02/20/2026
Success in real estate is a lot like a doggie paddle. On top, everything looks calm and in control.
But underneath, you are paddling as fast as you can just to stay afloat.
That was me. I spent years in a vicious cycle of trying to buy my way out of the chaos.
I dropped $30,000 on one program, $16,000 on another, and hired every VA, ISA, and fractional help I could find.
I was desperate for someone to come in and save me, but I was frustrated when they didn’t magically know how to run my business.
I was losing business because I had too many leads, and I am just not the person who is ever going to spend all day picking up the phone to call people.
That’s just not me.
I wasn’t being a strategic business owner. I was just an operator in a very expensive, high-paying job.
It took two years of trial and error to realize that you can’t just hire a WHO, you have to have a HOW.
Today, VAs are the reason I can spend 75% of my time mentoring and leading instead of being stuck in the weeds.
I’m not paddling anymore. I’m finally breathing, and it feels incredible.
I’m sharing this because if you’ve hired a VA before and it failed, or if you’ve spent a fortune on coaching and you’re still the one doing all the work, it’s not because you’re a bad leader.
It’s because you just didn’t have the system to set them up for success.
What is the biggest “financial lesson” you’ve paid for in your business so far?