From Adversity to Abundance

Kevin Dahlstrom, founder of Swell, joins Jamie to discuss how he escaped a tumultuous upbringing, overcame a decade-long health challenge, and achieved the career success that millions dream of. Yet, it was at the height of his career when he experienced a level of unfulfillment he couldn’t ignore. Despite warnings from his friends and family, he decided to leave his corporate career behind, move his family to Colorado, and undergo a life reset. After a few short weeks of retirement, Kevin founded Swell, a financial company that aims to revolutionize traditional banking and helps its community members grow their wealth. Tune in as Jamie and Kevin discuss: The three major adversities he’s faced and how they’ve shaped his life and businesses.How he escaped an upbringing surrounded by prison, addiction, and mental illness.The one challenge he’s faced all his life.Why retirement is a trap for many people today.The illness that left him bedridden, forced to drop out of school and took 10 years to recover from.Why experiencing a midlife crisis is completely the opposite from what most people think it is.The one thing you must choose that’s as important as choosing your life partner.What led him to quit a 7-figure job with a big public company and the impact it had on his family.The lessons he’s learned from the successes and spectacular failures of starting multiple companies.One of the hardest things to figure out in life and business that you need to be aware of and prepared to encounter.How Swell is providing access to private equity deals that 99% of investors previously had limited or no access to.   Connect with Kevin: WEBSITE: WITH KEVIN DAHLSTROM PODCAST:   Support Labrador Lending: WEBSITE:   Connect with Jamie: LINKEDIN:

AJ Osborne, founder and CEO of Cedar Creek Wealth, joins Jamie to discuss his success investing in self-storage and the health challenges that massively impacted his life overnight. As a pioneer in the self-storage industry since 2004, he expounds on the potential for growth and expansion in the industry. He also shares how he balances his many successes with the frightening reality he faced at age 33 when he suddenly became paralyzed and on life support due to a rare autoimmune disorder. AJ was then fired from his job while in the hospital.  Ultimately, his spirit of gratitude and thankfulness shifted his mindset and allowed him to reinvent himself and use his adversity to build a more meaningful life.   Tune in as Jamie and AJ discuss: How at the height of his businesses success he suddenly became paralyzed, went into a coma and was hospitalized for months.The ways his life was changed after being diagnosed with a severe case of Guillain-Barré syndrome and what caused the condition.Why we should be appreciative of the people who unfortunately bear the risks and side effects of vaccines.The one thing we all should be able to learn from the adversities that we and others experience.Why he was upset with his family for keeping him alive when the pain he was feeling was far worse than death.The value in talking about pain and the adversities we experience in life rather than hiding away from them.How he went from wanting to die to creating two businesses from a wheelchair.How adversities provide us with a greater appreciation for the small things in life that are often taken for granted.Innovate Academy, the school his wife started that teaches kids about finances, emotional intelligence and navigating life in a way that prepares them for the challenges of life.   Connect with AJ: WEBSITE: ACADEMY:   Support Labrador Lending: WEBSITE:   Connect with Jamie: LINKEDIN:

Maricela Soberanes, principal at Up Plex Capital, apartment syndicator and author, joins Jamie to discuss her remarkable journey from poverty and scarcity in Mexico to success and abundance in America. She shares how her real estate journey began in 2006 investing in a single-family home and has expanded into owning multiple apartment complexes (approximately 2500 doors!) across five states with her husband. Their investments into apartments have allowed them to have a greater positive impact on the lives of more people and they continue to diversify their real estate and financial investments to build generational wealth.    Tune in as Jamie and Maricela discuss: What led her to leave Mexico to move to the USA at age 23 when she didn’t speak English nor know anyone when she arrived.How she managed to work, learn English, and graduate from nursing school before entering the military.Why she chose to enter the Navy after achieving the “American Dream”.The one valuable lesson she learned that led her to start investing in real estate.How she was able to scale her goal of buying one house a year to buying four.Effective ways to get the most value and ROI from investments in mastermind groups.How she and her husband expanded their initial investments in single family homes in 2006 to a current portfolio with approximately 2,500 apartment units.What inspired her to write her book From Scarcity to Abundance.The approach she takes when investing in apartments to increasing their value and the profits earned by her and her partners.Two major factors that differentiate people living in scarcity from those living in abundance.   Connect with Maricela: WEBSITE:    Support Labrador Lending: WEBSITE:   Connect with Jamie: LINKEDIN:

Dan Haberkost, CEO of Front Range Land, joins Jamie to discuss how he overcame the fear-based scarcity mindset he developed in his childhood and has become a successful land investor and developer at only 26 years old. Having the wrong money mindset can be crippling and he shares what’s required to override it with an abundance mindset to experience financial freedom. He’s also developed a marketing system that brings in dozens of leads for land for 30 to 50 cents on the dollar and reveals the primary advantages of investing in land rather than residential properties. Tune in as Jamie and Dan discuss: How he got his start in real estate at age 16.The one thing you must do if you find yourself in any disadvantaged situation.What money really is and why it’s neither good nor bad.The two things that allowed him to overcome the scarcity mindset he observed and inherited from his parents growing up.How he got his start in land investing and development in his 20s.The lessons he learned about overcoming adversity from his real estate investing mentor who’s battled against cancer since he was 14 years old.The advantages investing in land has over wholesaling residential houses.Two deal nightmares he recently dealt with and why it’s important to anticipate and prepare for challenges that arise with real estate investing.   Connect with Dan: WEBSITE:   Support Labrador Lending: WEBSITE:   Connect with Jamie: LINKEDIN:

David Dodge, real estate investor, coach, and host of the Discount Property Investor podcast, joins Jamie to discuss his journey from drugs, crime and facing time in prison to becoming a successful real estate investor with 90 rental properties and counting. The tragedy and trials faced during the first two decades of his life positioned him to maximize his second chance and develop into a wholesaling and discount property investing expert. Get ready to learn how to avoid the mistakes he made, capitalize on the most profitable real estate investment methods and the key steps to become a successful real estate investor.   Tune in as Jamie and David discuss: The real estate investing mistake he made for 10 years that you need to know so you can avoid making it.How he was able to do 750 wholesale deals in 7 years.What led him to become a full-time real estate investor.The real estate investing method that allows him to rapidly acquire assets with little to no money.The challenges he faced after losing both his parents before age 18.How he avoided a 7-year prison sentence in his 20s.What enabled him to begin investing in real estate while in college.The primary advantages of buying properties at a discount.The first step you must take if you want to be a successful real estate investor.Three things successful real estate investors do to remain profitable.Where he finds 97% of the 100 purchases he averages each year.The best way to buy discounted properties.   Connect with David: WEBSITE:   PROPERTY INVESTOR PODCAST:   Support Labrador Lending: WEBSITE:   Connect with Jamie: LINKEDIN:

Marcus Ross, founder and owner of Ready to Heal Counselling, joins Jamie to discuss his journey from adversity to self-discovery, healing and purpose.  Marcus shares how his own pain ignited a desire to help other men struggling with similar life challenges and inspired him to launch his business, Ready to Heal Counseling.  He highlights the importance of being aware that children pattern their behavior and coping skills from what they see their parents exhibiting. Additionally, he explains why it is crucial for personal growth and emotional development to re-evaluate our choices and take responsibility for the unfavorable outcomes that occur in our relationships. Tune in as Jamie and Marcus discuss: How witnessing his parents disputes at age 6 impacted his relationships well into adulthood.The impact his father’s shocking death had on him and his family and how it became a defining moment leading him to where he is today.Why ignoring emotions and pain is normalized behavior for many men.The difficulties he encountered when within one year he separated from his first wife, his son was born, and his father passed away.How counselling helped him realize his failure to take responsibility for his role in the ending of his first marriage and begin to address his anger issues.How he started his entrepreneurship journey by counseling men experiencing loss, separation, and divorce.How the pandemic in 2020 was a wakeup call that ultimately led him to discover his purpose in life.How he knew it was time to transition professionally and the mindset that enabled him to finally take the leap into entrepreneurship.The biggest lessons he’s learned from his personal and financial challenges.   Connect with Marcus: WEBSITE:  www.readytoheal.net.au FACEBOOK:   Support Labrador Lending: WEBSITE:   Connect with Jamie: LINKEDIN:

Emma Powell is a wife, mother, homeschooler of 6, and commercial real estate investor in Utah who has been featured in Business Insider and who has appeared as a guest on over 40 podcasts, including the BiggerPockets podcast. However, this is the first podcast where Emma was brought to tears. We dive into the years leading up the COVID-19 pandemic, which were a real struggle for Emma and her family. We discuss the instability of her husband’s employment, the passing of her father, her brother’s devastating cycling accident, her own health challenges, and recent the passing of her sister’s teenage son. We also discuss how Emma lost a lot of money from one real estate deal and why she pivoted to creating an investment club. Some other key topics & takeaways: Big rocks vs. little rocks analogy for prioritizingHer shifting priorities (away from scaling actively)Unschooling, a form of homeschooling - Nonviolent Communication (book)Her son’s autism How to focus on what you can controlHer real estate businessChallenges with raising capital and scaling a real estate businessPivoting to creating an investment club as opposed to raising capital from LPs and GPsThe importance of communicationHow to get away from the victim mentality   Connect with Labrador Lending: e-book on note investing: for note investors:   Connect with Jamie Bateman:

Host Jamie Bateman provides a review of and his takeaways from the show’s first 12 episodes! From Homelessness to Prison to Financial Freedom through Real Estate with Mark OwensIt Is Your Right To Be Extraordinary: Mindset for Success with Former NFL Superbowl Champion Ryan HarrisFrom Financial, Marital, and Health Struggles to Real Estate and Note Investing Success with Chris SeveneyLearning from a Late Sibling; Overcoming Dyslexia and a Massive Financial Setback with Matt ForeFrom a Life-Threatening Shooting and Millions Lost to Real Estate and Relationship Wealth with Fuquan BilalFrom Foster Child to Surprise Parent to Budding Entrepreneur with Shante Duffy of BIFI Loan ServicingFrom Struggling Personally and Professionally to Empowering Others with Innovator Dr. Terrence JohnsonFrom Divorced Debtor to Influential Investor and Leader with Army Veteran Brent BowersFrom Victim of Extreme Poverty and Abuse to Note Investor and Zen Practitioner with Luis MirandaSeeing Life’s Challenges as Blessings with Successful Businesswoman Beth Boisseau-CootsFrom Fat and Depressed to Healthy and Happy with Fitness Coach Matt IzzoHow Losing Loved Ones Early Propelled Real Estate Investor Chris Larsen to an Abundant, Impactful Life--------------

Chris Larsen, a successful real estate investor and educator who runs Next-Level Income, joins us on this moving, inspiring episode. Chris raises capital to invest in apartment complexes, hotels, self-storage facilities, car washes; he lives out the abundance mindset and life. The human element is front and center in this episode. Chris gets vulnerable and we dive into the deaths of his parents and the unexpected death of his best friend, who was like a brother to Chris. His father died in a plane crash, his mother died from cancer and they still had some unresolved issues. That said, the most impactful tragedy was the loss of his best friend, who was also named Chris. These two were friends through high school and were close training partners. Some key takeaways: Chris deeply appreciates the value of the time we have on Earth. Our time is precious.The loved ones whom Chris has lost would want him to live his best lifeHe now has a duty to live an abundant, impactful life—a duty to get the most out of his life and to impact the world in a positive way.Chris truly understands the value of time.The earlier in your life that you face challenges, the more resilient and successful you can be.You should seek out coaches and trainers.You don’t know someone’s story—be careful with the assumptions you make about others. Be careful not to blunt the motivation of others.If he could go back, Chris would have started infinite banking and other strategies much earlier than he did.Parenting makes you a better person.Masterminds can be quite valuable.

