Mike Cobb: What Raising Kids Overseas Does to How They See the World

Mike Cobb: What Raising Kids Overseas Does to How They See the World

Mike Cobb didn't find his path — he built it from scratch in a country most people couldn't locate on a map. In the mid-90s, a trip to Belize with a lawyer buddy turned into a mortgage company, which turned into a bank, which turned into a 2,500-acre development on the Pacific coast of Nicaragua, which turned into a teak timber operation planted in 1999 that's only now coming to harvest. Three businesses, three countries, and thirty-plus years of building things designed to outlive him. This episode isn't about the deals or the developments. It's about the mindset behind someone who has spent his entire adult life saying yes when most people would have walked away, and who now spends his time building leaders the same way he planted teak trees — knowing full well he may never sit in the shade. Key Talking Points of the Episode [00:37] How Mike and Jason first connected at a Dealmaker event in Richmond through Jim Ingersoll [02:49] The mid-90s trip to Belize that accidentally launched a mortgage company [03:51] Finding the gap: no mortgage money existed for North Americans buying in Belize [04:36] Growing the mortgage company into a full bank — a process that took from 1998 to 2003 [08:00] Five years of asking to buy into the business — and finally deciding to burn the ships when the answer kept being no [10:47] The risk calculation at 34: newly married, no kids, and willing to restart if it failed [22:59] Moving to Nicaragua in 2002 with a two-year-old — and staying 14 years [25:58] Raising third culture kids: the book, the fishbowl analogy, and what it means to grow up between two worlds [29:30] Moving back to West Virginia in 2016 after the oldest daughter received a ballet scholarship to the Joffrey program in New York [30:27] Building 100-year businesses and what that mindset shift does to how you lead and develop people [36:51] Why great leaders should expect — and celebrate — when people outgrow the roles they were hired for [38:19] How the original mortgage fund was structured before it became a bank Quotables * "We find a need that's either not being served or not being served very well. And if we can do something to change that, then we can be successful — if we're good at what we do." * "You got to pick your path and you got to commit to it. You just have to go all in." * "The fear of failure, the consequences of failure, can really paralyze us. So often in life, we imagine this two by 12 stretched between two skyscrapers, when in reality it might be a foot off the floor." * "I'm willing to take almost any risk that keeps me in the alive category." * "We said to ourselves: we're building a small town, and that's going to take 50, 75, 100 years. So we need to build a company that's going to be around for 100 years." * "It's not just about bringing up leaders and having them evolve. It's about making sure they understand that their real job is to develop the leadership that comes after them." * "You are not hiring people to stay in the role you're hiring them for. If they outgrow it, that should be a good thing." Links * ECI Development — ecidevelopment.com [http://ecidevelopment.com] * Mike Cobb's book: How to Buy Your Home Overseas and Get It Right the First Time — available on Amazon; free Kindle download via email: podcast@ecidevelopment.com [podcast@ecidevelopment.com] (write "book" in subject line) * 608B Capital (episode sponsor) — 608bcapital.com [http://608bcapital.com]

Jason Seward: Why Your Spouse Is the Most Important Business Decision You Will Ever Make

Jason Seward has spent the last four-plus years building a real estate business from scratch after a full corporate career, and he's been married to his wife Katie since 2009. In this solo episode, he makes a case he says most entrepreneurs get wrong: that your spouse isn't just a support system for your grind, they are the single most important business decision you will ever make. Jason walks through the specific traits that make a spouse a business asset or a liability, the moment in late October 2022 when Katie's words gave him the confidence to resign from his corporate career, and why he recently hired a marriage coach for a relationship he already considers a nine out of ten. If you're an entrepreneur trying to understand why your output at work is directly tied to what's happening at home, this one will hit differently. Key Talking Points of the Episode [01:00] Jason introduces the episode and the thesis: your spouse is your most important business decision [02:28] Why most entrepreneurs get this conversation wrong — it's not about having someone hold things down while you grind [07:42] The pressure of entrepreneurship and why emotional swings make your home environment a make-or-break variable [12:12] Belief in the mission — why Katie not knowing the details of the business doesn't matter, and why her faith in Jason frees him to take risks [14:41] Battery charger versus battery drainer — the concept that Jason says is the core of why their marriage fuels his business [18:43] What it actually looks like when a spouse drains the battery and how that compounds day after day in the business [22:09] Katie's role in the business with zero direct involvement — the specific functions she performs that matter most [25:26] How both Jason and Katie handled adversity early in their relationship, and why that became a key indicator [39:01] Why Jason and Katie have always given each other complete freedom to travel, take golf trips, and recharge separately [43:06] Green light culture — the difference between asking permission and coordinating the calendar [49:24] The questions every entrepreneur should ask before committing to a life partner [54:25] Why Jason and Katie hired a marriage coach even though the marriage is already exceptional, and what it's produced Quotables * "The right spouse doesn't remove pressure from entrepreneurship. They help make the pressure meaningful." * "She stopped me and said, 'Me and the kids do not give a shit how much money you make. We just want you here.'" * "Katie is like my battery charger. If I get home at the end of the day and my battery is drained, we charge each other." * "I can focus on maneuvering in my business without the pressure of a spouse at home questioning every decision I make. That's a cheat code." * "Chemistry is what everybody kind of rides on early in a relationship. But alignment is what sustains a relationship." * "If I fail at everything and it all goes to zero, we're going to be okay. That is empowering as an entrepreneur — knowing none of it defines us." * "We will live under a bridge with each other if we have to. And that's real. We both feel that." * "Michael Jordan was the best basketball player ever. He still had coaches. One area nobody does this in is their marriage." Links * 608B Capital — 608bcapital.com [http://608bcapital.com]

