Planet Wealth: Fortunes of the Brave

E43: Why Most People Fail in Real Estate (The Rule Many Ignore)

Welby Accely, real estate investor and educator known across social media as @atmybest197, joins Mary Kathryn Johnson of Planet Wealth to break down the real story behind building wealth in real estate. Welby is direct about what most people hide: he was wiped out to zero three separate times, and the turning point was admitting the biggest problem was not the market or the "players" around him, it was him. He shares how a final 90,000 check became the seed for an eight-figure real estate portfolio that now produces tens of thousands of dollars in net income each month. This episode is a candid look at real estate investing without the influencer gloss. Welby explains how people get taken advantage of by common "players" in the business, including realtors, contractors, lenders, inspectors, and tenants, and why blaming them only goes so far when the same mistakes repeat. He also unpacks why passion is not enough, why "a job" rarely closes the gap long term, and how his fear of going back to economic rock bottom became fuel for discipline and execution. One of the most practical frameworks comes when Welby simplifies the entire real estate business into one concept: everything is a flip. Whether you wholesale, rehab and retail, or buy and hold for cash flow, the foundation is the same. You make your money on the buy, and the key is buying at the right price point. From there, he shares how he helps students stop paying for fluff, reverse engineer real goals from macro to micro, and avoid cookie-cutter strategies that do not fit their life. If you are serious about building wealth, cash flow, and ownership through real estate, this conversation will challenge your mindset and tighten your fundamentals. Watch the full episode of Fortunes of the Brave for the complete framework and the unfiltered truth. Key Takeaways: * Own your outcomes before blaming the market or "the players." * Buy at the right price point because you make money on the buy. * Simplify real estate investing by recognizing everything is a flip. * Reverse-engineer goals from macro vision to micro daily actions. * Choose a strategy that fits your life, not what looks good online. Chapters: * 00:00 – Welcome and Welby's real estate origin story * 00:37 – Wiped out three times and the mindset shift that changed everything * 02:40 – The "players" who take advantage and why responsibility still matters * 05:09 – The 90,000 check and betting on yourself * 07:20 – Why the influencer era is fading and truth is winning * 10:21 – Passion is not enough and why a job rarely closes the gap * 12:44 – Fear, survival drive, and "economic death" chasing you * 18:42 – Helping dozens of people buy their first investment property * 20:40 – Why "no fluff" mentorship works and how Welby teaches simply * 26:40 – Everything is a flip: wholesale vs flip vs buy-and-hold * 29:30 – The real key: buying at the right price point * 31:22 – Macro vision to micro execution and avoiding cookie-cutter strategies * 39:17 – Time, health, and protecting what you built * 43:45 – Final advice: the world does not owe you understanding Resources Mentioned: * Flips to Profits (Welby's company name referenced in the episode) * "Economic death" concept (framework Welby uses for generational distance from poverty) Connect with Welby: * Website: https://sociatap.com/atmybest/ [https://sociatap.com/atmybest/] * YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@atmybest197 [https://www.youtube.com/@atmybest197] * Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/atmybest197/ [https://www.instagram.com/atmybest197/] * TikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@atmybest197 [https://www.tiktok.com/@atmybest197] * Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/atmybest197 [https://www.facebook.com/atmybest197] Follow Planet Wealth: Instagram [https://www.instagram.com/planetwealthofficial] | TikTok [https://www.tiktok.com/@planetwealth_] | Facebook [https://www.facebook.com/planetwealthofficial/] | LinkedIn [https://www.linkedin.com/company/planetwealthofficial] | YouTube [https://www.youtube.com/@PlanetWealthPodcast] planetwealth.com [https://planetwealth.com/]

