Episode04

Transcription

[00:00:00] Jeremy: All right, sounds good. Good morning. , this morning I've got Charles DeFore with me. , Charles, , appreciate you joining me this morning and looking forward to our conversation. Um, how about we start with just a little bit about you, who you are what you do for work and what's your history has been up to this point.

[00:00:24] Charles: Yeah, so, uh, 1st, thanks for having me, Jeremy pleasure to be here and participate in this interview. Um, so, as you said, my name's Charles DuFour a little bit about myself and how I got up to today or, or my start in real estate. Um, a 49 years old have a wife and 2 kids. I spent 5 years in the US Navy coming out of high school.

Stationed in Charleston, South Carolina, and then in Norfolk, Virginia. When I got out of the service, [00:01:00] I moved back home with my parents up here in Connecticut, which is where I'm at now. Tried the college route, did about a year of my first two year associate's degree in college and started working for Electric Boat Corporation, part of General Dynamics, we build submarines for the U.S. Navy. Cool. I'm still there today. That was back in January of 99, when I started there. So, worked a couple other side jobs when I wasn't making much money. Um, had three jobs at one point. Oh, wow. Yeah. Yeah, that was a little hectic. I don't know if I could do that today, but, um... Yeah, I had to have my 40 hour job with electric boat, worked at a Dunkin Donuts, uh, shift supervisor on second shift about 30 hours a week and then on weekends I worked, uh, on a [00:02:00] ferry that goes from Connecticut, to Orient Point in New York out on Long Island. So I'd work there on the weekends and, uh, do what you got to do when the money's not there, right?

[00:02:12] Jeremy: Yeah, yeah, for sure. Yeah, so you know, you know all about hustling, right? And working with that dollar, yeah.

[00:02:20] Charles: Yeah, I think it was a little easier back in the younger days, but.

Anyway, so, so I met my wife. We've been married about 15 years this year. We've been married. I got a couple of teenage daughters in high school, and I've always had an interest in real estate. Okay. Several, several years ago, my mother. She never really had a career type job. Um, she worked part time jobs while I was growing up and, um, she decided to get into real estate [00:03:00] investing sort of as a retirement set up for retirement and just locally in the town I'm currently and she owned 3 duplexes and when it came time for her to get out, I didn't quite. Know what I knew today. So I think I missed the boat on that one. she doesn't own them anymore. My wife wasn't too keen on on house hacking type situation. You know, I've been living with, uh, with tenants right beside you.

Um, so I passed on that opportunity, but I've always had an interest in real estate. And that's kind of what got me to where I am today. So I eventually like to...

[00:03:44] Jeremy: Yeah. So I'm sorry. I just want to follow through with, you a little bit on your, with your mom and those three duplexes.

So you said she, she had several different, just , odd end jobs, but did she ever talk to you about why she bought those, duplexes? Why, what was her reasoning [00:04:00] behind that? What was her thought?

[00:04:03] Charles: So she didn't, you know, having, having odd jobs, um, and they weren't. They weren't just laborer type jobs, you know, she did bookkeeping over the years and whatnot, but she, she worked a lot of part time jobs with, you know, me and my brother in school and whatnot.

So she didn't have a 401 for retirement or anything like that. Um, my father did, , she had one of her jobs, she had become a real estate agent, you know, not About a 60, 70 hour a week hustling type real estate agent, but that was one of her jobs. She'd become an agent. And I think she just felt, it was her, form of, setting up some kind of retirement when the time came.

Okay. Um, , my father was always handy. So they did a lot of. , the repairs and whatnot, the smaller stuff themselves, , they only hired out [00:05:00] if they had to. So, yeah she never, you know, aside from that, she never went into detail what made her go down that road. But she did, and at the time she offloaded them.

Um, I just, I don't know, I didn't, I didn't step in and I probably should have, but it would have been a good opportunity.

[00:05:22] Jeremy: Yeah, that's, that's all right. So, you know we learn a lot of things from our parents, right. And, and it's obvious that your parents were definitely interested in multiple revenue streams, right? Your dad's working, your mom's working, she's finding these different jobs gets introduced into real estate, sees an opportunity, feels and understands that there's some opportunity for her in her retirement years to be able to use that as retirement savings you know, instead of using a 401k, you're using an asset like a home, a duplex as a way to put money aside. So I think that's super creative and [00:06:00] it's always interesting to me, raising kids of my own, how much that I, I seen the things my parents were doing, but I really didn't ever.

