#138 - Direct Capital Raising Wins Bigger Investor Checks with Derek Vickers

#144 - Vet Sponsors Before Wiring Capital with Ken Gee

Send us Fan Mail [https://www.buzzsprout.com/2247837/fan_mail/new] There are four rules that every passive investor must use to vet a real estate sponsor — and if you skip them, you're gambling with your money.  In this episode of Path to Passive, host Steven Arita sits down with Ken Gee, CPA, former Deloitte real estate tax advisor, Founder and managing member of KRI Partners, a private equity firm on its sixth multifamily fund with a track record spanning decades.  Ken built his career watching high-net-worth clients quietly compound wealth through real estate while he worked 80-hour weeks at Deloitte — until a 3 AM feeding with his newborn daughter made him realize his family was going to grow up without him.  That moment of clarity sent him on an 18-month self-education sprint that led to his first 28-unit building, a half-million-dollar payday three years later, and eventually a thriving private equity firm.  Now Ken shares the four rules he wishes every passive investor knew before writing a check: a sponsor must have a full-cycle track record, a management team seasoned enough to survive recessions and black swan events, a commitment to radical transparency, and a fee structure that proves they put investors first.  He also explains exactly what crazy waterfall terms and multi-layered fees really signal — and why you should run from them.  For W-2 tech professionals ready to build passive income through real estate investing, this episode gives you a clear, no-fluff framework to protect your capital and choose sponsors worth trusting. Connect with Ken: 🔗 LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/geekennetha/ [https://www.linkedin.com/in/geekennetha/]  🌐 Company Website: https://www.kripartners.com/ [https://www.kripartners.com/]  Episode Highlights: [0:47] – Intro: Welcome to Path to Passive [1:50] – Ken shares how a 3 AM feeding with his newborn sparked his exit from Deloitte and into real estate. [5:08] – Knowledge builds confidence: Ken's success formula that took him from banker to multifamily investor. [11:47] – Find your "Gary": How a fifty-fifty partnership with an eviction attorney unlocked Ken's first big deals. [16:23] – Raise the money first: The fund model shift that separated KRI Partners from every other syndicator in the room. [19:29] – Passive vs. active: Why most W-2 professionals should start as passive investors — and what to do first. [46:26] – Ken's daughter joins the firm: The full-circle moment that made building this business truly worth it. [0:00] – Ken previews his 4 rules for vetting sponsors — the fastest framework for protecting your passive investment. [49:32] – Outro: Connect with Ken at kripartners.com — Share this with your tech friends who you think would benefit from learning about passive income and alternative real estate investments.  For more resources and guides, check these out: Crack the Code https://www.aritacapital.com/crack-the-code/ Investor 101 https://www.aritacapital.com/investor-101-resource/ Due Diligence Resource https://www.aritacapital.com/dd-checklist-resource/ If you want to learn more, reach out at: Email: steven@aritacapital.com LinkedIn:  https://www.linkedin.com/in/aritasteven/ IG:  https://www.instagram.com/the.real.arita

