E32: How AI Can Already Negotiate Real Estate Deals for You (But There's A Catch) with Jordan Fleming

E36: 70% of the Data You Buy Is Already Dead Before You Use It with Alicia Jarrett

Alicia Jarrett is a former real estate investor turned data infrastructure founder who spent a decade fixing and flipping homes from Australia, running vacant land deals, and building a data and marketing company before launching Sifter Solutions Inc., a platform sitting at the intersection of data aggregators and the apps that use them. Based now in Florida after relocating from Australia, she brings a decade of operator experience to a company purpose-built to solve a problem she lived firsthand: the real estate industry wastes between 50 and 70 percent of the $30 billion it spends annually on data because nobody is managing that data once it's bought. In this conversation with host John, Alicia breaks down what Sifter does across three layers — data processing as a service, AI-powered record verification through a product called Sifter Truth, and blockchain infrastructure for tokenizing real world assets — and why every piece of it traces back to a simple belief: if you don't trust the data, you shouldn't be buying it. She also goes deep on entrepreneurial pivoting versus shiny object syndrome, why your North Star matters more than any strategy, and what she sees happening in the real estate market over the next six to nine months. If you're a real estate operator who's ever bought a list and wondered whether it was worth anything, this conversation will change how you think about data forever. Episode Highlights [0:41] – Host John introduces Alicia Jarrett, now living in Florida after a decade of real estate investing from Australia [1:56] – How Alicia thinks about her business journey: not a series of new starts but a decade-long evolution from fix and flip to vacant land to data and finally to Sifter Solutions [3:49] – Why a decade of doing real estate deals yourself makes you a fundamentally better product builder for the people still doing them [5:13] – Alicia's take on what failure actually means for an entrepreneur and why pivoting is a skill set that takes real courage to develop [6:28] – The difference between shiny object syndrome and a true strategic pivot and how a clear North Star is the only reliable filter between the two [8:08] – Why some people chase the next thing not because of opportunity but because they can't tolerate difficulty — and what that pattern costs them [9:06] – How Sifter is built on three pillars: big data, AI, and blockchain, and why Alicia's job is not to be the expert but to find the people who are [11:45] – The $30 billion problem: how much the US real estate industry spends on data annually and how much of it gets wasted because no one manages the lifecycle [13:05] – What Sifter's platform does before you buy data: analytics, fall-through rates, assessed value versus sale price, and FHA/VA/conventional splits so you know what you're purchasing [14:55] – How Sifter sits in the middle of data aggregators and marketing systems to manage compliance, skip tracing, DNC checks, refresh cycles, and CRM delivery [16:29] – Sifter Truth: the AI-powered truth layer being built to verify individual records, and why a verified data record could soon be worth far more than the $0.05 to $0.10 people pay today [19:11] – Web2 versus Web3 in plain English and why blockchain puts the data consumer in control of access, payments, and smart contract management for the first time [20:11] – How Sifter's partnership with TX (formerly Solar) is tokenizing every US property across 2,000 data points per property to lay the groundwork for DeFi real estate lending [26:23] – Alicia's three-part framework for deciding whether a business pivot is real: who does it help, how big is the problem at scale, and do you have the skills or support to actually execute 5 Key Takeaways 1. Your North Star is what separates a pivot from a distraction. Shiny object syndrome doesn't hit people with a clear direction and strong internal resilience. It hits people whose vision isn't defined clearly enough to anchor them when things get hard. 2. If you don't trust the data, don't buy it. Between 50 and 70 percent of real estate data purchased in the US gets wasted because investors buy first and ask questions later. Understanding what data is telling you before you purchase it is the foundation of a smarter acquisition strategy. 3. Doing the thing yourself first makes you better at everything that comes after. Alicia's decade of running real estate deals from Australia is what separates Sifter from a software company that guessed at what operators need. Operator experience is a product advantage most tech builders never develop. 4. Pivoting is a skill, not a failure. Moving from one business model to another requires courage, self-awareness, and the discipline to carry your learnings forward rather than leaving them behind. People who call it failure are usually watching from the outside. 5. The market always has deals for people willing to work with it. Whether rates are rising or falling, divorces and deaths and financial distress still create motivated sellers. Investors who catastrophize over market conditions are often competing against the smaller group who simply adapted their strategy and kept going. Closing Remark Alicia Jarrett represents the kind of operator-turned-builder this industry needs more of: someone who lived the data problem, got tired of it, and built the infrastructure to fix it. If you're doing deals and wondering why your marketing keeps underperforming, the answer is almost certainly in how your data is being managed — or not managed — after you buy it. If you enjoyed this episode, make sure to rate, follow, share, and review The PETE Podcast so more investors can learn how to build smarter real estate businesses.