Adrian Smude: Building Wealth Through Mobile Homes and a Mindset Built to Last

In this episode of Burning the Ships, I sit down with Adrian Smude — mobile home investor, mastermind leader, mindset coach, and one of the most genuinely interesting people to come through this show. Adrian grew up literally inside a family business in Plant City, Florida, and has been wired as an entrepreneur since before he could remember. Adrian walks through a journey that includes buying his first house at 20 years old with $1,500 out of pocket, getting evicted multiple times before he owned anything, taking a 48% loss on his second property during the 2008 cycle, surviving on tuna and Lipton noodle packets at $5 a day, and eventually finding his niche in mobile homes with land — a space he has been quietly dominating for over a decade. What makes this conversation special is that Adrian is as passionate about mindset, coaching, and personal development as he is about real estate. The two topics are completely intertwined for him, and it shows. We also dig into his belief that 60% knowledge is enough to take action, why he has coaches for everything from business to relationships to fitness, the ripple effect of helping people, and why health span matters more than any number in a bank account. Key Talking Points of the Episode 00:41 How Jason and Adrian met at the Dealmaker conference in Richmond 01:43 Growing up inside a family business in Plant City, Florida 02:22 House hacking before it was a thing — spaghetti wrestling parties and getting evicted constantly 03:28 The second house, the adjustable rate mortgage, and the 48% loss 09:40 Going to four to eight meetups a week and driving up to two hours to get there 10:03 Being super shy and introverted — and wearing a Ninja Turtles shirt so people would come to him 15:18 What steered him into mobile homes — cash flow was the one thing his coach helped him clarify 16:47 The ego that kept him from hiring a coach for years — and why he has had one ever since 17:53 Coaches for business, finance, relationships, health, and writing his book 27:37 Everyone who is super successful has massive failures behind them 29:18 The temptation to go back to a W2 — and why he will live under a bridge before he does 33:11 The Savannah Bananas book Fans First and how it changed how he builds his team 35:57 Running his mastermind and the ripple effect of watching others succeed 37:00 Kelly Garrett and the mentor who helped him build a competitor — and why she did it 40:37 Health and fitness as a non-negotiable — started in high school and never stopped 43:39 Health span over lifespan — what is the point of retiring if your body can't keep up Quotables "I was ignorant enough to not ask a million questions, so I could actually take action." "At 60% knowledge you've got to do something. By 80% you know everything that can go wrong and you'll never move." "I throw mud at the wall and whatever starts sticking, I do it." "If your mindset is not right, your whole life is not right, and your business will never be right." "There's enough sunshine for all of us. You taking some sunshine isn't taking it away from me." "If you help enough people get what they want, you will get what you want." "I want to not just live a long life. I want to enjoy that life I live." "Success is in the mundane of everyday things that has to get done." "I will live under a bridge before I go back and work for someone." Links 608B Capital https://608bcapital.com [https://608bcapital.com] Adrian Smude Instagram & Facebook: search Adrian Smude Book: Trailer Cash — available on social media and Amazon

