A Coming to America Story with Observe Founder Christian Modjaiso
Christian Modjaiso is Founder and CEO of OBSERVE. He is the Xtreme Stress Coach, helping extremely stressed people to deal with their stress by observing it for themselves.
Christian lives in Democratic Republic of the Congo. He speaks six languages, was on a university chess team before he went to high school and attended a top engineering school in the US. He has a bachelor’s degree in pure mathematics.
This episode wasn’t all love and praise; however, Christian & I had serious disagreements about important topics, including race, relationships and anxiety. But as students of human nature who love to learn, we enjoyed every minute of it.
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Strengthening the Mind Through Unexpected Hardship with Michael D’Albor
I introduce listeners to my good buddies because they’re studs. My guest on the podcast today is Michael D’Albor. In this discussion, I learned things about my longtime friend that I didn’t know. Consequently, my respect for him has only grown.
A deeply personal chat, Michael talks about the moment he found out his wife was a lesbian after 13 years together (7 years married). He also shares what it was like going through an unexpected and tough divorce.
We discuss the split-second of lifelessness that forever changed Michael’s life. He tells me how later that day, doctors told him there was a 98% chance his daughter wouldn’t develop the mental capacity of a little girl beyond 3 years old. He’s now a single father of a special needs child and shares a day-in-the-life.
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What it Takes to Become a Six-Figure Blogger with Alex Nerney & Noah Riggs
My guests on the podcast this week are Alex Nerney and Noah Riggs. Both are inspiring Internet entrepreneurs I met at FinCon this past week.
There’ll always be a place on this podcast for sharp young guys full of energy & ambition. When I met these two men at the Hilton Washington DC, I knew they’d bring a lot of value to a short discussion.
We pack a lot into our half-hour chat, including:
- The best part of FinCon
- Alex & Noah’s working relationship
- Our nation buried in student-loan debt
- ROI of Internet courses
- Being featured in Forbes, Inc. Magazine & Entrepreneur
- Alex’s 6-figure blog
- ROI of college tuition
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Reality is Negotiable with Nicholas Hutchison
My guest on the podcast is Nicholas Hutcheson of BookThinkers, a fast-growing Instagram platform for book lovers. Nick is from Boston, Massachusetts, and works full-time as a sales professional.
We discovered on the podcast we have a lot in common. In addition to books, Nick and I share a passion for self-development & travel. We discuss the value of reading, traveling, and creating a path to financial freedom when you’re young.
Nick’s end-game is what he calls “total freedom.” In this episode, he details how he plans to achieve total freedom.
A few books we discuss at length are The Four Hour Work Week by Tim Ferriss & Vagabonding by Rolf Potts.
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Donald Trump, World War II & Time You Can’t Get Back with Jürgen in Nuremburg, Germany
My guest on the podcast is my good friend of 25 years from Nuremburg, Germany. Jürgen works as a commercial manager at a major German company. He also invests in real estate, managing all 9 properties himself.
Jurgen shares insight on German immigration, politics, and perceptions of Donald Trump. We also talk about how we met, if America was what he expected it to be, and the interplay between men & women.
Topics we cover:
- Festivals & Traditions in Nuremburg
- My first Euro soccer game
- What he learned about life traveling abroad
- Our grandfathers’ roles in World War II
- German sentiment when Trump was elected
- Investing in real estate as a retirement plan
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When Pain Becomes Power with Matthew Ory
Matthew Ory is a defense attorney, commercial real-estate developer, and quasi-venture capitalist. He occupies a special place, not only in my life, but in the Man Overseas sphere. I’ve written about Matt on the blog and referenced him on a big podcast.
Matt was my roommate for four years—three years at Nicholls State University and one year during his first year of law school in Houston. Living with Matt helped me to realize the importance of surrounding yourself with people who not only encourage and inspire you, but also plan to do big things with their life.
On this podcast, you’ll hear someone who has an appetite for life & success that is infectious. Matt’s burning desire to succeed fuels high stress-levels, which he uses to his advantage.
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Inside the Mind of a Humble CEO with Joshua Loeske
When I started the podcast back in March, I hoped to land guests like Josh Loeske. He was someone I really looked up to as a kid, giving me an example of someone I wanted to be like.
Josh was not only the starting quarterback at the local 5A high school, but had a way about him that I admired. He was low ego, high “serve those around him”—none of his achievements as an adult are surprising.