#143 - Why Income Funds Beat the 4% Rule with Jay Patel

Send us Fan Mail [https://www.buzzsprout.com/2247837/fan_mail/new] What if the retirement strategy your money manager swears by is already 30 years out of date — and quietly draining your future?  In this episode of The Path to Passive, host Steven Arita sits down with Jay Patel, serial entrepreneur, former hedge fund manager, and the visionary building India's first MLS, to unpack a smarter path to retirement wealth for W-2 tech professionals.  Jay shares how a $2.5 million loss from September 11th — at just 30 years old — completely rewired the way he thinks about risk, diversification, and passive income through commercial real estate investing.  From buying foreclosures in Detroit and Section 8 properties on Chicago's south side, to launching the Proptex Income Advantage Fund with a consistent 11% preferred return, Jay's journey is packed with hard-won lessons and surprisingly actionable strategy.  You'll learn why the classic 4% withdrawal rule is dangerously outdated for today's cost of living, how a three-vertical real estate fund structure can grow $500K into $1.4M over 10 years without the volatility of the stock market, and how to use a self-directed IRA to invest tax-deferred into cash-flowing real estate.  Jay also drops a jaw-dropping story about sitting in a Mumbai brokerage office for 45 minutes while brokers searched for listings via WhatsApp groups — and how that sparked the creation of a CoStar-style MLS platform for one of the world's largest real estate markets.  Whether you're a high-earning tech professional nearing your pre-retirement years or just starting to think beyond your 401(k), this episode gives you a clear, tangible framework for building the passive income and legacy wealth that actually lasts. Connect with Jay: 🌐 Company Website: https://proptex.com/ [https://proptex.com/] 🔗 LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/jaypatel-mls/ [https://www.linkedin.com/in/jaypatel-mls/]📸 Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/proptexfunds/ [https://www.instagram.com/proptexfunds/]Episode Highlights: [0:25] – Intro [1:51] – Jay stumbled into real estate after a successful trading career in New York. [2:51] – A $2.5M loss on 9/11 forced Jay to rebuild — and pivot entirely into real estate. [4:35] – Why real estate's predictability beats the stock market's volatility for wealth building. [17:39] – Why the outdated 4% rule puts pre-retirees at serious financial risk today. [22:22] – Residential assisted living: the highest cash-flow opportunity in real estate right now. [22:25] – The Propex Fund's 3 verticals deliver 11% preferred returns with only a 1-year lockup. [46:09] – Jay spotted zero MLS infrastructure in India — and built one from scratch. [57:20] – Outro — Share this with your tech friends who you think would benefit from learning about passive income and alternative real estate investments.  For more resources and guides, check these out: Crack the Code https://www.aritacapital.com/crack-the-code/ Investor 101 https://www.aritacapital.com/investor-101-resource/ Due Diligence Resource https://www.aritacapital.com/dd-checklist-resource/ If you want to learn more, reach out at: Email: steven@aritacapital.com LinkedIn:  https://www.linkedin.com/in/aritasteven/ IG:  https://www.instagram.com/the.real.arita

#142 - Private Money Beats Bank Financing with Jay Conner

Send us Fan Mail [https://www.buzzsprout.com/2247837/fan_mail/new] What if the funding strategy that saved one real estate investor's entire business during the 2008 financial crisis could also help you grow your wealth passively — without touching the stock market? In this episode of Path to Passive, host Steven Arita sits down with Jay Conner, a seasoned real estate investor who has rehabbed and flipped over 500 houses in Eastern North Carolina and built a seven-figure business using a little-known strategy called private money lending. Jay's story starts with a gut punch: in January 2009, he called his banker to fund two houses he already had under contract — only to discover his line of credit had been quietly closed overnight due to the global financial crisis. With earnest money already on the line and no way to fund the deals, Jay asked himself one powerful question: "Who do I know that can help fix my problem?" That question led him to a friend, a conference in Jacksonville, and ultimately to raising $2,150,000 in private funding — without ever pitching a deal or asking a single person for money. In this conversation, you'll learn exactly how private money works, why it's completely different from hard money lending, how ordinary people with "lazy money" sitting in 401ks and self-directed IRAs can earn 8–10% returns passively while you get deals funded fast, and the one mindset shift — becoming a teacher, not a salesperson — that changes everything. Jay also shares the word-for-word "good news phone call" script he uses to deploy investor capital, why the worst time to raise private money is when you need it, and how to close deals in seven days with as few as five documents. Whether you're a W-2 tech professional exploring passive real estate investing or an operator looking to scale without bank limits, this episode delivers a complete, actionable roadmap to funding your deals on your own terms. Connect with Jay: 🔗 LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/jayconner-privatemoneyauthority/ [https://www.linkedin.com/in/jayconner-privatemoneyauthority/] 🌐 Company Website: https://www.jayconner.com/ [https://www.jayconner.com/] 🎟️ Private Money Conference ($97 listener rate) → https://theprivatemoneyconference.com/go-762805?utm_source=linkedin&fpr=kaitlyn-bentley86 [https://theprivatemoneyconference.com/go-762805?utm_source=linkedin&fpr=kaitlyn-bentley86] 📖 Jay's Book: Where to Get the Money Now → https://www.jayconner.com/book-details/?fpr=kaitlyn-bentley86 [https://www.jayconner.com/book-details/?fpr=kaitlyn-bentley86]  📄 Free private money scripts PDF → https://go.privatemoneychallenge.com/scripts-lander-podcast [https://go.privatemoneychallenge.com/scripts-lander-podcast]  Episode Highlights: 0:00] – Intro [0:51] – Intro: How private money lending tripled Jay's business and became his #1 funding strategy. [4:09] – The 2008 wake-up call: Jay's bank cut his credit line with two houses already under contract. [11:30] – The $969K luncheon: How Jay raised nearly $1M at one lunch with no deals attached. [13:07] – The "Private Money Teacher" mindset: Stop asking, begging, and chasing — start teaching. [14:19] – Why raising money when you need it is the #1 mistake investors make. [23:58] – Private money vs. hard money: The key distinction every operator needs to know. [25:48] – Win-win breakdown: Why passive lenders earn 8–10% while operators get unlimited capital. [46:32] – Outro — Share this with your tech friends who you think would benefit from learning about passive income and alternative real estate investments.  For more resources and guides, check these out: Crack the Code https://www.aritacapital.com/crack-the-code/ Investor 101 https://www.aritacapital.com/investor-101-resource/ Due Diligence Resource https://www.aritacapital.com/dd-checklist-resource/ If you want to learn more, reach out at: Email: steven@aritacapital.com LinkedIn:  https://www.linkedin.com/in/aritasteven/ IG:  https://www.instagram.com/the.real.arita

