On this episode of The Ty Brady Way, Ty sits down with Alexander Concepcion, an Austin-based entrepreneur who turned a side gig into an eight-year business success story. Alexander opens up about his unconventional path from finance and economics degrees to finding his calling in apartment locating, a niche in real estate that most people have never heard of but that's given him the freedom to live life on his own terms. Alexander shares the raw truth about his early struggles, from getting rejected at every corporate interview to asking his dad for rent money at 27 years old with two college degrees. You'll hear how he went from broke and desperate to making $10,000 a month within nine months, all while building the systems and processes that would eventually let him go independent. He talks about the turning point when he realized he was paying 40% of his income to an agency when he'd already figured out how to generate 80% of his own leads. The conversation dives deep into what Alexander calls "return on energy," his framework for building a business that doesn't burn you out. He explains how he survived and thrived during COVID while watching other businesses crash around him, the twin realizations that some of his success was luck and some was preparation, and why he believes businesses don't fail, they're just abandoned when we stop putting energy into them. Ty and Alexander explore the practical side of entrepreneurship, from using Craigslist ads and virtual assistants to scale marketing efforts to the seasonal cycles of the rental market where summer heats up and winter cools down. Alexander breaks down his income range from zero-dollar months to $40,000-$50,000 months and explains why he focuses on high return on energy rather than just chasing bigger numbers. You'll also hear about Alexander's book Survival First, which came out of four years of asking himself why his business thrived when so many others didn't. His message is clear: we don't control the external world, but we control how we adapt to it, and the most important resource in business isn't money or time, it's our own human energy. If you're an entrepreneur feeling burnt out or wondering how to build something sustainable, this episode is for you. Connect with Alexander: Book: Survival First - Available on Amazon in paperback, hardcover, and Audible (narrated by Alexander himself) Website: survivalfirstbook.com Instagram: @alexander_themagnificent   As always, we would like to hear from you! Email us at [email protected] Or DM us on Instagram @thetybradyway