Hampstead, MD · Member since 2014 · 10 posts · 2 votes
I have been online for hours, looking at local investment opportunities when I came across this Freedom Mentor apprentice program. I was so excited about it I signed up to see if I was eligible. I guess I will get a call tomorrow. Anyways, I was just wondering if anybody has heard anything, good or bad, about this guys company. Any thought?
Centre Hall, PA · Member since 2015 · 48 posts · 20 votes
11y
Even if you have little or no money you cannot be afraid of failing or messing up. In this business the only way to get better is by messing up a little and truly learning from that experience. It sucks, and it's not fun but in the end if you stick with it, put the work in and keep grinding you will succeed! Do not let fear of failure hold you back.
Action creates motivation! Just start doing it and you will see that it's not as hard as you are making it to be in your head.
My advice is to read as many books as possible, listen to podcasts (BiggerPockets has some AWESOME ones) and listen to audio books to limit your mistakes.
We live in the Information Age! People did this stuff long before the Internet and before people cared enough to write books to help others. All we have to do is take advantage of the knowledge passed on to us and keep pressing forward! We have no excuses to not be successful, it's all mapped out for us.
Just START!
Good luck! I hope that ramble helped a little. Haha.
Investor · Riverside, CA · Member since 2011 · 2k+ posts · 3k+ votes
12y
Eligible? What is the limit on your credit card? I think that determines your "eligibility" more than anything else. HAHAHA
You have desire? You like to ask questions? You want a better life for yourself? You don't mind taking a little risk? You're good with numbers? Congratulations! You are eligible to be a real estate investor.
Hampstead, MD · Member since 2014 · 10 posts · 2 votes
12y
Yes, I am all of those things but I am worried about messing up. I have read the BP guide and listened to a few podcasts and done internet research on REI, and I am still nervous about diving in. I do not have a lot of money, so I do not want to mess up. When I came across this mentor apprentice program, I thought it would be a good, safer way to start. I just want to know if this is a reputable company.
Valrico, FL · Member since 2015 · 6 posts · 2 votes
11y
I was looking at him as well because I am a newbie and don't want to make a big expensive mistake, so I did my research on him. I found a link that is making me think twice. I don't think I can afford his "mentoring." He does have many free videos, but then again, there are many on You Tube that give you the same advice.
Investor · Fort Wayne, IN · Member since 2014 · 1k+ posts · 515 votes
11y
@Lindsay Banaszewski@Mary anne Raymond if you are serious there are plenty of people that will help you on BP. I have a few people I do weekly calls with to help them and do some giving back, I also find that its keep me remembering to what it was like when I started what seems like ages ago now. Anyways if you are serious about doing deals and want a boost I would be glad to do a weekly call or something. Best of Luck.
Greenwood, IN · Member since 2013 · 346 posts · 93 votes
11y
I am new as well,and never even considered these "mentor" programs.
I will say the most honest thing about them right now. NONE of them are a good use of you're time or money at the least, and at the most they are a scam. They simply up sell you, and try to get you to buy larger and larger packages. Some people only get taken for a couple of grand, some, have put in 50+K and haven't bought a dime of real estate yet.
Take the time and read through posts, here ask questions, make a few friends here, that is all free. Take 6 months. I assure you all the information is here. Then try to do you're first deal. Even if u do you're first deal, and make a mistake, I assure you that mistake will be financially less costly, and more of a lesson, then any "guru" package you can buy.
Real Estate Investor · Richmond, TX · Member since 2013 · 11 posts · 1 vote
11y
I spoke to his team nearly two years ago. From what I remember they offered a paid training and then they did a mandatory 50/50 split on your first I think it was 20 deals - again this is what I'm remembering from a call 2 years ago. They dropped the line "50% of something is better than 0% of nothing."
Regardless at the time I didn't have the cash to drop on their program.
I'm sure it works out for some people but it didn't for me at the time.