I never got engaged in those conversations, to the level that I wish I would have, you know, and so thinking, about that, with your parents , does it feel like it was similar? It was like, we really didn't talk , a lot about money. Didn't really talk about investing.

Didn't know they was doing it, but they didn't really kind of talk about that. Right. So I think a lot of us are, when we get into real estate, we're like. I wish somebody would've told me this when I was 10. . .

[00:06:38] Charles: Oh, I know, right? If if you knew what you, if you knew then what you know now, right?

Yeah. And, and to be honest if my parents knew what I know now about real estate, they would likely still own them. Yeah. And still be having passive income, they never had, they never had a property manager. They never, never really, you know, a handyman on call, you know, [00:07:00] you could get to that point and just pretty much be hands off and, still be collecting off of that rather than have, you know, have sold them.

It is what it is. And yeah, that, that's absolutely right though. You know I never talked specific finances with my parents . Even as a young adult, it's probably a little more open now me being where I am and then being fully retired. But yeah, no, you're right. You see things of what's going on and you get the, high level answers if you have any questions, but you never really deep dive into stuff that your, your parents are doing.

And there's probably some benefit to that If your kids are receptive and mature enough to have those types of discussions. Absolutely.

[00:07:47] Jeremy: Yeah, no, that's cool. So you had a little bit of introduction to real estate from your parents, from your mother, but really what brought you back around into it?

I mean, it sounds like it at the point when she sold those. That you wasn't quite [00:08:00] ready for them, but what was the, change in your mind or, you know, in your life that brought you back into the, ideas and the concepts of, wanting to be part of the real estate world.

[00:08:12] Charles: So. I think what brought me back into this is, my kids are getting ready for high school. I mean, I'm sorry, getting ready for college, right? Just a few years out, you know, I have, I think it's the 504 college savings plans, right? Okay. I have those for my kids, and money comes out of my check.

You know, every checking goes into that.

We started looking at how much colleges cost today, it's insane. Absolutely. And you know, my 504 aren't going to scratch the surface. Right. Yeah. , so it's, I think family, family is really my motivation to find just to find a way. Right. And [00:09:00] there were two things I was considering and still two things that I'm, I plan on moving into today.

One is business acquisition, buying a small business, owning small businesses. Um, not operating them, but purchasing them , and having them work for me, right? Yeah. Um, and the other, the other is, is the real estate world, which, I mean, has never done anybody right. You go, yeah, this 2008 debacle, but over time it's just nothing, nothing better than real estate.

And in learning and seeing today how quickly when you, when you do start, how quickly you can gain momentum the real estate space. Now, because I'm 49 years old, I don't have 30 years in front of me to build up something. For retirement, but really the [00:10:00] to come back around.

I think my, my family is what made me start to go look for other things, right? I want I want the financial freedom. It doesn't mean I need to be rich. I don't need to be rich. But what I do need is. More flexibility. I don't want to be tied down. I like New England, but I don't want to have to be here.

I want to overtake my, W 2. , I can't complain. It's, it's provided for me and my family very well. Um, and I do quite well there, but I, I just, I don't want to be tied to that. I want to be able to control my own destiny for the good of my family and in my own retirement, me and my wife. And at the same time, have something to leave my kids, , to make their lives a little better when, when I'm gone.

So that's, that's really the motivation. Um, and having a little knowledge in real estate made it easy to [00:11:00] understand as I'm, I'm looking at, you know, videos online and different ways you can do things and there is a, there's a very close parallel. I think. To business acquisition, which, you know, I'm in the gator community.

I know you're from the sub 2 community. I know that's been coming up in the sub 2 community as well as is a creative finance for business acquisition as well. And I think that's probably a much more popular financing method in the business world than it is in the real estate world

[00:11:31] Jeremy: I agree.. Yeah.

[00:11:33] Charles: I think. Something like 90 percent of all business acquisitions or sales involve some, some form of seller financing or creative finances.

[00:11:43] Jeremy: Yeah, you're absolutely right there. You know, and I think that's really powerful , as you're looking through it. I mean, you said a couple of things there that, that really stood out as, I mean, you're looking, so let's, let's, let's take a step to where you started with the five Oh, uh, the five Oh four C's, right?

