#221: You Don't Own a Business — You Have a Job: Why Most Businesses Stall - Mark Evans

#221: You Don't Own a Business — You Have a Job: Why Most Businesses Stall - Mark Evans

He bought his first business at 18. Thirty years later he's running multiple companies, acquiring businesses with $1M+ EBITDA, and developing a longevity company — all without being involved in day-to-day operations. In this episode, Chris sits down with Mark Evans DM — a 30-year entrepreneur who started with a seamless gutter company at 18, discovered real estate, and never stopped building. Mark has owned construction companies, residential and commercial real estate, and multiple business ventures since 1996. Today his focus is on acquiring established businesses, solving big problems, and creating strategic partnerships that run without him. This is one of the most seasoned entrepreneurial perspectives to ever sit down on the Leadway Podcast. In this episode you'll learn: * How Mark went from buying a gutter company at 18 to 30 years of entrepreneurship across multiple industries * Why real estate is a business — not a job — and what the difference actually looks like * His business acquisition criteria: $1M+ EBITDA, 15–20 employees, 10+ years of operation * Why the $1–3 million revenue range is the hardest phase of any business — and how to get through it * How traveling the world while running businesses forced him to learn delegation and trust * Why he focuses on the $10 million path within 24 months when acquiring a business * What most people get wrong about buying businesses with SBA loans * Why learning business fundamentals matters more than learning real estate * His current focus: Telogenics, a longevity and wellness company If you're trying to build something that runs without you — this is the blueprint. 🔗 Connect with Mark Evans DM: * Instagram: @markevansdm [https://www.instagram.com/markevansdm] 🎙️ Follow Chris: * Instagram: @chris.reichenbach [https://www.instagram.com/chris.reichenbach] * TikTok: @chris.reichenbach [https://www.tiktok.com/@chris.reichenbach] #Entrepreneurship #BusinessAcquisition #LeadwayPodcast #RealEstatePodcast #WealthBuilding #MarkEvansDM #BusinessGrowth #RealEstateInvesting #FinancialFreedom #EscapeThe9to5 #Delegation #BusinessStrategy #ScalingUp #PassiveIncome #RealEstateInvestor #BuildingWealth #SBALoans #BusinessMindset #Telogenics #LongevityWellness

#220: Stop Flipping, Start Building: Why New Construction Is the Ultimate Real Estate Scale Play - Josh Swart

Seven years ago he was mopping gym floors. Today he owns a real estate portfolio, runs 60 active projects, and builds his own inventory from the ground up. In this episode, Chris sits down with Josh Swart — a Concord, NC-based real estate investor and developer who did his first flip in 2017, quit his janitor job in 2019, and has been building ever since. Josh figured out what most investors never do — that the fastest way to scale a real estate portfolio is to control the construction yourself. Now he's doing fix and flips, new builds for his own portfolio, and new builds for other investors, all while keeping properties long term through a build-to-rent model that generates cash flow without ever having to sell. In this episode you'll learn: * How Josh went from his first flip in 2017 to 60 active real estate projects today * Why he made the shift from fix and flip to new construction — and why it changed everything * How controlling your own construction unlocks a level of real estate scaling most investors never reach * The build-to-rent model he uses to keep cash flowing without liquidating his portfolio * How he rode the 2020–2021 wave strategically and positioned himself for long-term growth * How he's using AI as a tool in his real estate business without letting it replace his judgment * What the Charlotte metro market looks like right now from someone actively building in it This is what a real estate business looks like when you stop waiting for the perfect deal and start building your own. 🔗 Connect with Josh Swart: * Instagram: @joshswart [https://www.instagram.com/joshswart] * YouTube: Josh Swart [https://www.youtube.com/@Josh_swart] 🎙️ Follow Chris: * Instagram: @chris.reichenbach [https://www.instagram.com/chris.reichenbach] * TikTok: @chris.reichenbach [https://www.tiktok.com/@chris.reichenbach] #RealEstateInvesting #NewConstruction #LeadwayPodcast #RealEstatePodcast #WealthBuilding #FixAndFlip #BuildToRent #RealEstateStrategy #FinancialFreedom #Entrepreneurship #EscapeThe9to5 #CharlotteRealEstate #RealEstateDeveloper #RealEstateInvestor #BuildingWealth #ConcordNC #ScalingUp #AIinBusiness #AffordableHousing #RealEstateTips

