Why Hustling Harder Almost Cost Us Everything...

Tyler, I want to try something. Let's look back on 2025 and just like try to pick something out of gain this year. What's a big gain for you in 2025? M the Roots Random Show. I've been trying to say you just need to call it that. But uh welcome back to the Roots Random Show. Get some spiffy music deal with it. No. Uh love the question. Uh 2025 I'm going to share quick story. Uh, I started 2025 and enrolled in like a commercial boot camp if you remember that. Oh yeah, that was this year. Holy [ __ ] It was this year in January and was like, I'm gonna go be a commercial real estate investor, buy a bunch of buildings and still be, you know, an agent, run the team, have this residential stuff and started off doing that, right? Got in, you know, things are going well, partnering with my dad, yada yada. And I think June, July hit and it's like, all right, we have eight transactions going. The team's growing. It's bursting at the seams and like trying to make basically money in the the heat of the season and things really went sideways for me, right? You know, it's like just literally like got in a bad headsp space. Uh doesn't help. We're also trying to run like a media empire just too much. Too much. I think we had a week where we had an event and then did like a podcast marathon and had like 10 closings and I was just like I'm done. Like you you killed me. No, not you. But no, just real estate in general and like was like just tapped out. And so in July I took a sabbatical and spent a lot of quality time with the Lord and that and uh kind of found myself again cuz I was like God if you don't want me to be in real estate, show me and I will leave. M and I was prepared to leave like Abraham on the mountain with his only son. I was like with real estate. I was like I'm I can sacrifice this if it's necessary. Um and it's funny is like it was very clear. He was like no actually you just need to change the way and the pace in which you're going about real estate. Mhm. And in that this awesome, beautiful person, Amanda, enters my life and she's like um a transaction wizard, has been this personal assistant. She gets plugged in right before I leave. Like first week on the job, I'm like, "Hey, bye. I'm going for a month." Yeah. And she just starts to crush just closing, closing, doing everything. And I feel like God put her in my life to help me slow down and take all this off my plate. So get back in and decide, you know what, life's good. Re residential investments are fine. Commercial, I don't need to take over the world in one year. Podcast, we can just show up and enjoy it versus like trying to conquer the world. Just switching from this attitude of like we have to get it all done this year to life's good. Be present. Focus on the relationships in front of you. Mhm. So, like the amount of conversations I've had that were like basically spiritled and evangelical in nature since then, that's been my number one thing. I don't really care if I sell you a home or not. Like, I'd rather you hear about what the Lord's doing in my life and me, you Yeah. So, I would say this year has been not crazy. Oh, here's the scoreboard. You know, I could talk about how we've sold x many millions in real estate, but I don't really want to talk about that. Yeah. had a much different year, right? Been very humbled. It's numbers numbers driven. Uh when it kind of went out the door for me as well. And I remember in July, you did put it all at the altar, including roots. It was like I was having conversations in July kind of figuring out what my next move was just in case. I like needed to not walk into August and be screwed. I'm like, I got to have some sort of backup plan or alternative. Applying to jobs. No, not applying to jobs, but maybe applying to uh LinkedIn status changes. Well, I mean on on a real note, there was a a point in that July that I was not too far behind you, right? Because what you walked through, I walked through too. I think there was more weight in personal things too as well. Um, and I had just gotten so like you got Amanda, I got Trace in June. And in the the meantime of like hiring Trace, I was the one posting all the podcast stuff. I was the one doing all these other things. And so Trace was that press release style for me. The Lord blessed us with an encounter with him to come in to be that guy for our team, which relieved me. If not, I firmly believe that roots would have exploded in July because I would have been completely torched. you were torched. Amanda would have never been hired. Uh that's Yeah, that's wonderful that that that it all worked out that way. But yeah, I was like kind of figuring it out. I was like, I think I'm going to go join the Nic side of roots it is. Um and having that uh the trust after that to just like go away, we've got you reset actually reset me because it like clouded mind only makes another clouded mind, right? in removing I think truthfully did allow uh space to be able to to grow for everybody around. Um that's awesome. I'm I'm glad that you did that boldly. I think for anybody that is in a headsp space right now, everything feels heavy. You're anxious about maybe a kid on the way or you're anxious about um money and financials and you've got these credit cards that are are stacking up and you're going into December and you want to bless people with gifts and whatever, right? The the social pressures that happen. It's okay to unplug and go away. Um, and going away and just pray out to God and say like it's okay to to pray like Jesus, why do I feel so unworthy, but you still tell me I am. And see what happens. And that's what I just did. Uh, I just came off of a spiritual retreat. Silence and solitude. Uh, it was like 48 hours and it's with eight other guys and we're all out um at St. Minrad. Beautiful place. Never knew that this place exist like just an an hour uh an hour south of Bloomington. Awesome landscape in Indiana. So blessed that we have uh that that arch to be. It's like one of 13 in the world or something. I don't know. I read the trifold. Um and went there to discover just what the Lord has has stirred up in me. Um and now I haven't answered the call because of the busyiness. So, it's like the idea of completely unplugging, turning the phone off, no phones allowed, you're with other uh guys that are also entrepreneurs, exploring the same thing, and just spend time with the Lord in silence and solitude. Uh, so I spent like 3 hours on a park bench just like eyes closed praying. Never done that in my life. I thought it was pretty crazy going in in my head, intimidated at what would come out. And it's like this awakening season of you're not doing all things wrong. you're actually doing a lot right and the pace at which things are going is the the correct pace. It doesn't need to be faster. 