Leveling Up in Real Estate

I’m excited to have my friend, Stephanie Polydoroff on the show today! Stephanie is an investor out in Phoenix and today we are going to talk about some things that we all kind of deal with. How do we level up in our business? How do we get our minds right? How do we block off our time? How do we surround ourselves with the right people? It’s going to be a great show! Let’s go ahead and get started!

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FlipNerd Show Transcript:

[00:00:00] Mike: [00:00:00] Hey, everybody. Welcome back to the show today. I’m excited to have my friend, Stephanie. I know we’re going to be talking about some things that we all kind of deal with. How do we level up in our business? How do we get our mind? Right. How do we make sure that we’re blocking off our time so that we’re productive and how do we surround ourselves with the right people?

Professional real estate investors know that it’s not really about the real estate back real estate is just a vehicle of freedom. A group of over a hundred of a nation’s leading real estate investors from across the country. Meet several times a year at the investor, fuel your state mastermind to share ideas on how to strengthen each other’s businesses, but also to come together as friends.

And there’s more fulfilling lives for all of those around us on today’s show, we’re going to continue our conversation of fueling our businesses and our lives. I’m glad you’re here.
[00:01:00] Hey Stephanie, welcome to the show.

Stephanie: [00:01:07] Hi, thank you for having me.

Mike: [00:01:08] It’s great to have you. And by the way, nobody else would know this, but I never know it’s your birthday today. So super excited to have you on. And, uh, that was, that was a coincidence. I think that it worked out that way, but we’re excited to have you here.

Stephanie: [00:01:20] Yeah, absolutely.

Mike: [00:01:21] The gift is going to be for us. That’s what I like to say.

So guys, Stephanie is a, is an investor out in Phoenix and a member of our investor fuel mastermind, Stephanie, why don’t you talk a little about your background and kind of how you found your way into real estate investing.

Stephanie: [00:01:37] So I. You know, sometimes I think how the heck did I end up in real estate? But I don’t remember it.

No, I was in hospitality. I was in hospitality for a really long time. Um, and then I got out of it, ended up at a real estate company, but it wasn’t. So I, I always said I wanted to be real estate. We’ll start there. And so it was just something I always [00:02:00] stay naturally. And I don’t know. Kind of enticed me towards, or attracted me towards real estate.

But, um, my parents have like a rental or two when I was a kid. And maybe that was just subconsciously in my mind that that’s something that I wanted to do. Um, So I, when I worked for the Hyatt and hospitality, they would pay for your school or they pay for education. And so I put that money towards my real estate exam or a real estate school.

It took me probably like three, four years before, like I went to some classes and then I stopped and then I went back and so it wasn’t really taking it seriously. So finally though, I decided at the end, like, A few years back, I’m like, I’m just gonna do it. So I, I got licensed, not really with a plan in place or anything like that.

Um, but I was talking to a friend one time out and I told him, I’m like, I want to get into real estate investing again. I don’t know why I said investing on where I got that idea from. So he said he had a friend that he, that I should connect with. So we ended up connecting me with his friend and this friend.

Did a little bit of, of [00:03:00] flipping pretty much a little bit of wholesaling, but really he was just marketing to cherry, pick his own deals to flip. Um, now I think he does new builds in construction, but when I was there, that’s what he was doing. So we got to talking and long story short. He’s like, you seem like you’re pretty persistent and you seem like you might be good for this.

So I’m going to put you on my mailers. I’m like, sure, whatever. I had no idea what he was talking to me about. So he put me on his mailers. I was taking the calls. Mmm, locking up deals. So we think we have an, I did about 20 deals together. And so I learned a little bit of what wholesaling was, what kind of contracts, like what the title company was, all the, all the basics that I needed to know.

And then once I realized that how much money he was making, I’m like, I want to make that much money. So I did like a round of bandit signs and I lucked out and literally my first. Like full round of benefits. I think I only put like 75 out. I ended up popping to deals and making, I want to say like 17,000 bucks.

And so I was like, I gotta go. That’s kind of how my real [00:04:00] estate investing career started. That’s great. I

think a lot of people should do more of an apprenticeship type thing like that. I mean, I think, you know, there’s so much that you don’t know upfront and I I’m a coach. I coach a lot of people, but I think it’s not quite the same as.

