Podcast Transcription

Intro: Welcome to “Flippin’ Off,” a purpose-driven podcast about flipping houses and making a difference.

Davey: What’s up, everybody, Dave Boswell here. Davey Boswell, David Boswell, whatever you prefer. I got my good buddy, Rob Lavin. What’s up, Rob?

Rob: Hey, how you doing?

Davey: Rob has become a really good friend of mine. So I wanna tell you guys a little story today, how we met, and what his experience has been inside of the club. And hopefully, you guys can relate to him and see yourself in the same kind of situation. So, if we go back just a little bit. In March of 2018 was when my dad passed. And so we moved here, not really knowing where my brother and I were gonna fit in inside of the club. And so we just kind of put our heads down and started working really hard on everything, just kind of all over the place, like little Tasmanian devils just everywhere trying to figure out where we belonged. And I wanted to understand the club in all aspects, right? Understand the business from inviting people in, to what that process looks like. What kind of reputation do we have when we’re talking to people, there’s a lot of bad reputations out there when it comes to real estate investing. A lot of companies have poor reputations of scamming people. And so it’s important to me that we don’t have that kind of reputation that people don’t see us that way. So I wanted to be involved in every aspect and see what it really looked like. So one of the first things I started doing was making phone calls to prospective people, people who are looking at joining. And Rob here was one of the first of three people I think I talked to, and it was kind of…what’s the word? Oh, man, I don’t know what the right word is. But it was not a good example of what those conversations generally go, because if Rob and I had such a good chat, wouldn’t you agree?

Rob: Oh, yeah, totally.

Davey: Yeah. I mean, what was your experience? So just to like, put it in perspective, for me, I’m trying to have conversations with people as straight up as possible and let them know, like, how awesome our club is and what we really do. Most of the time, on the other end, people are super skeptical and wondering what the heck is going on. So maybe you can share a little bit from your perspective, like where you were at in life at that time, why we were even on the phone.

Rob: Sure. Yeah. Well, I wanna say about three days before that, Jane and I had been at another intro of a well-known guru. And she was like, “Really?” She says, “Come on, Rob.” And I said, “Just entertain me today.” So we went and, for sure, it ended up being the same. I had been in part of those, probably three or four the big ones.

Davey: Yeah. So I didn’t do a good enough job of introducing who you really are. Rob is actually…Rob and his wife Jane are business owners here in the Inland Empire. They are owners of a branch of State Farm Insurance people, I don’t know, what’s the right way to say that?

Rob: Yeah, yeah, Jane, she’s the State Farm agent. I run the whole general manager business side of it. So I decided some years ago that I didn’t wanna be the agent. But we found that we meshed really well, and we ran the business well with me running the whole business side of it.

Davey: So they have a business in…your office in Corona right? You have a building in Corona?

Rob: We were in a suite in Corona and the opportunity presented itself where we just recently moved.

Davey: Yeah, awesome. We’re gonna get to that for sure.

Rob: Yeah, I don’t wanna blow that yet.

Davey: Yeah. So things were going pretty good, right, and you decided you wanna get into real estate investing. Was it recently or was it previously before?

Rob: Oh, the best way, David, I can explain it is that it was a dream of mine. So growing up with my dad really showing me everything about flipping houses, real estate investing as just a kid and I saw my dad doing it, just himself. And I saw the drive of an immigrant who came to this country really searching and looking for the dream. And I always used to think to myself, what would this be like on a bigger scale, really scaling this in a group environment? But I was okay with that. But they were just embers, I would get this wind of hope that would come by anytime I would go to these seminars.

Davey: When do you think you started going to the seminars?

Rob: Oh, I wanna say early ’90s.

Davey: It’s been a while.

