Just wondering everybody's education/background?

Upstate, NY · Member since 2012 · 26 posts · 2 votes

I was just wondering what everybody's education or background is? seems that a large percentage of you folks have some type of formal "business" or finance education, or come directly from the world of Real Estate?

I'm an engineer (Civil/Structural) from NY.

Thanks all.

1 Reply

455 views

Most Popular Reply

Joel OwensBusiness Member

Moderator

Real Estate Broker · Canton, GA · Member since 2010 · 15k+ posts · 11k+ votes

13y

My family has a history of business owners and entrepreneurs and inventors.

Went to high school and had a 96.1 GPA. My dad was killed in a car wreck my junior year so at that point had to re-evaluate my life and what direction I wanted to go. I loved learning but mainly did the school thing for him. Ended up finishing high school still in the 90's for GPA but average went down some because junior and senior year was rough to focus.

Went to college for a few years and was making A's but really was bored and didn't know what I wanted to do for a career (major). Left college after 2 years and have owned different businesses ever since. Settled on commercial real estate transacting for clients and also my own investments and wouldn't have it any other way.

What I have learned in life through the school of hard knocks is worth much more than theory taught in a class room. Many of these teachers have book knowledge but very little practical real world experience.

I have always walked my own path and do not like being confined to corporate ideals in a box. A degree or designation doesn't define a person. I believe pushing yourself everyday to learn and be the best will take you much further than many in life.

Podcast Guest on Show #47

NNN Invest53 Reviews

Website View Page

9 Reply

See this reply in the discussion

198 Replies

Jump to latestLatest

Sort by

Marc Bodinger
New York City, NY · Member since 2012 · 253 posts · 7 votes
13y
BA in Marketing from Temple University in Philadelphia.

0 Reply
Zachary Dosch
Bismarck, ND · Member since 2011 · 142 posts · 16 votes
13y
BA in Business Admin, Finance, & MIS and a MBA from The University of Mary

Certification in Executive Education from Notre Dame

Did residential mortgages right out of college then transitioned into Business Banking/Commercial Lending/Advising.
0 Reply
Luis Castillo
Real Estate Investor · Whittier, CA · Member since 2012 · 92 posts · 19 votes
13y
Congratulations to all of our bright bigger pockets participants and my hats off to all of you that are getting it done without the benefit of higher education. As for myself I was one of only 3 percent of my graduating class that did not continue on to a four year college. My whole life and was on the A honor roll but for some reason (real estate) in my junior year I decided that real estate was going to be my vehicle to riches.

The only college classes I have taken were the 18 college credits I needed to get my brokers license and those I earned those credits at a real estate school.

I have been in real estate since 1979. It's the only thing I have ever done.

Owned and operated 4 real estate office at one time in the late 80's.

At 16 years old worked one summer in a factory.

10-15 cut lawns, cleaned yards, helped my dad rehab prop's and blackmailed my older brothers a couple of times for $20. I am very ashamed of the last one but I needed the money to sign up for baseball.

I firmly believe that you don't need a degree to make a fortune. I have literally made and lost fortunes. Maybe if I went to college I wouldn't have lost the fortunes. I also don't believe college is for everyone but i am very fortunate that I have three bright kids that we don't ask "are you going to college? we ask "where are you going to college?" The oldest is 18 and is being recruited by 5 Ivy league colleges as I write this. My second oldest dreams of going to Wharton. So I pray that their dreams come true.

My advice if anyone cares is, if you don't have the opportunity to get a degree then real estate is a good way to go. Educate yourself. Read a lot. Get on RE websites and forums. If possible find a mentor, hang on and always look at the big picture and the long term.

Good luck to all of you!

0 Reply
Luis Castillo
Real Estate Investor · Whittier, CA · Member since 2012 · 92 posts · 19 votes
13y
Wow sorry about the grammatical errors. I didn't proof read before submitting it. Maybe it makes a point for going to college!
0 Reply
Rick BassettBusiness Member
Property Manager · Greater New Haven, CT · Member since 2010 · 377 posts · 434 votes
13y
Doctorate in Information Systems
Masters in Information Systems
BA in Computer Science

I am a tenured Professor teaching Project Management and Enterprise Computing while balancing this growing RE business. Many years of consulting experience in Accounting Information Systems (Small Businesses) and ERP Systems (Corp. Clients).

