From Call Center To Calling The Shots
From Call Center To Calling The Shots
How can business owners prioritize ambitious career goals with family life?
I love working. I do—I enjoy accomplishing things, especially when people doubt me and I get to prove them wrong.
About 20 years ago, I owned almost 4,000 apartments across the country. I built quite an empire by taking calculated risks and working hard to ensure success, which has always been my approach.
Then, 22 months ago, my life changed. My wife and I welcomed twin boys into the world, and it transformed my mindset. More than anything, I want to spend time with them, teach them, guide them, and support them. It’s been an amazing experience, but it has also forced me to balance my life. It’s not perfect, but it’s getting better. I try to devote my weekends entirely to my boys, Jorge and Randy. This has been a huge transformation for me.
What drives me now? I still have big goals—there’s one major goal I’m working on. I’ve put together a team that I hope can help achieve it. Once we reach that goal, I aim to spend even more time with my boys.
What is the key to overcoming setbacks and rebuilding success?
It's about self-belief. No matter what happens, the one thing you always have is your mind. I faced financial ruin, destroyed credit, and a damaged reputation, but I still had my mind. I had experienced success, and then failure, but I knew I could rise again.
It comes down to focusing on what you have rather than what you don’t. At that point, I had nothing—no formal education, no money, no credit, and a bad reputation. Worse, I had millions in judgments against me and numerous lawsuits. But I still had my mind, which was my greatest asset, perhaps my only one.
Many people get stuck thinking they can't succeed because they lack something. But I truly had nothing, and still, I used my experience and my mindset to rise again. If you share with people what you lack, what you're afraid of, or what makes you vulnerable, and you do it sincerely, people relate to that. Success stories are nice, but people connect more deeply with failures.
Everyone faces challenges. For years, I felt exposed and ashamed when people learned about my setbacks. But now, I’ve embraced it. I even wrote a book, Burn Zones, which is available on Amazon. People support my current businesses and invest with me because of my challenges—because I succeeded, fell, and got back up. That's the opposite of what you might expect, but people connect with resilience.
My message is: don’t let what you lack hold you back. Don’t dwell on needing a degree or certain financing or having everything perfectly lined up. Just take the first steps toward your goal. Many of those first steps cost little or no money. Whether in sports, relationships, or business, it’s about taking small steps toward your goal.
One challenge I’ve always faced is that when I reach a goal, I set another, even more ambitious one. It’s a never-ending journey, which I think is what life is about. However, since having my kids, my perspective has changed. Family is the most important thing, and I now truly want balance. Once I hit my current goal, I plan to take a different approach and prioritize my family even more.
How can businesses innovate to impact their community?
Over time, most of the construction crews were made up of tenants from the property. We trained men and women to join the construction crews, giving them education in various trades. Some eventually started working in the office as leasing agents, support services, rent processors, or maintenance workers. The property was essentially being run by the tenants, which was transformative—not just for the people, but for the property as well. Witnessing and being part of that transformation was one of the most exciting periods of my life.
It was amazing to see how many people, often written off by society, seized the opportunity when given the chance. Many of the issues we see today come from a lack of opportunity for many Americans. In 2020, there was a lot of discussion about defunding the police. We didn't exactly do that, but our approach had some of the successes people envisioned when they talked about changing the system. It wasn’t about getting rid of the police; it was about adopting a different mindset. In this case, it worked, and it transformed me as well.
As the program progressed, we started getting media attention. People were curious about what was happening at the property, and many wanted to support it. Other businesses began hiring people from our training program. Some of the participants even started their own companies, like landscaping businesses. I remember one gentleman who tried to get a job at Arby's but was denied because of his criminal record. Later, Arby's hired him to do their landscaping, since they didn't conduct criminal background checks on vendors like they did for employees.
It's now been over 20 years, and some of those businesses are still around and thriving, which is truly exciting.
Why is it essential to evaluate external factors in construction?
The first-floor units in all 122 buildings were subterranean, and they flooded. Looking back, I could have done several things differently. The best option would have been to close the property and wait for the insurance to settle. I had more than $50 million in insurance, and eventually, that would have worked out. But instead, I was determined to rebuild. We had experienced so much success that I was intent on rebuilding, no matter what.
That determination, which had driven my success, now led to my failure. At the time, I didn’t realize the city saw this as an opportunity. It was one of the largest pieces of land in Columbus, in a well-located area—across from a new VA hospital, near the airport, and backing into Bexley, the highest-income neighborhood in the city. My property, mainly low-income housing, was out of place, and the city wanted it gone.
The city initially made some indirect offers. They asked me to come in with all our financials, and they suggested they would support me if I moved the tax credits and Section 8 contracts to another property I bought within Columbus. The message was clear—if I did this, they would end up with the land. I refused, insisting on rebuilding. The undertone of their offer—that they would force me out if I didn’t comply—went over my head.
Ultimately, the city found ways to undercut my efforts, and they succeeded. They now own the property.
What mindset is essential for overcoming challenges and pursuing goals?
Whatever you're lacking, don't let it get in your way. Don't dwell on needing a degree, specific financing, or having everything perfectly in place. Just take those first steps. Often, they require little or no money and are within your means. Take those small steps toward your goal—whether it's in sports, family, relationships, or business. It's all about starting small and moving forward.
If you're like me, you might have the habit of setting even bigger goals after reaching one. It's a never-ending journey, but I suppose that’s what life is about. Since having kids, my perspective has changed. Once I hit my current goal, I want to take a different approach and find more balance. Having children has made me realize that while business is important, family is the most important thing. Kids have shown me the need for true balance in life.
*This interview has been edited and condensed for clarity.*
