning as you go. Links & Resources * Collective Genius Community — explorecg.com If Zach's breakdown of new construction got your wheels turning, send this episode to someone in your network who keeps saying they want to get into new builds but hasn't taken that first step yet. The clarity he brings to the due diligence process and the GC relationship alone is worth a listen twice. For everything you need to go and grow your real estate business, head to ExploreCG.com to learn more and apply.

How He Built a Renovation Team That Operates in 25 Markets featuring Bobby Triplett

In this episode, host Leon welcomes back Bobby Triplett, Senior Vice President of Renovations at Offerpad, for a deep dive into what it actually takes to scale construction operations across multiple real estate markets. Bobby leads a renovation team spanning 25 markets nationwide, backed by 1,300 to 1,400 licensed, bonded, and vetted trades and suppliers, and has helped 64 different investors complete over 1,900 flips in a single year. The conversation covers everything from market-specific renovation quirks to the right way to vet and keep great contractors, and why having boots on the ground is the only thing that actually protects your budget and your timeline. If you're a fix-and-flip investor struggling to scale past a few deals a month, or you've ever thought about expanding into new markets without blowing up your overhead, this one is required listening. Timeline Summary [1:30] – Leon introduces Bobby Triplett and his role leading renovations across Offerpad's national portfolio [3:35] – Bobby breaks down what Offerpad does as a publicly traded iBuyer and how his team renovates thousands of homes a year [5:09] – How Offerpad Renovate works as a service for outside investors, and the sports car analogy that explains the value proposition [7:20] – Bobby's ten-year tenure at Offerpad, the 25 markets they operate in, and why Detroit just opened as market number 25 [9:03] – The full list of active markets and who should be calling Bobby right now [11:33] – How renovation challenges vary market to market, from Texas foundation issues to Denver radon mitigation to Midwest permitting nightmares [14:03] – The Saint Louis story: what it took to learn 91 different municipalities and why that knowledge protects investors expanding into new markets [16:37] – What Bobby is seeing right now that matters most on the rehab side: insurability, electrical panels, and why spending money twice is the real budget killer [18:07] – Crawl spaces, vapor barriers, and why fixing the invisible stuff before listing protects your days on market [20:33] – How Bobby's team acts as a pressure relief valve for investors already doing deals who want to scale without adding headcount [26:10] – The exact conversation to have with a contractor to lock in volume-based commitment and reliable pricing [30:45] – Why inspecting what you expect is the only way to stay on budget, and the Safety Harbor tile story that cost a full gut rehab rework [34:58] – Red flags when onboarding a new contractor crew, and why the automatic yes is a warning sign, not a green light [39:12] – How to reach Bobby and where Offerpad Renovate has the most capacity right now 5 Key Takeaways 1. Boots on the Ground Is Non-Negotiable — Whether you're flipping locally or expanding into new markets, W-2 people with real accountability are what separate successful renovations from expensive disasters. Remote management without local representation is how investors lose their shirt. 2. Fix the Uninsurable Stuff First — Cosmetic upgrades mean nothing if the home can't clear an inspection. Electrical panels, vapor barriers, and permitting issues will come up at the worst time. Handle them while walls are open and avoid paying for the same work twice. 3. Volume Commitment Unlocks Better Contractors — The investors who attract and keep great trades are the ones who communicate consistent deal flow upfront. Promise volume, pay fast, and spell out the win before the job starts. That's the conversation that earns contractor loyalty. 4. Renovations Aren't One-Size-Fits-All — A flip and a rental require completely different decisions on what to replace, what to roll the dice on, and what to prioritize. Make sure your contractor knows the end goal of every project before a single wall gets opened. 5. Start Small With New Crews — Giving a new contractor too much volume too fast is how you cripple their operation and your own timeline. Start with one or two projects, let them earn the equity, then scale. Misses are cheaper when the exposure is limited. Links & Resources * Offerpad Renovate — offerpadrenovate.com * Email Bobby's team — renovate@offerpad.com * Collective Genius Community — explorecg.com Bobby has been in 25 markets, managed nearly 5,000 renovations in a single year, and built a team that investors across the country now rely on as their secret weapon for scaling without adding overhead. If the idea of expanding your flip volume, entering a new market, or simply getting a pressure relief valve for your existing operation sounds interesting, the conversation with Bobby costs you nothing and might change how you think about construction entirely. Head to offerpadrenovate.com to connect with Bobby's team, and if you want to be in the same room with operators like him, head to explorecg.com to learn more and apply.