Working for somebody and like, see, cause there’s always the, the supposed sexy side. And then there’s a whole bunch of like the dark side that nobody sees. Like, just like, Hey, I just a bunch of money on marketing. I didn’t get anything for it. Or. Whatever, there’s always, there’s always like, you know, there’s always, uh, more to the story.

There’s an asterisk asterisk next to this business of, you know, it’s not as sexy as it looks on the outside. Not always. So, but I think that’s a great, great way to kind of see kind of behind the, behind the curtain of what an operation looks like. So awesome. So, um, one of the things that we were talking about and we’ve talked about it in the past is, is just, uh, doing things like kind of getting your mindset right.

And, and trying to figure out. Um, what you want to be when you grow up. Right. So [00:05:00] how do you run this, like a business and give you your life back and all the same reasons we get into it. Sometimes we ended up just becoming self-employed instead of running a business. Right. So, so it’s all we’ll talk about.

I know some of the things that are reporting to you are our mindset and surround yourself with the right people, like likeminded people and all those things. So talk a little bit about kind of mindset. Like what, what do you do? And I know we’ve talked about this a little bit upfront. Like it’s not like we’re experts in this.

But it’s kind of what you think about directionally, where are you? What have you learned on mindset and how to kind of keep your mind right.

Um, I think what’s been huge and I’m not a hundred percent consistent on it, but, uh, it’s something that I’m working towards and working on every day. But I think affirmations, like the way we speak to ourselves and the way we speak out loud.

So that’s another thing that this week I’ve really been honing in on like pivoting the way I’m the way I speak. So I’m trying not to, I’m trying, like just saying, I’m trying is already kind of shutting yourself down. So it’s just the way you speak to yourself, the way you speak out loud. And I think a way to, uh, [00:06:00] affirmations are huge.

So one thing that I do in my morning routine is I do like the savers. I don’t know if you’re familiar with morning miracle, but it’s basically silence. Yes, it silence a little bit of mindfulness. What are the meditation or whatever it is, scrubbing affirmations. Um, and I think there’s exercise, but if I can do any of them and I don’t have time, what I, what I do is try to get the mindfulness in.

So just do like a 10 minute meditation guided meditation, or like maybe in a five minute and then the affirmations. So I literally write out affirmations like I am, and then I. Finish this sentence or does it even have to be, I am. It could be something about like money. Like when, for instance, I, I repeated as money flows in easily and is abundant in my life.

So just repeat and repeat and it might sound, I might sound crazy if someone’s like outside of the room or someone’s like watching me and I’m just talking to myself because I think saying it out loud to, um, you’re putting that energy out there. And so it’s just, I repeat that all over and over. Um, for, [00:07:00] you know, as long as I have basically.

So that just you’re planting that seed some cognitive subconsciously in your mind then, and then, so eventually you’re just, you’re going to believe it because you’re repeating it so many times. And then also I think you’re putting that out there, that energy out there. And I just think as long as you’re taking action things, you know?

Mike: [00:07:19] Yeah. You’re right. Like saying words like I’m trying or I’m thinking about or whatever, it’s kind of like weasel words, right. You’re kind of basically like, well, if it doesn’t work out. It didn’t work out, but when you’re, when you’re presumptive and you say this is happening, this has you start to assume that like, in your mind that it has happened already, or it’s just, it’s inevitable that it’s going to happen, then it’s a, you know, you kind of, whatever people say, it’s like, you’re putting it out there.

The universe kind of makes it happen. But the reality is, is your mindset made it happen, right?

Stephanie: [00:07:45] Yeah. I think it’s everything too. And it’s just the more consistent you are, you know, eventually you’re just going to. Believe it, I don’t know. It’s that easy, I guess. Um, and then if you’re saying it out loud, you’re, you’re actually, there’s just more power to it.

Um, and [00:08:00] yeah, so I think that’s huge, but also just like we just said the way we talk, because I think we. Are off kind of trained to say, I’m trying, I don’t know how that got into her vocabulary is, Oh, I’m trying to do this. It’s like, no, you’re actually doing it. So why are you, why are you programmed to say I’m trying, it’s like, no, you’re like, for instance, I’m trying to get my morning routine consistent.

No, well, no I’m doing it. So I’m, I’m I, my morning routine is consistent because I’ve been consistent for the last four days. So it’s just changing the way you speak. Yeah, that’s good. That’s good.

Mike: [00:08:32] So we’ll talk about, a little bit about, um, uh, time blocking. So I know that’s one of the things that you just kind of alluded to you kind of start to get this ritual, how you do things, and it’s hard for us when you’re self employed and you have control over your time.

