He Bought a Middle School and Turned It Into Multifamily | Dan Axelrod

He Bought a Middle School and Turned It Into Multifamily | Dan Axelrod

Join Josue Llanas on the Pick Up The Phone Podcast as he sits down with Dan Axelrod, an economist turned real estate developer, to discuss his unique strategy for building wealth: increasing property density. In this episode, you'll discover: * Dan's Journey: From studying economics in Vegas to building single and multi-family units in Houston. * The Economist's Edge: Why looking at real estate through the lens of human decision-making gives you a distinct advantage. * The Math of Density: The exact blueprint for boosting property value simply by adding rooms and units. * The Corporate Leap: Insider tips on transitioning out of corporate finance to become an independent developer. * Market Predictions: Bold insights on upcoming trends and what to look for when forming real estate partnerships. Whether you're a seasoned investor looking for an analytical perspective or a beginner looking to understand true property valuation, Dan's numbers-driven approach will change how you look at real estate. * 00:00 - Introduction & Guest Welcome * 01:14 - Dan Axelrod's Background & Journey to Vegas * 03:41 - How Studying Economics Shapes Real Estate Decisions * 05:31 - Transitioning from Corporate Analyst to Entrepreneur * 07:42 - Moving to Houston & Building Partnerships * 12:15 - The Strategy of Increasing Property Density * 18:30 - Navigating the Current Real Estate Market * 25:45 - Bold Predictions for Future Developments * 32:10 - Insider Tips for New Real Estate Investors * 45:20 - Closing Thoughts & How to Connect Dan Axelrod, real estate density, real estate investing, Houston real estate, multifamily investing, single family homes, property development, real estate strategy, wealth building, real estate tips, investment properties, real estate market, real estate education, entrepreneurship, business podcast, real estate podcast, Josue Llanas, Pick Up The Phone podcast, real estate expert, property investment, real estate financing, development strategy, market analysis, real estate trends, passive income.

The AI Gap Is About to Change Real Estate Forever | Chris Bounds

How do you scale a real estate investing business from a few inconsistent flips to a highly predictable, multi-deal monthly operation? In this episode of the Pick Up The Phone Podcast, host Josue Llanas sits down with real estate entrepreneur, founder, and innovator Chris Bounds. Together, they break down the exact operational frameworks, marketing channels, and capital-raising structures required to build a resilient, modern real estate business. Chris shares his journey from hands-on door knocking to mastering high-intent direct mail, managing the operational bottlenecks of scaling a volume-driven portfolio, and navigating the future of tech in the industry. Whether you are an active investor looking to fix leaks in your lead pipeline, a founder building a personal content engine, or an entrepreneur preparing to raise capital, this conversation offers a complete masterclass in modern business architecture. 📌 EPISODE KEY TAKEAWAYS * The Inbound Marketing Engine: Why high-intent channels like direct mail changed everything for Chris, and how to structure your team to handle sudden influxes of volume. * Plugging Lead Pipeline Leaks: A deep dive into the three operational bottlenecks that sabotage most traditional real estate operations: missed live calls, delayed responses, and broken long-term follow-up. * The Authority Engine Framework: How to build a highly efficient personal content framework that establishes market authority and drives organic deal flow without consuming your entire week. * Macro Tech Trends in Real Estate: Predictions on where real estate CRM structures, communication layers, and fully autonomous transaction models are heading over the next few years. * The Mechanics of Capital & Exit Math: Tactical financial advice for scaling founders, including navigating SAFE rounds, convertible notes, and leveraging massive founder tax advantages. ⏱️ CHAPTER TIMESTAMPS * 00:00 – Intro: Josue Llanas & Chris Bounds * 01:02 – Chris’s Origin Story: From Corporate Sales to Real Estate * 02:54 – Navigating the Early Days: First Flips & Door Knocking Strategies * 09:09 – Marketing That Scales: Direct Mail Systems & Managing Inbound Intent * 16:28 – The Modern Real Estate Tech Problem: Solving the Fragmented "Franken-Stack" * 22:32 – The Core Operational Flaws Sabotaging Your Lead Conversion Rates * 25:32 – Next-Gen Operations: Streamlining Systems for a 3x ROI * 31:11 – Software Architecture Trade-offs: Efficiency, Custom Code, and Systems Building * 37:26 – The Authority Engine: Creating Personal Content and Branding at Scale * 49:18 – Overcoming Communication Barriers: Handling Multilingual Lead Flow Natively * 51:03 – Lessons from the Trenches: The Airbnb Legal Battle & Exit Math Realities * 59:31 – Industry Predictions: The Future of Real Estate CRMs & Autonomous Wholesaling Transactions * 01:17:41 – Raising Capital Effectively: Navigating SAFE Rounds, Convertible Notes, and Founder Tax Breaks * 01:24:31 – Wrap Up & Where to Connect with Chris