E35: The Playbook for Building a Creative Finance Real Estate Business Without Blowing Up Your Marriage with Joe & Jenn Delle Fave

Joe and Jenn Delle Fave are a husband-and-wife real estate investing team based in Florida who left their W-2 jobs behind to build a creative finance portfolio using subject-to deals, seller financing, and lease options — without banks, down payments, or their own credit. Joe spent years grinding 12-to-14-hour days in a car dealership finance office before realizing the money wasn't worth the life he was missing. Jenn came out of a classroom teaching career, made $29,000 her first year after getting her four-year degree and a master's, and eventually poured all of that same work ethic into building something real. Today they run the Creative Finance Playbook, lead a small but mighty team, homeschool their kids, and have helped more renters become homeowners than just about anyone they know. This conversation covers the full arc — from their first junker house in upstate New York in 2008, to the discovery that the banks were about to cut them off at ten mortgages, to doubling down on marketing at the very beginning of a global pandemic and going from one deal a year to one deal a month overnight. Joe and Jenn talk about how they divide responsibilities as a married couple in business together, how they trained a former babysitter who had never heard of Zillow into a four-year acquisitions rockstar, and why creative finance deals consistently outperform their best fix-and-flip numbers. If you have ever wanted to see what it looks like when two people actually build the life together instead of talking about it, this is that story. Episode Highlights [0:53] – Host introduces Joe and Jenn as creators of the Creative Finance Playbook, who closed their first deal together in 2008 and now buy without banks, down payments, or their own credit [1:50] – Joe and Jenn describe themselves as dreamers who had a vision of leaving their jobs, moving to Florida, and traveling — a goal that once felt impossible until it wasn't [2:51] – Joe describes the 12-to-14-hour dealership finance days: leaving before the kids were up, coming home after they were in bed, eating pizza at his desk [4:07] – Jenn shares her teaching background: college in 1999, $29,000 starting salary, master's degree debt, and the moment she realized wealth might actually be available to her too [6:07] – How their exits from W-2 work happened separately: Jenn left first, then took over operations, and Joe stayed until Covid forced the issue [7:01] – The turning point when the banks were about to cut them off at ten mortgages and they discovered creative finance as the path forward [7:39] – Joe's dealership owner gave him a huge raise five days before Covid shut everything down, and March 12th, 2020 became his last day of work [8:28] – How they went from one deal a year to one deal a month by marketing hard at the very start of the pandemic while others were frozen [11:16] – How they navigate disagreements as a couple in business: finding a mentor as the third voice and staying in their respective lanes [13:06] – Jenn's lane is operations and back-end systems; Joe's is seller calls and deal making — and they figured that out through a few bumps and some honest conversation [14:19] – Their current team: small but mighty, with virtual assistants, an executive assistant, and a former babysitter turned four-year acquisitions rockstar who had to have Zillow spelled out for her on day one [17:08] – Why Joe has always been willing to train people with zero real estate experience and why mindset and attitude matter more than a résumé [19:20] – Their coaching community started virtual and recently added in-person events because nothing replaces the energy of being in the same room [20:25] – How homeschooling lets their kids travel with them to meetups and events, and why both kids at 13 and 11 told state evaluators they want to do real estate [22:13] – How creative finance reframes what it means to help sellers: most sellers don't want to sell, life just happened, and listening to those stories changes how you show up [24:12] – A real deal breakdown: a turnkey Florida house with a 3.25% seller-financed rate, no money down, and over $210,000 in saved finance charges compared to current market rates [25:47] – How they structure lease-option exits for buyers: helping renters become homeowners over time and why those deals consistently produce over six-figure returns 5 Key Takeaways 1. Stay in your lanes. Clearly defined roles are not a limitation in a husband-and-wife business — they are the engine. Once Joe owned seller calls and Jenn owned operations, everything accelerated. 2. Double down when others are frozen. Joe and Jenn launched their full marketing push at the start of a global pandemic. The properties they bought during that season of uncertainty have since doubled or more in value. 3. Creative finance lets you pay full price and still win. When you buy on terms, you are negotiating rate and structure, not equity. That means more sellers say yes, more deals close with dignity, and the returns often beat a fix-and-flip by a wide margin. 4. Hire for mindset, not experience. Their best team member had never heard of Zillow on day one. She became a four-year acquisitions rockstar because she had the right attitude and was willing to take action. The skill can be taught. The character cannot. 5. Every no gets you closer to yes. Rejection is a data point, not a stop sign. Averages always prevail for the people willing to stay the course. Closing Remark Joe and Jenn Delle Fave are a living example of what happens when two people refuse to let their circumstances write their story — and choose to build something meaningful together instead. If you enjoyed this episode, make sure to rate, follow, share, and review The PETE Podcast so more investors can learn how to build smarter real estate businesses.

