Just wondering everybody's education/background?

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Just wondering everybody's education/background?

Adam Dorn
Upstate, NY 路 Member since 2012 路 26 posts 路 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.

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Joel OwensBusiness Member
Moderator
Real Estate Broker 路 Canton, GA 路 Member since 2010 路 15k+ posts 路 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.

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  • John Arendsen
    Real Estate Investor 路 Leucadia, CA 路 Member since 2014 路 75 posts 路 18 votes
    11y

    Brandon Miller, Tread lightly and shave those pennies. Don't get too ambitious. Lot's of real RE deals out there and plenty of time to do them.

    0Reply
  • John Arendsen
    Real Estate Investor 路 Leucadia, CA 路 Member since 2014 路 75 posts 路 18 votes
    11y

    Brandon Miller, Big oops! Got you mixed up with Brandon Jenkins. Sorry. But perhaps you two should connect?

    0Reply
  • Mike Baker
    Contractor 路 Blackfoot, ID 路 Member since 2013 路 149 posts 路 52 votes
    11y

    @john arendsen 

    Thanks. I try hard.馃榾

    0Reply
  • Gary Erdoglyan
    Property Manager 路 Los Angeles, CA 路 Member since 2014 路 79 posts 路 15 votes
    11y

    ...i read Rich Dad Poor Dad 

    2Reply
  • Gustavo Mendes
    Orlando, FL 路 Member since 2015 路 19 posts 路 11 votes
    11y

    I dropped out of Business School twice, I really wanted to learn about business but didn't want to be shaped as an ideal, team working, employee.

    I started and failed a couple of companies, and worked a little with my parents.

    Practically my whole family have their own businesses, my mother, my father, aunts, uncles, grand parents, cousings, so I grew up in an environment full of entrepreneurs.

    I tend to self-teach my way into anything I really want to learn. I believe that is much less effective to rely on the good will of teachers and structured courses, than to let your desire motivate you and learn by any means and sources necessary.

    Regarding Real Estate, when I got an opportunity to work with it I tried to learn as much as I could about the business, so I have read some books, read lots of articles, listened to podcasts, watched a lot of videos and talked to a lot of people to try to get a general view of the business, before I could decide which areas to focus on.

    I definitely want to get some formal education in the future, like Management, Finance, Marketing, Branding... But only to get better, not to get started.

    0Reply
  • Derek T.
    Real Estate Investor 路 Prince Geroge's County, MD 路 Member since 2012 路 392 posts 路 104 votes
    11y

    Bachelor's in Business Mgmt

    Master's in Education (Curriculum & Instruction) 

    3 years in doctorate program.  Stopped after coursework was done.... Didn't pursue it into dissertation phase. 

    0Reply
  • Nancy Brook
    Investor, Realtor, Writer, Podcaster 路 Billings, MT 路 Member since 2013 路 175 posts 路 97 votes
    11y
    BA in Advertising - Marketing MBA Real estate school of hard knocks I've worked in banking, corporate sales and other marketing jobs. Now growing my real estate enterprise.
    0Reply
  • Nick Johnson
    Investor 路 Ormond Beach, FL 路 Member since 2015 路 24 posts 路 8 votes
    11y
    Originally posted by @Gary Erdoglyan:

    ...i read Rich Dad Poor Dad 

     +1

    1Reply
  • Jacob Edmond
    Investor 路 Newnan, GA 路 Member since 2015 路 81 posts 路 24 votes
    11y

    I worked construction between high school and college, then got a BA in architecture while interning for an architecture firm. Like many others I also had lawn businesses, in middle and hugh school, and then my senior year  in college. Since then I have worked for millwork and casework companies as a custom impact and design pressure rated (hurricane rated) door maker, production manager as well as a draftsman and project engineer. I now am the engineering manager for a commercial millwork and casework company by day.

    I should add that my wife has the business background, with a BS in management. She worked as a team manager for a large call center, in both outgoing and incoming. She has also held her property managers license working for several large apartment communities, and then as accounts receivables for a large pest control company. All of her experience has been very valuable for both our personal finances and getting started in renting out our property.