400 subscribers is something to actually be proud of of this podcast that we started and I think we released the first episode like January two and to have where we're at and you guys listening like it's been amazing and we keep getting feedback of there should be more there should be more listening. There should be more listening. Like I actually think the right people are listening and the right people are engaging in our events. And something that was like opened up for me is I need to get out of the way and allow people to have their own gifts that flourish within the team and like step out of transactions was a a huge thing. Um and see what happens. There's a lot of trust that has to to go there. Like it's a lot it's a lot to carry. So, um, what did what's the time since you've had these amazing conversations that are more spiritled that maybe wouldn't have been, what else has kind of been awakened and maybe your investments? Yeah, on more of a a tactical note, I think we've spent a lot of time talking about like what are the right investments, less of like, hey, look at my cool spreadsheet and how much this is going to cash for me in year one and more of like what is the I think the word is like a lifestyle investment. Yeah, has been coined recently and like what is the right lifestyle investment? Uh, and I've been doing a lot more like dollar cost averaging in stock market and with Bitcoin. Uh, I own a little bit of gold, but that's more of a footnote. Um, but then with quality assets, so like, uh, basically if you were to tour this apartment or this unit of a duplex, would you actually choose to live there? Yeah. I think my version 1. 0 you know, of the portfolio I built, uh, four or five properties. I can't think say I would say that about any of them. Yeah, maybe a scrappy Tyler could have said that. Yeah, for sure. Maybe if I was like a scrappy version, yeah, I could have stayed there, but I would I want to No, I could now say most of the units we own, I would be fine. If I lost everything and like I lost my own house, I would move into multiple of the units. And so the tenants we get, they uh they're just better, I hate to say it, just better quality tenants. And that's not a knock against these other people that are they're just making ends meet and their life is chaos. So there's a lot of uncertainty there and and uncertainty financially, right? And so these people that are choosing to rent there are like, hey, I want to live here for 5 years, 10 years. I I can walk to I have a unit that's like they could walk to Broadgerbull, walk to the Monan. Yeah. They I see I pass by. I love having investments where you could like commute by them. So I commute by one of my duplexes and uh I see all the plants out and they like have planted flowers. I'm like, "Oh, I don't even have to do the things cuz you have skin in the game because I actually want to live there and like occupy it, have life." I think the the thing that became really challenging maybe for both of us was we want to be redemptive in what we do. So to be redemptive, we have to go to restore and that's not true. We don't have to restore to be redemptive. You uh by nature of in other areas bringing into your your spiritual life into your professional conversations is redemptive. Your real estate doesn't have to be incarcerated dads. Exactly. Like Addison, go listen to his podcast if you want to literally rent to for redemptive purposes. Yeah. Right. He's renting to people who are and that's his mission. Yeah. It's his calling, right? I was like I think both of us are like, "Hey, we're busy dads and entrepreneurs. You don't need to be unclogging toilets for ex-inccerated people. Like there is a time and place for people to do that. It you don't have to do that. If you want to be a Christian, a faith person and invest, it's okay to put pour that into your family, into your sphere, into your realy team, right? Which I think that has been your mission. I've noticed you're raising up the future leaders of our team. I would love to ask you uh we're probably rounding up this episode soon, but what is that next level up for Max look like? Yeah. Yeah. Headed into next year and and what the change for me has been is that shephering entrepreneurs, shephering um being like a a brave bold leader to the team. And sometimes a a brave leader isn't out there uh being a way maker. And I think I've spent most of this year trying to clear the way for a lot of people saying, you know, this is how you should do this and then you'll close more or this is how you do this and you'll get more. It's like, oh wait, actually maybe lead from behind and observe and go inward. Okay, let me see your how you're like uh life is, you know, maybe rise the tide and some boats will will sink or something like that. Whatever. I hope not sink. No, I'm just kidding. Cut that out. I said that just because I want to make AJ laugh. Um, but being a way maker this year, just trying to to get all of the trying to level people up in transaction count as opposed to in life. And for me, I'm I'm more called inward to level people up in life and awakened to that. Number one, how do you do that? Yeah. How I how how do you do that? being available in having um being available in listening to what people truly desire. So like each year we go through these numbers and I'm like everybody write out your monthly expenses and multiply them by 12 and then it'll tell you exactly how much real estate you need to sell to be able to live which we still did this year but we did that after going through the practice of what life ideals do you want to resemble in your life? Give me five ideals that you want to tell me what your life looks like right now. Okay. now quarterly, how are you going to get