E42: Think Like a Bank: A Smart Way to Invest in Real Estate

Brian Dally, Co-Founder and CEO of GroundFloor, is a pioneer in private market investing and one of the earliest category creators in real estate debt investing. In this episode of Fortunes of the Brave, Brian explains how he and his co-founder saw a future where everyday investors could access high-yield, short-duration private market opportunities backed by real estate. Brian's story starts with a lifelong interest in investing, sparked at age 15, and accelerates when he meets Nick, a regulatory strategist who helped shape the 2012 JOBS Act. Together, they pursued an approach most people dismissed: building a mass-market alternative investment product that fit inside securities regulations. Brian shares how more than 10 law firms told them the SEC would never allow it, and how that skepticism became their advantage over time. The conversation breaks down a key misunderstanding that keeps many investors stuck: the difference between owning an asset and financing an asset. Brian explains why being a creditor can offer lower volatility and more predictable outcomes, and why "acting like the bank" can be a powerful mental model for investors looking for yield without equity-level swings. Brian also offers a front-row view into how retail investors have evolved. He argues they are smarter and more organized than the industry admits, and that transparency and accountability are now mandatory. He warns of a coming "valley of despair" in private markets, where products with poor liquidity terms and fee structures may face serious pushback and legal consequences. Finally, Brian draws parallels between today's private market shift and the early days of index funds: controversial at first, then inevitable. If you want to understand where alternative investments, private credit, and retail access are headed next, this episode lays out the forces shaping the next decade. Watch the full episode of Fortunes of the Brave to get the complete framework and Brian's roadmap for what comes next. Key Takeaways: * Reframe your strategy by thinking like a lender, not an owner * Understand why real estate debt can produce high yield with lower volatility * Recognize how retail investors have become organized and influential * Spot structural red flags in private market products (fees, liquidity, redemption limits) * Anticipate how private markets may evolve like public markets did with index-style vehicles Chapters: * 00:00 – Intro and Brian's background * 01:46 – Why private market real estate debt was worth creating * 04:42 – The mass-market vision and early regulatory resistance * 06:56 – Category creation: real estate debt for retail investors * 08:22 – Why real estate is the perfect "Main Street" asset class * 10:40 – Debt vs equity: why most investors misunderstand the advantage * 12:16 – Retail investors are organizing, sharing intel, and influencing markets * 14:56 – What retail investors demand now: transparency and accountability * 17:38 – What $1.8B+ invested reveals about private market appetite * 19:03 – The "valley of despair" coming for private market investing * 22:17 – Index fund parallels: the next phase of alternatives * 24:59 – Regulation and investor education: what has to change * 30:16 – Liquidity, structures, Flywheel, and Notes * 33:15 – The first loan story: scrappy, manual, and real * 35:25 – Closing Resources Mentioned: * GroundFloor (company/platform) * JOBS Act (2012) * WallStreetBets / GameStop (retail investor coordination example) * Interval funds (liquidity and redemption pressure topic) * Index fund history and evolution of retail access Connect with Brian Dally: * Website: GroundFloor [https://groundfloor.com/] * LinkedIn: Brian Dally [https://linkedin.com/in/bdally] Follow Planet Wealth: Instagram [https://www.instagram.com/planetwealthofficial] | TikTok [https://www.tiktok.com/@planetwealth_] | Facebook [https://www.facebook.com/planetwealthofficial/] | LinkedIn [https://www.linkedin.com/company/planetwealthofficial] | YouTube [https://www.youtube.com/@PlanetWealthPodcast] planetwealth.com [https://planetwealth.com/]