E34: They Lost Money, Lost Houses, and Kept Their Word Anyway with Antonio & Ashley Denmark

In this episode of The PETE Podcast, I sit down with Antonio and Ashley Denmark to talk about building a real estate business rooted in integrity, faith, and long-term impact. The Denmarks share their journey from getting started in real estate during the 2009 market crash to eventually leaving their jobs and going all in on investing together as a husband-and-wife team. We dive into the mindset required to "burn the boats," embrace failure, and build a business while raising a young family. We also discuss some of the hardest seasons they've faced—including losing properties during COVID—and why protecting their reputation and honoring their word mattered more than taking the easy way out. Their perspective on integrity, relationships, and helping people achieve homeownership through creative financing strategies sets them apart in an industry where shortcuts are common. From coaching first-time investors to leveraging AI inside their business, this episode is packed with practical wisdom and real-life lessons about leadership, resilience, and building something meaningful. If you're looking for a conversation about real estate that goes beyond tactics and focuses on character, mindset, and long-term success, this episode delivers exactly that. Episode Highlights [0:00] – Why integrity and reputation matter more than anything [1:05] – Introduction to Antonio and Ashley Denmark [2:13] – Antonio's unexpected love for fruity drinks [2:51] – How they first discovered real estate investing in 2009 [3:25] – Attending auctions and seeing houses sell for unbelievably low prices [4:21] – Transitioning from rentals to full-time investing [5:02] – Ashley getting laid off and the decision to go all in [6:14] – Why Antonio believed it was time to "burn the boats" [7:11] – Building a business together as husband and wife [8:17] – Antonio's entrepreneurial background before real estate [9:02] – "Fail forward" and why failure is necessary for growth [11:02] – Lessons learned from losing properties during COVID [11:46] – Paying back private lenders even after difficult losses [12:22] – Protecting your name and reputation in business [13:11] – Building a business based on integrity and honesty [13:37] – Helping working professionals get their first real estate deal [14:07] – Creating an ecosystem to support beginner investors [15:10] – Why selling is actually serving people [15:49] – Student success stories and helping people overcome fear [17:09] – Building personalized roadmaps for investors [18:18] – Why flexibility in exit strategies matters [19:16] – The "slippery method" and lease-option investing strategy [20:23] – The fulfillment of helping people become homeowners [21:05] – Why serving others creates long-term success [22:56] – Upcoming AI Summit and how they're using AI in real estate [24:34] – Growing a coaching community across multiple states [25:53] – Prioritizing experiences and family over flashy lifestyles [28:57] – Final advice: watch who you listen to and who speaks into your life 5 Key Takeaways 1. Integrity compounds over time. Your reputation and willingness to honor your word matter more than short-term profits. 2. Failure is part of the process. The key is learning quickly, adjusting, and continuing to move forward. 3. Helping people should be the foundation of business. The more value and service you provide, the more opportunities naturally follow. 4. Flexibility creates longevity in real estate. Having multiple exit strategies protects investors when markets shift. 5. The people around you shape your future. You need voices of faith, growth, and positivity—not fear and limitation. Closing Remark Antonio and Ashley Denmark are proof that real success isn't built on hype—it's built on integrity, consistency, and serving people well over the long term. Whether they're helping investors land their first deal, creating paths to homeownership, or navigating difficult seasons in business, their approach is centered around character first and profits second. If you enjoyed this episode, make sure to rate, follow, share, and review The PETE Podcast so more investors can learn how to build smarter real estate businesses.