Rob: Yeah, mid-’90s. So, but I was going as like, just a senior in high school, maybe with a friend of mine. And so the dream was always there. And I would get these, you know, my embers would light up and say, “Oh, wow, this is gonna be the opportunity.” And just to be let down again was always,…it was like a breakup, honestly, it was like a breakup. And so after that, in September, after leaving that intro, the dream really just fizzled. And I went online…this is no joke. Jane could confirm this. And I went online, and I was looking at real estate investing groups. And I came by…ran by NWAC and I’m like, “Who’s this group?” I was just really interested and I saw the video of your dad.

Davey: The one downtown?

Rob: Yeah. In his suit, and just something really connected. I said, “He’s genuine.”

Davey: Yeah, the no-BS meter was there.

Rob: Totally. And I sent in my email inquiry, and you called me like the next day. And we chatted and we hit it off, we just had so much in common. And so that was kind of like, kind of, a mild second confirmation. And I never forget, I asked you, I said…I thought the ultimate, ultimate like, deal-breaker, right, would be okay, if I can meet the head honcho of this organization, then I know it’s just gonna be another letdown.” So I asked you, I said, “Hey, I’d really like to meet the CEO, the head honcho, the boss.” And he’s like…you said, “Well, that’s my mom.” And you just assured me because I said, “You know what…” You said, “I’ll get back to you.” You called me back the next day and you said, “Hey, you’ve got an appointment with my mom at 10 a.m. on Thursday.” I remember the day. And when Jane and I went in, and we met with Melina, man, I want to say it was probably a couple hours, and everything was just genuine, hit it off. And I said, “This is the place where we need to be.”

Davey: Yeah, that’s funny. That’s not the normal process, by the way, you don’t get a meeting with my mom.

Rob: Right.

Davey: Definitely that’s not the normal. But we had such a good conversation that I was like, I really wanted my mom to meet you guys too, just because we don’t wanna set ourselves apart from the…like, or above anybody. We’re looking to do business with like-minded people, people who are just like us that, we’re not…I don’t know, it’s easy to get, like, a big head for people in that kind of situation, or my mom’s situation, especially, her time is really valuable. So it’s easy to get a big head. But when you meet like-minded people, it’s you wanna do business with them, we will still wanna do business with people we like and so when we had that conversation with you, I was like, “These people are so cool.” Like, there are people we really hit it off. So since then…by the way, had you done any deals? You said you’ve been in since the ’90s, have you done any transactions or real estate transactions before?

Rob: No, other than just doing it with my dad. That was the only level and I had wanted, really my dream was just to go further and to really leverage what they teach you about using the group, a group of people to leverage and to really get your business off the ground.

Davey: Yeah, for sure, for sure. So since we had that first meeting, and then the meeting with my mom, Rob’s been a club member since then. So September of 2018. We’re now in October of 2020. So it’s been two years.

Rob: Yeah. Just a little over two years.

Davey: And how do you feel now? What’s your look back now, how do you feel? Your recap.

Rob: Wow, my recap.

Davey: We’ve almost got a deal. We almost did a deal.

Rob: Almost. Almost.

Davey: Yeah, so close.

Rob: Almost. But we’re in one right now with Oscar.

Davey: Oh, are you?

Rob: Yeah, it’s signed.

Davey: Let’s go. I didn’t know that.

Rob: Yeah, it’s supposed to be signed either today…We did the walkthrough on Thursday with the GC.

Davey: That’s awesome.

Rob: So yeah, it’s there. It’s a done deal.

Davey: That’s awesome. Where’s that at?

Rob: Off Van Buren in Riverside.

Davey: Cool. Cool. So tell us, like, your experience. That’s awesome to hear that you’re in a deal now, I didn’t even know that. So that’s good news.

Rob: Yeah.

Davey: We were almost in one. But what’s been your overall experience since?

