From Fitness Trainer to 450+ Wholesale Deals | How Blake Hawkins Built a Wholesaling Machine & Invested $1.5M in Lead Generation | Pick Up The Phone Podcast

He Quit Big Four Accounting to Build a Real Estate Empire | Lee West

Are you ready to scale your real estate business and protect your portfolio from modern industry shifts? In this episode of the Pick Up The Phone Podcast, host Josue Llanas sits down with real estate veteran Lee West. Lee reveals how he successfully broke free from the "golden handcuffs" of a stable Big Four accounting career to build a multi-million dollar wholesaling operation, closing over 300+ deals along the way. It wasn't an overnight success. Lee opens up about the brutal 9-month grind it took to secure his very first deal, how his business systems evolved from simple yellow pads to advanced Podio CRM setups, and the exact sales psychology shifts required to scale. Plus, Josue and Lee share a critical market warning regarding AI competition and how to stay ahead of the curve. Whether you're a corporate professional looking to make your exit or an experienced investor looking to optimize your KPIs, this episode is an absolute masterclass in longevity and systems. 💡 KEY TAKEAWAYS FROM THIS EPISODE: * The Corporate Exit: How Lee overcame the security of a Big Four accounting job to pursue full-time entrepreneurship. * The 9-Month Grind: Surviving the initial dry spell before landing that definitive first wholesaling deal. * System Evolution: Moving away from manual yellow pads and scaling up with advanced Podio CRM workflows. * Sales Psychology: The power of devouring sales training and refining your pitch to close consistent deals. * Belly-to-Belly vs. Phone Closing: Breaking down the crucial KPIs and differences between virtual and in-person acquisitions. * Partnership Longevity: The core foundations and insider secrets to maintaining a successful 9-year business partnership. * Market Outlook: A critical market warning regarding AI competition, modern disruption, and keeping your business competitive. * Next-Gen Tech: An introduction to Josue’s emotional intelligence voice AI, Getsu.ai, designed to make motivated sellers feel truly heard.

Sean Zavary: How He Built a $4M Wholesaling Business Using RADIO Ads

What does it take to walk away from a traditional family business and build a real estate company generating $4 million a year? In this episode of the Pick Up The Phone Podcast, Josue Llanas sits down with Sean Zavary, founder of Greenlight Offer, to break down how he built one of Houston’s most recognized wholesaling operations. From surviving the post-Hurricane Harvey market to scaling a 16-person team and mastering radio advertising, Sean shares the real strategies behind generating consistent inbound seller leads in one of the most competitive real estate markets in the country. If you’ve been relying only on cold calling or direct mail, this episode will completely change the way you think about real estate marketing. In this episode, we cover: • How Sean built a Houston wholesaling company doing 20 deals a month • The radio advertising strategy that helped generate consistent inbound leads • How he negotiates radio spots from $120 down to $40 per airing • Why 60-second ads outperform shorter scripts in real estate • The importance of culture, leadership, and team retention • Managing a 16-person operation across acquisitions, dispositions, and marketing • How Sean structures a $65K/month marketing budget while maintaining 35% net margins • His roadmap to building a $10M company by 2027 • The future of AI in real estate and Josue’s emotionally intelligent voice AI platform, GetsYou.ai EPISODE TIMESTAMPS: 00:00 - Introduction & Greenlight Offer's Success 01:01 - Sean’s Background & Family Furniture Business 03:07 - Getting Started in Real Estate Wholesaling 04:22 - The Post-Harvey Market & Masterminds 07:17 - Building a Team & Leadership Lessons 11:45 - Faith, Podcasts, & Personal