Even though the cash flow isn't anywhere as good in RE, it is much nicer and rewarding to call your own shots on the projects without the drama of corporate politics.
475-900-3100
Bassett Property Management5108 Reviews
Website View Page
0 Reply
Mary Cronin
Wholesaler · Stockton, CA · Member since 2010 · 23 posts · 5 votes
13y
I'm just starting to do this full time:
BS Genetics
JD (Law degree but not licensed)

Worked in law then quit to take care of brain injured spouse, then in small business. Then back to law, now RE.

Mary
1 Reply
Brian H.
Rental Property Investor · Huntsville, UT · Member since 2012 · 127 posts · 35 votes
13y
- High School
- Some College
- 4 Years in the Army, which taught me A LOT, especially about organization and attention to detail

That "education" let to:
- Several failed small business start-ups
- Finally successful transitioning a small lawn maintenance business into a med sized regional firm.

Interesting how many of us have had positive experiences/education with our lawn mowing businesses. Wonder if all MBA courses should include"Lawn Mowing 101" as a prerequisite.
1 Reply
David B.
Investor · Chicago, IL · Member since 2012 · 80 posts · 31 votes
13y
Started in real estate while in college.

Owned a game room and a barbecue restaurant before 25. Was bought out of the restaurant.

I have been a landlord since 19 yrs old when my father gave me control of the family apartment building. Started flipping apartment buildings in 2000 and purchased my first commercial property shortly after. Worked in corporate at World Book Inc. for some years while never missing a beat in my true endeavor, Real Estate.

Business Admin Degree
0 Reply
Account Closed
Saskatoon · Member since 2012 · 22 posts · 2 votes
13y
Grew up in a middle class family in Saskatoon with three sisters. Graduated from high school with honour roll, took one year of Commerce in University then decided to quit to begin my own business ventures. Haven't looked bad.
0 Reply
Shaun Reilly
Landlord and Rehabber · Newton, MA · Member since 2010 · 2k+ posts · 877 votes
13y
Bachelors in Chemistry and Math
MBA and MSF degrees
Have a real estate licence

About 95% of what I needed to know to run my business I had in 10th grade.
0 Reply
Dell Schlabach
Investor · Canton-Akron, OH · Member since 2012 · 917 posts · 477 votes
13y
1. Construction with my fathers crew in the summers at 14
2. Amish parocial school throught 8th grade
3. Construction until 21. (Injury couldnt walk)
4. Bagged food at brothers natural food store
5. Made a deal to buy the store owner financed while he went to chiropractic college
6. Got my ged, spend a couple semesters at local university business classes
7. Ran expanded natural foods business for 15 years
8. Bought complex of five rundown shops in amish tourist area, renovated and lost in fire a year later.
9. Owned and ran four candle shops four a couple years,
10. Ran couple fudge and coffee shops for a few years
11. Started doing real estate , read dozens of books, and thousands in bootcamps, bought number of small four-six - unit apt buildings renovated and rented, had about 40 units, few small commercial and did a bunch of fix and flip... for five years, crashed and lost it all.
12. Started over, three years ago working for constructin crew for peanuts, today i have two crews, focusing exclusively on fix and flip, fourteen houses last year, avg dom 27.2, starting two more crews in jan when i come back from a much needed two week vacation in naples. Target 2013 = 36 fix and flips
7 Reply
Brian H.
Rental Property Investor · Huntsville, UT · Member since 2012 · 127 posts · 35 votes
13y
Originally posted by Dell Schlabach:

12. Started over, three years ago working for constructin crew for peanuts, today i have two crews, focusing exclusively on fix and flip, fourteen houses last year, avg dom 27.2, starting two more crews in jan when i come back from a much needed two week vacation in naples. Target 2013 = 36 fix and flips

Great first post Dell. Reminds me of one of my favorite quotes (below). All the best to you on your way back to the top. Inspiring.