Rob: So, a recap has been our experience in just since the first RPP we did, which solidified our decision and just meeting the rest of the seniors, advisors, and mentors, and everyone, and just everybody in the group, we knew it was home for us. And I don’t use those words lightly. So we were just looking, really to like, how serious are we gonna really pursue this business? Because I’ve been in the world where I was earning a paycheck. I was an engineer for 14 years. And so I knew what that was. And I knew what it was to juggle and be an entrepreneur in running a business. So Jane and I were just trying to find the balance. And the opportunity presented itself, as I said, probably in May or June. And we had been on a month to month for a couple years. And we just felt…

Davey: At your building?

Rob: Yeah, and it’s funny, because, to me, it’s about open doors and closed doors. And I know I’ve talked about that before in our close group. And just to see another open door that came about in May, and Jane and I had been talking about it, and we went and approached your mom. And we said, “We’re really not tied down to where we’re at. And we’d like to move the business in the back offices.”

Davey: Is that how it actually happened? Is that what you did?

Rob: That’s exactly how it happened. We went in to talk about that other deal. And…

Davey: I thought my mom said something like, “We’re not really tied down.” And my mom’s like, “You wanna rent an office?”

Rob: That’s exactly how it was. Jane brought it up. And she says…

Christian: Hi, this is Christian Rios. As many of you know, I had been a member of New Wealth Advisors club for over 7 years and got started when I was 17 years old with absolutely no real estate experience. One of the biggest lessons I’ve learned from being in the industry is the need for authentic relationships. If you’re looking for an actual team locally, in Southern California, with all the resources needed to close deals, register for one of our free workshops by visiting www.joinnwac.com. Thanks for listening to the Flippin’ Off Podcast.

Davey: And My mom’s like, “You wanna rent an office?”

Rob: That’s exactly how it was. Jane brought it up and she says, “Let’s go for it.” She says “I’m all there.” She says, “Talk to Oscar.” And we were just kind of like taken back and we’re like, “Whoa, okay, like, we’ve really got to commit to this.” Although we were, but…so we moved our residents from Corona, we moved, physically, our residence to Riverside. And five weeks later, we were moving our business. And your mom’s like, “You moved to Riverside? I didn’t know you guys moved.” “Yeah, we’re close to you. Off Orange Terrace.”

Davey: I did not know that you actually moved your house. Was that always in the plan?

Rob: No. During boot camp, I was really overwhelmed one night. I think it was during the last night.

Davey: Really?

Rob: Yeah. And your mom was calling us up. And I said, “I can’t express how really overwhelmed I’ve been in the last three or four months just to see how everything’s been coming together. And it’s got to be for a purpose.” And so when your mom’s like, “Insurance, the future NWAC Realty Group, and we’re planning on lending everything.” And she’s like, “Let’s do it.” And we’re like, “Are you sure?” And she’s like, “Yeah, let’s do it.” She says, “If you guys are looking to move.” And Oscar, he just confirmed a few other things. And I had a chat with you one day, remember in the back shop. So our experience has been, honestly, that we actually used the move, and I’ll reveal this. We said, “You know what, if we can move the business, our insurance business, we can get our real estate investing business off the ground,” and it’s almost kind of forcing yourself to commit. So the two offices are for insurance and the other one is for future LPS.

Davey: I love it. I love it. So for anybody who hasn’t been to the club, there’s 10,000 square feet of…at one time was a warehouse. It’s been renovated into multiple offices. So we have about 16 offices all throughout the building. And then there’s one major training room. And so for the most part in the past years, real estate investors occupy all of the offices. But then over the last couple of years, it’s fizzled out a little bit. So about half of the offices are occupied. So the back half are kind of just, they’re vacant. And then that we have an entire other entrance to the building, we have two entrances, one on one side and one on the other. And it’s now become a State Farm office. But we like using the back, we have our food pantry in the back. So when Path of Life comes and people come to get food, they’re back there, people are always in and out when we have our three-day events. A lot of the staff, not staff, but the volunteers and people that are working the event, we go in and out of the back. So it was always a…we talked about renting it, renting the back part, but we didn’t want some company back there that we didn’t like, you know, it’s still our building. So I had talked to a few people that wanted to possibly rent it, and we ended up just not doing it. So for Rob and Jane to come, and now Rob’s back there doing woodwork on the walls, like that’s right up my alley. I love that stuff. It’s been so awesome having you guys there. It’s been really cool. So I had talked to my mom about it way before. I think I said something to you one day, I was like, “You guys should just move here.”