If you came from like a corporate job, like, like I did, like you did, right. Sometimes, uh, all of a sudden it’s like, well, I could. Work late at night, or I can work early in the morning or I could work all day long or I could not work at all. Like you have that [00:09:00] flexibility to do that. It’s hard to get consistent, which you kind of have to focus on blocking your time or setting aside specific times to do specific tasks.

Right.

Stephanie: [00:09:09] Yeah, I it’s as a person, and this is again, the label that I’m putting on myself, but in the past I’ve been a little unorganized and that’s that that’s a goal this year. And that’s what I, I’m currently working on that. And I know that this is going to sound really silly, but the whiteboard behind me, I just put that up probably about a week ago, maybe week and a half ago.

And it’s already changed my life and I know, but it might seem. Um, dramatic, but it literally has changed my life because what I’ve used to do is, I mean, I still take notes in a notepad, but I would take the notes and then I would close the notepad and it would get thrown in a corner. And then till it was time to bring it out again to make notes.

And so it’s, there’s a huge power in having things laid out in front of you. Um, and I mean, it’s massive. So what I’ve been, what I’ve been doing is writing everything like planning out my day, the night before, um, [00:10:00] And just having in front of me because when it’s time to go to sleep or like, my office is at home, so I have my whiteboard there, but so I pass it all the time and I’m like, Oh my gosh, I need to plan my day for tomorrow.

So it’s just getting in the habit of doing that. And it’s like that just doing it consistently. It’s going to become a habit to me and having it in front of me, I think is huge. So, um, yeah,

Mike: [00:10:21] that’s great. That’s great. And what do you do or what are you working on to kind of prioritize. Uh, business over personal things like fitness or whatever, like how do you prioritize those things?

Cause usually if you don’t have it planned out, Something gets sacrificed, like, right. Yeah. Any kind of words of wisdom you could share there.

Stephanie: [00:10:41] Um, truthfully it’s just writing it out and putting it on paper and seeing it in front of you, like, okay, I’m going in the gym at this time if I want to start.

Cause I work out in the mornings. So typically my personal training is at 7:00 AM and that’s I put that first like that my whole schedule has worked around my personal training [00:11:00] until up until a couple of weeks ago. I’m like, My life needs to work. Like my, my business needs tomorrow. My personal training needs to work on my business rather than the opposite.

So now I’m committed to it. And so I’m changing things around to where, okay. If that personal trainer doesn’t have the time for me, then I have to figure it out and find stuff like I have to find another trainer. There’s no, there’s no excuses. There’s only solution. So it’s, um, how I’m managing that is just, I, I I’ve committed to.

My time blocking I’ve committed to, this is what time I’m starting my day. This is what time I’m actually working. And I’m starting the work. As opposed to last time, it was like, Oh, you know, or like a few weeks ago, I’m going to go to the gym. I’m going to come home. I didn’t have any of it written out. And so it’s the power I think, is in writing it down and planning it out.

Mike: [00:11:45] Yeah, your intention is to get to it. But if it’s not like written down as to, like, from this time to this time I’m doing this, then you just don’t get to it often. Right.

Stephanie: [00:11:53] No. It’s like, yeah. You’re just like, whatever.

Mike: [00:11:56] Yeah. I’ll try again tomorrow.
[00:12:00] Stephanie: [00:11:59] Yeah.

Mike: [00:12:00] Yeah. So talk about, uh, um, the importance of kind of surrounding yourself with the right people you got, you have, you know, you’ve got obviously your investor fuel members, so there’s a lot of, you know, great people in there.

I know you have a lot of friends in the group and then there’s, uh, you’re part of a really great network of folks that are out in the Phoenix area. Just talk to people about the, the power, I guess, of getting around like-minded others surrounding yourself with those people.

Stephanie: [00:12:23] Yeah. Um, it should just, I mean, there’s everyone has those relationships where you, those friendships or relationships where you’re the one lifting them up and you just, you walk away, not really, like maybe you feel fulfilled for, you know, helping that person or motivating them.

But, uh, there’s a difference in a relationship where it’s too, it’s like a two way street where you’re. Getting inspiration from them and they’re lifting you up when you’re lifting them up and you’re inspiring each other. So it’s huge being around that. Um, and being around other people with the same mindset of like self development or leveling up.