Matt Izzo has lost 75 pounds. Three times. The third time something permanent happened. He underwent a holistic transformation and has kept off the weight for 5 years. What’s more, he is now training for an Ironman. Previously, Matt was a relatable, average guy who found himself in an unhealthy, depressing environment where he felt stuck. His default mindset and focus were negative and spiraling downward. He was in a chronically negative state without even realizing it. For a while, Matt thought he hated himself because he was fat. Through the lens of hindsight, however, he came to understand that he hated himself AND he was fat. It wasn’t until Matt addressed the underlying mental and emotional issues that he was able to make a sustainable change. Five years ago, he committed to healing and getting healthy for good. And it to say he transformed himself would be an understatement. Some of the key takeaways from this episode are: Obesity is a symptom of underlying emotional pain.“The inside reflects the outside and the outside reflects the inside.”Matt feels a lot more in the way of emotions and energy now that he never did before.Consistency, persistence, education, and planning are key to progress, but progress is not linear.25 years of growth created this transformationPositivity and inspiration are contagious. Through leading by example, you can inspire others to change. His girlfriend lost about 100 lbs by seeing Matt’s example.If you believe in yourself and adapt to what live throws at you, then there’s not much to worry about. Matt does not allow himself to get caught up in worry. He aims to be adaptable and change when life changes.How to move from a scarcity mindset to an abundance mindset.Action speaks louder than words and through action you can prove to yourself that you can be a success. This episode is both practical and inspirational, and it’s one you won’t want to miss!

Beth Boisseau-Coots is the Vice President of JB Lloyd & Associates, a thriving insurance company that is quite popular among real estate investors and lenders. Beth is an accomplished, growth-oriented businesswoman, who embraces an abundance mindset. But make no mistake, she has dealt with surprising and heavy adversity in her life. Beth faced an unexpected pregnancy at age 17, a difficult divorce, and severe pain  and stress related to life-threatening and even life-taking health challenges of loved ones. Through it all, Beth has managed to believe. She understands that everything happens for a reason and that there is a greater plan. She has incredible faith and appreciates that her life is not really about her. Rather, she is all about serving and sacrificing for those she loves. Impressively, she has been able to view life’s challenges as blessings. Since these long periods of adversity, Beth’s business has experienced massive growth, and she now lives an abundant financial life—something that was not the case for her growing up. This episode has a little bit of everything, including excellent book recommendations and health-related tips. Tune in!

Luis Miranda is a part-time computer programmer and part-time investor. When it comes to adversity, Luis may just set the bar based on what he has been through. Luis grew up in Peru with no running water and no electricity. On top of that, he went through years of molestation and physical abuse, dealing with instability and a lack of safety and trust for his entire childhood. Eventually making his way to the U.S., Luis bounced around as part of the foster-care system but still suffered from trust issues and a lack of direction and hope. Among other things, he turned to selling and using drugs.  Tune in to hear how Luis took ownership of his life and changed his path. He is now a married, successful W-2 employee and investor. But his path to abundance was not a straight one. Even recently, after Luis had "made it," he dealt with a serious lack of happiness and fulfillment. He is now focused on adding value to others and practicing Zen. You do not want to miss this episode!

Bowers is an active real estate and land investor, as well as business owner and coach. He is a former U.S. military officer--having deployed to Afghanistan--who now lives an abundant life by all accounts. However, Brent is not immune to hardship and has gone through his share of struggles. He has experienced serious financial trouble, having to move back in with his in-laws, and he later went through a painful divorce. In 2008, his investing career took a major turn for the worse, and Brent decided to quit real estate.  How did he rebound? How did he re-focus, re-marry, and re-energize his life? How did he end up creating and running numerous profitable, small businesses? In this amazing episode, we focus on mindset, a bias toward action, and the incredible importance of teamwork. This is not one you'll want to skip!

Dr. Terrence Johnson is an innovator and a mental health professional. He and his business partner own iProgress, where their mission is to help individuals, organizations, and communities shift towards a path that aligns with their purpose. This episode is slightly atypical, in that it is less about investing and business and more about handling relatable adversity and serving others in a healthy way. We dive into the passing of Terrence's father, after years of sickness, and some relationship struggles that existed there. We also discuss career adversity Terrence has faced, as well as challenges he has helped others through from a mental-health standpoint. Terrence has always been a helper, but one takeaway is that even serving others can be taken too far. This is a practical episode with a giving, upbeat guest. Enjoy!

