Senior Construction Project Manager @ VareCo

I am the Founder &amp; CEO of Investor Acquisitions. In short, I help real estate executives be known. What I've found is the best operators in real estate often neglect marketing. Marketing is important enough to wish you were better but not important enough to take it on on your own. Put another way: If operations fall apart? You don't have a business to market. If marketing falls apart? You've survived this long without it. However, there's a catch 22 to this approach to marketing. The modern real estate sponsor, broker &amp; lender needs marketing. They need to be known. Social media expedites 2 key aspects of deal making: 1. Building awareness of you. 2. Building trust in you. My business is taking the hard work of figuring social media out off your hands, &amp; replacing it with all the benefits. 1. Being trusted and known. 2. Generating quality leads. 3. Raising capital/Closing deals. The fun stuff that comes from being known. Whether you're the CEO, an executive team, or a broker, our team at Investor Acquisitions can level up your brand &amp; content on LinkedIn. Our business is telling your story.

Cole Baker

Emmitt Smith earned $61,300,000 during his NFL career. 

He's quietly turned that into $100,000,000 in real estate. 

Here's how he did it: 

1) He LEARNED from the BEST. 

• Emmitt played 15 years for the Dallas Cowboys. 
• He leveraged the notoriety to get an internship. 
• Followed Roger Staubach around for 2 years. 
• (Roger has transacted on $26,000,000,000+ in CRE)
• This was the foundation of his knowledge. 

2) He TOOK ACTION. 

• Leveraging the experience with Staubach, 
• He started a JV with Staubach's company. 
• He started his own firm in Baltimore. 

Most of us don't have $63mm to start investing with. 

But, anyone can learn from the best: 

• Podcasts. 
• YouTube. 
• Books. 

& anyone can take action. 

P.S. The real question everyone wants to know? 

Will the Cowboys ever win a Super Bowl Again?

Founder + CEO of Investor Acquisitions | I help real estate executives build their brand & attract investors | Trusted by 44 Firms | DM “Intro” to schedule a meeting with Investor Acquisitions

I left my W-2 to start my business 14 months ago.

• I have had days I didn't think I'd make it.
• I have had weeks no money came in.
• I have had moments I messed up. 

• I have messed up with clients. 
• I have messed up sales calls. 
• I have messed up on hiring. 

I have lived a lot of the fears that held me back from starting sooner. 

But, I can say this:

I am filled with more purpose than I have felt in a very long time. 

& something about that makes the pain worth it. 

So here's to you taking the leap in 2026! 

The year you finally do it. 

Whatever it is!

P.S. If this was the year, what would you do?

I spoke to an RIA who’s helped his clients sell $14,000,000 worth of businesses to private equity.

I asked him what owners should look out for in the terms of their purchase agreements. 

Here’s what he told me: 

1) If you are presented with a dual share class structure within your agreement, it’s standard for the controlling investor to hold the senior class. What’s not standard? When Class-B shares have no participation rights to maintain their percentage of ownership. 

2) Ensure your "earn out" is tied to performance metrics that are higher up the income statement (i.e. gross revenue or recurring revenue). The higher up the income statement you go, the more the "earn out" is in your control.

3) If a buyer defers payment on your acquisition, lock in interest on top of you’re deferred payment. Otherwise the buyer is using your cash flow to pay you with no compensation for your additional risk. 

4) Ensure the waterfall structure in the purchase agreement defines the hurdle rate. The RIA has seen multiple agreements where the hurdle rate is left undefined at the point of sale. 

5) If you have buyout terms within your purchase agreement, define the “fair market value” of the business at the point of sale. & ensure that definition is defined at your full discretion. 

6) If your sale price is formulaic, ensure you define what’s being multiplied. If the buyer is paying a multiple on “adjusted EBITDA,” you set the definition for adjusted EBITDA.

7) Rolling equity into a deal doesn’t = money in your pocket in the future. Do you’re diligence on the buyer as well. It could be the difference in millions of dollars.

P.S. Was this helpful? Comment below what stuck out the most ⬇️

I spoke to an investor with $300,000,000 in AUM. 
His first deal he bought for $560,000 debt free. 
Here's the breakdown of how he did it: 

1) He started as a leasing agent for a family office. 
• The family office owned a few dozen deals. 
• He was there "Swiss army knife."
• Managing existing tenants. 
• Leasing units. 
• Even identifying new properties to acquire. 
• However, one thing stuck out to him: 
• He knew unless he owned real estate himself, 
• He'd never build true wealth. 

LESSON: 

• Build experience in the asset class you chose. 
• Only once you've built up a knowledge base, 
• Should you take the leap to ownership. 

2) He identified a property. 
• In his work with the family office, he identified a deal. 
• It was outside the buy box of the family office. 
• So he decided to take a shot at it. 
• He brought ~5 investors together, & acquired it. 

LESSON: 

• Be prepared. 
• Only once you've aligned your operations, 
• Should you begin identifying deals. 

P.S. Which lesson resonated with you the most?

My wife & I started a "sugar cleanse" this week. 

No processed carbohydrates. 
No processed sugars. 
No rice...
Starting off the first 4 weeks of the year right.

However... 
We celebrated my brother-in-laws birthday last night. 

They served Korean beef, green beans, and rice. 
(& cake...)
I've never wanted rice more in my life. 

I held strong, but...

I didn't realize how strong my cravings for carbs & sugar were until this week. 

This week's been brutal. But grateful for the reset. 
(& grateful I'm not taking on the cleanse alone)
How's your new year's resolutions going?

I asked an investor who owns a $750,000 6-unit portfolio debt free in Indiana why he didn't sell his properties to get a higher ROE. 