Jason Seward: The Bad Habits Nobody Talks About Because They Feel Too Familiar

In this episode of Burning the Ships, Jason Seward flies solo to tackle a simple but counterintuitive idea that stopped him in his tracks while reading — quitting bad habits is far more impactful than starting new good ones. The premise is straightforward: you have to stop the leak before you fill the bucket. Jason walks through what that actually looks like in real life — why people default to addition instead of subtraction, how youth masks bad habits until the body starts pushing back, and how he spent years adding intermittent fasting on top of a bad diet, too much alcohol, and no real sleep routine and wondered why nothing was changing. He breaks down the most common leaks across four categories — mental, relationship, financial, and physical — and gets personal about the ones he has had to plug himself, including impatience, a condescending tone, alcohol, distraction, and identifying himself as busy all the time. This episode is not about adding more to your life. It is about being honest enough to look at what is quietly draining it. Key Talking Points of the Episode 00:23 The quote that sparked this episode — quitting bad habits is more impactful than starting new good ones 00:52 The bucket analogy — you cannot fill a leaking bucket by just pouring more water in 01:34 Why adding new habits without removing old ones leads to stagnation or going backwards 02:24 Why people love addition and hate subtraction — new habits feel productive and exciting 09:12 The squirrel in the backyard — what ADHD actually looks like mid-recording 10:46 Why building new habits feels immediately productive even when the leaks are still there 11:16 Jason's intermittent fasting story — adding a new habit while everything else was still broken 13:28 When his blood work finally showed what was actually going on beneath the surface 14:47 The real change started when he stopped the leaks — not when he added more in 16:47 Sleep example — buying melatonin while still doom scrolling and eating right before bed 18:09 His current nighttime routine — sauna, shower, and calm wind-down before 10pm 20:31 Mental leaks — doom scrolling, negativity, and comparison 22:38 How he intentionally curated his Instagram feed to make scrolling less of a leak 28:27 Physical leaks — poor sleep, alcohol, junk food, and stress 29:39 The most honest admission — using alcohol to cope during the transition out of his career 31:09 Removing friction creates momentum faster than adding complexity 32:47 The boat analogy — if your boat is taking on water you do not slam the throttle down 44:16 Your next level may not require becoming someone new — it may require stopping what is keeping you from who you already could be Quotables "Quitting bad habits is far more impactful than starting new good ones." "You have to stop the leak before you fill the bucket." "Nobody wants subtraction. It is painful to take away the things you perceive as pleasurable." "Removing friction creates momentum faster than adding complexity." "Most people are not losing because they lack opportunity. They are losing because they keep leaking." "That bad habit is part of your identity. So you protect it." "I would rather hear my kids drop the F bomb than say the word can't." "Your next level may not require becoming somebody new. It may require stopping what is keeping you from who you already could be." "I have intentionally curated this life. So why the hell am I telling everyone how busy I am." Links 608B Capital https://608bcapital.com [https://608bcapital.com]

Jason Seward: The Difference Between the Ones Who Break Through & the Ones Who Don't

In this episode of Burning the Ships, Jason Seward flies solo to break down one of the most powerful concepts he has come across in his reading — the Pike Effect. It is a real research study, it is a little dark, and once you hear it you will not be able to stop applying it to your own life. A researcher puts a pike — one of the most aggressive predatory fish there is — in a tank separated from its prey by a glass divider. The pike slams into that glass over and over, day after day, until it finally gives up. When the researcher removes the divider, the prey swims freely around the pike. The pike never tries again. It starves to death with the thing it needs most right in front of it. Jason walks through what the Pike Effect looks like in real life — in business, in parenting, in personal goals — and shares three stories that bring it to life: his mother raising three kids as a single mom who refused to quit, Dan Oliver of Daniel's Seasoning who nearly gave up right before COVID launched him into a mega brand, and his own early days building 608B Capital when nothing was moving and he just kept showing up anyway. This is a short, punchy episode with a message that will stick. Key Talking Points of the Episode 00:00 Introducing the Pike Effect and why it applies to almost everything in life 01:14 The research study — what the pike did and what happened when the glass came down 03:13 Day by day the pike keeps hitting the glass until he finally stops trying 05:40 What this means for humans — giving up right before the barrier breaks down 07:17 Every goal in life requires pushing through resistance — sometimes it seems impossible 08:12 The two reasons people stop — they lose faith in the goal or they stop believing they can break through 09:50 Jason's mom — a car accident at 16, a hard marriage, and raising three kids alone with no high school diploma 15:25 Dan Oliver of Daniel's Seasoning — grinding for years with barely any traction 16:10 How Covid broke the glass wall for Dan — and what would have happened if he had quit in December 2019 17:28 The word he banned from his house — and why he would rather hear the F word than the C word 19:22 How he handles it when JJ says he can't do something — and what happens next 20:50 The rule on mistakes — I do not care if you fail when you are making the effort 22:52 Building 608B Capital — talking to investors and getting no wires for months 24:07 Just keep banging your head into the glass divider and tweaking as you go 25:28 The breakthrough moment — when the glass finally came down and everything started compounding 26:32 JJ in baseball — tucked in right field for years and now batting leadoff on two teams 29:35 The takeaway — don't be the pike, be like JJ, be like Dan Oliver, keep going Quotables "75 to 80 percent of businesses get to the point where the walls are not breaking down and they just give up." "She was life's mosquito. You are not going to knock me down." "I would rather hear my kids drop the F bomb than say the word can't." "I do not care if a mistake is made because you were making an effort to do something you thought you couldn't do." "The only thing I knew to do with confidence is just keep banging my head into that glass divider day after day." "Don't go tuck yourself in the corner and die. Go get the goal." "Some people are just too dumb to know when to quit. And those are the ones who break through." "Keep slamming your head into the wall. Keep thinking of ways around it, above it, through it — until something breaks." Links 608B Capital https://608bcapital.com [https://608bcapital.com]