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Ever wonder how someone goes from literally borrowing gas money to building a real estate empire? That's exactly what Stratton Brown did, and on this episode, he reveals the raw, unfiltered journey that transformed his life.

Stratton shares the pivotal moment when everything changed—having to call his mom for $20 to fuel his car one day, then having $30,000 in his bank account the next. This kickstarted his career in real estate wholesaling, which evolved into self-storage investments and a successful virtual assistant staffing company. With refreshing candor, he admits to losing $50-100K annually on experimental ventures while still building multiple seven-figure businesses.

What makes this conversation particularly valuable is Stratton's practical approach to breaking into commercial real estate without massive capital. He details how he acquired self-storage facilities with creative financing—as little as 10% down and interest rates as low as 2-3%. One property purchased for $900K with $300K down is projected to be worth $1.7-2M after improvements. These aren't theoretical strategies—they're real deals he's completed and currently manages.

The episode also dives deep into how Stratton built a personal brand that attracts deal flow and investment capital. His advice? Document your journey from day one, even if you're just starting out. Years later, people who followed his progress—including his former college strength coach—reached out to invest in his deals. This organic approach to capital raising has allowed him to fund deals without traditional marketing.

As we look toward 2025, Stratton shares his market outlook and why he believes now is the time to acquire commercial properties, particularly with 100% bonus depreciation returning. Whether you're just starting in real estate or looking to scale into larger commercial deals, this conversation provides a blueprint worth following.