#141 - Infinite Banking: Keep Capital Compounding with Anthony Faso & Cameron Christiansen

Send us Fan Mail [https://www.buzzsprout.com/2247837/fan_mail/new] What if the secret weapon the Rockefellers used to build generational wealth — and that most W-2 tech professionals have never heard of — was sitting inside a whole life insurance policy this whole time? In this episode of Path to Passive, host Steven Arita sits down with Anthony Faso and Cameron Christiansen, co-founders of Infinite Wealth Consultants and practitioners of the Infinite Banking Concept (IBC) for nearly two decades. Anthony, a recovering CPA, and Cameron, who went from managing 60 caddies in Las Vegas to designing custom wealth-building policies, break down IBC from the ground up — no fluff, no hype. You'll learn exactly why storing your capital in a bank is quietly costing you compound interest every time you deploy it into a deal, and how a specially designed whole life policy lets your money work in two places at once — inside the policy growing tax-free, and inside your investment generating cash flow. Cameron shares the moment he read Nelson Nash's "Become Your Own Banker" three times in one night and was genuinely pissed that nobody had ever told him about the cash value side of life insurance. Anthony walks through the "cash cycle of investors" and the credit card analogy that makes IBC click in about 30 seconds. They also get into who IBC is NOT for (hint: if you're outsourcing your financial decisions, stick to the Edward Jones guy down the street), how the Rockefeller family used trusts and policies to expand wealth across generations while the Vanderbilts lost it all, and how Anthony's grandkid will own his first rental property before he turns six. If you're a tech professional building passive income through real estate syndications, private credit, or alternative investments and you're tired of breaking your compounding curve every time you write a check — this episode will change how you think about where your money sits between deals. Connect with Anthony & Cameron: 🔗 LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/anthonyfaso/ [https://www.linkedin.com/in/anthonyfaso/] 🔗 LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/cameronlchristiansen/ [https://www.linkedin.com/in/cameronlchristiansen/] 🌐 Company Website: https://infinitewealthconsultants.com/ [https://infinitewealthconsultants.com/] 📚Free Access to Infinite Wealth Online Course: https://go.infinitewealthconsultants.com/pathtopassive [https://go.infinitewealthconsultants.com/pathtopassive]  Episode Highlights: 0:00 – Intro 1:00 – What is Infinite Banking and why most people have it completely wrong. 2:42 – The "cash cycle of investors" — why deploying capital always breaks your compounding curve. 6:34 – Cameron read Nelson Nash's book three times in one night and was pissed nobody told him this sooner. 13:32 – The credit card analogy that explains Infinite Banking in under 30 seconds. 18:57 – How the Rockefellers used policies and trusts to grow wealth across generations while the Vanderbilts lost it all. 21:02 – Anthony's son earns $12K/month passive income and his grandkid will own a rental property before age six. 34:09 – Who IBC is NOT for — and the one mindset shift that separates IBC investors from everyone else. 46:33 – Outro — Share this with your tech friends who you think would benefit from learning about passive income and alternative real estate investments.  For more resources and guides, check these out: Crack the Code https://www.aritacapital.com/crack-the-code/ Investor 101 https://www.aritacapital.com/investor-101-resource/ Due Diligence Resource https://www.aritacapital.com/dd-checklist-resource/ If you want to learn more, reach out at: Email: steven@aritacapital.com LinkedIn:  https://www.linkedin.com/in/aritasteven/ IG:  https://www.instagram.com/the.real.arita