So those. [00:12:00] Those are a very traditional manner and being able to save for college. And I'm sure you're probably investing in your 401k and some of these other, maybe it's pension, whatever, you know, whatever that is through work, but the reality is, is those are very slow and they work well for you and.

And your spouse during retirement years, right? But they're not going to build wealth. They're going to be able to sustain you for a few years, , in your retirement years, but they, but again, they're not going to build wealth typically. I mean, unless you're putting on an amazing amount into your 401k, uh, you and maxing that out every year and maxing out the four of the 504s, you know, there's only so much you can do with those.

Investing vehicles. And so being able to recognize that and realize that now I was like, okay, let me focus in some of these other things. And I think you said something really cool there about, you know, the, the business side of it and acquiring businesses in a creative way, you're [00:13:00] absolutely right, most businesses.

Especially established businesses, you're looking at these things, they're going to sell for, you know, two, three, four, five, 10, 20 million, right? There is very, very difficult for a business owner to sell that business because there's very small pool of people that's looking for that specific business that has that much capital.

Right. And so being able to use some creative ways is, as you mentioned , is definitely key. So 90 percent of those businesses are, , definitely acquired through creative terms. And so thinking about, , where you want to go and the long term journey, tell me about. Why you joined the Gator program and just, for anybody that doesn't know what the Gator program is, is you're basically a transactional funder, right?

So maybe just spend a couple of minutes , on really what that means , and who benefits from that. , and then why you [00:14:00] started with the transactional funding. With the intention that you're going to be able to buy some businesses and some additional , real estate, right? So, so maybe explain to me what, what was attracting to you on, the gator program.

[00:14:14] Charles: Yeah. So I was very familiar with Pace Morby, , prior to coming into this community. , and a few other real estate people, , on YouTube as well as, as well as the business acquisition side, right? Uh, big fan of Cody Sanchez. Yeah. Nice. Yeah. So I tend to try and learn everything I can first.

Um, I, I think that's a flaw for me, right? Because that doesn't, doesn't bode well for taking action. I will say there have been times in the past where I don't want to say joined a mentorship, uh, quite on the level of, of a case more of a mentorship or, or that type of community.

But , I've been afraid of not knowing what I don't know. Okay. [00:15:00] In the past and. , and paid money to make sure I knew what I needed to know. And it turns out I knew it already anyway. , so that, that makes me hesitant. As far as, , joining mentorships , like Pace or Cody or any of the mentorships.

Um, when I heard the, Gator funding, pitch and I watched the video of those, joined a Zoom one Saturday, I felt it was a very small price to pay , to step in, , to the arena, , of real estate and it is it is about transactional funding. The draw to me was, was not just the price associated with the.

The gator program, um, right in, in, in any kind of real estate dealings, the probably the number number 1 or number 2 goal would be to not use your own money where you don't have to. [00:16:00]

[00:16:00] Jeremy: Yeah, absolutely.

[00:16:00] Charles: Um, so that so that was enticing to me as well as just a way to build capital. , because I, do completely plan on becoming a real estate investor and owning equity and buying properties.

, and that's not necessarily what the Gator program is about, , but it can be a quick way to build significant capital. Yeah, , you know, nothing's nothing is overnight. Nothing's to get rich quick in real estate, but, , it is a quick way to build some capital that I can then work with. I also viewed it as a quicker way to build income in the real estate world.

Gaining a solid network across the board, , and exposure to all kinds of deals along the way. Meanwhile, beginning , my journey to try and overtake my W2 and being able to go into real estate. Full [00:17:00] time. , you know, buying a couple of rental properties it's gonna take a while to overtake my w2.

Yeah. So, , I kind of viewed this as , a shot in the arm, if you will, , from an income or capital standpoint, , to get me to that goal. , I think once I free up the time that I spend in my job,

I think it'll just steam over there. So if I can work , this program and work as a, as a side job, if you will, stepping into the real estate arena, you know, as I said, making the various contacts. In real estate investing, and that's really everybody, right from closing attorneys to. Fixing flippers, buy and hold folks.

Wholesalers, you get exposures to all of those industries within the real estate investing. , so when I, do move into purchasing my own real estate and things like that, I already have exposure to, [00:18:00] to that network. I have more experience to know what I'm doing. And the big thing is hopefully this will, as I said, get me out of my W2 that much quicker with the quicker way to build capital and income.