E33: Escape the Income Roller Coaster and Build a Business That Actually Gives You Freedom with Alex Pardo

In this episode of The PETE Podcast, host John Nolan sits down with Alex Pardo, founder of Storage Wins, to talk about his journey from 14 years in single family wholesaling to building a self-storage portfolio — and why he never looked back. Alex shares the real reasons he walked away from a nine-person wholesaling operation in South Florida, why single family rentals didn't give him the freedom he was looking for, and how a chance encounter in a mastermind opened his eyes to the self-storage asset class. He breaks down exactly how to manage facilities remotely without employees, what makes a good storage market, and why storage is more of a business play than a traditional real estate project. He also gets personal — sharing his biggest professional mistake, a $130,000 IRS bill he didn't see coming, and the hard lesson he learned about abdicating financial responsibility. If you're a residential investor curious about storage or just looking for a smarter path to freedom, this episode is worth the full listen. Episode Highlights [0:35] – Introduction to Alex Pardo and Storage Wins [0:53] – The shared jiu-jitsu connection and what the sport teaches about life and business [2:18] – Why personal growth and professional growth are inseparable [3:08] – Designing a business that supports your life — not the other way around [3:29] – What made Alex walk away from a thriving wholesaling business after 14 years [4:13] – The concept of playing the movie forward and why it drives big decisions [5:18] – The income roller coaster of wholesaling and why Alex got tired of it [5:57] – Why single family rentals didn't deliver the freedom Alex expected [6:19] – How coaching someone in a mastermind introduced him to self-storage [7:02] – Using Covid as the catalyst to finally unwind the single family business [7:44] – Why property management didn't solve the rental headache problem [8:31] – What a rental portfolio is actually good for — and what it isn't [9:25] – How to properly underwrite a rental with vacancy, CapEx, and maintenance baked in [10:37] – Why single family skills transfer directly into self-storage [11:19] – The two areas where storage underwriting is genuinely different [12:32] – The filters Alex used when choosing his next business — and how storage checked every box [13:30] – The three-pronged remote management system for storage facilities [14:19] – How Alex managed 104,000 sq ft in four facilities in under two hours a week [14:53] – What a boots-on-the-ground team member actually does — and what it costs [16:16] – Where to find reliable boots-on-the-ground contractors (including a tip on firefighters) [17:08] – Gated vs. non-gated facilities and when it matters [18:10] – Alex's biggest mistake: buying his first storage deal in the wrong market [19:19] – The market demographics that matter most when evaluating a storage deal [21:22] – What storage renters are really looking for: convenience, cleanliness, and security [21:58] – Why self-storage is an unusually sticky product with long average tenancy [23:16] – The pain of disconnect: why most renters just keep paying rather than move out [24:42] – Why Americans' consumption habits make storage recession-resilient [25:01] – Alex's first-ever in-person Storage Wins retreat at a Key Largo beach house [26:05] – The concept of vision stacking and how to combine business and life goals [27:44] – What happened at the retreat: deals made, connections formed, and an NFL legend introduced [29:36] – What genuinely drives Alex — wanting to see people win [31:02] – Alex's biggest professional mistake: abdicating all financial responsibility to a bookkeeper [33:07] – Getting a $130K IRS bill in 2009 with no money to pay it [33:47] – How Alex paid off the IRS and $40K in credit card debt over three years [34:29] – The difference between delegating and abdicating — and why it matters [35:36] – Parting advice: speed of implementation is the real multiplier [36:25] – Where to follow Alex and find the Storage Wins podcast and YouTube channel 5 Key Takeaways 1. Design the business around your life — not the other way around. Alex's shift to storage wasn't just about a better asset class. It was about building something that fit the life he actually wanted. 2. Your single family skills are more transferable than you think. Marketing, acquisitions, owner conversations — they all translate directly into storage. The learning curve is smaller than most people expect. 3. Market selection is everything. You can be an exceptional operator and still fail in the wrong market. Demographics, median household income, and supply-demand ratios matter as much in storage as they do in residential. 4. Storage is a sticky product. With an average length of stay north of two years, tenants tend to stay and pay — making it far more predictable than most real estate strategies. 5. Never abdicate financial responsibility. Delegating your books doesn't mean you're off the hook. The success or failure of your business ultimately sits with you. Closing Remark Whether you're burned out on single family, curious about a new asset class, or just looking for a business model that can run without you, Alex Pardo's story is proof that the pivot is worth it — as long as you go in with the right plan, the right market, and the right mindset. Make sure to rate, follow, share, and review The PETE Podcast so more investors can find the strategies that actually change lives.