Um, so like an investor [00:13:00] fuel, I love going to it because you are literally submerged in a room full of people that all have that same energy and desire to become better. Um, so I think just you leave with like, there’s. You know what I’m talking about when you have a good conversation with someone and you feel so inspired and you’re ready to like go run a marathon or go start on whatever you talked about immediately.

Um, I think that’s huge to be around that because if you. Or versus a conversation where your people are just, you know, you’re around a group of people that are just complaining the whole time. It’s got a different, I mean, you leave that conversation feeling drained and like just, it has a wear on you, um, on your mind.

So

Mike: [00:13:38] yeah. And these things all fit together, right? It’s a mindset stuff, you know, from an accountability standpoint, When you get around other people and you, you kind of throw down the gauntlet of like, here’s what I’m going to do. And you start saying those things out loud, then there’s some level of that of you wanting to be held accountable.

There’s some level of people holding you accountable. Right? It’s all those things of [00:14:00] just getting around people that are talking about big things and talking about advancement. It can’t help, but inspire you. And it forces you to kind of up the bar, right. You’re just like, okay, well, let’s think about doing this, but now I want to push it to another level because I’m not afraid of that anymore.

Right?

Stephanie: [00:14:14] Yeah, it’s a conversations too, that you’re having, like, I was on a call with another investor fuel member and they were like, I think they started like a podcast or something like that. And I was like, yeah, that’d be cool one day. And they’re like, why don’t you do it? And then I was like, wait, but I don’t know.

And I’m like, but why don’t I do it? So it’s the cock type of conversations are a lot different. Um, you like with other people. With other people that are like leveling up constantly. So it’s just a different, yeah. So one conversation can change the entire course of your life. And so it’s important who you surround yourself with, for

Mike: [00:14:44] sure.

Yeah. So, so let’s talk a little bit about, about, uh, about a little bit more about accountability. So, you know, I mean, no, you know, we have some accountability calls from members of investor fuel and we have this 90 day goal planning sessions that we go through and, and all these things. And I think [00:15:00] sometimes it’s hard as a entrepreneur.

Like sometimes we don’t want to be held accountable. Like we know we need to be, but we can, you know, we’re, nobody’s going to force us to hold ourselves accountable. We have to want it. But I think that’s one of the lessons that you’ve kind of learned is like, unless I, unless I hold myself accountable, unless I, um, ask others to hold me accountable or surround myself with people that are going to hold me accountable, sometimes you fall short of your goals.

And you’re like at the end of the day, You know, you might be willing to sacrifice that, but when you start to hold your, when you start to ask to be held accountable and you start to put your goals out there from an accountability standpoint, like all boats start to rise. So maybe kind of share your thoughts on that.

Stephanie: [00:15:42] Yeah, I agree. I think I just know myself and the accountability aspect is huge. And so even outside of real estate, it’s putting yourself in situations where you’re going to succeed. And so like, The gym, for instance, I know that if I didn’t [00:16:00] have a personal trainer and they, they weren’t charging me for it, or they weren’t like, I don’t want to let that person down as well.

So it’s almost setting yourself up for success. Um, and for instance, like time blocking, um, I’m becoming better at it. I’m working on it daily. And so I’ve strategically. Brought someone on to be my accountability partner, um, to, to, you know, talk about it. And it’s good to get it out there and get it out there.

And, um, out of your mind, so someone that you can bounce ideas off with, maybe they can help you through it too. Um, Yeah, I think it’s just there’s power and partnering up with people, for sure.

Mike: [00:16:36] Yeah, I wrote, so, you know, we had our investor fuel of that last week at the time we’re recording as it was last week.

But, um, I was, since it was virtual, I don’t know if you experienced this, but it’s just able to take more notes. Cause we’re just, there’s less, you know, uh, We were just sitting at a desk, like able to just kind of write stuff and, you know, I’m always like attuned to what’s going on with people. What do they need?
[00:17:00] I need to connect them. I need to help them. Here’s where they’re struggling or here’s somebody who’s killing it, whatever it might be. But I’m also on the side kind of taking my own notes, like, Oh yeah, I need to do that. I need to do that. And I had this realization, which is totally obvious of like, I do not work out as much as I need to for sure.

And I don’t focus on my fitness as much as I need to and kind of up and down on some stuff. I was like, it was just a no brainer. I have to hire a trainer. I have to have that accountability otherwise, you know, I just find a way to shirk that responsibility. So if I have somebody that’s like in a text, me and like, you know, where the hell are, you changes everything for me, I need that.