Kimberlee
Investor · Santa Paula, CA · Member since 2015 · 1 post · 2 votes
11y
hello bp I am a newbie to rei as well and I was looking into that program as well but after the two 4 hour phone calls of me asking all my questions it came down to forking over 6k and a 50/50 split on my next $500, 000 of profit on my future rei deals that they who coach me on. And I have since been on BP learning all the stuff that there were supposed to teach but on BP its free. I may not have them to call and walk me through my first deal but I feel I can get close to the same kind of feed back here and by networking with investors in my area . Thanks BP thats my 2 cents...
Atlanta, GA · Member since 2015 · 25 posts · 12 votes
11y
I spoke to them as well and when they asked for $8k and 50% of the next 500k in deals I started googling them and found bigger pockets- the posts on this forum came up and I never took the second call. I know this is a late post but if it helps someone out there to make the right decision on google it's all good.
Centre Hall, PA · Member since 2015 · 48 posts · 20 votes
11y
Even if you have little or no money you cannot be afraid of failing or messing up. In this business the only way to get better is by messing up a little and truly learning from that experience. It sucks, and it's not fun but in the end if you stick with it, put the work in and keep grinding you will succeed! Do not let fear of failure hold you back.
Action creates motivation! Just start doing it and you will see that it's not as hard as you are making it to be in your head.
My advice is to read as many books as possible, listen to podcasts (BiggerPockets has some AWESOME ones) and listen to audio books to limit your mistakes.
We live in the Information Age! People did this stuff long before the Internet and before people cared enough to write books to help others. All we have to do is take advantage of the knowledge passed on to us and keep pressing forward! We have no excuses to not be successful, it's all mapped out for us.
Just START!
Good luck! I hope that ramble helped a little. Haha.
Real Estate Agent · Schaumburg, IL · Member since 2015 · 22 posts · 4 votes
11y
Thanks to all those who posted. I was also on the verge of "applying" and thought I better check around first. I have really enjoyed his videos on YouTube though.
Statesboro, GA · Member since 2015 · 99 posts · 24 votes
11y
Phil is an amazing teacher and has a bunch of free content on his YouTube channel, but I wouldn't take any sort of apprentice type program from anyone, especially with those sort of terms. There's too much free content out there. Bigger Pockets has a TON of free information. I'd also highly recommend listening to the podcasts. You'll love them, they're insanely informative. Please don't waste your money on the apprentice nonsense. He is an amazing teacher, seriously one of my favorites, keep that in mind. Probably my favorite person to watch on YouTube on this subject. Still, no need to agree to those kind of terms. Just my advice.
Investor, Entrepreneur, Educator · Springfield, MO · Member since 2009 · 21k+ posts · 12k+ votes
11y
Glad to see the common sense!
Really need to learn the basics of real estate, then move to strategies. That way you can ask specific questions and get specific answers. Good luck :)
Fargo, ND · Member since 2014 · 98 posts · 26 votes
10y
Phil Pustejovsky did come out with a new book this month titled, "Real Estate Investing Gone Bad." It contains 21 true stories of what NOT to do when investing in real estate and flipping houses. I've only read 4 stories thus far and it does have some good lessons on there. It's free if you have kindle unlimited and 99 cents on Amazon. Of course the book plugged in his Freedom Mentor apprentice program, so that's what made me research here on BiggerPockets!
Investor · Canton, GA · Member since 2015 · 88 posts · 63 votes
10y
@Lindsay Banaszewski I signed up for his "Freedom Mentor" program several weeks ago, and have not heard a single word from them. No phone calls at all. The only things that happened was I got put on his email distribution list and probably got dumped into his lead generation database.
My professional opinion is to stay away from these so called educators. They offer nothing to help you achieve career success - in fact they typically require loads of money up front in order to join their program. They are just trying to sell books, information and obtain leads that they can then sell to other companies looking to profit off your data. PLEASE, PLEASE, PLEASE understand that most of this information is free on BP and that is how I got started doing my first few deals. I did them without a mentor (I don't encourage this for everyone).
