E338 - From accounting to real estate, achieve financial freedom with innovative wealth-creation strategies | with Craig Stevens

The One Big Tip Podcast with Jeff Mendelson

Craig, a distinguished CPA with over 30 years of experience in the financial services industry, has made a name for himself as the founder of groundbreaking real estate ventures. Apart from his successes in real estate, Craig is also known for his innovative wealth-creation strategies. He was featured in a TED Talk for his creation of the Wealth Factor, a platform that enables individuals to discuss their financial position openly and transparently. His passion for helping people grow their wealth has led him to start several startups that empower the common investor to access high-return investments that were previously out of their reach.

Craig has had an impressive career in finance and real estate. As a CPA, he was the head of reporting in corporate finance for a large insurance company, where he was responsible for all financial reporting and analysis. Over the past 10 years, Craig has also been investing in real estate, spending his free time acquiring properties and expanding his knowledge of the industry. Last year, he finally reached a point where he was able to leave his corporate job and focus solely on his real estate ventures. Craig’s accomplishments in both finance and real estate are truly noteworthy.

His journey of leaving his corporate job and pursuing his passion for real estate was a nerve-wracking decision, Craig felt excited about his new business and the opportunity to lead it. However, he soon realized that running a business is a 24/7 commitment that requires constant attention and dedication. He then made a strategic decision to leave corporate America and start investing in real estate.

Over a 10-year period, he acquired properties and built up an impressive real estate investment portfolio worth over 260 million dollars. This eventually led him to start his own real estate business and leave his corporate job behind. Today, he is focused on helping others to invest in large real estate transactions, such as 100-unit apartment buildings. By allowing investors to buy a share in the partnership, they can participate in the returns and tax benefits of real estate without having to manage the property themselves. He is passionate about empowering others to grow their wealth through real estate investing.

Craig now teaches his wealth-creation strategies to others. His real estate investment model enables common investors to access high-return investments that were previously out of their reach. Through his startups, Craig empowers individuals to develop their personalized wealth growth strategies and make sound investments in the real estate industry.

He found a way to simplify the process by focusing on three core areas: time, money, and knowledge. By drawing a triangle with each side representing the strength of their resources in each area, he was able to identify their strengths and weaknesses and work on improving them.

In building a successful business or real estate investment portfolio, it's crucial to have a balance of time, money, and knowledge. By assessing your strengths and weaknesses in each area, you can create a triangle that represents the size and strength of each side. With this framework, you can identify areas for improvement and work to build a well-rounded foundation for your endeavors. It's important to note that having a lot of money isn't enough if you don't have the knowledge to use it effectively. With dedication and effort, anyone can build a strong triangle and achieve their goals.

Craig works with corporate American individuals who lack time to study real estate investing due to their busy schedules. Many of these individuals also lack the knowledge required to invest in real estate. Craig's purpose is to provide them with the knowledge and help them become more efficient with their time to fast-track their real estate investment journey. His investors have seen significant wins after going through his program, with most of them gaining a high level of education in real estate investing, understanding basic terminologies, and investing in transactions that align with their goals. He emphasizes the importance of fully understanding the benefits of real estate before investing. Craig's remarkable achievements in the finance and real estate industry continue to inspire others to follow in his footsteps.

In this episode:

[2:00] Craig started in accounting as the head of reporting at a large insurance company.

• Investing in real estate for over a decade while working 60-70 hours a week.
• Craig finally left his corporate day job to focus on his real estate investments full-time.

[4:00] Investing in real estate was a way for Craig to leave corporate America, building up a

portfolio of properties over 10 years.

• Now focused on helping others invest in large real estate transactions.
• Passionate about providing a faster path to wealth through immediate investment in large transactions rather than taking a slow and painful route.

[6:00] There is value in seeking guidance from experts in the field of real estate investments.

• Mid-sized cities often offer great investment opportunities that are often overlooked in favor of larger metropolitan areas.
• There are always new groups of investors coming in to prop up the economy.

[8:00] Create a triangle chart with each side representing the length of time, knowledge, and

money available to determine strengths/weaknesses in each area.

• Identify three core tools for business owners or investors.
• Overwhelming aspects of building a real estate business to three critical areas.

[10:00] Maintain a balance between the three sides of the triangle, as each side is only as

strong as the other two.

• If one is low on knowledge but has money, you can pay someone to do the due diligence or invest in courses to guide them through the process.
• It's crucial to completely understand investment in time, money, and knowledge.

[12:00] Craig's program aims to fast-track clients with knowledge about real estate investing.

• Craig's clients are professionals with limited time due to work and family commitments.
• His clients gain a basic understanding of real estate investing and then invest in transactions with his guidance.