Brandon McCurdy: Why 80 Percent of Contracts Come From Follow Up

In this CG Live episode recorded at the Collective Genius Select and Elevate event at the JW Marriott in Clearwater Beach, Florida, Brandon McCurdy of Sharper Business Solutions sits down after leading back-to-back masterclasses on KPIs alongside Amanda Dean and David Richter. Brandon does fractional CMO work for large real estate teams spending $150,000 plus per month on marketing, and he has helped ten teams hire marketing directors in the last 12 months. This conversation breaks down the marketing KPIs that separate investors stuck at $500K to $2 million from the operators who scale past them, including the GNACC framework, customer acquisition cost, speed to lead, and why follow-up wins 75 to 85% of contracts. If you're a full time real estate investor doing 1 to 2 deals a month and you keep "trying" marketing channels instead of committing to them, this one is required listening. Timeline Summary [0:22] – Live from the CG Select and Elevate event at the JW Marriott in Clearwater Beach, Florida [0:44] – Brandon McCurdy of Sharper Business Solutions joins after teaching KPI masterclasses for Select and Elevate members [1:31] – Inside the stacked masterclass with Amanda Dean and David Richter covering purpose, profit, and performance indicators [3:02] – Who Select and Elevate members are: investors doing 1 to 2 deals a month and businesses between $500K and $2 million [3:46] – The cold calling burnout trap and why investors quit direct mail before it has a chance to work [4:47] – The GNACC framework: tracking gross, net, appointment, contract, and close on every channel weekly [5:37] – Why cold calling creates vanity metrics at the top of the funnel and when it still makes sense [6:01] – Stop trying, commit: why marketing spend is always relative to the size of your business [7:09] – CJ Moss grew from 14 deals to $11 million in six years by committing to one consistent marketing channel [7:48] – Seth Godin's Purple Cow and why ripping off someone else's playbook leaves you as just another piece of mail [9:19] – The Revolutionary War analogy: beating six figure spenders with guerrilla marketing tactics [10:19] – 500 premium mailers at $10 beats 5,000 cheap postcards, plus the $1,000 sword in a box that closes every time [11:18] – Speed is the small operator's only advantage, and the golf cart giveaway producing 4 to 5x ROI [14:18] – It costs $1,200 to $1,600 to get into a seller's living room, and answering faster drops that number [15:23] – 75 to 85% of contracts come from follow-up, not the first appointment [16:36] – Same-day appointments are 4 to 5 times more likely to close, and 20 to 30% of calls come in after hours [19:08] – Why every Elevate level investor needs a real internal marketing department before chasing new lead channels [20:17] – The self-limiting belief around marketing and why winners zig when everyone else zags 5 Key Takeaways 1. Track Every Channel With GNACC — Gross, net, appointment, contract, close. Review those five numbers weekly for each lead channel so the ones making you the most money get the most attention, instead of trusting vanity metrics. 2. Stop Trying, Start Committing — Direct mail won't perform on day one, and everyone says it takes six months. Commit fully, watch the data religiously every week, and stop pulling the plug before the channel has a chance to work. 3. Differentiation Beats a Bigger Budget — You can't outspend teams putting six or seven figures a month into your market. Win by being different: 500 premium mailers at $10 a piece will outperform 5,000 forgettable postcards. 4. Speed to Lead Lowers Acquisition Cost — It costs roughly $1,200 to $1,600 to put yourself in a seller's living room, and same-day appointments are 4 to 5 times more likely to close. Pick up the phone faster than everyone else and that cost drops. 5. Follow-Up Wins the Contract — 75 to 85% of signed contracts come after the first appointment. Treat every lead like gold and build a real follow-up funnel before you scale your spend. Links & Resources * Sharper Business Solutions — sharperbusiness.com * The Purple Cow by Seth Godin * Collective Genius Community — explorecg.com If you've ever said "I tried direct mail and it didn't work," this episode is your wake-up call. Brandon's challenge to stop trying and start committing, paired with the GNACC framework for tracking every channel, gives you a clear playbook for finally making your marketing dollars accountable. Share this one with an investor who keeps channel-hopping every 90 days. These are the conversations happening inside the room at Collective Genius events. If you're a full time real estate investor ready to scale with people who have already done it, head to ExploreCG.com to learn more and apply.