#140 - Business Acquisitions: Faster Cash Flow with David Hori

Send us Fan Mail [https://www.buzzsprout.com/2247837/fan_mail/new] What if the biggest wealth-building opportunity of the next decade isn't real estate — it's buying the business next door? In this episode of Path to Passive, host Steven Arita sits down with David Hori, a 25-year veteran of scaling high-growth companies including a Toyota acquisition and multiple VC-backed startups, who has now turned his sights on a different kind of asset: profitable, cash-flowing Main Street businesses. David breaks down the $14 trillion "Silver Tsunami" — the massive wave of baby boomer business owners who will exit in the next 10 years, with far more sellers than buyers and why that spells a generational opportunity for tech professionals who know how to build and operate teams. You'll learn why buying an existing business beats building a startup from scratch (no product-market fit risk, cash flow from day one), how one business David is actively pursuing generates between $37,000 and $120,000 a month in cash flow — the equivalent of buying 13 rental properties — and why private equity's buy-and-flip playbook is fundamentally broken for communities and long-term wealth. David also shares his two niche buy boxes (e-commerce and water infrastructure), the counterintuitive "stay in your lane" rule that applies to both operators and investors, and the simple revenue levers — vendor renegotiation, bundling, and basic pricing hygiene — that can 3x a business within 12 months. Whether you're a tech professional with capital to deploy or simply curious about alternatives to rental real estate, this episode will change how you think about building passive income and long-term financial freedom. Connect with David: 🔗 LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/iamdavidhori/ [https://www.linkedin.com/in/iamdavidhori/] 🌐 Company Website: https://toplineops.com/ [https://toplineops.com/] 📸 Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/toplineops/ [https://www.instagram.com/toplineops/] Weekly Webinar: https://learn.toplineops.com/pod-webinar-1 [https://learn.toplineops.com/pod-webinar-1]  Episode Highlights: 0:35 – Intro 1:36 – David shares his journey from a global law firm to VC-backed startups chasing speed and innovation. 10:26 – $14 trillion with a T is changing hands as baby boomers exit — and not enough buyers exist. 10:27 – Why buying a proven, cash-flowing business beats building a startup from scratch. 10:26 – The 3 D's (Divorce, Death, Disease) — the real reasons business owners sell. 15:03 – Private equity's buy-and-flip playbook is destructive — David explains why he's on the opposite end. 19:47 – One business David is actively bidding on generates $37K–$120K/month in cash flow. 22:23 – Simple levers to 3x revenue: renegotiate vendors, bundle products, and raise your prices. 35:43 – David's mentor kept telling him "stay in your lane" — here's why he finally listened. 35:44 – Outro — Share this with your tech friends who you think would benefit from learning about passive income and alternative real estate investments.  For more resources and guides, check these out: Crack the Code https://www.aritacapital.com/crack-the-code/ Investor 101 https://www.aritacapital.com/investor-101-resource/ Due Diligence Resource https://www.aritacapital.com/dd-checklist-resource/ If you want to learn more, reach out at: Email: steven@aritacapital.com LinkedIn:  https://www.linkedin.com/in/aritasteven/ IG:  https://www.instagram.com/the.real.arita