Uncontested Investing

In this episode of Uncontested Investing, Nate Zielinski and Suzanne Andresen build on their conversation with RCN Capital CEO Jeff Tesh to examine what real estate investors should have in place before scaling a business. Key Points From This Episode [00:01:08] Growing to meet an established need instead of spending in anticipation of growth [00:02:45] Managing staff capacity and bottlenecks before adding more employees [00:03:09] Building systems and documenting repeatable processes before expanding the team [00:04:19] Using standard operating procedures and automation to make responsibilities easier to teach and delegate [00:05:14] Identifying key early hires, including virtual assistants, administrative coordinators, transaction coordinators, and acquisition managers [00:06:00] Using fractional executives and other fractional roles to bridge staffing needs during growth [00:06:39] Hiring for attitude, collaboration, and alignment with the company’s mission [00:07:57] Measuring the financial and long-term return on new team members before continuing to hire [00:10:28] Choosing affordable lead sources that work for the business before expanding marketing spend [00:11:05] Tracking marketing performance to understand where to reinvest [00:11:38] Establishing KPIs and scorecards for leads, appointments, contracts, conversion rates, deal size, and marketing ROI [00:13:29] Setting job expectations clearly at the beginning of the employer-employee relationship [00:14:11] Using measurable goals to create accountability during the early stages of scaling [00:14:47] Creating incentives that reward employees for exceeding performance expectations [00:15:13] Identifying and focusing on the KPIs that have the greatest impact on the business [00:15:48] Learning to delegate, transition from operator to leader, and avoid micromanagement [00:16:49] Recognizing when remaining a solo investor may be a better fit than building a larger company [00:17:36] Setting realistic benchmarks when transferring responsibilities to new team members [00:18:11] Using manageable performance goals to help new hires develop over time [00:19:10] Assessing opportunities and maintaining consistency when expanding into new geographic markets [00:20:38] Diversifying markets and asset types while considering local staffing and property-management needs [00:21:30] Scaling through leadership by developing trusted people who can help grow the organization [00:22:11] Demonstrating a proven business model before seeking outside capital [00:22:39] Building accountability, ownership, communication, and shared vision as the company grows [00:24:01] Including different parts of the organization when developing company core values [00:24:18] Hiring people who bring stronger skills, new ideas, and different perspectives into the business [00:25:25] Making the shift from a competitive individual investor mindset to leading a team of talented people [00:26:06] Nate and Suzanne recap the factors investors should consider before deciding they are ready to scale Quotables “You want to make sure that the people that you’re bringing in, they fit with your whole (I’ll say) family….” - Suzanne Andresen [00:06:52] “You need to have multiple sources and you need to have them delivering consistently.” Nate Zielinski [00:10:06] “Yeah, and I think, specifically in this industry for investors looking to scale, one of the traits that they should be looking for is accountability.” - Nate Zielinski [00:14:10] “And Jeff talked also when you’re doing your core values - you want people from every walk of life in a company…” - Suzanne Andresen [00:24:00] Links Questions about the episode: [email protected] REI INK: https://rei-ink.com/ REI INK Magazine on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/rei-ink-magazine RCN Capital: https://www.rcncapital.com/podcast https://www.instagram.com/rcn_capital/ [email protected]

Jeffrey Tesch, CEO of RCN Capital, joins Nate Zielinski and Suzanne Andresen to discuss his path into real estate investing and the principles that shaped RCN Capital's growth. Jeffrey explains why the company focused on profitability from the beginning, how empowering employees has helped create a strong company culture, and why hiring people smarter than yourself can strengthen an organization. He also reflects on launching RCN during the aftermath of the financial crisis, adapting through COVID, the expansion of private lending, developing employee-led core values, and the importance of industry collaboration. Jeffrey also shares how family and time away from work help him recharge. Key Talking Points of the Episode [00:00:00] Jeffrey Tesch's introduction to real estate investing through a college course [00:02:10] Moving from Subway ownership into investment