He is now CEO/Owner of Quality Sitework Material (QSM). He attributes much of his success in life and business to Entrepreneurs’ Organization (EO), a global peer-to-peer network of more than 12,000 influential business owners with 163 chapters in 52 countries.
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Wise Words from the Best Coach I Ever Had with Tom Abadie
(Published July 11, 2019) I was more excited about this week’s guest than any other. His name is Mr. Tom Abadie. He is the man who first taught me the values of discipline, preparation, and teamwork. His way of coaching had a profound impact on me when I needed it most.
He started coaching our All-Star basketball team when I was 10 years old. As 11-year olds, he coached our team to a State Championship in Louisiana. When I was 12 years old, he coached us to a World Championship in 1993.
In the locker room after the Championship Game, Assistant Coach David Pope said to our team, “This may not mean much to you now, but someday you guys are really going to appreciate this [Championship].” God was he right.
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Public Speaking Tips from a Toastmaster with Dom Brightmon
(Published July 5, 2019) My guest is Dom Brightmon, a toastmaster and bestselling author from Baltimore, Maryland. Dom works as a full-time librarian and likes to spend most of his time reading a book or writing a book.
He talks about becoming a better speaker and shares tips on how to think better. Dom shares his top influential people and gives book recommendations.
Also in this episode, don’t miss the interesting story about Levi Strauss. He created generational wealth that has made the Strauss empire last over 100 years.
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A Russian Girl’s Dream Inspired by The Alchemist with Julia Va
(Published June 17, 2019) My guest on the podcast is Julia Va. She’s a young woman from Vladivostok, Russia, whose passion for travel has taken her around the world.
Born in 1991, Julia’s dad strongly encouraged her to learn English growing up. She studied Tourism at University in Russia, then continued her studies at Les Roches, an international hospitality school in Spain.
Spending time in Western Europe fueled her desire to travel more. She’s visited South Korea, China & France, and has lived in Thailand, Canada and currently in Mexico.
In this wide-ranging discussion that took place in Playa Del Carmen, Mexico, I ask Julia to tell the story of how we met. We talk about her courage to follow her dreams.
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Fitness, Frugality & Financial Independence with James Lowery
(Published May 31, 2019) My guest is James Lowery from Rethink the Rat Race. In our one-hour discussion, James shares exactly how he and wife, Emily, achieved their financial independence number in just three years.
James found BiggerPockets when he began learning about passive income. That’s how he and I became acquainted—James messaged me after hearing my Bigger Pockets episode.
He said that I reminded him of an older version of himself. I said that he was also like a young me, except I’d seen his Instagram account and I didn’t look anything like that when I was his age—dude is jacked!
James’s story is incredible. He grew up poor in rural Alabama, the third child of two deaf parents. After his parents divorced, he and his siblings were raised on a single income from Mom’s nightshift work at Walmart.
Tough times made James stronger—not much bothers him today. He says being frugal [as an adult] is no different than being poor.
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Exploring the Rational and Emotional with Ted Agon
(Published May 17, 2019) Ted Agon has lived a life filled with exploration and adventure! He is an author and speaker who has lived in seven countries and operated on five of the seven continents.
He gained life-altering perspectives from other cultures and languages and has been largely influenced by living in the environments of three of the world’s major religions.
Ted learned to observe the simple by being raised with no money, a great community, and a love of nature.
His penchant for clear writing, combined with engagement in new technologies, from the seafloor to space robotics, has driven Ted to write ground-breaking books.
Listening to our conversation will change the way you think about thinking.
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Tiger Woods and Habits That Lead to Greatness
(Published May 3, 2019) Josh is a sharp young attorney from Toronto, Canada. He runs his own law firm by day, and by night helps solopreneurs navigate the difficult and often lonely journey of starting a business.
Josh is a sharp young attorney from Toronto, Canada. He runs his own law firm by day, and by night helps solopreneurs navigate the difficult and often lonely journey of starting a business.
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House Flipping 101: Everything You Need to Know to Be Successful with Laura Guillory
(Published April 19, 2019) My guest is a native Houstonian with a passion for real estate and interior design. She got her real estate license and started successfully flipping houses after being inspired by HGTV.
She says HGTV has increased competition for flips: “Now everybody thinks they can do it.” But Laura is successful because she’s willing to do things others aren’t willing to do.
Plus, as you’ll hear in this interview, she’s uniquely confident, personable and likable.
This interview could be used as a “how-to” manual for getting started flipping houses. It will also give you a sense of the tenacity required to be a highly profitable house flipper.