[00:18:15] Jeremy: Yeah, . I think that's super powerful. Right. I mean, as you mentioned, , the low cost entry. So , I'm actually in both. So I did join the Gator program first. And then about a week later, , joined sub two as well. And so I can agree with a lot of what you're saying here, because I feel the same way, , you're going to be able to build some income, build some, Okay.

Contacts and really being able to understand the transactions. , sounds like from, from your experience in your W2, , that being able to understand the process and moving forward and making those contacts is key to your style of learning, right? We all learn in different ways, but you're, you're more of that.

I need to be able to understand it fully before I, Take a bunch of steps forward and especially, , when it comes to, , [00:19:00] going back into your history, you've been able to spend a bunch of time, you've worked multiple jobs, you know, and being able to say, look, I need to be able to build up this stable income.

Right. And I think Gator allows you to be able to do that, that transactional funding, where you're partnering with people, you're bringing in the capital, you're JV with them on, the, the project, you're getting some exposure to them, exposure to the process and exposure to the community.

You know, and I think that's really powerful and being able to network in a more. Organic way, you know, I think sub two sometimes becomes overwhelming because there's so much going on in it. , it's very difficult sometimes to avoid the shiny object, you know? And so, , being able to focus on one thing, get good at it, replace that W2 income, , with some of that income, , , with the transactional funding and then being able to invest in the real estate, , I think that was kind of the same thing that drew me into it.

And, , I think that's such a powerful message for anybody that's listening [00:20:00] is like, , you don't have to, understand everything, you know, you took some action, you're learning, you're starting to understand and make these connections, but really.

Without a community, it's really difficult to be successful in real estate at all. And so being able to have access to all of those, from , the wholesaler to the fix and flipper to the title company, again, just wrapping all of those together and getting access to all of the players involved is going to make you a .

Powerhouse, right? Because now you're going to be able to, make all those connections and be able to tie everything together and bring everybody together, through your interaction with them. So I think that's such a powerful way to build into the real estate realm.

So yeah, I think that's, that's amazing. So remind me how long you've been in , the Gator.

Program.

[00:20:51] Charles: Yeah. So I joined the Gator program at the very end of June. So I would just consider it July. , so that's what July, August, [00:21:00] September. So just over two months I've been in it.

[00:21:04] Jeremy: So what's been a challenge that you've had in the community and then what do you feel has been most successful? So, , what are, what are some challenges that you're going through right now?

[00:21:15] Charles: So one of my challenges on a, on a personal level, , aside from the program would be, I'm not the most outgoing person generally.

, so the networking, , does not come naturally to me. So , that's a big part of, you know, stepping outside of your comfort zone to make things happen, but it's absolutely necessary and critical to be able , , to have any kind of sustainment in this business. Right. , and the bigger, , , the more exposure and the bigger your network, , not only the better chance for, , Gator funding or transactional lending deals that may come your way, but I'm going to have exposure to all kinds of deals , across the industry.

Right? , so when the time is right for me to take advantage of that, um, I'll have some of that exposure and [00:22:00] deals may just come. Across my way organically, just from having that network. , so as far as challenges with the program and challenges with this as a side hustle, I think it's time right?

And I'll be the 1st to admit I'm I'm not an all star with time management. That's something that I have to work on. And stay focused on, but, , that being said, , it can be challenging when you have a full time job, you know, family life with, with 2 teenagers, um, finding the time can be, can be challenging.

, I think from a Gator funding perspective, specifically, , where that time comes as a challenge for me is. ,, I need to, to start reaching out to title companies and closing attorneys mm-hmm. right. To, to get on their radar, see if I can be a resource for them.

Yeah. , but I worked for a shift Yeah. At the W two. So that's, that's a big [00:23:00] challenge. I've been compiling a list of, companies and attorneys , to reach out to , and call. , I think I'll probably just have to. I think that's come down to me, , taking a day out of work and spending all day on the phone , to try and chip away at that list.

And maybe I do that once a month or something, but it's kind of a catch 22, right? It's a necessary side to help overcome my W2. W2 precludes me from, , doing that work. So I have to take some vacation time off of my W2, I think, to tackle that and make that happen.

[00:23:36] Jeremy: Yeah, that's, that's definitely a big challenge.

