Financial Freedom with Real Estate Investing

In this episode, Michael Blank sits down with Lee Fjord, a real estate investor who has built an $80M+ portfolio and owns over 1,200 units—all starting from a single duplex. But the real focus of this conversation is capital raising in today’s shifting environment. As online funnels and paid ads become increasingly ineffective, Lee shares how he’s built a powerful, scalable system for raising capital locally through in-person events, curated meetups, and relationship-driven strategies. From hosting monthly property tours to creating a repeatable investor “flywheel,” Lee breaks down exactly how he’s raised nearly $2M from his network—and how you can do the same by prioritizing trust, consistency, and community.Key TakeawaysLocal Capital Raising Is Back—and It Works As online ads and webinars lose effectiveness, in-person events and local networking are proving to be far more reliable for building investor trust and raising capital.Consistency Creates a Compounding “Flywheel” Effect Hosting recurring monthly events builds familiarity, credibility, and momentum—turning casual attendees into long-term investors over time.Start Small, Then Scale Strategically Lee began with simple meetups and evolved them into curated experiences, proving you don’t need perfection—just consistency and iteration.Curated Experiences Attract Higher-Quality Investors Targeting accredited investors, asking the right questions, and filtering attendees helps ensure you’re building relationships with serious capital partners.In-Person Connection Builds Trust Faster Than Funnels Face-to-face interactions dramatically shorten the trust cycle compared to cold online leads, making it easier to convert relationships into investments.Layered Engagement (Events + Webinars) Maximizes Reach Combining live events with ongoing touchpoints like webinars and follow-ups creates a powerful ecosystem for nurturing investor relationships.Connect with MichaelFacebookInstagramYouTubeTikTokResourcesTheFreedomPodcast.com Access the #1 FREE Apartment Investing Course (Apartments 101)Schedule a Free Strategy Session with Michael's Team of AdvisorsExplore Michael’s Mentoring ProgramJoin the Nighthawk Equity Investor ClubReview the Podcast on Apple PodcastsSyndicated Deal AnalyzerGet the Book, Financial Freedom with Real Estate Investing by Michael Blank For full episode show notes visit: https://themichaelblank.com/podcasts/session523/

In this episode, Michael Blank sits down with seasoned investor and capital raiser Steeve Breton to unpack what it really takes to build—and protect—wealth in today’s multifamily market. With experience as a limited partner, general partner, and fund manager, Steeve brings a rare 360-degree perspective on investing. They dive into the realities of the past few challenging years, from interest rate shocks to overbuilt markets, and share hard-earned lessons on preserving capital, structuring deals, and adapting strategy in uncertain times. The conversation also explores opportunity zones, preferred equity, and how disciplined decision-making can be the difference between surviving and thriving on the path to financial freedom.Key TakeawaysA 360° Investor Perspective Is a Competitive Advantage Understanding deals as an LP, GP, and capital raiser equips you to make smarter investment decisions and communicate more effectively with investors.Market Cycles Expose Weak Assumptions Rising interest rates and oversupply have revealed the importance of conservative underwriting and stress-testing deals before investing.Preserving Capital Is More Important Than Chasing Returns Experienced investors prioritize not losing money—especially in uncertain markets—over aggressive growth strategies.Adaptability Is Critical in Tough Markets From pausing distributions to restructuring deals and securing new financing, flexibility is essential to navigating downturns.Preferred Equity and Opportunity Zones Offer Strategic Advantages These lesser-discussed tools can provide downside protection and tax benefits when used correctly.Strong Communication Builds Investor Trust Transparent, proactive communication during challenging times is key to maintaining long-term investor relationships.Connect with MichaelFacebookInstagramYouTubeTikTokResourcesTheFreedomPodcast.com Access the #1 FREE Apartment Investing Course (Apartments 101)Schedule a Free Strategy Session with Michael's Team of AdvisorsExplore Michael’s Mentoring ProgramJoin the Nighthawk Equity Investor ClubReview the Podcast on Apple PodcastsSyndicated Deal AnalyzerGet the Book, Financial Freedom with Real Estate Investing by Michael BlankFor full episode show notes visit: https://themichaelblank.com/podcasts/session522/