properties [00:03:25] Growing RCN Capital around profitability instead of rushing to scale [00:05:11] Defining company culture through employee empowerment and career growth [00:06:53] Balancing company growth with opportunities for existing employees [00:07:40] How RCN Capital adapted from fix-and-flip lending into rental financing [00:09:09] Launching RCN Capital during the aftermath of the financial crisis despite industry skepticism [00:10:55] Why celebrating collective company wins and employee contributions matters [00:12:50] Measuring trade show participation through specific goals, KPIs, and ROI [00:13:31] Funding RCN Capital's early loans with owner equity and the evolution of private lending capital [00:14:34] How RCN Capital handled COVID by retaining and repurposing its team [00:15:53] Jeffrey's leadership philosophy of hiring people smarter than yourself and empowering them [00:17:22] Learning from industry peers and the value of sharing best practices [00:19:08] Collaboration through the National Private Lenders Association [00:20:15] Creating RCN Capital's core values through a bottom-up, employee-led process [00:21:59] Using speaking engagements and industry events as opportunities to learn and contribute [00:23:53] Continuing to seek feedback after speaking engagements [00:25:44] How family time helps Jeffrey recharge outside of work [00:26:42] The rescue farm at RCN Capital's office and its role as a positive break for employees Quotables "Culture has always been about empowering the employee to be the best version of themselves." — Jeffrey Tesch [00:05:11] "The mantra amongst the managers is always hire somebody smarter than yourself." — Jeffrey Tesch [00:16:02] "By giving freely of yourself to others, that rising tide really does lift all ships." — Jeffrey Tesch [00:18:26] Links RCN Capital https://www.rcncapital.com/podcast https://www.instagram.com/rcn_capital/ [email protected] REI INK https://rei-ink.com/

In this episode of Uncontested Investing, Nathan and Suzanne break down how real estate investors can turn website traffic into revenue. They explain why page views, clicks, and rankings matter only when they lead to calls, form submissions, appointments, and closed deals. The conversation covers matching website content to visitor intent, building trust through reviews and testimonials, simplifying offers, using strong calls to action, creating location-specific and video-enhanced pages, and avoiding common conversion killers. They also discuss tracking where leads come from, investing in professional website support, and continually optimizing the online experience to turn visibility into contracts. Key Points From This Episode [00:00:06] Turning website traffic into real estate revenue instead of focusing solely on visits [00:00:39] Looking beyond vanity metrics such as page views, clicks, and rankings [00:00:59] Measuring calls, form submissions, appointments, and closed deals as meaningful outcomes [00:01:57] Understanding the difference between high-intent and lower-intent website traffic [00:03:13] Matching website content to the visitor's mindset and level of intent [00:03:50] The click-to-close framework and capturing attention within the first five seconds [00:04:30] Building trust quickly with testimonials, videos, reviews, and other credibility indicators [00:05:41] Strengthening local credibility through community engagement and useful content [00:06:13] Making the offer simple by reducing friction and clearly communicating benefits [00:06:57] Using strong calls to action throughout every page of the website [00:08:00] Having a professional web designer audit the website and improve conversion opportunities [00:09:09] Reducing friction and anxiety by removing barriers and addressing concerns [00:10:03] Building website pages around a single conversion goal [00:10:21] Using headlines, benefits, proof, calls to action, and location-specific pages [00:11:02] Creating dedicated pages for individual cities and neighborhoods to support local SEO [00:11:52] Adding videos that explain processes and address specific seller situations [00:12:34] Avoiding conversion killers such as slow website speeds and poor mobile performance [00:13:32] Prioritizing clarity instead of overloading website pages with content [00:14:24] Avoiding weak calls to action and missing credibility indicators [00:15:03] Tracking website performance and measuring visitor engagement [00:15:20] Asking leads how they found the business and investing further in successful channels [00:16:05] Budgeting time and money to build credibility and improve website performance [00:16:59] Using relevant third-party content with permission and proper credit [00:17:24] Treating traffic as potential and conversion as profit [00:17:58] Asking