    0Reply
  • James MasottiPro Member
    Rental Property Investor 路 Washington Township, NJ 路 Member since 2015 路 1k+ posts 路 976 votes
    10y

    BA International Studies

    Podcast Guest on Show #312
    0Reply
  • Omer Husain
    Homeowner 路 Houston, TX 路 Member since 2015 路 89 posts 路 19 votes
    10y

    BBA in Finance from University of Houston, although I never did use my finance degree since I have been in IT ever since graduating in 2002. Have been completely focusing on REI since last September, and can't wait to grab my first of many deals!

    0Reply
  • Simon Shih
    Investor 路 Houston, TX 路 Member since 2012 路 354 posts 路 186 votes
    10y

    Highschool dropout. Work in the oil and gas industry as a consultant. Worked my way up from a field worker over 15 years. Just closed on my first property in Houston last week. BRRRR.

    0Reply
  • Tom Cooper
    Real Estate Investor 路 Houston, TX 路 Member since 2014 路 173 posts 路 128 votes
    10y

    Grew up on a cattle ranch!  Thank you Dad for the work ethic and everything else you taught me.  B.S. in Civil Engineering, LSU.  MBA - Univ.of Houston.  Last 7 years working as an Electrical Engineer.

    0Reply
  • David Faulkner
    Investor 路 Orange County, CA 路 Member since 2015 路 2k+ posts 路 3k+ votes
    10y

    BS Mechanical Engineering

    MS Aerospace Engineering

    MBA in Finance

    10 years as a Spacecraft Control Systems Engineer for NASA

    Engineering helped to think logically, analyze, and solve problems.

    Finance concepts, especially Net Present Value calculations, helped analyze deals. MBA is great, if you can get somebody else to pay for it :)

    Control Systems engineering helped to design automated business systems and assess what can be measured and controlled and what can't.

    Spacecraft engineering helped with risk management and contingency planning (multiple exit strategies).

    The rest was from DIY research, trial, and error.

    0Reply
  • Stephanie Bureau
    San Antonio, TX 路 Member since 2016 路 111 posts 路 28 votes
    10y

    I'm just getting started but I have a B.S. in Psychology

    0Reply
  • Nikki Grizzle
    Rental Property Investor 路 Wake Forest, NC 路 Member since 2016 路 186 posts 路 78 votes
    10y

    I'm Private Investigator and own two businesses unrelated to anything Real Estate. My husband is in IT Security. We have no formal education related to Real Estate. Real Estate Investing is one of those things you just don't need to go to school for. Anyone can do it. 

    0Reply
  • Mike Nelson
    Investor 路 Oak Park, IL 路 Member since 2014 路 307 posts 路 150 votes
    10y

    I have a Bachelor's Degree in Architecture from UW-Milwaukee.  I am happily working in a great firm who does a lot of work in public housing renovation work.  I have bought and sold over 20 small residential properties which I held for several years since 1987.  I just have one multi unit but am looking for more opportunities.

    0Reply
  • Jason Chambers
    El Paso, TX 路 Member since 2016 路 71 posts 路 22 votes
    10y

    I have a BS in Aeronautics.

    I fly airplanes and helicopters.

    I pick my nose a lot. 

    I make money in real estate. 

    Networking has been the key to navigating our way through real estate. We've met people from all kinds of backgrounds that have been very successful in it.

    0Reply
  • Amber Landry
    Marietta, GA 路 Member since 2017 路 18 posts 路 4 votes
    9y
    Chiropractic My husband and I are both Doctors of Chiropractic. He is full time in practice and I am very part time and the mother of 2. We are ready to START OUR JOURNEY to financial freedom. Would love to connect with other husband/wife teams!
    0Reply
  • Account Closed
    Los Angeles, CA 路 Member since 2017 路 16 posts 路 8 votes
    9y
    Originally posted by @Nick Johnson:
    Originally posted by @Gary Erdoglyan:

    ...i read Rich Dad Poor Dad 

     +1

     +2. Success leaves clues, 

    Sir Richard Branson, Amancio Ortega, Kirk Kerkorian.  What do they all have in common? See for yourself  https://www.entrepreneur.com/article/253724. 

    0Reply
  • Alex Lucille
    Investor 路 Seattle, WA 路 Member since 2017 路 19 posts 路 8 votes
    9y
    Quantitative Economics
    0Reply
  • Jose Vargas
    Philadelphia, PA 路 Member since 2016 路 7 posts 路 1 vote
    9y
    Welcome B.A in Computing Technology Getting started in personal financial education and investing, personally I've learned a bit from trial and error, such as when the market crashed and I thought I had found a good deal.
    0Reply
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