E41: Use Short-Term Deals to Build Long-Term Real Estate Wealth

Daniel Borrero Jr., a real estate investor and entrepreneur, joins Mary Kathryn Johnson (CXO of Planet Wealth) to break down how he built long-term wealth by using short-term profits as fuel, not a finish line. Daniel is a Brooklyn-based investor who has been self-employed since 1985 and investing in real estate since 1989. His core philosophy is simple: build cash flow and equity through long-term holds, but use fix and flips and land flips strategically to generate the down payments and leverage needed to scale faster especially in high-cost markets like New York City. In this conversation, Daniel shares the practical "system" behind his portfolio growth: flipping to create capital, buying with fewer contingencies to negotiate better terms, and continuously reinvesting profits into assets that produce ongoing income. He explains why entrepreneurship is not a shortcut to freedom, how discipline and operational structure create compounding results, and why surrounding yourself with non-yes-people accelerates decision quality and growth. A major theme is preparation. Daniel doesn't wait for markets or politics to happen to him. He positions early by watching signals, listening to policy rhetoric without emotion, and making preemptive moves like accelerating capital improvements for depreciation benefits or buying renovation materials before tariffs raise costs. He also shares a pivotal networking lesson: the one concept he overheard at a bar that helped him lower payments by thousands through loan recasting. If you're serious about real estate investing, wealth building, financial literacy, and market timing, this episode is a direct, tactical roadmap for building resilient income and staying ready for opportunity. Watch the full episode of Fortunes of the Brave for the complete framework and the mindset behind it. Key Takeaways: • Use flips and land deals to generate down payments, then convert profits into long-term holds • Negotiate stronger terms by reducing contingencies and showing proof of capital • Build wealth through cash flow, equity growth, appreciation, and tax advantages, not just deal profit • Network to learn what you do not know and shorten your path with better relationships • Prepare for market shifts early by tracking policy signals, costs, and real-world indicators Chapters: • 00:00 – Welcome and Daniel's investing origin story • 00:42 – The flip-to-hold strategy for scaling in NYC • 03:26 – Buying with cash and reducing fees to increase profits] • 04:44 – College, entrepreneurship, and the myth of "degree equals wealth"] • 06:56 – Building businesses: video store, laundromats, ATMs, then real estate] • 10:18 – Entrepreneurship truth: time, sacrifice, and aligned partnership] • 11:14 – Operations, structure, and turning constraints into strengths] • 13:24 – Avoiding yes-people and accelerating growth through challenge] • 15:55 – Networking, recasting loans, and why listening wins] • 20:31 – Preparing for markets before they arrive] • 24:50 – Financial literacy and "relationship with money"] • 28:29 – Politics, markets, and positioning without emotion] • 33:04 – Florida condos, regulation signals, and defensive selling] • 39:05 – Final advice: enjoy the moments and celebrate milestones] Resources Mentioned: • Loan recasting (strategy to reduce monthly payments after principal paydown) • Accelerated depreciation (real estate tax strategy referenced in discussion) • "Mind Your Money" (book referenced as financial literacy resource) • AI as a competitive advantage: "AI won't beat you, the person using AI will" Connect with Daniel: • Website [https://usalandventures.com/] • LinkedIn [https://www.linkedin.com/in/danielborrerojr/] • Other channels [https://danielborrerojr.com/] Follow Planet Wealth: Instagram [https://www.instagram.com/planetwealthofficial] | TikTok [https://www.tiktok.com/@planetwealth_] | Facebook [https://www.facebook.com/planetwealthofficial/] | LinkedIn [https://www.linkedin.com/company/planetwealthofficial] | YouTube [https://www.youtube.com/@PlanetWealthPodcast] planetwealth.com [https://planetwealth.com/]

E40: How Founders Build Trust Before Raising Capital

McKeever "Mac" Conwell, Founder and Managing Partner of Rare Breed Ventures, joins Planet Wealth CXO Mary Katherine Johnson to break down how he went from a government contractor in Maryland to launching a venture capital fund built for overlooked founders. Mac shares the unconventional path that shaped his investing lens: dropping out of school for a Northrop Grumman opportunity, building and exiting a startup through pivots and accelerators, and then entering state-backed investing where he helped design a first-of-its-kind pre-seed program for women and minorities. This episode is a masterclass in capital raising, investor marketing, and community-powered fundraising. Mac explains why most founders struggle to raise money: not because their ideas are worse, but because they lack access to early friends-and-family capital, warm investor networks, and the confidence to talk about money. He walks through how he used Twitter (now X) to build trust at scale, create consistent value, and convert conversations into investor relationships without leading with an ask. The result was a fundraising engine driven by credibility, storytelling, and relentless reps. Mac also gets tactical about fundraising compliance, outlining why 506C matters for public solicitation under the JOBS Act, and how a founder's content and consistency can become a real distribution advantage. Then he goes deeper: the "North Star" behind his fund, how values shape who you should take money from, and why execution and self-care must coexist if you want to survive entrepreneurship long-term. If you want a practical, no-fluff conversation about raising capital outside the major tech hubs, building investor trust, and staying human in the process, this is the one. Watch the full episode of Fortunes of the Brave for the complete framework. Key Takeaways: • Build trust before you ask by sharing useful insights consistently • Use storytelling to make fundraising about mission, not transactions • Leverage 506C to publicly discuss fundraising while staying compliant • Create momentum with reps: conversations, feedback loops, and iteration • Protect your health and identity so the business does not consume you Chapters: • 00:00 – Meet Mac Conwell and Rare Breed Ventures • 01:10 – From government contractor to founder and exit • 02:32 – The state-backed pre-seed fund and "ask forgiveness" leadership • 06:38 – The real fear for founders: marketing and finding investors • 07:17 – How Twitter became the distribution channel • 11:13 – DM strategy, learning-first meetings, and early LP wins • 14:19 – Email storytelling to drive closes • 18:04 – Getting comfortable talking about money and yourself • 20:35 – Fundraising without a pitch deck: the 3-part story • 22:51 – The North Star story that defined the fund • 32:26 – 506C vs 506B: how public solicitation worked • 39:07 – Community flywheel: give first, ask later • 41:48 – Failure, burnout, and the self-care non-negotiable • 49:44 – Final advice: "You are enough." Resources Mentioned: • Rare Breed Ventures • Twitter/X as a fundraising channel • JOBS Act fundraising rules (506B and 506C) • Regulation Crowdfunding (Reg CF) • Harbor Bank of Maryland (public-private partnership example) • Hustle Fund (Elizabeth Yin) • Accenture partnership example • Kauffman Fellows program • American Express (IP acquisition reference) • Bill Me Later (sold to PayPal) Connect with Mac: • Website [http://www.rarebreed.vc/] • LinkedIn [https://www.linkedin.com/in/mckeever/] Follow Planet Wealth: Instagram [https://www.instagram.com/planetwealthofficial] | TikTok [https://www.tiktok.com/@planetwealth_] | Facebook [https://www.facebook.com/planetwealthofficial/] | LinkedIn [https://www.linkedin.com/company/planetwealthofficial] | YouTube [https://www.youtube.com/@PlanetWealthPodcast] planetwealth.com [https://planetwealth.com/]