professionals and other investors for feedback on the website experience [00:18:18] Connecting SEO, digital branding, visibility, and profitability Quotables "If someone's confused, they're not going to convert. If it's a straightforward path and easily laid out for them, they're just going to keep taking step after step after step until you convert." Nathan Zielinski [00:06:39] "You want to focus on one goal; conversion. That really is the purpose of why you're doing this. And your target has multiple components." [00:10:03] Suzanne Andresen "You can't improve what you don't measure." Suzanne Andresen [00:15:10] Links RCN Capital https://www.rcncapital.com/podcast https://www.instagram.com/rcn_capital/ [email protected] REI INK https://rei-ink.com/

In this episode of Uncontested Investing, Nate Zielinski and Suzanne Andresen explain how real estate investors can turn blogs and videos into deal flow. They discuss why conversion-focused content matters more than views, clicks, and other vanity metrics, and outline three content types that can attract prospects: high-intent SEO content, problem-solving content, and trust-building content. Nathan and Suzanne also break down the structure of a high-converting blog, effective video formats, common content mistakes, and a practical publishing plan. They close by explaining how investors can repurpose one idea across blogs, YouTube, social media, and email while maintaining a sustainable cadence. Key Talking Points of the Episode [00:00:00] Nathan Zielinski and Suzanne Andresen introduce the role of blogs and videos in generating deal flow [00:00:41] Why content supports SEO, search visibility, credibility, and trust before first contact [00:01:16] Treating every piece of content as a digital doorway to the business [00:01:16] Measuring conversions instead of relying on views, clicks, and impressions [00:02:24] Creating intent-driven, conversion-focused content rather than chasing viral reach [00:02:40] Ending each piece of content with a clear call to action [00:02:40] Using high-intent SEO content to reach people who are ready to act [00:03:55] Creating educational video equivalents for location-based search topics [00:04:11] Addressing inherited properties, divorce, tax liens, bad tenants, and other seller problems [00:04:11] Using an empathetic and educational tone instead of a sales-focused approach [00:05:34] Building trust through deal walkthroughs and before-and-after renovation content [00:06:07] Explaining renovation decisions to educate prospective clients and investors [00:06:20] Using YouTube, Instagram, LinkedIn, testimonials, and day-in-the-life content to strengthen trust [00:07:04] Structuring a high-converting blog around a clear, location-focused headline and pain point [00:07:44] Removing introductory filler and providing simple, actionable information [00:08:21] Using local keywords and frequently asked questions to improve SEO and credibility [00:09:14] How testimonials and video content help establish expertise [00:09:35] Allowing prospects to become familiar with an investor before the first conversation [00:10:24] Producing how-it-works videos that explain real estate concepts and processes [00:11:07] Breaking down seller scenarios, pricing, and costs to build confidence [00:11:33] Using case studies to challenge common objections and demonstrate possible outcomes [00:12:08] Answering seller questions through FAQ videos and shared experiences [00:12:41] Turning live Q&A sessions into evergreen website and social media content [00:13:17] Placing videos on landing pages without hurting mobile performance or load times [00:13:36] Connecting a website to YouTube while keeping the website optimized for speed [00:14:14] Using short social media clips to share timely and practical information [00:14:32] The content flywheel connecting Google rankings, video trust, engagement, leads, reviews, and stronger rankings [00:15:36] Continuing to publish new information after reaching a strong search position [00:15:46] Avoiding generic, non-local, and overly sales-focused content [00:16:41] Giving the audience a clear next step through a specific call to action [00:16:50] Common mistakes including ignoring video, posting inconsistently, and misaligning content with search intent [00:17:08] A weekly plan built around one keyword-focused blog and two or three short videos [00:17:31] Adapting the same information for people who prefer written or video content [00:18:01] Adding a monthly case study, renovation walkthrough, and testimonial video [00:18:20] Repurposing older material and breaking long-form videos into shorter clips [00:19:09] Converting existing content into emails that direct audiences back to the website or video channel [00:19:34] Reusing timely content instead of continually