James Toler is the #1 lender in Houston and Galveston County, with over 3,000 loans funded since 2021 and more than 100 flips per year under his belt. He’s the owner of King James Lending and one of the sharpest operators in the Texas real estate game.

In this episode, James breaks down the mindset, strategy, and slow, obsessive improvement that built his empire — from earning just $4,000 in commission on his first flip… to becoming one of Houston’s most trusted lenders.

James shares how early exposure to business shaped him, why confidence is essential in investing, and the real behind-the-scenes truth about contractors, private money, and scaling a team.

This episode is packed with game. 👊🔥

In this episode, James breaks down:

🔥 How he went from making $4,000 commission on his first flip → to 100+ flips a year

💰 The deal that made him $60K and shifted his entire trajectory

🧠 Why “slow improvement” is his secret advantage

🛠️ How he built long-term, reliable contractor relationships

🤝 How he secured his first private investor (and the exact structure he used)

👥 Why culture is everything when scaling a team

💼 How his wife helped streamline operations and scale faster

🏦 How he accidentally became a lender — and funded 70–90 loans with his own capital before scaling

📈 Why sales & marketing are the lifeblood of volume

🏗️ His land holdings, new builds, and long-term investment strategy

📊 What he saw in the 2025 market — and how he adapted to win

🚀 His goals for 2026 and the mindset behind ongoing growth:

“Focus on the actions that produce results — not the results themselves.”

James Toler’s story proves that obsession, consistency, and smart systems can take you further than talent alone.

If you’re an investor, lender, or operator — this episode is mandatory.

Entrepreneurship is about making calls others won’t. That’s where we come in — combining AI, people, and relentless hustle to fill your pipeline with leads and scale your business.

Click on the link below to see how Vancom can help! 🔗 https://vancom.io/calendar-page

Connect with Us: Instagram / josuellanass

Our guest: Contact James Call/Text 832-256-8596

Visit his website https://www.kingjameslending.com/

His personal Instagram jamesrtoler

👉 Don’t forget to like, comment, and subscribe for more powerful stories of business, real estate, and scaling your business! 🔔

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#JamesToler #KingJamesLending #HoustonRealEstate #RealEstateInvesting #HardMoneyLender #HouseFlipping #EntrepreneurMindset #BusinessLeadership #InvestorLife #TexasRealEstate #SalesAndMarketing #RealEstatePodcast #PickupThePhonePodcast #Vancom #FinancialFreedom #RealEstateDeals #RealEstateEmpire

Crystal De León Sarmiento is a force.

From growing up in Houston’s Southwest side to becoming a certified Business Behavior Analyst, Executive Business Coach, and the first Mexican-American councilwoman in Manvel Texas, her path is built on grit, execution, and leadership at the highest level.

Crystal is the founder of The Ari Source, where she helps business owners scale with systems, KPIs, strategic hiring, and leadership development. She breaks down how personality, communication, and behavior directly impact performance inside every organization.

In this episode, Crystal dives deep into the mindset, strategy, and discipline behind building powerful teams and becoming an influential leader — in business and in politics.

🔥 In this episode, Crystal breaks down:

• How she closed her first multi-million-dollar deal at 23 💼
• Becoming a #1 best-selling author and out-ranking Joel Osteen 📚
• Why a bad hire can cost 7x a salary — and destroy culture 🔍
• The truth about leadership: “Nothing more, nothing less than influence.”
• Why most business owners fail in the first 5 years
• How to identify ego vs. confidence when hiring 💡
• How she coaches companies on KPIs, communication, and accountability
• Why she stepped into politics — and what business owners really need from their leaders
• Her run for Congress & why representation matters in her district 🇺🇸
• “The American Dream, not the socialist scheme” — her mission for her community

Crystal’s story is bold, powerful, and unapologetically driven.

This episode is a blueprint for anyone who wants to lead — in business, in community, and in life.

Entrepreneurship is about making calls others won’t. That’s where we come in — combining AI, people, and relentless hustle to fill your pipeline with leads and scale your business.

Click on the link below to see how Vancom can help! 🔗 https://vancom.io/calendar-page

Connect with Us: Instagram / josuellanass

Our guest: https://crystaluscongress.com/

Her personal Instagram crystal.lioness and her official campaign Instagram crystalforcongress

Facebook Page Crystal De León Sarmiento For Congress CD09

👉 Don’t forget to like, comment, and subscribe for more powerful stories of business, real estate, and scaling your business! 🔔

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#CrystalDeLeonSarmiento #TheAriSource #BusinessLeadership #ExecutiveCoaching #WomenInBusiness #LatinaLeaders #BusinessGrowth #LeadershipDevelopment #EntrepreneurPodcast #PickupThePhonePodcast #Vancom #BusinessMindset #Congress2026 #LatinaForCongress #TexasPolitics #ManvelTexas #HoustonLeadership

Most people fear debt. Richard Marquez used it to build a $10M real estate empire. 🔥

He now owns 39 units across single-family and multifamily — built through strategy, discipline, and smart leverage. And he reached full financial freedom doing it.

But his story didn’t start in real estate.

Richard began in sales, transitioned into banking, and eventually became a branch manager. That’s where everything shifted. He realized everyday people were quietly buying rentals on the side — and building wealth.

That sparked the vision:

You can work a 9–5 and build a portfolio at the same time.

In this episode, Richard breaks down exactly how he scaled to 39 doors and hit financial freedom:

• 🏠 How he grew from buying houses one-by-one to owning 39 units

• 💳 How he mastered credit and used it as a weapon for opportunity

• 💵 Leaving his banking job after realizing the equity he had built

• 🔑 Moving from traditional loans → private lenders → DSR loans

• 🛠️ Why he stopped flipping & built an in-house remodel crew

• 🏘️ How he bought his first multifamily property — and why he wants more

• 📐 His buying criteria and formula per square foot

• 📅 How he compressed his work week into 3 days

• 💰 Getting loans even from PayPal — and how he uses them

• 🚀 How he maintains financial freedom while still growing the portfolio

Richard proves that with the right mindset, the right lenders, and the right credit strategy, anyone can build wealth in real estate — one door at a time.

Entrepreneurship is about making calls others won’t. That’s where we come in — combining AI, people, and relentless hustle to fill your pipeline with leads and scale your business.

Click on the link below to see how Vancom can help! 🔗 https://vancom.io/calendar-page

Connect with Us: Instagram / josuellanass and pickupthephonepod

Our guest Visit Facebook: Richard Marquez or call/text Richard 832-616-1719

👉 Don’t forget to like, comment, and subscribe for more powerful stories of business, real estate, and scaling your business! 🔔

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#RealEstateInvesting #FinancialFreedom #RentalProperties #RealEstatePortfolio #RealEstateInvestor #Cashflow #DSCRLoans #PassiveIncome #RealEstateStrategy #RealEstateHouston #RealEstateBusiness #LandlordLife #CreditStrategy #InvestorMindset #Vancom #PickupThePhonePodcast