Development 13:39 - Company Culture & Leading by Example 15:30 - Taking Sellers “To The Mat” 17:20 - Sales Training & Hiring a Sales Director 21:34 - Inside a 16-Person Wholesaling Team 24:34 - How Sean Got Into Radio Marketing 27:00 - Radio Ad Scripts, Tonality, & Seller Psychology 31:30 - Negotiating Radio Advertising Rates 37:54 - Breaking Down a $65K/Month Marketing Budget 40:39 - Maintaining 35% Net Margins 44:00 - AI, Emotional Intelligence & GetsYou.ai 52:16 - Sean’s Vision for 2027 & Beyond 54:43 - Hiring A-Players & JV Partnerships 56:43 - Houston Real Estate Market Outlook 58:19 - How to Connect with Sean & Final Thoughts CONNECT WITH US: • Watch the full episodes on YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@PickUpThePhonePod [https://www.youtube.com/@PickUpThePhonePod] • Connect with Sean Zavary on Instagram: @SeanZavary • Email Sean: sean@greenlightoffer.com [sean@greenlightoffer.com] • Learn more about GetsYou.ai: https://GetsYou.ai [https://getsyou.ai/]

HIS AI REPLACED 60 COLD CALLERS | Josh Fard on the Future of Loans | Pick Up The Phone Podcast

HIS AI REPLACED 60 COLD CALLERS | How Josh Fard is Engineering the Future of Loans | Pick Up The Phone Podcast HIS AI REPLACED 60 COLD CALLERS | How Josh Fardwatching the industry change — TCPA, tighter compliance, pricier leads, and finally AI. He didn't just adapt. He built encrypted CRM woFardows, a voice AI for follow-up, and a loan matching dashboard that compares one borrower across 10 lenders in seconds. AI already saves him a week of work every month. And he'll tell you straight: he thinks it's going to take his job eventually. He's building the infrastructure anyway. This is that story. 💡 KEY TAKEAWAYS: ✅ From 60 cold callers on purchased lists to inbound funnels across every major platform ✅ The TCPA rule change that killed cold calling forever — and why opted-in leads are now the only option ✅ Why a 2-minute response time is the single highest-ROI automation in mortgage ✅ The January 2026 breakthrough that made Josh go all-in on emotionally intelligent voice AI ✅ Coded process vs. AI agent — the distinction that saves brokers thousands ✅ One borrower, 10 lenders, a full term sheet from your phone in seconds ✅ How AI saves Josh a full week of work every month ✅ Why local LLMs are the future of secure AI for regulated industries ✅ The live 30-60-90 day AI roadmap built on air for First Nation Financial Corp Visit here to book your free Vancom strategy session and unlock consistent real estate deals: http://vancom.io/schedule 📩 For business inquiries: admin@vancom.io 🔗 Stay Connected With Me. Instagram: / josuellanass TikTok: / josuellanass LinkedIn: / josuellanas Visit here to book your free Vancom strategy session and unlock consistent real estate deals: http://vancom.io/schedule 🔔𝐃𝐨𝐧'𝐭 𝐟𝐨𝐫𝐠𝐞𝐭 𝐭𝐨 𝐬𝐮𝐛𝐬𝐜𝐫𝐢𝐛𝐞 𝐭𝐨 𝐦𝐲 𝐜𝐡𝐚𝐧𝐧𝐞𝐥 𝐟𝐨𝐫 𝐦𝐨𝐫𝐞 𝐮𝐩𝐝𝐚𝐭𝐞𝐬. / @josuellanas ============================= 🎬Suggested videos for you: ▶️ • $100M in Loans a Year | Inside Jay’s Real ... ▶️ • He Made $1M by 25 and Fired Half His Team ... ▶️ • She Lost $80,000 — Then Built a 7-Figure W... ▶️ • He Had $36 Left | How Adam Hunt Built His ... ▶️ • $100M Funded | How She Built a Nationwide ... ▶️ • He Turned Connections Into Contracts | The... ▶️ • 7 Figures in 24 Months | Luxury Real Estat... ================================= 📌 Chapters: 00:00 - Welcome to Pick Up The Phone Podcast 02:10 - How AI is shifting mortgage work from paperwork to client time 04:20 - 13 clients already booking appointments with voice AI 05:43 - Coded automation vs. AI agents: when to use which 07:00 - The old playbook: 60 cold callers, purchased leads 09:36 - TCPA: why cold calling is dead 12:16 - Speed to lead: you have 2 minutes before they forget you 14:01 - How First Nation handles loan intake differently 15:25 - Why Josh waits until all docs are in before pulling credit 22:00 - DSCR loans and why they're easier to automate 28:30 - Encompass and commercial loan submission 