If you really want help achieving success with your first deal, reach out to a seasoned realtor or investment specialist like the Holton Wise Property Group, Marshall Reddick, or a local investment specialist from your local REIA (Real Estate Investors Association). Most of them will help you for FREE. Yes I said free. They don't make their money off of educating you, but actually helping you find that investment property and do the deal right.
Real Estate Broker · Cleveland Dayton Cincinnati Toledo Columbus & Akron, OH · Member since 2013 · 30k+ posts · 20k+ votes
10y
Originally posted by @Account Closed:
@Lindsay Banaszewski I signed up for his "Freedom Mentor" program several weeks ago, and have not heard a single word from them. No phone calls at all. The only things that happened was I got put on his email distribution list and probably got dumped into his lead generation database.
My professional opinion is to stay away from these so called educators. They offer nothing to help you achieve career success - in fact they typically require loads of money up front in order to join their program. They are just trying to sell books, information and obtain leads that they can then sell to other companies looking to profit off your data. PLEASE, PLEASE, PLEASE understand that most of this information is free on BP and that is how I got started doing my first few deals. I did them without a mentor (I don't encourage this for everyone).
If you really want help achieving success with your first deal, reach out to a seasoned realtor or investment specialist like the Holton Wise Property Group, Marshall Reddick, or a local investment specialist from your local REIA (Real Estate Investors Association). Most of them will help you for FREE. Yes I said free. They don't make their money off of educating you, but actually helping you find that investment property and do the deal right.
Homeowner · VISTA, CA · Member since 2015 · 727 posts · 340 votes
10y
I'm always leary of so called mentoring programs where you have to pay $$$ up front fees. Tread lightly. As others have stated you can learn a lot right here on this platform and it's all free!
Taylor, MI · Member since 2015 · 11 posts · 4 votes
10y
I signed up for the mentoring program as well. I never got a call so I called them. After answering a lot of questions which I assume were to motivate me into saying yes, they hit me with the cost. They were having a "special" so it was only 5k and 50% of what I made up to $500,000.00 or 200 sales. I haven't made a purchase yet, but all of my questions have been answered here just by using the search engine.
Frisco, TX · Member since 2016 · 5 posts · 3 votes
10y
I am new to investing as well and came across Phil's book and liked the idea of a mentor. I did fill out the application. I now wish I hadn't, but instead came here first. His program is too much! From now on I will come here first with all my questions.
Philadelphia, PA · Member since 2016 · 34 posts · 7 votes
10y
He (Phil) currently has a course on Udemy selling for $9. He admits that you won't get all of the training that his big money students get, but there's a lot of info for the price. Also I suggest the book FLIP by Rick Vilani & Clay Davis. It's pretty much a step by step guide. Very informative and a lot cheaper! Get it on audible or in print from Amazon.
Phoenix, AZ · Member since 2016 · 208 posts · 76 votes
10y
Glad I checked. That's the second time in a week I've almost blown $5k.
Seriously, though, why doesn't anyone offer to do this locally, minus the front-loading and monthly fee? I think a 70/30 split would even be appropriate, for however many the person needs...
Lewiston , ME · Member since 2017 · 4 posts · 2 votes
9y
Well I signed up for the apprentice program and within 2 hours I received a call. After speaking with 2 different guys over 5 separate calls, one over 2 hrs, they asked my net worth, and a bunch of questions about my credit, 401k, etc. Really fishing for what kind of $$ you have. Bottom line is its 5k-25k to get in. The 5k barely gets you access to mentors while 25k gets you personalized coaching. They take 50% of all profits till you hit $500k. I was offered a spot, read over the agreement contract they emailed me and politely but firmly said NO THANKS!!!!! Not a good opportunity.....plain and simple.
Winder, GA · Member since 2017 · 3 posts · 0 votes
9y
Hello Lindsey, I know its been awhile since your post, but let me say it for newbies looking now. That program is just that-a program to make/get money for someone besides you. First-half a deal might be better than no deal. Secondly-why do I have to pay you to take half my earnings? Thirdly-don't they know that $25K is a bit to much up front and half on the back end? It better be a system equal or better than McDonald's is all I'm saying. If not, Bye Felicia!