Rob: I think you did. I think you did. Yeah, for me, it’s not a race. And I just mentioned that just recently. It’s about the journey and the people you bring with you. Totally. And during boot camp, I think it was our closing papers, just to kind of recap a little bit on what you were…where we’re at now and how do we feel. For me, it became almost a dream that I was living on the sideline watching other people live out, kind of like watching your football hero play the game, and you’re on the sideline, and wondering, “Am I ever gonna have an opportunity to really live this myself?” And to see where I’m at, and where Jane and I are at, it’s a dream come true. And I would encourage people…I can’t make any excuses. The training we’ve had and we’ve received from the club, it’s next to none. I mean, to truly say that we have a vested interest in you, your business, and with the people here, I mean, you guys met every bit of that. And just the people itself, the character, the quality of people, they truly are interested in your success. So it’s about investing in yourself and just really pursuing and pulling the trigger. And not just thinking, “Can I really do this?” You can do it. I’m living proof, Jane’s living proof. We’ve been business owners for 20 years, and to use the move of our company to say…because we’re both on-page in really doing this real estate investing full time.” So, I mean, the insurance is kind of an annuity for her, she’s not gonna stop that business. And we don’t have any plans, but it’s just happening.

Davey: That’s so awesome. I love that you said that because the real point of this conversation, this podcast, is to…I really want people to understand that real estate investing is a lifestyle, it’s about what you decide, like, how you want your life to look, it can’t be about making a quick buck. And so many people that come through the doors are looking…like the same question asked every single introduction, “When am I gonna get my first deal? What’s the percentage of people that are actually successful in this business?” It’s like, I wanna put that in a plaque. You know what I mean?

Rob: Yeah.

Davey: It’s a lifestyle change, like, you moved your business, your company, and now you moved your residence over here because this is, like, the lifestyle that you wanna live, you wanna be a real full-time real estate investor. But you own a business right now and you’re still running your business and you adapted that to work. So, with this story, I want people to understand, if you want to set yourself up for success and leave a legacy, a lifelong legacy, something that your kids can participate in, then you have to make a real lifestyle change, like, there’s no other real way to do it. Even for me, working 9 to 5 in Idaho and being consistent, I did just fine. I didn’t have…you know what I mean? I made a lifestyle change. I had to make an entire change to live the life that I wanted to. It’s not like I…you know? And it’s crazy, some days I still…it’s a few years later of not working an everyday job and I’m like, “Crap, I have to do something today.” Like, “I have to…like, I gotta get moving today,” because I finished all of my normal things and I know that I’m gonna get paid on this, this, and that. But then if you don’t continue to move forward and continue to set yourself up for new things, then there’s nothing gonna be there, there’s no paycheck waiting for you, you know. It’s about a lifestyle change. And that comes so much with mindset, where’s your head at? Which are all the things that we focus hard on in the club. And so I just think you’re a perfect example, both you and Jane are a perfect example of what it looks like to make a lifestyle change in order to make this happen.

Rob: Definitely. Definitely. And in the MMM we’re doing, we’re going over the Jim Rohn book, “The Power of Ambition.” And for me, it’s always been, if you have hope, that hope is what drives your ambition. And it’s funny because my word for this year was belief. I don’t know if you remember, but back in December, it was like, “Hey, have you got your word yet, buddy?” And I’m like…I was struggling between a few words. And I said, “It’s got to be believe,” because I wanted this to really happen, I wanted this to be real for us. And that’s why I’m so overwhelmed that the choosing of that word has led us to where we’re at now.

Davey: So cool.