#219: Stop Chasing Volume — He Walked Away From 60 Deals a Year - Frank McGovern

600 residential deals. $96,000 largest check. Then he walked away and started over. In this episode, Chris sits down with Frank McGovern — a Philadelphia-based wholesaler who started in 2010 with 100 bandit signs, built a 7-person operation doing 60 deals a year, and then shut it all down in 2020 to chase commercial real estate and AI-powered lead generation. Frank has done it the hard way, the right way, and the expensive way — and he's here to tell you exactly what he learned from all three. In this episode you'll learn: * How Frank hit $60,000 in his first 90–120 days of wholesaling starting from zero * Why he shifted from 60 deals a year at $5,000 per deal to fewer deals at $22,000–$23,000 per deal * Why managing employees killed his profitability — and what he did about it * How he completed 600+ residential transactions before pivoting to commercial real estate * How he now runs lean with virtual assistants and AI voice agents that answer calls, qualify leads, and book appointments 24/7 * Why he's targeting 18–24 commercial deals annually and splitting between wholesale and acquisitions * His advice for new wholesalers: stop following generic advice and find a local mentor Frank's story is a masterclass in knowing when to scale, when to cut, and when to completely reinvent. 🔗 Connect with Frank McGovern: * Instagram: @phuckitfrank [https://www.instagram.com/phuckitfrank] 🎙️ Follow Chris: * Instagram: @chris.reichenbach [https://www.instagram.com/chris.reichenbach] * TikTok: @chris.reichenbach [https://www.tiktok.com/@chris.reichenbach]

#218: The Leverage Trap: Why Most Investors Get Crushed - Doron Levi

He arrived in the country at 19 with no real estate experience — and built a $230-unit deal that 1031'd from $8 million into $16 million in value. In this episode, Chris sits down with Doron Levi, a real estate developer and investor who has spent the last 20 years building everything from a 25-unit apartment conversion to a luxury home community of 6,000 square foot homes. Doron treats real estate like a real business — financials, HR, operations, sales and marketing — and his philosophy on risk management, leverage, and patience is a masterclass for anyone trying to scale beyond their first few deals. In this episode you'll learn: * How Doron converted an industrial warehouse into a 25-unit apartment building with zero fix-and-flip experience * The zoning loophole he used to convert a senior living facility into a hotel after Airbnb was banned in Philadelphia * Why over-leveraging and poor risk management are the real reasons investors get crushed in market downturns * His "Return on Time" (ROT) framework — and why it matters more than ROI * How he used W-2 income early on to build bankability before scaling into larger deals * The 230-unit acquisition that went from an $8 million purchase to a projected $16 million in value * Why he's cautious about AI in underwriting and development — and where human judgment still wins * His current projects: a resort stabilization with two restaurants, and a luxury home development If you're trying to scale past your first few deals, this episode is the blueprint. 🔗 Connect with Doron Levi: * Instagram: @doronlevirei [https://www.instagram.com/doronlevirei] 🎙️ Follow Chris: * Instagram: @chris.reichenbach [https://www.instagram.com/chris.reichenbach] * TikTok: @chris.reichenbach [https://www.tiktok.com/@chris.reichenbach] #RealEstateInvesting #RealEstateDevelopment #LeadwayPodcast #RealEstatePodcast #WealthBuilding #Multifamily #CommercialRealEstate #RiskManagement #RealEstateStrategy #1031Exchange #LuxuryRealEstate #RealEstateInvestor #FinancialFreedom #Entrepreneurship #EscapeThe9to5 #RealEstateDeveloper #PropertyInvesting #BuildingWealth #RealEstateTips #PhiladelphiaRealEstate

#217: Don't Buy A Rental! *UNTIL* You Listen To This - Adam Balsinger

What if everything social media told you about buying rentals is wrong? In this episode, Chris sits down with Adam Balsinger — a real estate investor with 12 years of experience across syndication, fix and flip, wholesaling, and now co-living. Adam has built a multimillion dollar portfolio and has seen every market cycle, every strategy, and every mistake first-time investors make. This episode is a reality check for anyone who thinks buying a rental property is the fast track to financial freedom. In this episode you'll learn: * Why buying rentals isn't what it used to be — and what the numbers actually look like today * The biggest mistakes first-time investors make when purchasing their first rental property * Why active income should be your primary focus before you ever buy a rental * How social media is selling a version of real estate investing that doesn't reflect reality * Why real estate is significantly harder today than it was 10 years ago * What co-living is, why Adam is going all in on it in Philadelphia, and why he's more excited about it than anything else he's done * How 12 years of doing everything in real estate led Adam to his most profitable strategy yet This is the episode to send to anyone who thinks they're one rental property away from quitting their job. 🔗 Connect with Adam Balsinger: * Instagram: @theadambalsinger [https://www.instagram.com/theadambalsinger] * Facebook: Adam Balsinger [https://www.facebook.com/theadambalsinger] * Facebook Group: https://www.facebook.com/share/g/18MJWoNjhq/ [https://www.facebook.com/share/g/18MJWoNjhq/] 🎙️ Follow Chris: * Instagram: @chris.reichenbach [https://www.instagram.com/chris.reichenbach] * TikTok: @chris.reichenbach [https://www.tiktok.com/@chris.reichenbach] #RealEstateInvesting #CoLiving #LeadwayPodcast #RealEstatePodcast #WealthBuilding #FinancialFreedom #RentalProperties #RealEstateTruths #FixAndFlip #Wholesaling #Syndication #RealEstateStrategy #ActiveIncome #PassiveIncome #Entrepreneurship #EscapeThe9to5 #RealEstateMistakes #PhiladelphiaRealEstate #RealEstateInvestor #BuildingWealth