E32: How AI Can Already Negotiate Real Estate Deals for You (But There's A Catch) with Jordan Fleming

In this episode of The PETE Podcast, I sit down with Jordan Fleming, founder and chairman of SmrtPhone, to talk about the evolution of communication technology in real estate and why AI-powered conversations are about to reshape the industry. Jordan shares the origin story behind SmrtPhone, from the early Podio days to building one of the most recognized communication platforms in the real estate investing space. We dive into how the company grew organically by solving a massive pain point for investors: disconnected communication systems and inefficient workflows. We also go deep into the future of AI agents, conversational platforms, and what it means to blend human employees with AI-driven workflows. Jordan breaks down the difference between traditional AI tools and "agentic AI," explains why most businesses are not structured properly for AI adoption, and shares his vision for how AI agents will eventually handle conversations, negotiations, and operational tasks inside businesses. From replacing outdated call center models to creating AI systems with memory and real-time context, this episode gives a fascinating look at where communication technology is heading—and how investors can prepare for it now. If you're interested in AI, automation, systems, or the future of real estate operations, this conversation is packed with insights that will change the way you think about business technology. Episode Highlights [0:05] – Introduction to Jordan Fleming and SmrtPhone [1:08] – How Jordan and John connected through the real estate tech space [2:17] – The origin story of SmrtPhone during the early Podio era [3:06] – Building custom Podio systems before launching SmrtPhone [4:06] – How SmrtPhone solved major communication problems for investors [5:08] – The importance of integrated systems and seamless workflows [6:27] – Why giving users choice matters in technology platforms [7:10] – The problem with software companies trying to lock users in [9:03] – Repositioning SmrtPhone from a "phone system" to a conversation platform [9:50] – The three pillars behind SmrtPhone's new direction [10:13] – Expanding into AI-powered communication tools and agents [11:13] – Why voice AI is one of the hardest forms of AI to build [12:19] – How AI agents are evolving beyond simple automation [13:06] – Defining "agentic AI" and what it actually means [14:28] – Why businesses need workflows designed for AI and humans together [15:26] – The concept of "bounded responsibility" for AI agents [16:14] – Can AI negotiate real estate deals in the future? [18:19] – Why poorly structured processes create chaos with AI [20:23] – The future of call centers and AI replacement [21:15] – Why consumers care more about results than whether AI is involved [22:48] – Connecting AI conversations back to solving customer problems [23:37] – New texting tools and marketing capabilities coming to SmrtPhone [24:38] – Launching the new Real Estate Technology event: RE Tech Unlocked [25:04] – Why hands-on tech training matters for real estate investors [26:12] – Jordan's upcoming book: Labor Architecture AI 5 Key Takeaways 1. Communication systems should remove friction, not create it. Integrated workflows and conversation tools make businesses faster and more effective. 2. AI is moving from information to action. "Agentic AI" is about AI systems that can perform work, make decisions, and operate within business workflows. 3. Most businesses are not structured for AI yet. Clear processes and "bounded responsibility" are necessary before AI can operate effectively. 4. Consumers care about outcomes, not technology. If AI solves problems quickly and effectively, most customers won't care whether they're speaking to a human or an AI agent. 5. The future of business will combine humans and AI together. Companies that learn how to blend AI workflows with human oversight will have a major competitive advantage. Links & Resources • Guest: Jordan Fleming • Company: SmrtPhone • Topics discussed: AI agents, communication systems, voice AI, real estate technology, automation, workflows Closing Remark Technology is changing faster than most businesses are prepared for—but Jordan Fleming makes it clear that the future isn't about replacing people. It's about building smarter systems where humans and AI work together to create better outcomes. Whether you're focused on real estate, operations, or scaling a business, this episode is a reminder that the companies willing to adapt early will have a massive advantage moving forward. If you enjoyed this episode, make sure to rate, follow, share, and review The PETE Podcast so more investors can learn how to build smarter real estate businesses.