E39: Dr. Felecia Froe: How to Invest When You're Scared (Because Everyone Is)

Dr. Felecia Froe, board-certified urological surgeon turned social impact investor, joins Mary Kathryn Johnson of Planet Wealth for a candid conversation about building wealth with purpose. As the founder behind Money with Mission and Wealth Be Hers, Dr. Froe shares how her path from medicine to real estate investing became a mission to help women gain the financial power to walk away from jobs or relationships that are not in their best interest. After reading Rich Dad Poor Dad, Dr. Froe began buying real estate and rapidly scaled to 18 properties. Then 2008 hit, and she lost everything. What followed was a difficult season of lawsuits, divorce, and hard lessons, but she kept moving forward, rebuilt with mentorship, and eventually found her true lane in social impact investing: investments designed to produce returns while strengthening communities. This episode explores the mindset shift from working for money to building assets that work for you, along with the truth that fear never fully disappears at higher levels of investing. Dr. Froe breaks down a practical framework for action: define your worst-case scenario, decide what you can afford to lose, and start small enough that you can learn without freezing. The conversation also highlights why "who" you invest with matters more than the product itself, and why women can build real wealth by aligning investments with a clear purpose. You will hear how Dr. Froe is investing in sober living homes through the Oxford House model, and why food deserts and access to nutrient-dense, local food are central to community health. If you care about social impact investing, real estate investing, regulation crowdfunding, and helping women investors build real financial freedom, this episode delivers both strategy and conviction. Listen to the full episode of Fortunes of the Brave for the deeper conversation. Key Takeaways: • Reframe money by prioritizing assets over consumption • Start investing by choosing a "small enough to learn" risk amount • Reduce fear by stress-testing the worst-case scenario • Align real estate investing with community outcomes and purpose • Vet the operator first because who you invest with matters most Chapters: • 00:00 – Welcome and who Dr. Felecia Froe is • 01:05 – The voice that said medicine was not the final chapter • 01:50 – Rich Dad Poor Dad and the first real estate buys • 02:57 – The 2008 crash and losing everything • 03:18 – Rebuilding with mentors and rediscovering purpose • 04:02 – Social impact investing as the "this is it" moment • 05:20 – Why investors invest in purpose, not just profit • 07:15 – Mindset after failure and finding the right people • 13:08 – Lessons from the mid-2000s lending era • 15:57 – Choosing freedom over the "safe" identity of medicine • 19:45 – Money with Mission: women should never feel stuck • 24:49 – Fear of losing money and starting with what you can afford • 30:03 – Sober living homes and the Oxford House model • 31:30 – Food deserts, grocery access, and "food is medicine" • 36:12 – The top rule: know who you are investing with • 36:58 – Closing and where to connect Resources Mentioned: • Rich Dad Poor Dad (Robert Kiyosaki) • The Rich Dad series (Robert Kiyosaki) • JOBS Act and Regulation Crowdfunding (Reg CF) • Oxford House (sober living model) • FreshRx / Food is Medicine (program concept) Connect with Felecia: • LinkedIn [https://www.linkedin.com/in/moneywithmission/] • Other: Money with Mission, Wealth Be Hers (names mentioned in episode) Follow Planet Wealth: Instagram [https://www.instagram.com/planetwealthofficial] | TikTok [https://www.tiktok.com/@planetwealth_] | Facebook [https://www.facebook.com/planetwealthofficial/] | LinkedIn [https://www.linkedin.com/company/planetwealthofficial] | YouTube [https://www.youtube.com/@PlanetWealthPodcast] planetwealth.com [https://planetwealth.com/]