So we all need that in our lives.

Stephanie: [00:17:39] And it puts it kind of like a timestamp. And so if you meet weekly, if you meet wee, if you meet weekly, if you meet monthly, um, you have something to work towards, like you have a deadline for it. So I think when you write, when you have a certain goal, there should always be timestamp on it.

So even if it’s just, I mean, the accountability, like this is what I want to get done next week. And then you talk about it the [00:18:00] next time. Like you have something to work towards and you have someone holding you accountable for that specific, um, task for whatever it is that you want to accomplish.

Mike: [00:18:07] Yeah.

Yeah. Awesome. So what, what are your, what can you share some of your goals for this year, some of your big goals for 2020?

Stephanie: [00:18:14] Yeah. I think what I’ve realized is, I mean, obviously you do have a big end goal in mind and result, but my goal is honestly just keep it small. So month by month by month, um, and even week by week and day by day.

So I’m breaking it down to just sticking to my schedule. I know like. Like I said, this whiteboard has changed my entire life. And so now time blocking is, is huge. And I’m like, Becoming obsessed with it. So, um, my goals are really just to stay consistent with the time blocking, uh, do what I say I’m going to do.

Um, and I have a, so that, and then personally just eat healthier, you know, maintain my health and maybe lose a couple pounds to get some abs. I don’t know. It might be nice. [00:19:00] Maybe, maybe this is my summer. I don’t know every other summer out, but I’m also rentals. So building a portfolio. I have a certain amount in monthly cashflow.

I’d like to make net working towards that. Yeah. So those are a few months.

Mike: [00:19:16] Yeah. Awesome. Good, good. Well, Hey, you’ve been a member of investor fuel for gosh, probably a year and a half or so

Stephanie: [00:19:23] roughly. Yeah, I think so. It’s crazy like that. Yeah.

Mike: [00:19:26] So, uh, would you mind just going to share a testimonial of, of the group and you know, what it’s, what it’s meant for you and your

Stephanie: [00:19:31] business?

Yeah, I think, I mean, I don’t even know how to put it into words. It’s just. The people that I’ve met, the relationships that I’ve called, that we’ve cultivated out investor fuel, um, the progress I’ve made, I just think it’s invaluable. So some of the accountability partners that I have currently are from investor fuel.

Um, so just the conversations, the ideas, the inspiration, um, and then I leave. As long as you implement it, as long as I implement it. Cause I’m not, I’m not perfect. So there’s definitely meetings [00:20:00] where I’ve found some really great ideas and not implement it. And then there’s meetings where I’ve actually taken what I learned and implemented it.

And it’s definitely been a game changer. So I think it’s super important. It kind of goes to what we talked about, you know, surrounding yourself with the right people and leveling up. And I think it’s a great environment to do that. Awesome.

Mike: [00:20:18] Yeah. Thank you for that. So, Stephanie, if folks wanted to connect with you, you’re in Phoenix.

So there’s a lot of act, a lot of investing activity out there. It’s like Dallas, Dallas, and Phoenix are like the two like big markets that are competitive with there’s lots of friendly competition, lots of great people doing great things. But if folks want to connect to you, whether they’re in Phoenix or not, where, where can they go to connect or where should they look you up?

Stephanie: [00:20:38] Um, Facebook. So my name will probably be on this it’s really long. So I’m not going to spell it for you so you can find me on Facebook or Instagram. Um, my Instagram handle is SRP girl, and it’s S as in my name, Stephanie R and P as in my last name, girl.

Mike: [00:20:56] Awesome. Well, we’ll, we’ll get links for those and add that in the show notes.

So thanks for [00:21:00] joining today.

Stephanie: [00:21:01] Yeah. Thanks Mike. I appreciate it.

Mike: [00:21:02] And again, happy birthday. I hope you have a hope. You have some bigger plans than a being stuck on podcasts with me. So definitely appreciate you being here though.

Stephanie: [00:21:10] Yeah. Thank you. Awesome. Awesome

Mike: [00:21:12] everybody. Hey, thanks for joining us today. If you have not yet subscribed to the investor fuel show, we’d love it.

If you do, if you go to investor fuel.com, you can access all of our shows. And of course you can find out how to get links to iTunes, Stitcher, Google, play YouTube anywhere else, where our show might be a we’re going to be watching. They’re listening to us. So appreciate you a bunch. See you on the next show.

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