Sourcing Off-Market Commercial Deals Without a Big Marketing Budget featuring Dan Underwood

Dan Underwood is a Georgia-based real estate investor and CG member who has spent the last decade methodically transitioning from high-volume single family wholesaling to a commercial portfolio spanning apartments, self-storage, mobile home parks, and an RV park. What started with a $17,000 down payment on a rough first flip has compounded into a multi-million dollar commercial portfolio built entirely through 1031 exchanges and disciplined tranche rolling. In this episode, Dan shares the full arc of his investing journey and how he thinks about long-term wealth building vs. active income. From burning out in a wholesaling partnership to sourcing off-market commercial deals through relationship-driven outreach, this episode is required listening for any investor ready to stop starting over at zero every month and start building something that stacks. Timeline Summary [1:30] – Host introduces Dan Underwood, a CG member based just south of Savannah, Georgia [2:11] – Dan reveals this is his very first podcast interview despite years of investing experience [3:51] – Dan explains his current business: flipping 2 to 3 houses a month to fund commercial acquisitions [7:37] – Dan's origin story: flipping washers and dryers out of his living room before ever touching real estate [10:15] – The 80-to-90 hour week working as an entrepreneurial apprentice for an Ohio business owner [13:01] – His brutal first house flip: three contractors, a stop work order, three months of putting a tenant up in a hotel, and still netting $50,000 on a 900-square-foot house [16:34] – The spreadsheet moment that flipped his mindset and convinced him to go all in on real estate [18:51] – How Dan quit his job: drove 8.5 hours to Troy, Ohio to hand his resignation letter to his old boss in person [21:19] – The day a $10,000 consulting session led Dan to end his wholesaling partnership instead of setting up ROBs [23:29] – What he was holding when he made that pivot: 35 apartments, a mobile home park, and a $400,000 commercial wholesale closing [27:33] – The tranche system explained: how Dan rolls smaller assets into larger ones using 1031 exchanges with no additional capital out of pocket [34:08] – Why compounding growth only works if you start, and how Dan learned self-storage from Scott Myers before buying his first facility [39:12] – How Dan sources commercial deals today: direct mail, relationship-driven cold calling, and driving 50,000 to 60,000 miles a year to meet sellers in person [43:04] – What Dan is most excited about for the rest of 2026: multiple tranches ready to roll into the $3 to $5 million range [47:29] – What CG has meant to him: the Roger Bannister effect of seeing peers do what you thought was out of reach 5 Key Takeaways 1. Single Family Funds the Long Game — Using active income from flipping to fund commercial acquisitions is not a step backward. Nearly every successful commercial investor Dan knows kept single family in the mix specifically to create the cash flow that makes long-term deals possible. 2. The Tranche System Builds Real Wealth — Rolling proceeds from smaller assets into larger ones through 1031 exchanges, without pulling capital out, is how Dan turned a single $17,000 flip into a commercial portfolio now worth over $3 million in equity. The compounding effect only works if you stop spending what you make. 3. Commercial Deals Are Won in the Relationship, Not the Marketing — Sellers who have owned a commercial asset for 20 or 30 years are not responding to a mailer the same way a distressed homeowner might. Dan drives 50,000 to 60,000 miles a year building relationships because trust is what gets you first dibs and a seller willing to negotiate. 4. Start the Next Thing Before You're Ready — Dan learned self-storage from a course before he ever bought a facility. He started working on the commercial side while still wholesaling full time. If you wait until the current business is perfect, the compounding clock on your next asset never starts. 5. Diversifying Asset Classes Is a Feature, Not a Flaw — Pigeonholing into one asset class means going dry when deals in that space dry up. Dan holds apartments, storage, mobile home parks, and an RV park not because he couldn't focus but because the market doesn't always cooperate with a rigid strategy. Links & Resources * Contact Dan Underwood — dan@lockwoodig.com [dan@lockwoodig.com] * Scott Myers (Self-Storage Education) — scottmyers.com * Collective Genius Community — explorecg.com If you've been grinding through single family wondering when the wealth-building part actually kicks in, Dan's story is the blueprint. Share this episode with an investor in your circle who's thinking about making the jump to commercial but doesn't know where to start. If you found value here, please take a moment to follow, rate, and review the Collective Genius Podcast wherever you listen. Ready to be in the room with operators like Dan? Head to ExploreCG.com to learn more and apply.