Right? Yeah, it's definitely, definitely a challenge. You know, one of the things that, I've heard from a lot of people , is, exactly what you're going through is finding that time balance and finding time. , working that W2 and , I've heard several people, I was like, ah, I'm just gonna need to quit my job so I can do this full time.

And it's like, ah, whoa, whoa, whoa, whoa, whoa. Let's let's, let's [00:24:00] make sure that you're stable and make sure you're going. Right. And so it's like, because I get that same feeling from time to time. It's like, man, I just want to, I just want to jump in head first. But you're, you're right. It is a challenge and I think it is with anything new, you know?

And I think that, as you talked a little bit earlier about. , working multiple jobs, it seems like , you're always looking for something to be doing right. , a lot of times as fathers, we, we feel that it's our responsibility to be, providing for our family and providing that financial security and that stability.

And so , I'm sensing that from you as well is that, , trying to be able to balance that between the family time, you know, teenage. Kids, , your spouse, you're demanding w two and then being able to do this side hustle as well. That's definitely challenging. Right. But, I can sense that , you're starting to figure out some of those ways , , outside the box a little bit, maybe I need to take a day of PTO or me, you know, maybe one of the things that you could even look at is like [00:25:00] emailing them and just like, Hey, introduce myself. This is who I am. I'm going to follow up with the phone call in a couple of days. , I'll be honest with you.

, I'm actually kind of surprised. , I'm working on a sub two deal right now. And , the title company, when I, when I reach out to Christina, it was really interesting because it's. Six or seven o'clock at night. And she's emailing me back. So it's, it's really kind of interesting. Yeah. , they understand , especially title companies understand a lot of times that sometimes real estate is not an, eight to five or nine to six or whatever it is.

You know, it's, it's not a, a normal or six o'clock in the morning till four o'clock in the afternoon, you know, depending on what your schedule is. But, , they understand that a little bit. And that's why I think. , I think we sometimes put these in our head of like, well, I'm not gonna be able to reach out to these people at this time I need to do this.

Right. And, and one thing that I'm struggling with just to, to emulate what you're talking about is, is that as well as coming up with that time to make those [00:26:00] calls to , The title companies. And so I'm trying to focus more on the, EMD side where I'm reaching out to wholesalers. And you know, and it's like, how do I reach out to wholesalers and networking and building that time?

You know, trying to do it on Facebook and some of these other, , social media platforms has been a little bit of a challenge and it is trying to come up with that time balance. Right. But , I can see that you've got that desire , to make that work. So , I'm sure you'll work through it.

And there's, like I say, hopefully somebody watching this can realize look, I'm not alone at this, reach out to you, give you a hand. So thinking through that is you look at, you know, understanding what's holding you back and your challenges right now.

What are some things , that you have for goals for yourself , we kind of talked about your, your why, and I can see you've got some long term vision, right? But what are some short term goals that you're working on now that maybe somebody can help you out with share that with us and about what your short term goals are.

[00:26:59] Charles: [00:27:00] So I guess my, 1st short term goal would be to do my 1st deal because I don't have that yet. So, that would be the immediate goal. As far as, like, , my 1st year goal, I'd like to get to where I'm doing. I don't know, I want to say, maybe 4, you know, transactional funding deals a month. I'd like to get to that point and I think that'll start to get me in the ballpark.

Uh, uh, you know, I mean, every deal is different, so you never know. Yeah. , but I, I'd like to be able , to hit a hundred K in, in the first year. , I battle with if that's a

too lofty a goal, but I don't think so. , it's probably under shooting. But I think, , if I can get to that a hundred K in my first year, which I think I would, I would need four to five deals per month. Yeah. Yeah. Yeah. Yeah. Um, I think I'm well on my way to some point [00:28:00] in that second year, um, leave my W2 job.

Um, so no, those aren't two very short term goals, um, but that's what I'm shooting for. And that's where I need, , to get some time away from my W2 to put into this. , you know, to your point with the wholesalers, I am doing that, you know, Facebook is 24 hours, right? Yeah. Yeah. , that is time consuming and it can be challenging, you know, , not advertising , on some of the Facebook groups.

Yeah, that's hard. So to avoid that, yeah, it is right. So to avoid that, you know, you're, you're doing the keyword searches, you're looking, but it is time consuming. , and there's millions of Facebook groups, right, you know, are you in the right one? Um, who knows? , there is a tool I've been considering out there that, uh, scans the social media, , programs that have scanned [00:29:00] LinkedIn, Facebook, and Reddit.