starting from scratch [00:19:46] Distributing one idea through blogs, YouTube, Instagram, LinkedIn, and email newsletters [00:20:46] Reaching people across the platforms they prefer to use [00:20:58] Getting more mileage from each piece of content while avoiding creator burnout [00:21:44] Establishing a comfortable and sustainable publishing cadence [00:21:55] Prioritizing consistent, useful content even when publishing only once a month [00:22:28] Presenting the same message in multiple formats rather than creating a new message each time Quotables "Every piece of content is a digital door to your business." — Nathan Zielinski [00:01:16] "People aren't choosing the best offer. They're choosing the investor that they trust the most." — Nathan Zielinski [00:06:20] "You don't need more content. You need more mileage from each piece." — Nathan Zielinski [00:20:58] Links RCN Capital https://www.rcncapital.com/podcast https://www.instagram.com/rcn_capital/ [email protected] REI INK https://rei-ink.com/

In this episode of Uncontested Investing, Nate Zielinski and Suzanne Andresen discuss how real estate investors can build an online presence that attracts sellers, tenants, and partners. They explain how localized SEO, educational content, social proof, reviews, and consistent messaging can establish an investor as a trusted resource in their market. Nate and Suzanne also cover mobile-friendly websites, conversion strategies, content creation, personal branding, and the importance of answering the questions audiences are already searching online. They close with a practical plan for building visibility in one market before expanding the strategy into others. Key Talking Points of the Episode [00:00:00] What it means to own your market online and become the go-to investor in your area [00:00:55] Building authority through consistent educational content and messaging [00:01:36] Leading with a desire to help rather than expecting an immediate financial return [00:03:18] Why sellers and partners use Google and online reputation as part of their due diligence [00:04:01] Creating content around what tenants, sellers, and partners are actually searching for [00:05:31] Using localized SEO and high-intent keywords to improve visibility [00:06:46] Creating location-specific website pages to compete for multiple search results [00:07:43] Building authority through seller guides, tenant education, market information, and case studies [00:09:17] Turning successful transactions and real-life examples into evergreen content [00:10:10] Using blogs, YouTube, and LinkedIn to expand authority and answer audience questions [00:11:32] Strengthening social proof through Google reviews and short testimonials [00:12:17] Creating short-form video content that captures attention quickly [00:13:46] Converting website traffic with a fast, mobile-optimized experience [00:14:18] Using clear offers and multiple contact options to move visitors toward action [00:16:05] Creating seller-focused content around pain points without overcomplicating the message [00:17:02] Educating sellers and tenants about timelines, availability, and expectations [00:18:26] Attracting tenants with useful neighborhood and local-market content [00:19:37] Establishing credibility through LinkedIn, deal history, and demonstrated results [00:20:49] Using thought leadership to share wins, lessons, and knowledge with other investors [00:22:06] How SEO, content, trust, conversions, and reviews create a continuous growth cycle [00:23:06] Common investor mistakes with websites, branding, reviews, and short-term lead generation [00:23:47] Why SEO requires a long-term strategy rather than expecting immediate results [00:25:36] Publishing content consistently and considering outside help with content creation [00:26:35] Collecting reviews and evaluating the website experience from a user's perspective [00:27:53] Building a recognizable personal or company brand [00:28:21] Scaling into multiple markets with localized SEO, content teams, video, and paid advertising [00:30:22] Focusing on one market before expanding the strategy into additional locations [00:31:08] Shifting from chasing leads to attracting them through brand-driven growth [00:31:50] Staying patient and allowing SEO growth to develop organically Quotables "Visibility creates opportunity, but ranking creates leverage." — Nate [00:07:39] "Owning your market online is like owning the main intersection in town." — Nate [00:02:50] "Content builds credibility even before you speak." — Suzanne [00:07:43] "Your deals are already out there. You're just not visible enough to capture them." — Suzanne [00:30:05] Links RCN Capital https://www.rcncapital.com/podcast https://www.instagram.com/rcn_capital/ [email protected] REI INK: https://rei-ink.com/