"I don't measure a man's success by how high he climbs but how high he bounces when he hits bottom"
George S. Patton
0 Reply
Harry M.
Real Estate Investor · Dallas, TX · Member since 2010 · 449 posts · 173 votes
13y
I was a B-ish student in high school. I did one year in college with a major in economics (my Dad insisted on the major). I found it deathly boring at that age, and spent my time in the gym playing basketball instead. I dropped out after one year, and left home. I supported myself working at pizza hut. A year later, I went back to college. Starting out majoring in computer science, but lost interest. I have a natural knack for programming, and started realizing that I was better at it than my instructors. It kind of seemed pointless after the penny dropped that I wasn't learning much from them. I switched my major to English Lit (my Dad's girlfriend talked him out of cutting off funding). I dropped out after another year when my Dad died, and money became an issue.

I got my start in my career in computer animation a year later as an intern. My aunt was friends with the wife of a guy who owned a company that did TV commercials, and talked them into giving me a chance. I grabbed the opportunity with both hands, and 21 years later I'm still doing it and making good money.

We bought our first rental 2.5 years ago, and currently have 2, with a third a few months away.

The part of my "education" that taught me the most was the year on my own making ends meet working at pizza hut (not easy!). I learned more about real life that year than all of my education combined.
2 Reply
Cheryl S
Union City, CA · Member since 2012 · 16 posts · 2 votes
13y
B.A. Ethnic Studies/UCSD

Substitute Teacher, Technical Writer, now Career Receptionist (always loved this role since college)

PhD in hard knocks (top of my class, actually) ;-)
1 Reply
Danny Day
Developer · Houston, TX · Member since 2008 · 488 posts · 121 votes
13y
Got involved in land development w/ my father in high school. More of a hobby than a business. Went through college, got a BBA in business administration. Enjoyed courses on professional selling, real estate finance, advanced economics... during college I connected with a national student housing developer who rehabbed / rented multi-family complexes. Became project manager for one of their complexes in my college town. My first rehab experience I did 93 3 bed, 2 bath units.. 1 club house, 2 pools, and a dog park... in 90 days. Graduated college, left for Houston and got my real estate license. Became a licensed agent and connected with alot of investors off BP. They would fly in and meet with me to discuss buying properties in Houston. Lots of fun, great people. I started my own company and started flipping houses in Houston. My girlfriend (now my wife) and I found out we were having our daughter, and I had to put my dreams on hold with owning my own business. After 1 year as a RE agent I had made $15k net ($30k before my broker split), and $0 from flipping houses (they all were refinanced into rental properties). Took a job one of my college buddies offered me as an analyst at an energy company. Spent 6 months realizing that I was born to work in real estate, and sitting behind a desk in a cube was not for me. Decided that things had to change but I couldn't work in what I was passionate about, supporting a family (age 25) on 100% commission (RE agent). Was recruited by a national home builder / developer to work in sales / build homes in their communities in Houston. I am now working my dream " job " loving every minute of it. Earning potential went from what I made my 1st year now making in 1 month. Now have 3 rental properties and no longer flipping houses. Looking to build a nice nest egg then might be buying multi-family complex one day. My father is now to the point where he is starting his first land developments. Helping him analyze deals as well.
0 Reply
Kyle Zaylor
Developer · Portland, OR · Member since 2012 · 55 posts · 40 votes
13y
Undergrad in architecture. Masters in architecture and MBA.

I'm currently focusing on multifamily development and acquisitions.
0 Reply
Abdul R.
Real Estate Investor · Piscataway, NJ · Member since 2012 · 167 posts · 19 votes
13y
Bachelors in Computer Science.
16+ Years in the Corporate World.
0 Reply
JImarcus Blanding
Real Estate Investor · Atlanta, GA · Member since 2012 · 12 posts · 7 votes
13y
Newbie to BP but definitely not to business. Started out with my a paper route when I was 8, a year later figured out I could have other kids work for my and pay then $20-30/wk and keep the other $70-80. This allowed me to be absent several days and do kid things and still make money. Long story short, I took over another route in downtown Greenville, SC, where all the top notch people of the city worked (millionaires, bankers, architects, etc.) while still having my help do my original route at now a 50/50 split. I learned a lot from the downtown folks with being fascinated at how young I was and I already thought of having others work for me. They provided me at a young age a wealth of free, priceless knowledge. I was very good at sports and that helped because several of them where fans of the youth leagues with kids of their own playing. Fast forward, I continued that until about the 8th grade(got heavier into football and track) where I let some other kid buy me out for $200 and 30% profits for 8 months. Getting the route downtown was big business for a kids our age then because no one wanted to give up the downtown area. Glad, he didn't default because at the age I definitely didn't think about writing it on a contract, LOL.