42:20 - 1 hour × 50 clients = a full week saved every month 43:30 - The real question: should you build it, not can you 50:30 - Why liability makes AI replacement inevitable across industries 57:00 - The real skill of the future: learning to prompt 58:20 - OpenAI, Claude, Perplexity, Manus Pro — an honest breakdown 62:13 - Why Perplexity wins for research 64:30 - Local LLMs: running AI free on your own machine 67:30 - Josh's engagement surprise 68:50 - The 30-60-90 day roadmap for First Nation Financial Corp 74:50 - How to connect with Josh Fard ====================== 🔗 CONNECT WITH JOSH FARD: Instagram: / fnf.tx Website: FNFloan.com Phone: (832) 955-9255 First Nation Financial Corp — In business since 2004 Nationwide lending, primarily for investors (DSCR, cash-out refi, residential, commercial) DM for MLO opportunities & loan inquiries ====================== OUR SPONSORS: Caisen Sullivan - New Western (409) 527-1115 Andrew Faught - Renovo (210) 425-2190 Natalie Murillo - Black Label Title (936) 442-8486 GetHardMoney.com ================================= For Business inquiries, please use the contact information below: 📩 Email: admin@vancom.io 🔔 If you're passionate about entrepreneurship and personal growth, hit subscribe and get inspired by real stories from successful entrepreneurs and their journeys! / @josuellanas ================================= #mortgageAI #realestateinvesting #voiceAI #gohighlevel #leadautomation #mortgageleads #aiinfinance #loanprocessing #mortgagebroker #aiworkflow #emotionalAI #mortgagetech #loanautomation #mortgagelending #realestatefinancing #mortgagetips #realestatetechnology #aiautomation #mortgagemarketing #leadgeneration #realestateeducation #podcastclips #financialfreedom #entrepreneurship #realestatepodcast HIS AI REPLACED 60 COLD CALLERS | How Josh Fard is Engineering the Future of Loans | Pick Up The Phone Podcast

From Fitness Trainer & Oil Field Logistics to The Duplex King of Houston | How Larry Reyes Built 38 Projects, Invented the Stackable Duplex & Is Now Going Commercial | Pick Up The Phone Podcast

The Man Who Changed Houston Real Estate Forever | The Duplex King Larry Reyes | Pick Up The Phone Podcast Before Larry Reyes came along, nobody in Houston had ever built a true stacked duplex — one full unit downstairs, one full unit upstairs — on a 2,500 square foot lot. The city didn't have plans for it. Engineers said it couldn't be done. His own lenders doubted it. But Larry spent nine months going back and forth with the City of Houston, working with his engineer to crack the firewall code — a two-hour fire-rated separation between units so the upstairs tenant has time to escape if a fire starts below. Once he solved it, he built it. The first day it hit the market, it got 45 showings. What he didn't know was that most of those people weren't buyers — they were measuring, filming, and taking notes. Within months, copycats were popping up all over Houston. Someone he had mentored — let ride in his truck, walk his job sites — had quietly stolen his floor plan and was building it for other investors. Larry couldn't copyright it. He couldn't sue. But the City of Houston inspectors, who had watched him build these things right every single time, gave him a title that nobody could take: The Duplex King. This is that story. 💡 KEY TAKEAWAYS: ✅ How Larry went from personal trainer to #1 salesperson in all of 24 Hour Fitness USA — at just 22 years old ✅ Why Larry quit his real estate license within 5 months of getting it to go full investor — and never looked back ✅ The oil field crash of 2013 that forced Larry to pivot — and how it accidentally launched his real estate career ✅ How Larry opened a restaurant in honor of his late father — and why selling it was the turning point that brought him back to real estate full-time ✅ How Larry became the FIRST person in Houston to build a vertical stacked duplex on a 2,500 sq ft lot — solving the firewall problem that