In this episode, Brad chats with Sam Khairi, founder of Afto Capital and a former mechanical engineer who walked away from a secure 15-year career to chase freedom through real estate and business ownership. Sam shares his journey from passive investor (LP) to active syndicator (GP), the challenges of entering the multifamily space full-time in 2022, and how he's now scaling a portfolio of small businesses with the long-term goal of fueling real estate investments.

🔑 Key Topics Covered: Why Sam’s first LP investment was the best decision he ever made

The lessons and missteps of trying to “go big” in syndication too fast

Pivoting into small business acquisition when multifamily deals stopped penciling

Why buying a $65K house in Cleveland taught him more than any course

The difference between LPs and GPs—and which role might be right for you

Key struggles of running remote service-based businesses

Why Sam is choosing corporate ownership over franchising

The long-term strategy: using cash-flowing businesses to fund hard-asset real estate plays

💬 Memorable Quotes: “I thought I’d raise all the capital and become the next Grant Cardone... and reality hit fast.” — Sam Khairi

“That $65K house beat the crap out of me, but I learned more from it than anything else.” — Sam Khairi

“Two plus two doesn’t equal four in small business—it equals ten. That’s the power of scale.” — Sam Khairi

🔗 Connect with Sam Khairi: 📸 Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/officialsamkhairi

💼 LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/samkhairi

🎙️ Connect with Host Brad Weaver: 💼 LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/bradweaver

In this episode, Brad sits down with Joseph Kimbrough, Marine Corps veteran turned entrepreneur, and the CEO of both Baruk Capital Group and Apex Real Estate Investments. Joseph’s journey started with door-knocking and speeding tickets—and led to creative financing on a 400+ unit deal in Phoenix. We talk wholesaling, multifamily syndications, the importance of investor communication, and why niche assets like workforce housing are key to the future.

🔑 Key Topics Covered: How Joseph went from the Marines to door-knocking real estate leads

The $10K wholesale deal that launched his investing career

Why he raised $11M for his first 160-unit multifamily investment

Lessons learned from paused distributions and floating-rate debt

The difference between a syndication and a fund—and why Joseph favors the latter

What makes a deal "niche" (and why investors love it right now)

Why owning a roofing or landscaping business could improve your NOI

Inside the 2.9% fixed-rate Phoenix deal with 400+ units

💬 Memorable Quotes: “If I need a rifle to go check on one of my properties, I shouldn’t own it.” — Joseph Kimbrough

“Track record is great—until things hit the fan. Then experience means a lot less than resilience.” — Joseph Kimbrough

“People don’t want cookie-cutter anymore. They want niche deals—workforce housing, DOD projects, real impact.” — Joseph Kimbrough

🔗 Connect with Joseph Kimbrough: 📧 Email: joseph@barukcapitalgroup.com

💼 LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/josephkimbrough

📸 Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/josephkimbrough

🎙️ Connect with Host Brad Weaver: 💼 LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/bradweaver

In this episode, Brad sits down with Chris Lento, founder and managing member of EM Capital Group, to hear how he went from hacking a four-unit house in East Boston to managing large multifamily syndications across the Southeast. With over 18 years of experience in multifamily real estate, Chris shares hard-earned lessons, a few war stories, and why he's bullish on creative strategies like condo conversions and cell tower contracts.

🔑 Key Topics Covered: How house hacking a Boston triplex launched Chris's investing career

What it's like managing your first tenants while living in the illegal in-law unit

The challenges of property management in tertiary markets (and how to avoid them)

Why mid-size multifamily (50–70 units) can be the toughest to manage

Behind the scenes of a downtown Columbia bank turned apartment complex

Leveraging condo conversions to maximize returns in high-end neighborhoods

Using a cell phone tower lease to boost NOI (and create a $750k liquidity event)

Lessons from doing 5 rounds of property management in 5 years

How Chris combines deep market familiarity with a lean, experienced team

💬 Memorable Quotes: “Engineering taught me a lot, but real estate taught me how to deal with people—especially the ones who lie with emotion.” — Chris Lento