In this episode with Dana Samuelson, step outside the usual real estate conversation to explore the role of precious metals (specifically gold and silver) in today’s uncertain economic environment.Why should real estate investors care about gold? Whether you’re a passive investor allocating capital or an active investor raising it, understanding alternative asset classes is critical. Precious metals have long played a role in preserving wealth, hedging against inflation, and providing liquidity during times of crisis—and today’s macro environment makes them especially relevant.We break down the key drivers behind gold’s recent surge and volatility, including inflation, interest rates, central bank buying, geopolitical tensions, and the strength of the U.S. dollar. You’ll also hear how gold behaves differently from real estate and stocks—and why that matters when building a resilient portfolio.Key Takeaways:Gold can act as both an inflation hedge and a form of financial insuranceMarket liquidity events can temporarily drag down all assets—including goldInterest rates and the strength of the dollar play a major role in gold pricingDiversification across asset classes is essential for long-term wealth preservationReal estate and gold can complement each other when used strategicallyConnect with MichaelFacebookInstagramYouTubeTikTokResourcesTheFreedomPodcast.com Access the #1 FREE Apartment Investing Course (Apartments 101)Schedule a Free Strategy Session with Michael's Team of AdvisorsExplore Michael’s Mentoring ProgramJoin the Nighthawk Equity Investor ClubReview the Podcast on Apple PodcastsSyndicated Deal AnalyzerGet the Book, Financial Freedom with Real Estate Investing by Michael BlankFor full episode show notes visit: https://themichaelblank.com/podcasts/session521/

In this episode, Michael Blank sits down with Andrew Majd of Dew Wealth Management to break down what true wealth management actually looks like beyond just investing. From tax strategy and alternative investments to insurance, estate planning, and building the right professional team, Andrew outlines a comprehensive “Protect, Grow, Manage” framework that high-net-worth individuals can use as a checklist for building—and keeping—wealth. This episode is a must-listen for anyone looking to close the gaps in their financial strategy and take a more proactive, holistic approach to wealth.Key TakeawaysWealth management goes beyond investing — it includes protection, tax strategy, estate planning, and team coordination.Insurance and asset protection are often overlooked, yet they’re the fastest way to lose wealth if done incorrectly.A proper estate plan (especially a revocable trust) is critical to avoid probate and protect your legacy.High-net-worth investors should diversify beyond stocks and bonds into alternative assets like real estate, private credit, and more.Proactive tax planning can save significant money, but most CPAs are reactive unless pushed or supported by a strategist.Your financial professionals must work together — lack of coordination creates costly gaps and inefficiencies.Connect with MichaelFacebookInstagramYouTubeTikTokResourcesTheFreedomPodcast.com Access the #1 FREE Apartment Investing Course (Apartments 101)Schedule a Free Strategy Session with Michael's Team of AdvisorsExplore Michael’s Mentoring ProgramJoin the Nighthawk Equity Investor ClubReview the Podcast on Apple PodcastsSyndicated Deal AnalyzerGet the Book, Financial Freedom with Real Estate Investing by Michael BlankFor full episode show notes visit: https://themichaelblank.com/podcasts/session520/

In this episode, Michael sits down with August Biniaz, co-founder and Chief Investment Officer of CPI Capital, to discuss why he believes multifamily is approaching a major recovery—and how investors can position themselves now. August shares his perspective on the current market cycle, the challenges of raising foreign capital into U.S. deals, and why he remains bullish on multifamily despite recent headwinds.The conversation also explores why U.S. real estate remains so attractive compared to Canada, how to structure cross-border syndications, and why investors must stay disciplined and continue underwriting deals even in a difficult market.Key TakeawaysAugust believes multifamily fundamentals remain strong because new construction has slowed dramatically while population growth continues. Today’s biggest challenge is the “bid-ask spread”—sellers still want 2022 pricing while buyers need lower prices to make deals work. Finding great deals is still a numbers game: the investors closing deals are underwriting far more properties than everyone else. U.S. multifamily remains more attractive than Canadian real estate because of stronger cash flow, fewer regulations, and better long-term yields. Cross-border investing requires the right legal and tax structure, especially when bringing Canadian capital into U.S. syndications.Multifamily is still one of the best industries for entrepreneurs because even the largest operators control only a tiny share of the market.Connect with MichaelFacebookInstagramYouTubeTikTokResourcesTheFreedomPodcast.com Access the #1 FREE Apartment Investing Course (Apartments 101)Schedule a Free Strategy Session with Michael's Team of AdvisorsExplore Michael’s Mentoring ProgramJoin the Nighthawk Equity Investor ClubReview the Podcast on Apple PodcastsSyndicated Deal AnalyzerGet the Book, Financial Freedom with Real Estate Investing by Michael Blank For full episode show notes visit: https://themichaelblank.com/podcasts/session519/