stumped every engineer and took 9 months of back-and-forth with the City of Houston to crack ✅ The stolen plans story: how someone Larry mentored secretly filmed his job sites, copied his floor plan, and started building it for other investors — and why Larry couldn't stop them ✅ How the City of Houston inspectors — not Larry himself — gave him the title "Duplex King" because every time they showed up to inspect, everything was done right ✅ How Larry has worked with the same private lenders for 11 years — and the trust-based relationship that has never required a single renegotiation ✅ Why Larry builds duplexes in just 12 weeks — and how he manages 13 active projects simultaneously with his son and daughter ✅ Larry's plan to become a private lender in 3 years — lending his own $5M at 10-11% and eventually funding his son's empire ✅ Why Larry's business model focuses exclusively on ARV $240K and under — and why he refuses to chase bigger deals ✅ How Larry buys land, closes in 7-8 days cash, and why generational land transfers are creating the best buying opportunities in Houston right now Visit here to book your free Vancom strategy session and unlock consistent real estate deals: http://vancom.io/schedule 📩 For business inquiries: admin@vancom.io 🔗 Stay Connected With Me. Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/josuellanass TikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@josuellanass LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/josuellanas Visit here to book your free Vancom strategy session and unlock consistent real estate deals: http://vancom.io/schedule 🔔𝐃𝐨𝐧'𝐭 𝐟𝐨𝐫𝐠𝐞𝐭 𝐭𝐨 𝐬𝐮𝐛𝐬𝐜𝐫𝐢𝐛𝐞 𝐭𝐨 𝐦𝐲 𝐜𝐡𝐚𝐧𝐧𝐞𝐥 𝐟𝐨𝐫 𝐦𝐨𝐫𝐞 𝐮𝐩𝐝𝐚𝐭𝐞𝐬. https://www.youtube.com/@JosueLlanas/?sub_confirmation=1 ============================= 🎬Suggested videos for you: ▶️ https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=o9-nf3LCM0Q ▶️ https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Qb6ULcOQyFQ ▶️ https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=OxmqDQcYl6k ▶️ https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=oIcTWcD0qu0 ▶️ https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=TpY_Oiae2ZE ▶️ https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=TIvZMN4HGcs ▶️ https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Ui0BuMj9TXc ================================= 📌 Chapters: 00:00 - Introduction & Welcome to Pick Up The Phone Podcast 00:23 - Meet Larry Reyes: 38 Projects, 19 Duplexes, Stackable Duplex Inventor & 12-Unit Commercial Deal 00:53 - Born & Raised in Houston: Federal & Fleming to North Shore 01:48 - Getting His Real Estate License in 2007 — And Quitting It in 5 Months 02:05 - The $300 Commission That Changed Everything: Watching an Investor Work 03:49 - #1 Salesperson at 24 Hour Fitness USA at 22 Years Old 05:10 - First Real Estate Deal: FHA Loan, Fix-Up & Selling for a Profit 06:24 - The 2008 Market Crash & Going Into Oil Field Logistics 06:51 - The 2013 Oil Field Crash & How Real Estate Came Back Into the Picture 07:09 - Opening a Restaurant in Honor of His Father 10:38 - His Father's Passing & the Decision to Sell the Restaurant 12:14 - Back to Real Estate Full-Time: The Pivot That Changed Everything 13:13 - Building His First Duplex & Meeting His Private Lenders in 2015 14:28 - 11 Years With the Same Private Lenders: The Power of Trust & Loyalty 15:51 - How Larry Scaled Without Any Hard Money or Banks — Private Lending Only 16:27 - Larry's 3-Year Plan: Becoming a Private Lender With His Own $5M 17:40 - The Invention: Why Larry Decided to Stack Duplexes Vertically on a 2,500 Sq Ft Lot 18:03 - The Firewall Problem: What Nobody Had Solved Before & How Larry Cracked It 19:17 - 9 Months With the City of Houston: Getting the First Stackable Duplex Approved 24:48 - 45 Showings on Day One — And Most of Them Were Copying His Floor Plan 27:00 - The Stolen Plans: How Someone He Mentored Took His Design & Built It for Other Investors 35:00 - Why You Can't Copyright a Floor