Shante Duffy is a budding entrepreneur and investor. She runs her own mortgage servicing company, BIFI Loan Servicing, and is broadly considered to be a force in her industry. But Shante wasn't always thriving.  Growing up, Shante spent years in foster care and eventually came to understand that she had been adopted. Dealing with racial dynamics, an unexpected pregnancy, and a son with special needs, she faced some real challenges that life threw her way. Is her life now problem free? Of course not. But she has well-defined priorities, namely her son and her business, and the future is bright.  Listen in to find out how Shante turned her adversity into a mindset of abundance. She has an inspiring and educational story that you won't want to miss! www.bifils.com ---------

Fuquan Bilal is an accomplished author, investor and business owner with expertise across numerous asset classes and strategies. Fuquan runs a blended fund that purchases property and adds value to many communities in the United States. Fuquan's company invests in multifamily properties, mortgage notes, single-family rehabs, etc.  In 2001, Fuquan was shot five times in a botched robbery, which he says is the best thing that every happened to him. It created a new path for him in life. In 2008, he lost $2 million of his own money and then went through a divorce and custody battle. The adversity Fuquan has faced has helped him become grateful for the little things that we often take for granted. It also helped him be less materialistic and go deeper within himself.

Matt Fore is a real estate investor, podcast host, sales professional, and Ironman athlete. Unfortunately, Matt has faced the death of his older sister, a learning disorder, and the demoralizing surprise of not receiving a life-changing commission check that had been promised to him. He learned that you always have a counter-advantage to your difficulties and that people matter more than things. He focuses on embracing intention and empathy in everything he does. Matt drops practical wisdom bombs throughout this episode. Don't miss it!

Chris Seveney has certainly had his share of challenges in life. Many people familiar with Chris marvel at how he is able to get so much done. Something that is often overlooked is WHY he gets so much done. Listen in as Jamie Bateman uncovers some of the adversity Chris has faced in life, including job loss, divorce, debt, and health scares. Learn how this adversity helped Chris define his purpose and outlook, and contributed to his impressive rise in both his personal and his professional life. Chris is now a thriving, driven professional, entrepreneur, and investor. He also maintains an abundant family life. Chris's recovery from his struggles earlier in life is nothing short of remarkable. Join us to be inspired!

Ryan Harris is a 10-year veteran of the NFL. He was drafted by the Denver Broncos in 2007 and later won a Super Bowl with Peyton Manning. However, it wasn't always rings and championships for the former offensive tackle. Ryan had 9 surgeries over the course of his professional football career and has faced numerous other obstacles throughout his life. In order to overcome this adversity, Ryan learned how to develop his mindset by using mantras such as "I can, I am, I will." He is passionate about inspiring others to reach for greatness, educating those around him about financial literacy. He believes that “It is your right to be extraordinary," and that when we embrace that right, we create positive change in the world. In his view, it is when we commit to educate ourselves, invest in our communities and act on our passions that real change happens. Ryan played college football at the University of Notre Dame, where he graduated with two degrees, one in Economics and Policy and the other in Political Science. Ryan is a practicing Muslim, from Minnesota, and currently resides with his family in Denver, CO. Ryan HarrisWestwood OneBook – Mindset for Mastery: An NFL Champion’s Guide to Reaching Your GreatnessAmazon – Mindset for Mastery: An NFL Champion’s Guide to Reaching Your GreatnessRyanHarris.eth@RyanHarris_68 – InstagramTwitter – Ryan Harris

Mark Owens' story is nothing short of incredible. In fact, his remarkable turnaround was a major impetus for Jamie's decision to launch this new podcast. As such, it is only fitting that Mark is our first guest. Listen in to experience the crazy but true stories of Mark's early years in Baltimore, where he went down a dark path full of drugs and crime, which led to bank robbery and even prison. Eventually, Mark found real estate investing and now lives a life of financial freedom centered around helping others and bettering himself.  In this episode, Mark drops numerous truth bombs, particularly about having the right mindset, believing in yourself, and taking ownership of your life.