“We didn’t lose money on that deal, but we left a lot on the table. Property management made or broke the whole thing.” — Chris Lento

“When you convert from multifamily to condos, you’re changing the buyer pool. That’s where the value gets created.” — Chris Lento

🔗 Connect with Chris Lento: 📧 Email: chrislento@emcapitalgroup.com

💼 LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/chris-lento

🎙️ Connect with Host Brad Weaver: 💼 LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/bradweaver

In this episode, we sit down with Lee Yoder, founder of Threefold Real Estate Investing, who went from physical therapist to full-time multifamily investor with over 800 units under management. Lee shares how he followed a calling to build something, overcame fear and resistance, and leaned into faith, family, and real estate to change the trajectory of his life and business.

We dive into his first house flip, his worst and best deals, and his newest massive 415-unit portfolio acquisition. Get ready for some powerful insights, cautionary tales, and inspiring wins.

🔑 Key Topics Covered: How Lee transitioned from physical therapy to full-time real estate

The origin of Threefold REI and the meaning behind the name

Why his first flip almost ended his marriage—but also launched his career

Lessons learned from a tough neighborhood syndication (including a shooting 😬)

The 16-unit deal that changed everything (and got his in-laws a 70% return!)

Why Lee's latest acquisition of 415 units is his boldest move yet

The importance of managing risk, faith, and family through growth

How flipping differs from investing—and what to know before you start

💬 Memorable Quotes: “Flipping is not investing—it’s just another job. But it got us started, and sometimes that’s what matters most.” — Lee Yoder

“You can’t change the area you buy in. No matter how good the numbers look, the location tells the real story.” — Lee Yoder

“That 16-unit deal made me feel like the sky’s the limit. Once you do it, it doesn’t feel so scary anymore.” — Lee Yoder

🔗 Connect with Lee Yoder: 🌐 Website: https://www.threefoldrei.com

💼 LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/lee-yoder

🎙️ Connect with Host Brad Weaver: 💼 LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/bradweaver

In this episode of First, Worst, Best & Next, host Brad Weaver sits down with Jonathan Nichols—CEO of Apogee Capital, aerospace engineer turned full-time real estate investor.

Jonathan shares his transition from side-hustling real estate with his wife into full-scale multifamily syndication. From a fourplex house hack near AT&T Stadium to a 75-unit off-market home run with zero CapEx and 100% occupancy, Jonathan walks us through the highs, the lows, and what’s coming next.

If you're curious about scaling smart, investing in tertiary markets, or finding deals without over-renovating, this one's for you.

Key Topics: Why house hacking a fourplex (in a not-so-comfy neighborhood) was the best uncomfortable decision

Turning a negative cash-flow rental into a profitable short-term rental business

His “worst deal” and what it taught him about vetting tenants (spoiler: it ends with changing locks at 1AM)

The importance of operational improvements over major renovations

How trust and broker relationships lead to off-market opportunities

Why Apogee is pivoting back to DFW in 2025—and what makes now a smart time to buy

Memorable Quotes: “Relationships open doors—and trust closes deals.” “You can make money on a property without swinging a single hammer.” “The deal of a lifetime comes around every few months—if you’re prepared.”

Connect with Jonathan: 🔗 Website & Masterclass

Connect with Brad: 🔗 Risk Strategies on LinkedIn

🔗 Brad on LinkedIn

📅 Book an Intro Call

📱 Brad’s Cell: (845) 779-2044

In this episode, host Brad Weaver talks with investor, entrepreneur, and podcast host Axel Ragnarsson, founder of Aligned Real Estate Partners and host of the Multifamily Wealth Podcast.

Axel shares his journey from flipping cars in college to building a 450-unit multifamily portfolio focused in New Hampshire. He opens up about the hard lessons learned from a cash-burning out-of-state deal, the creative strategy behind his best acquisition, and how direct-to-seller marketing became the cornerstone of his success. Axel also offers practical insights into market focus, scaling wisely, and building long-term wealth with or without investor capital.