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Saving $70,000 a Year at 24 Years Old with John Hawrylack
(Published April 5, 2019) My guest on the podcast is a 24-year-old Software Engineer who is killing it! John and his wife, Sam, have been on the FIRE journey since college.
He talks about how embracing a frugal lifestyle has enabled them to save & invest $70,000 a year! Their money habits will soon take them to the ultimate freedom: FIRE (financial independence retire early).
They’ve taken Financial Peace University, use Travel Rewards Points for vacations, and invest in a 529 Plan even though they don’t yet have kids.
(My non-existent kid’s college fund is in AMZN & NFLX. If those tanks, he/she will have to do it the hard way, as John & I did.)
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Buying Time-Freedom Before the 4% Rule with Joseph C. Wells
(Published March 30, 2019) Joe Wells is a writer, real estate investor and self-development junkie. He grew up in Moravia, New York, a population of 1,220.
Following a three-month internship in his senior year of college, he accepted a job to work as a Consultant in New York City. Six years later, he’s still in NYC.
Joe is taking a unique path to financial independence because he needs time-freedom before the 4% rule. He is aggressively saving & investing, and keeping his expenses low—not an easy thing to do working in Manhattan.
Joe is taking a unique path to financial independence because he needs time-freedom before the 4% rule. He is aggressively saving & investing, and keeping his expenses low—not an easy thing to do working in Manhattan.
Having discussions with young men like Joe, a voracious learner who lives with intention and purpose is one of my joys in life.
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“Are You Prepared to Witness a Miracle?” with Scott Dantonio
(Published March 9, 2019) This week, I asked my brother, Scott, to join me on the podcast. He says that he “witnessed a miracle” last week. Truth is, he caused that miracle.
Since the day of the miracle, a young boy’s dad has referred to my bro as “my son’s angel.” It was a day like any other.
I commend Scott for using the platform provided by his heroism to educate others. He stresses the importance of being prepared [when fit hits the shan, as our dad would say when we were kids.]
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Prospering Health, Wealth & Relationships with Nicholas Bayerle
(Published Feb. 23, 2019) Nicholas transformed his life through fitness. Once he saw how looking and feeling his best impacted his income, marriage, and outlook on life, he and his wife, Amanda, created The Billion Dollar Body.
His aim is to help each man to return to their true self – to push their body and mind to the limit – to actively grow and be accountable to the bigger vision of their life.
Nicholas is sharp and high-energy. He packs reams of actionable advice into an hour that felt like minutes.
It’s easy to see why he’s been recognized by Forbes, and aspiring young men have rallied around him to achieve all their health, wealth and relationship goals.
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Becoming a Human Catalyst with Chase Lambin
(Published Feb. 9, 2019) Chase is a man whose soul is on fire. I’m proud to call him my best friend for 25 years.
He had an incredible baseball career, playing until he was 35 years old. At one time, he was the oldest minor-leaguer not to log any Big-League time.
Now a hitting coach in the Texas Rangers organization, Chase shares his journey and mindset in this wide-ranging interview.
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The Relationship Between Time, Money and People with Brad Dantonio
(Published Jan. 23, 2018) In today’s audio, I discuss ways to maximize time so that you can do more, see more, and live a bigger life.
Time is our most precious, finite and non-renewable resource. It’s linear, always advancing, and there isn’t much we can do about it.
When we were kids time seemed to crawl; as adults, time seems to speed up. When we’re bored or feel lonely, time feels empty. Then when we’re excited and enjoying ourselves, we wish that we could slow downtime.
If we’re praying or meditating, it’s like time doesn’t move fast or slow, it just seems fulfilling and satisfying.
What all this means is that time is a human creation. We actually have an ability to slow it down or speed it up.
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Q&A and Actionable Tips – Part II with Brad Dantonio
I read more listener emails/messages in today’s audio. You’ll hear my answers to multi-part questions, which include the following topics:
- How to obtain financial freedom
- How to stay motivated & build your energy
- A secret about real estate values that Zillow doesn’t want you to know
- A stock that Lady O & I own in our portfolio, and why
- More book recommendations
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Q&A and Actionable Tips – Part I with Brad Dantonio
Here I read a sample of emails and messages that I’ve received since the Bigger Pockets podcast aired.
I answer questions and offer advice on the following:
- Vetting deals, vetting people and establishing relationships
- Compare life and poker
- Where young people should focus their efforts
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