Rob: So I still get chills. Seriously, I get chills. I have sometimes some sleepless nights because I’m just excited. And the demeanor, I mean, my kids, my daughters have even noticed the change. And she just said, both my daughters have said, “We see that you guys are not here a lot, but we see the change, and we see where you guys are going with this.” And now even my youngest daughter, she heard…the first time we were on the way home from San Diego about a year ago, and she heard Melina talking on a motivational Monday and she’s like, “I like her.” And they’ve both have listened to a lot of the Zoom meetings we’ve been on. And so they see how we’re leading by example. And we want them to know that you can truly be what you wanna be. And in real estate, they know how important that has been in our lives, has been in the back of my mind, real estate investing, for the longest time. So they’ve seen just a whole change of atmosphere, demeanor in our house. Sometimes a little chaotic, but just because when you’re running two businesses, but they’re excited for us, and that’s what gets me excited. And I can’t say enough, I mean, words can’t describe just the people in the club, you guys, Andrew, Oscar, John, everybody, I have so much respect for them. I kind of grew up with, “Just sit here, shut up and learn.” And I just have so much respect for them for the time they put in and just the outpouring that they give us, that you guys give us, and truly, there isn’t any excuse that I can have in not making this successful. So, right now we’re just living it, and we’re working it, and Jane and I, you know, we’re going to be doing this a lot more serious, so once things are kind of settled at the office.

Davey: Are you guys gonna flip that house on Van Buren?

Rob: Yeah, it’s an equity split with the owner. And it came down through a friend of Jane’s, she was at our house over for dinner. And we were talking about what we have been doing. So actually, it’s a family member.

Davey: Holy cow. Nice.

Rob: Yeah. So her niece called her and said, “This is the situation, and there’s a house that we have here,” and they live in Vegas. And they said, “Well, you need to call Rob and Jane.” That was right out of her mouth.

Davey: How about that.

Rob: So just a few conversations. And we got Oscar involved. He’s got a tech background. So we just thought Oscar was the perfect fit.

Davey: That’s awesome. That’s so cool. That’s so cool. I’m so glad you guys are in one. We should do a podcast on that. We should talk about that next time.

Rob: Definitely.

Davey: And we should do video. We should definitely start doing videos so we can capture the process and all that.

Rob: Yeah.

Davey: Definitely. When are you guys get to kick it off?

Rob: Well, the tenants have been out for a couple of weeks. He’s gonna sign probably today. I wanna say that it probably will start this week.

Davey: Let’s go.

Rob: Yeah, I’ve got text messages. He’s just like, “Come on, man. Let’s go make some money.”

Davey: Make sure you let me know. So I can get my camera out then.

Rob: Will do. Yeah,

Davey: All right, guys. Well, I think that’s gonna wrap it up for today. Again, if you have any ideas for podcasts or anything you wanna share with us about these podcasts, shoot me an email at davidboswell.nwac@gmail.com. If you’re interested in joining the club, you can check us out at newwealthadvisorsclub.com. And as always, we look forward to hearing more from you guys, and seeing more of you, and capturing more of these deals, and these awesome stories from so many people that are to come to the club in the future. So take care, guys, we’re out of here. Later.

Rob: See ya.

Melina: I’m Melina Boswell, your host of the Flippin’ Off Podcast. I really hope you enjoyed it. If you did, we’d love for you to subscribe. Give us a five-star rating and tell your friends all about us. You can find more episodes of the Flippin’ Off Podcast on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, Google Podcasts, Stitcher, or wherever else you like to listen to awesome podcasts like this. If you like what you’ve heard, we’d really appreciate it if you’d follow us on Facebook and Instagram and tell us the stories that you’d like to hear.

Tim Jackson is our senior producer. Luke Jackson is our editor. Brothers. Josh Mauldin is our producer. Sound design by Frequency Factory. Our executive producer is Mind & Mill. This was all created by Dave Boswell for New Wealth Advisors Club.