I think it's kind of an AI tool , that'll scan those for keywords. , so I'm kind of considering that, but I haven't seen too many reviews on it. Interesting. It's a monthly. So I'm not, I'm not, I'm, I'm

could help with the Facebook groups, , trying to find some deals.

[00:29:27] Jeremy: Yeah, that's really interesting. You know, when you bring up a great point, there is as the real estate realm continues, right? The thing is, is our houses are getting smarter. You know, we're getting , this smart. Switches, the smart devices, the smart speakers, all these things, you know, our houses are getting smarter.

The asset itself is still the same, right? But the technology that we use changes consistently. And so I think that's amazing. And I'm not sure how many real estate investors are actually looking at, , those types of. [00:30:00] Tools and technology like AI to be able to supercharge their business. And so I think , you're actually onto something pretty unique there, you know, potentially cutting edge, because a lot of times, as you look at marketing and, , those types of things, , these.

Giants, they're building , profiles against us, about who we are, what we are, um, what we're interested in and those types of things. Right. And they, a lot of times know what we're going to do before we know what we're going to do. And so. , being able to leverage that technology to your own benefit, I think is a unique strategy.

And again, I think that if you can focus and put some energy into that, I think you're going to be ahead of the game because , most investors are doing exactly, , the tried and, , the easy, the easy, but it's. Time consuming way is just being able to go out there and say, Oh, Hey, here I am.

This is who I am. You know, and I've had some challenges with that because there's posts you try to, you put anything in there that says I'm doing this and you're going to end up getting kicked off of [00:31:00] there and you're not going to be able to, , even get. Your post posted, right? So there, the admins are just going to delete it completely.

So I think that that's super creative if you can find something along those ways. And so I think , that would be awesome , to follow up with you in a little while, Charles, and to see, Hey, what did you have success or have you had success with this? I think it would be cool to be able to learn a little bit more about that.

And maybe in a late later episode, we can talk about that process so again, looking at the way your mind works and how , you're thinking about these things, , it's going to be super exciting to watch , as you go through this program, so understanding your, your goals and kind of look through that, you know, trying to get that first deal, trying to get the goal of the, the a hundred thousand a year, what are some of the, aside from the AI, what are some of the other tools that you're using?

[00:31:50] Charles: Yeah, so I, I think probably the other biggest thing, , again, goes back to networking, which you can do on Facebook, to an, to an extent, right? Um, [00:32:00] I know I am a member of, I don't know, 30, 35 different Facebook groups trying to, , Locate those, deals or or transactional funding needs.

It's not the most efficient way. And it's, , there is some networking involved, but it's not like, , you're meeting all these people. Right? So. I think the real estate meetups are a fantastic way to get out there. , I've been to a small handful. One of them I went to a couple weeks ago for the first time, and some are larger than others, but, .

How I got invited to that one is I didn't find that one online. what happened was 1 of the Facebook groups I'm in, you know, I'm in Connecticut. So it was a Connecticut. R. E. I, you know, Facebook group, it's actually Connecticut REA. So it's an association in Connecticut. And I had made a [00:33:00] post on there trying to walk the line of an advertisement and offering value to people.

Right? And I wake up, the next morning to a message from somebody asking, , did you used to live in this town on this street? And I says, uh, yeah, and I recognize the last name. , but long story short. This gentleman's cousins lived about four houses up the street from me when I, when I was a kid growing up.

Oh, interesting. And yeah, it is. Well, what's even more interesting is he's the owner of this REA group or association Connecticut. REA, turns out it's the fifth largest in the country. And, , these, these meetups that, uh.

When that's not busy, there's about a hundred people there. And when it's busy, there's a few couple or a few hundred people. Oh, that's pretty good. Um, so yeah, it was a pretty good contact. , , he was formerly , one of [00:34:00] the largest landlord from the state of Connecticut. , but he had just sold off, I don't know, 30, 30 units or something, but he still had over a hundred doors.

Lives in Florida, flies up monthly for the, the meetups up here. And, um, I knew him as a 10 year old, you know. That's amazing. So it's kind of interesting. That was a pretty good, , pretty good networking contact. , he gave me a three year membership to the group for, for free. Sign me, sign me up for that.

