This Is What Real Freedom Actually Looks Like

In this raw and real conversation, we sit down with the man who unknowingly sparked the Freedom Fighters Podcast into existence.

Together, we talk about the pivots that define us—from running nightclubs to running real estate associations, from rebuilding homes to rebuilding identity.

We explore how it’s not about having all the answers—it’s about being resourceful enough to find them. And sometimes, all it takes is saying “yes” to the scary thing.

You’ll hear how faith, family, and community shape the pursuit of freedom—not just in business, but in how we live every day. From structuring partnerships that don’t implode, to setting family-first boundaries, to managing the tension between ambition and presence—this episode is a masterclass in real leadership.

📌 Key Topics:
 ✅ Transitioning from nightlife to leading a real estate investor community
 ✅ How to build something better without becoming the “guru”
 ✅ Time-blocking your life for family, faith, and freedom
 ✅ Redefining success through accountability and 90-day goals
 ✅ Lessons from broken partnerships—and how to structure great ones
 ✅ Real talk about imposter syndrome, identity, and quiet time
 ✅ Why doing less can sometimes get you more
This episode isn’t about a perfect life—it’s about living a life worth remembering.
Take a breath. Reflect. And ask yourself: What would it look like to actually build the life you say you want?

🎬 Chapters:
00:00 Introduction and Podcast Beginnings
02:30 The Journey into Real Estate Investment Associations
05:28 Building a Community and RIA Leadership
08:14 Transitioning from Nightlife to Real Estate
11:06 Family Values and Personal Growth
14:28 Time Management and Prioritizing Family
17:22 Lessons Learned in Real Estate and Business Coaching
29:30 Balancing Family and Work Life
33:22 Setting and Achieving Goals
38:28 The Importance of Quiet Time
43:14 Navigating Family Dynamics
48:27 Embracing Change and Identity
56:07 Overcoming Imposter Syndrome
01:00:21 Navigating Commercial vs. Residential Real Estate
01:04:29 Personal Growth and Family Prioritization
01:09:35 Lessons from Partnerships and Business Dynamics
01:14:30 Structuring Successful Partnerships
01:19:42 The Pursuit of Freedom in Real Estate

Transcript

And one of the most important lessons I learned in my time in the military was he said, I don't care if you have all the answers. I don't want you to have all the answers.

I want you to know how to find the answers. And it sounds like every area of your life, you're just able to find the answers. And it's, think it's a form of building the parachute as you go, you know, and I normally don't like that analogy, but because it encourages people to walk into things blind, but you're showing that just by stepping up and doing it, you can find a way. And if you really want to do it, you'll find a way. And if not, you'll find an excuse.

Ted. Welcome. Appreciate you, ⁓ coming here. You were, ⁓ my first, podcast I was on was yours and think Tanner as well. broke the podcast Virginia. Right. love it. Yeah. So, I mean, it's funny cause had you not asked me that day to do your podcast? I mean, you remember how scared I was whenever you asked me, like I didn't want to do it. 

I called my wife. I was like, I don't want to do this. And, but I knew, ⁓ I knew that fear meant there was something I had to do. So even though I was scared, I still did it.

But I pray when we wouldn't be having this conversation had I not had that first one with you. So I said, if it's fearful, it's probably something I need to do. Yeah. Get over the fear. So you guys did a great job though. It good podcasts, good interviews. So I don't, you did it before, man. remember I was number 13. Yeah. It was right in the beginning. So you're due for a comeback. So we've actually started and go back and review all the ones from the beginning.

 Connector. Yes. So obviously you have a podcast called RIA radio. What RIA meaning? Real estate investment association. Okay. And then you run the local RIA as well. Omaha RIA. Can you kind of break that down and what led you into that? Why the RIA? Why RIA radio? Why the podcast? Well, I guess it's more important to kind of discover, you know, why I even thought it would be a good idea. then, you know, just kind of like you guys getting in the real estate, I wanted to build my portfolio of clients. 

And the most important way to do that was attending the local meetup. So I attended every meetup for, know, before I took over the local Rio from like 2015 on, I went, I never missed an event. And my goal at the time was to build my client lists, find off market properties, but also get to know every single wholesaler. Is that when you became a agent at 15? Yeah.

Last month was my 10 years. then this is 20, 25, right? Yeah. So I was in 24 for a minute, but yeah. So, uh, I attended all of all of the events I could possibly go to. It came to a point, uh, where Andy was running the local RIA and I heard him mention at one point he'd love to live in Florida. So more of a joke. And I was just reading in a book happens to be that week. 

And it said, um, start your own meetup group or start your own RIA or take over RIA. I was like, I started to any of my, Hey Andy, if you ever want to retire, just keep me on your list. I'd be open to take it over the group thinking I could just take it over and not have to buy it. And then, um, by a year later, he's like, Hey, you're the only person that's ever said that to me.