Plan — And How Larry Responded 37:51 - How the City of Houston Inspectors Named Him "The Duplex King" 38:00 - Scaling to 38 Projects in One Year: The Systems Behind the Volume 41:00 - The First 12-Unit Commercial Deal: Why Larry Is Going Bigger 45:00 - Private Lending Relationships: How to Build Trust With Lenders Over Time 50:00 - Larry's Business Model: ARV $240K and Under — Why He Won't Go Higher 52:18 - Goal: Be a Private Lender in 3 Years — Lending $5M at 10-11% 54:00 - Buying Land: Cash Closings in 7-8 Days & Generational Opportunity 55:00 - Building Duplexes in 12 Weeks: How Larry Manages 13 Projects at Once 56:00 - Running a Family Business: Son as GC & Agent, Daughter as Bookkeeper 59:00 - Inspections in Houston: 21 Inspections Per Project & Why Relationships Matter 62:59 - What Larry Is Buying Now: Full Rehabs, ARV Under $250K, Off-Market Land 64:01 - How to Connect With Larry Reyes & Bring Him Deals ====================== 🔗 CONNECT WITH LARRY REYES: Instagram: @_larryreyes_ DM for deals & inquiries ====================== OUR SPONSORS: Caisen Sullivan - New Western (409) 527-1115 Andrew Faught - Renovo (210) 425-2190 Natalie Murillo - Black Label Title (936) 442-8486 GetHardMoney.com ================================= For Business inquiries, please use the contact information below: 📩 Email: admin@vancom.io 🔔 If you're passionate about entrepreneurship and personal growth, hit subscribe and get inspired by real stories from successful entrepreneurs and their journeys! https://www.youtube.com/@JosueLlanas/?sub_confirmation=1 ================================= #realestateinvesting #duplexinvesting #newconstruction #houstonrealestate #stackableduplex #duplexking #realestatdeveloper #realestateinvestor #privatelending #hardmoneyloans #realestatefinancing #wealthbuilding #financialfreedom #entrepreneurship #realestatetips #passiveincome #realestateportfolio #multifamilyinvesting #realestatemindset #howtoinvestinrealestate #realestateeducation #propertyinvesting #realestatesuccess #investmentproperty #realestategoals #rentalproperty #realestatemotivation #podcast #podcastlife #businesspodcast #entrepreneurmindset #successstory #growthmindset #moneymindset #buildyourempire #realestatelife #texasrealestate #houstonbusiness #investinyourself #noexcuses #texas #money #oilandgas #familybusiness #realestatescaling The Man Who Changed Houston Real Estate Forever | Larry Reyes Built the First Vertical Stacked Duplex on a 2,500 Sq Ft Lot, Solved the Firewall Problem Nobody Else Could & Got His Plans Stolen — Now He's The Duplex King | Pick Up The Phone Podcast

From Fitness Trainer to 450+ Wholesale Deals | How Blake Hawkins Built a Wholesaling Machine & Invested $1.5M in Lead Generation | Pick Up The Phone Podcast

From Fitness Trainer to 450+ Wholesale Deals | How Blake Hawkins Built a Wholesaling Machine & Invested $1.5M in Lead Generation | Pick Up The Phone Podcast The unfiltered journey of Blake Hawkins — from 10 years as a personal trainer at 24 Hour Fitness, to selling cars at a Nissan dealership, to quitting on a gut feeling in March 2018 and building one of Houston's most battle-tested wholesaling operations with 450+ closed transactions and over $1.5 million invested in lead generation. 💡 KEY TAKEAWAYS: ✅ How Blake went from fitness trainer to car salesman to full-time wholesaler — and why a single truck sale changed his entire life ✅ The exact moment Blake quit his dealership job with no plan — and drove for dollars that same afternoon ✅ How cold calling with Filipino VAs became Blake's first real proof of concept and the mindset shift that changed everything ✅ The partnership that went wrong — and the hard lessons Blake learned about choosing business partners ✅ What it really takes to survive in today's wholesale market — and why most people quit too early ✅ The #1 thing Blake would tell his younger self about lead generation, marketing spend, and building a real business Visit here to book your free Vancom strategy session and unlock consistent real estate deals: http://vancom.io/schedule 📩 For business inquiries: admin@vancom.io 🔗 Stay Connected With Me. Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/josuellanass TikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@josuellanass LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/josuellanas Visit here to book your free Vancom strategy session and unlock consistent real estate deals: http://vancom.io/schedule 🔔𝐃𝐨𝐧'𝐭 𝐟𝐨𝐫𝐠𝐞𝐭 𝐭𝐨 𝐬𝐮𝐛𝐬𝐜𝐫𝐢𝐛𝐞 𝐭𝐨 𝐦𝐲 𝐜𝐡𝐚𝐧𝐧𝐞𝐥 𝐟𝐨𝐫 𝐦𝐨𝐫𝐞 𝐮𝐩𝐝𝐚𝐭𝐞𝐬. https://www.youtube.com/@JosueLlanas/?sub_confirmation=1 ============================= 🎬Suggested videos for you: ▶️ https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=o9-nf3LCM0Q ▶️ https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Qb6ULcOQyFQ ▶️ https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=OxmqDQcYl6k ▶️ https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=oIcTWcD0qu0 ▶️ https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=TpY_Oiae2ZE ▶️ https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=TIvZMN4HGcs ▶️ https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Ui0BuMj9TXc ================================= 📌 Chapters: 00:00 - Introduction & Welcome to Pick Up The Phone Podcast 00:23 - Meet Blake Hawkins: 450+ Deals & $1.5M Invested in Lead Generation 00:48 - Blake's Origin Story: 10 Years as a Fitness Trainer at 24 Hour Fitness 01:06 - From the Gym to the Dealership: Getting Into Car Sales 01:29 - The Truck Sale That Changed Everything — Meeting Nathan Haley 02:43 - Shadowing a Wholesaler: Bandit Signs, Ride-Alongs & Learning the Game 04:12 - Quitting the Dealership in March 2018 & Going All-In on Real Estate 08:00 - First Year in Real Estate: 8 Deals, $40K & Staying on the Struggle Bus 13:00 - Scaling to 3 Closings Per Month: Cold Calling, Systems & Momentum 16:30 - The September 2020 Betrayal: How Blake Lost His Team Overnight 20:00 - Considering Quitting & the Partner Who Came at the Right Time 27:45 - The Market Shift & Realizing the Business Model Needed to Change 34:00 - Switching to Inbound Digital Ads: The Strategy That Scaled the Business 51:42 - Is It the Market or Is It You? Blake's Honest Take on Excuses 52:18 - Are Sellers Softening? The State of Off-Market Acquisitions in Houston 56:09 - Interest Rates, Inventory & What's Really Happening in Real Estate Right Now 57:49 - Off-Market Acquisitions: Why It's a Unique Deal in Any Market 60:10 - How to Win in Off-Market Acquisition When Everyone Else Is Struggling 65:14 - Final Advice for Anyone Going Through Challenges in Real Estate ====================== 🔗 CONNECT WITH BLAKE HAWKINS: Instagram: www.instagram.com/therealblakeryanhawkins/ Website: www.momentumcouncil.com ====================== OUR SPONSORS: Caisen Sullivan - New Western (409) 527-1115 Andrew Faught - Renovo (210) 425-2190 Natalie Murillo - Black Label Title (936) 442-8486 GetHardMoney.com ================================= For Business inquiries, please use the contact information below: 📩 Email: admin@vancom.io 🔔 If you're passionate about entrepreneurship and personal growth, hit subscribe and get inspired by real stories from successful entrepreneurs and their journeys! https://www.youtube.com/@JosueLlanas/?sub_confirmation=1 ================================= #wholesalingrealestate #realestateinvesting #houstonrealestate #realestateinvestor #coldcalling #leadgeneration #realestatewholesaler #fliphouses #offmarketrealestate #realestatebusiness #entrepreneurship #financialfreedom #wealthbuilding #realestatetips #realestatemarket #realestatepodcast #realestatelife #texas #money #podcast #podcastlife #businesspodcast #moneymindset #passiveincome #realestateeducation #howtoinvestinrealestate #propertyinvesting #realestatesuccess #investmentproperty From Fitness Trainer to 450+ Wholesale Deals | How Blake Hawkins Built a Wholesaling Machine & Invested $1.5M in Lead Generation | Pick Up The Phone Podcast