Key Topics: Axel’s first deal and why the $5K loss was worth every penny What went wrong in his worst deal (and how vandalism made it worse) Lessons from a $1M equity lift in his best direct-to-seller portfolio Scaling to 450 units through focused growth—not flash Building a vertically integrated operation with in-house property management The importance of deep market knowledge and avoiding shiny-object syndrome How Axel uses direct mail, calls, and emails to build long-term deal flow Why smaller deals can be more profitable than syndications Launching a membership community to support investors and give back

Memorable Quotes: "If it’s working, pour gas on it." "You don’t realize how much you know about your market… until you go outside of it." "You don’t do direct mail to get deals—you do it to build relationships."

Connect with Axel: Instagram: @multifamilywealth Podcast: Multifamily Wealth Podcast Membership Community: Aligned Community Info (More info via Axel’s Instagram bio)

Connect with Brad: Risk Strategies on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/risk-strategies-company/ Brad on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/brad-weaver-bb29035/ Book an intro appt with Brad: https://zcal.co/fwbn/introcall Brad’s Direct Cell: (845) 779-2044

In this episode, host Brad Weaver talks with entrepreneur, investor relations manager, and founder of She Is Her, Jazmin Salinas. Jazmin shares her inspiring journey from immigrating to the U.S. at 19 to becoming a successful real estate investor with over 100 land transactions and 1,300 multifamily units. She dives into lessons from her early deals, her pivot into multifamily, and her exciting plans for expanded land investing and mixed-use developments. Jazmin also shares how she’s empowering women through financial education and community building.

Key Topics: Starting over in the U.S. and rebuilding a career Lessons from her first land deal (and why it mattered) Scaling through 100+ land transactions Seller financing strategies for passive income Transitioning into multifamily investments Developing retail centers tied to master-planned communities Launching "She Is Her" to empower women in finance and investing

Memorable Quotes: "You are one connection away from a completely different life." "Leaving a legacy isn’t just about money—it's about educating the next generation to sustain and grow it."

Connect with Jazmin: LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/jazmin-salinas-1448021a3/ Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/officialjazminsalinas Website: https://massive.capital/

Connect with Brad: Risk Strategies on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/risk-strategies-company/posts/?feedView=all Brad on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/brad-weaver-bb29035/ Book an intro appt with Brad: https://zcal.co/fwbn/introcall Brad’s Direct Cell: (845) 779-2044

This episode features Mac Shelton from Sweet Bay Capital discussing his experiences in multifamily real estate investing. Mac shares insights into his firm's investment strategies, detailing both successes and challenges. He dives into specific deals, including his "best" and most challenging, offering valuable lessons on underwriting, market selection, and property management. The conversation explores the nuances of student housing and the potential of investing in tertiary markets.

Key Takeaways: • Importance of Underwriting: Thorough underwriting is crucial to mitigate risks, especially with older properties. • Market Selection: Tertiary markets can offer strong rent growth and less competition compared to primary markets. • Student Housing Nuances: Student rentals can be profitable but require careful management and consideration of location and market dynamics. • Value-Add Strategies: Implementing value-add strategies, such as renovations and rent optimization, can significantly increase property value and returns. • Managing Challenges: Real estate investing involves challenges; effective management and conservative budgeting are essential for navigating them.

About Mac Shelton: Mac Shelton is a founding partner of Sweet Bay Capital, a multifamily investment firm focused on value-add properties in Virginia and the Carolinas. His real estate career began with underwriting debt and equity deals and raising capital. Mac's firm targets 20% deal-level Irrs and focuses on improving property efficiency and profitability through renovations. Based in Raleigh, North Carolina, Mac is also a 1st Lieutenant in the North Carolina National Guard.

How to contact Mac: • Sweet Bay Capital Website: https://www.sweetbay-capital.com/ • Mac Shelton LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/mac-shelton/

How to contact Brad: • Risk Strategies on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/risk-strategies-company/posts/?feedView=all • Brad on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/brad-weaver-bb29035/ • Book an intro appt with Brad: https://zcal.co/fwbn/introcall • Brad’s Direct Cell: (845) 779-2044