Wow. And you know what? , it comes with free training, uh, possibilities, but the downside is I'm about 45 minutes to an hour's drive away from the major areas. Right? I got Providence, Providence, Rhode Island, about 40 minutes away and Hartford, Connecticut. It's about an hour away. And I kind of live in the middle of those 2, but, yeah, you never know, you know, who you're going to, who you're going to run into who you're going to meet can be a small world.

Yeah. Um, you know, I, I could reach out to [00:35:00] him anytime as a, as a resource. I'm considering him doing one of these interviews with him, actually. Oh, that would be awesome. Which, which he said he's down for. I wanted to get a little better at it first, but, , they'll definitely support that, but long story short, , these meetups can be great.

You're putting , a face to a name. You can make an impression, that goes much further than. , a DM on Facebook. Yeah. , and you're less likely to be, , you know, encounter scammers too at these real estate investment meetups. But I, I think they're a tremendous source. , I know Pace has had some stories in the past where, , somebody at some meetup a year ago came across this scenario or situation and made that connection.

So, um, you're not only meeting these people, but you're meeting their network, so to speak as well.

[00:35:54] Jeremy: Yeah, absolutely.

[00:35:56] Charles: So that's, that's, I think it's a invaluable [00:36:00] resources to go to these meetups. Again, I am not the most outgoing social person, so it's a concerted effort on my part to go meet people and, but just talk what you love, you know, and we, we all love real estate , or we wouldn't be here.

Um, yeah, it's, it's pretty much the same for all those folks.

[00:36:20] Jeremy: Yeah, I think that's a great point, especially for individuals that are introverted. Um, you know, , , the reality is. Being introverted can be challenging at times because it's getting the motivation, it's getting the self talk past , that concern.

It's like, I don't want to go do this. I don't want to go do this. But you know, it's getting to that point where you're like, no, you know what, I need to do this. And at the end of the day, these people that I'm going to go hang out with, they love to do the same thing that I love, you know? And I feel it because it's exhausting as an introvert, when you're in a big group setting like that.

Right. Just [00:37:00] drains you

being able to be around other people that have the same passion, , the same desires, the same. Interest, , you know, it's a little bit of a different situation, right? So being able to use that, right. And I think, I think sometimes those are so under leveraged. Um, you know, being, again, it takes some time to get there.

There's, there's some expense there. There's some time there. There's some energy there. I just look at how many times that I've been able to go. You know, to some of these meetups and the people that you meet. Right. , the individual that you meet today, the individual that you meet tomorrow may not be in a point where you can support them or they can support you, but you've made that contact, that physical connection.

Right. Real estate is about people. Yes. We're buying and selling properties, but at the end of the day, real estate is about. People, their stories, their challenges, the things that they're doing, their businesses, [00:38:00] their properties, right? It's all about people. And so making those connections is super important.

And so I think that's a great tool. And I hope that, uh, if there's anybody that's been sitting on the fence and I was like, ah, I don't want to go meet my REA. We'll be able to use your experience. And, you know, and like, look, this is a guy that was four doors down for me as a kid. And, you know, to be able to have that connection, And again, that's just such a cool story, right?

To be able to like, here's all these connections and six months from now, or a year from now, maybe next week, you're going to be able to have a deal with him and look at the wealth of knowledge that he's going to be able to provide to you. You're going to be able to have some more time, some connections.

And again, it's cause you put yourself out there. Right. So again, that's, that's sometimes challenging to put yourself out there, but Holy cow, man, look at the benefits that it's already starting to pay off for you. So that's, that's amazing. That's, that's so cool. Applaud you, man. That's that's sometimes it's really hard.

Um, I, I know [00:39:00] I'm pretty introverted. . And so, um, It's a challenge at times. So that's, that's such a cool step to be able to take. So awesome. Cool, Charles. So I just wanted, I got a couple more questions for you. , I want to ask you, , as you've been through this journey, , as you're going through, , the investing And into the real estate side of it, is there something that you have listened to or read or watched, whether it's a podcast, a video, or, , a book , that really helped you, through your journey or something that you're reading now, or listening to now that's, that's helped you along the way that we could share with the community.

[00:39:43] Charles: Uh, that's a good question. Um, that's a tough one because I, , still to this point, I haven't made my way through all of the, the gator vault training. , I did pick up, , the [00:40:00] audio book version, and darn it, the name's going to escape me. There was a, a tax book that Pace had mentioned. Um, yeah,

[00:40:10] Jeremy: tax tax free wealth.