there? And like what are these skills that you want to gain? Why are you even doing this? What is your why? Write me a vivid vision of what three years from now looks like. And then we'll talk about the numbers. So now I've got these like one cheaters for everybody on our team. That is just the blueprint of here's what I want my future life to look like. Here's the numbers that like have to hit to get there. But it happens after the personal. So the professional happens uh as a lagging indicator to all the personal things being connected and just being a leader that gives that access for you know hours on end for people to sit across the table from me and like work through those and go hand in hand with them. Damn. Sounds like you have to be that type of person. Yeah. Right. A lot of personal growth required there. Yeah. And I think that that is what this year has been. I walked into the year caring about income and status and uh how many rental doors can I own and how great can GNC be and more money for me me and only me. And I'm walking out this year going uh I don't really give a [ __ ] what the bank balance looks like. I don't really care about what the rental door number is. I care more about where are the hearts of my people and are they united and on fire? And if one of the the people aren't and they're burning out, okay, pull them out and let's like rebuild you up. And that's what it's been through a lot of sharpening. I mean, there's been a ton of of different the years. Yeah. Coach, working with a coach and having that space for that introspection and someone to listen and shepherd. Yeah. I've noticed has been a huge game changer. Uh Nick, last thing I'll share is Nick Bear has an awesome episode. He's an entrepreneur and fitness influencer, has a supplement company. He released an episode, things I learned in my 30s that I wish in my 20s and the biggest saying, his number one thing that he spent 20 minutes of the podcast review on was leadership is service. But leadership is influence. Mhm. It's not popularity, it's service. And that is how you have influence. Yeah. And that is following the way of Christ. It is. And he actually has connected those dots quite explicitly recently, which has been awesome. Yeah, I love that. We need to puff that up more and engage into it. Um, pretty cool. What's What's your theme of 26? Oo, good good question. I haven't asked that one. Before you answer that, explain Thanksgiving yet. Explain 202. Yeah, right. Explain 2025 in one word. The word I'm going to use is relationships. Very cliche, but I feel like God gave me that word in the midst of the wilderness philosophically that I was in. Um and that has really been the guiding guidepost is focus on the relationships whether it's clients or team members or tenants or property managers put coins explicitly into that piggy bank and the lagging indicator will be you know some sort of wealth hopefully financial but it may not be and I think that's been true right uh my I feel like the spiritual treasure chest if you will has been growing a lot for me this year. Like, every relationship has been filling me up tremendously. I have a great relationship now with even my property manager, Lily. Like, I sent them a gift to their house when they bought a home from me. And uh she's out there getting quotes for me right now. And like, I can't do that, right? I'd be making those calls myself if I didn't have that. So, like that's just one small example. What about you? 20 25 in one word. Yeah. H reorganizing maybe. Yeah, we'll go with that. Reorganizing just uh taking what it it's year one of life at home, no W2 income to back on, no corporate America to pay our bills. Um and to go out and just figure it out. And I think there has to be some reorganization of priorities that comes out of that year one as a dad, right? Just a ton of like resharpening and and yeah, turning the page. Now, I'll ask what's the theme of 2026 for Tyler. I love thinking about that. I haven't thought about it yet. Uh I'm really excited for 2026 for our team, but also personal life. My son is going to be two on his way to three. Fatherhood. I think fatherhood is probably the word that is bubbling up because he is at an age in which he is starting to lean into that relationship and look to that fatherly guidance. And so I that I think that entails me sharpening that identity piece um and just like what does it mean to be a good father? and like really sitting in that uh and dwelling in that I think is where so going a little being a really good figure at home I think is I think I feel like outward presence I feel decently well I always can improve but I'm like inward at home I'm like I could be better transparently I love that what about you 2026 yeah I've spent a lot of time thinking about it and a couple different things are coming through my brain. I think multigenerational leader is the biggest calling that I have and being bold and confident in that. So, gathering, you know, opening up our home Sundays at 100 p. m. for our entire family to come in and sit around the table every week like aspire to it be every week that they're coming in and and seeing what happens when, you know, people don't have the luxury that we have. We have like 15 family members within 5 minutes of us or 5 miles of us. Um that could come every single week out and sit around our table. Yeah. And like what happens when that family is all united and on fire and chasing after like uh stewardship? So I think a lot of times we go out into the community because it's easy and lift up the community. Very rarely do I see people go inward to the family and say, "Okay, let's all get together. Let's unite and be friends." Like, this is by blood where it starts. And being that, the youngest outside of my nephew and my son and our family to be the one that opens the door, I think uh is something that I've been challenged and and wrestled with. And then carrying that same theme into the uh room at Roots and into, you know, different relationships. I love how we both talked about family. Yeah, right. The the bedrock. It is, so to speak. It's a foundation. Yeah, that's good. Well, this has been another episode of the Roots Podcast. Go sit in some silence and uh reflect on you. What do you want 2026 to be? Yeah. Peace. Peace.