What It Takes to Join the Top 6% in Commercial Real Estate - CCIM | Charles Patawaran

In this episode of Pick Up The Phone Podcast, Josue Llanas sits down with Charles Patawaran, entrepreneur, commercial real estate operator, developer, and CCIM designee. Charles shares his journey from building businesses in the healthcare industry to becoming a respected figure in commercial real estate. The conversation dives into business acquisitions, EBITDA valuations, SBA financing, capital raising, commercial development, and what it takes to operate at a high level in a competitive industry. Charles also explains the importance of creating value, developing expertise, and thinking beyond traditional brokerage by focusing on development, strategic partnerships, and long-term wealth creation. If you're an entrepreneur, investor, broker, developer, or business owner looking to scale your thinking and understand how high-level operators approach business and real estate, this episode is packed with valuable insights. In this episode, you'll learn: • What it takes to earn the CCIM designation and why it matters • How businesses are valued using EBITDA multiples • SBA financing strategies for acquisitions • The transition from healthcare entrepreneurship to commercial real estate • The mindset behind building long-term enterprise value • Commercial development opportunities and deal structure • Capital raising and investor relationships • Why top operators focus on solving problems and creating value Follow Pick Up The Phone Podcast for more conversations with entrepreneurs, investors, and industry leaders building extraordinary businesses.

From Cuba to $15M: The Carlos Pereira Story

Welcome to another powerhouse episode of the Pick Up The Phone Podcast with your host, Josue Llanas! In this episode, we are joined by Carlos Pereira, a construction entrepreneur who immigrated from Cuba to Miami at age 10 and went on to build a massive $15 million real estate development empire in just two years. Carlos breaks down his entire journey—from navigating government rehab contracts at just 18 years old to moving to Houston with a "shoot, fire, aim" mentality to master new construction from scratch. But he didn't stop there. Today, Carlos is merging real estate with cutting-edge technology, using an advanced workforce of 19 internal AI agents and emotionally intelligent voice AI to completely automate his business workflows. Whether you’re an aspiring real estate developer, a contractor looking to scale, or an entrepreneur curious about how AI is disrupting traditional industries, this episode is a masterclass in execution. 💡 KEY TAKEAWAYS FROM THIS EPISODE * The Power of an Immigrant Work Ethic: How arriving in Miami from Cuba at age 10 shaped Carlos's drive and how working with his entrepreneurial father laid his business foundations. * The $3M Government Contract Shortcut: How unexpected local government rehab contracts in Florida kickstarted a multi-million dollar operation before Carlos even turned 20. * The "Shoot, Fire, Aim" Framework: Moving to Houston to tackle the brutal learning curve of new construction with zero prior experience. * Learning on Someone Else's Dime: Why Carlos chose to work for other major construction firms to study their internal systems and build rock-solid subcontractor relationships before launching his own brand. * The Reality of Kaling Homes: Inside the cash-flow risks, financing hurdles, and operational triumphs of scaling to $15 million in revenue. * Protecting Your Margin: Crucial legal lessons on why trust alone is a financial trap in construction, and why strict, attorney-reviewed contracts are non-negotiable. * The AI Revolution in Real Estate: A deep dive into how Carlos deploys 19 distinct AI agents and human-sounding voice bots to handle property surveys and qualify leads automatically.

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.