[00:40:13] Charles: Yes. Um, that's exactly it. So I am, I haven't gotten all the way through that. , but I think that's a great perspective, , that I, that I've never had, , on the, , tax law and the system and how , it's really the government steering you or steering, I guess, all of us, right, to providing benefits , for getting specific things done that the government thinks Needs to be done.

Um, I, I never looked at it that way. Um,

[00:40:42] Jeremy: but I think that's, I think that's super key, right? So just, to bring that into a closed loop, right? So it's a book by Tom Wheelwright, um, tax free wealth, , and he really, and I've listened to it and I've listened to it a couple of times because it's like, it's interesting that it's a tax book.

That's interesting. Right. [00:41:00] Um, the, the fact of the matter is, is just like you said, is the government is incentivizing us. To do things to have tax breaks, right? They're going to tax us one way or the other, but if we can follow their breadcrumbs of, Hey, we're going to give you tax incentives for this tax incentives for this.

If we can follow those things, we can basically eliminate or reduce our tax burden because we're following the things that the government needs done that they can't do. They're not in the business of making jobs. They're in the business of. Providing legislation that allows, , people like ourselves or entrepreneurs to be able to go out and create those jobs or housing or whatever this story is.

Right. So I think that's such an amazing book. So yes, , I appreciate you sharing that with us. That's cool. So aside from just that piece of it, , is there a big takeaway that you've had with that book so far?[00:42:00]

[00:42:00] Charles: I don't know that I've gotten, , far enough into it. , to, to speak to that, , really, though, I think that that was a completely different mindset, um, to the tax system.

And I don't think many people have that mindset or that awareness. They just. To just work more, pay more. It is what it is. And, , and just accept that and don't try to, to change that. But, , that aspect , of being an entrepreneur and as, as I start to become successful and can get to the level where I can affect those changes in how I operate.

, That's something that it's just to your point, right? A textbook that's interesting. , yeah, but that is an exciting, aspect of entrepreneurship that excites me and interest me. , yeah, I, again, for a specific instance, , from the book, I don't think I've gotten far enough into it. I just, just started it.

, it's an [00:43:00] audio book, so I get to it when I, when I have some time, but it is very interesting thus far. Yeah. , I'm anxious , to see , what I take away from that.

[00:43:09] Jeremy: Yeah, , that's cool. I think , it's a great read. Like it's a, it's a. Pretty good. Listen, I've listened to it a couple of times.

, I first picked it up a couple of years ago and I try to listen to at least once a year when I'm thinking about taxes. And so, um, but no, I, I, that's, that's great. And I, like I say, I'll, I'll put a, I'll put a link down and. And the notes, , for that book, like say, it's a great book for anybody that's, , especially in the investing world.

It's great, great book. So cool. Well, Charles, I, I appreciate your time today. I'm going to let you get back to your day, but , If people want to get in touch with you, , what's the best way for people to reach out to you? Is it on social media, email, , website? What's, what's the best way for people to, to get in touch with you that want to work with you or want to learn more about your story?

[00:43:58] Charles: So I think, , at [00:44:00] this point in my, in my social media journey, , Facebook would probably be the best place. , it's just Charles Dufour and Facebook. , my email is info at C. P. D. transactions dot com. , you can reach me there. Those are probably the 2 best places. I am on instagram and linkedin. , you can find me there and message me there.

I will see them. , but Facebook right now is probably my most active. Okay. Way of communicating.

[00:44:31] Jeremy: Awesome. Awesome. Yeah. , I'll put your information in , the notes here as well. So if people want to reach out to you, they can hopefully contact you there. Um, Charles, this was, this was absolutely wonderful , to hear your story , and understand where you're at.

To be able to talk through, the things that our parents don't teach us, right? A lot of times. , but the example that they are to us a lot of times, just from, the outside perspective , appreciate you talking through me about the transactional funding piece of, , and, , where your [00:45:00] journey is, they're kind of what some of your goals.

Again, this was such a wonderful conversation. , I do appreciate it. Thank you. your time today. I appreciate you talking with me today and I'll let you get back to your day . Thank you.

[00:45:13] Charles: All right. Thank you very much for having me. , it was a pleasure.

We'll talk again soon. Thank you very much.

[00:45:17] Jeremy: You're welcome.