After college, started my own clothing line and moved to ATL for marketing purposes and thats where most of my team was, but still worked as Financial Research Analyst for ACS on a state contract for about the last 7 years. The clothing company eventually went south because in the fashion industry you have stay at the top of the game but I learn a ton about having my own business. At that same time I was taking money putting it into some real estate deals with an investor, but that wasn't promising after a while (lack of education in real estate at the time but not anymore) and he wasn't too great of a businessman so had to cxl that and now after properly educating myself over the last year I am back in real estate because I have never been big on what I consider Corp. America and making someone wealthy instead of myself and others around me.

Formal Ed:
BS- International Business
MS- Software Engineering Mgmt.

sorry so long, talking about business motivates me.
4 Reply
Pat L.
Rental Property Investor · Upstate, NY · Member since 2012 · 3k+ posts · 3k+ votes
13y
Mech Eng .....consultant, drive control automation

Retired @ 49 when my passive income exceeded what I could make working 60 hrs a week.

During my years of working I was able to accumulate a lot of property that I rehabbed & sold &/or held high % notes until they could qualify for conv. financing.

(I avoid conventional rentals like the plague).

I specialize in a LTO niche that has been very profitable.
0 Reply
Henri Meli
Investor · Morrisville, NC · Member since 2012 · 1k+ posts · 673 votes
13y
Master Degree in Computer science
10+ years in the Corporate World in various positions of Software Engineering and team leadership.
Bought first investment property in 2005
Wish I had taken Real Estate Investing more seriously earlier.
Having experienced all the politics going on in Corporate world, I have been looking for a plan B for a while now. I think Real Estate Investing is what I want to focus my energy on for the near future.
0 Reply
Paul Crowson
Investor · Conroe, TX · Member since 2012 · 71 posts · 8 votes
13y
Very little REI background until about a year ago. 1 good cash flow rental property, eventually pursuing more of those after I build up more reserves from the flipping I'm doing now. Enough construction and remodeling background to know houses pretty good. Left construction to now Working a full time job as an RN in the Operating Room (20yr)...love it but no retirement, so pursuing REI to eventually have 10k monthly cash flow...
0 Reply
Ziv Magen
Fukuoka, Fukuoka · Member since 2012 · 148 posts · 29 votes
13y
Technical engineering and corporate IT project management background for the first 15 years or so, a bit of import and resale after that, then REI - never looked back, but grateful for the skills and experience gained - particularly negotiation, stakeholder management and profitability/risk assessment - they've all been serving me very well :)
0 Reply
Jonathan McPhail
Professional · Jackson, MS · Member since 2012 · 6 posts · 0 votes
13y
Undergrad: MGT of Construction and Land Development
Graduate: Master of Real Estate Development

Five years of Residential Construction between undergrad and graduate work.
0 Reply
Andrea M.
Real Estate Investor · Hampton, VA · Member since 2012 · 562 posts · 109 votes
13y
Former Realtor from NY, and currently Inactive Realtor in VA, Bachelors in Health Services Administration, started rehabbing (buy and hold) for about 3 yrs now , currently in the Hampton Roads Area of VA
0 Reply
Glenn Espinosa
Rehabber · Alexandria, VA · Member since 2011 · 446 posts · 171 votes
13y
Very nice Andrea M.! We have similar interests. I was very much into the health admin route early into my career but fell in love with real estate instead. Glad I did. I totally despise healthcare now, haha!

Have you looked into any of the groups and organizations here in Hampton Roads? We definitely need to get together and discuss strategy and the Hampton area.
0 Reply

Join the conversationCreate a free account to reply, vote on answers and follow this thread.