Here's what he told me: 

• He & his wife collect ~ $2,000 a month net. 
• He & his wife are retired. He self-manages.
• It's busy enough to keep him occupied. 
• But not too busy he's overwhelmed. 
• They're content. 

They set out for a specific number to bring home each month, & they achieved it. 

They're debt-free. Living off their hard work over the years, & don't need more. 

They've made it. 

LESSON: 

• There is always more to chase if you want to. 
• But, if you're looking for financial freedom? 
• Pick the number you're looking for. 
• Then fight hard to achieve it. 
• & once you reach it? 
• Either revaluate, 
• or reap the benefits of your hard work. 

P.S. What would you do with a $750,000 debt-free portfolio? 

Sell it & buy a bigger property? Or hold it?

I asked a developer/owner (who's built $300,000,000 of real estate) how he got started. His first deal ever? 
A $60,000 land flip. Here's the breakdown: 

1) The developer started his career at 19-years old. 
• He sourced a raw piece of land in his hometown. 
• He raised $30,000 from his family & friends. 
• His original intention? 
• Build a duplex. 

2) The seller called him back with more land to sell.  
• He raised another $30,000 from family & friends. 
• Now that he was sitting on 2 adjacent lots, 
• He started planning to build. 

3) A local builder identified the land he'd bought. 
• That builder offered $120,000 for the land. 
• What he'd just bought for $60,000? 
• He sold for $120,000...

A 50% return of equity to his investors & a $30,000 pay day for a 19 year old kid!

LESSON: 

• Action pays. No matter your age, get after it. 

P.S. If you had $30K pay day at 19...
What would you have bought?

My client raised $250,000 from 4 posts. 
(And the deal still has 12 days to close)
Here's the exact strategy we used:  

My client has managed $300,000,000 in AUM. 
He posted on LinkedIn & Facebook for years.
But hadn't had any luck raising capital. 
So he hired me. 

• Day 1; We collected stories + track record.
↳ We identified his Ideal Investor Profile. 
↳ Then curated content to this profile. 
• Week 1: Began posting 3-Days a week. 
↳ Every week. 
• Week 16: Posted first promotional post. 
• Week 20: Collected $250K in capital.
↳ & counting. 

3 takeaways you can steal today

1. Before you ask for business, build up trust. 
• I learned this concept from Alex Hormozi. 
• & it works beautifully. 
• Post valuable content for your ICP everyday you can
• Then, wait to make an ask for as long as possible. 

2. Write content using these 6 content pillars. 
• I developed this working with 40 + CRE firms.
• Write about deals you've bought or underwritten.
• Write about your personal life (not work related).
• Write about the daily conversations you have.
• Write about the lessons you have learned.
• Write about problems your ICP faces.
• Write about the news.

3. Quality content is better than lots of content. 
• My client had posted content for years. 
• Only after we refined his message, 
• Did he raise capital. 

OPPORTUNITY for 2026: 

When you figure out how to tell your story?  

It can change your business forever. 

P.S. I help sponsors, brokers & lenders build their brands on LinkedIn, if this post resonated with you, DM "Story" to schedule an introduction call.

Here's the 9 steps I took to raise my first $90,000 for a real estate investment without raising capital from friends & family. 

1. Committed to posting on LinkedIn on May 15, 2023. 
2. Posted 484 times before getting my first lead. 
3. Had 25+ conversations with investors. 
4. Identified a trusted fund manager to work with. 
5. Identified a trusted sponsor & property to invest in. 
6. Flew to FL to tour and walk the 230-unit property. 
• I toured the different unit mixes available. 
• I took over 200 photos of the property. 
• I took extensive notes of the property. 
• Then returned home the same day. 
7. Sent out an email to investors. 
8. Booked 3 calls. 2 invested. 
9. Each lead from LinkedIn. 

Admittedly, my first capital raise wasn't much. 
& I could have done better with the raise.
Namely, 
1. More consistent follow-up with investors. 
• During the diligence of the deal. 
2. More consistent follow-up with investors.
• Prior to finding a deal.  

However, it taught me 2 meaningful lessons: 
1. LinkedIn is a powerful tool for business. 
2. I could build trust with investors. 

This deal led me to start Investor Acquisitions.
& now? 18 months later. 
My clients have raised $10,000,000+ of equity. 
My clients have generated $100K+ in revenue. 
My clients have generated 1,200+ ideal leads. 
All from LinkedIn. 

Are you looking to raise capital in 2026? 
We can help. 
DM "capital" to schedule an intro call. 
Or click my calendar link below: 
https://lnkd.in/g92Wj2WT

I submitted an offer for $950,000 on a 9-unit portfolio. 
The asking price was $1,400,000. 
Here's why I sent an offer $450,000 < asking price: 

I posted about this deal a few weeks back, & lots of people were curious about the specific numbers of the deal. 

The portfolio was made up of 6 properties: 
• A 4-unit multifamily property. 
• 5 single family homes. 

The income of the portfolio was as follows: 
• The 4-unit property: 
• The 4-unit was 100% occupied all of 2024. 
• The 4-unit produced $39K of rent in 2024. 
• The 4-unit produced $15.6K in expenses. 
• 𝗧𝗵𝗲 𝟰-𝘂𝗻𝗶𝘁 𝗽𝗿𝗼𝗱𝘂𝗰𝗲𝗱 $𝟮𝟯𝗞 𝗶𝗻 𝗡𝗢𝗜. 
• The 5 SFRs combined: 
• The 5-SFRs were ~ 60%  occupied in 2024. 
• The 5-SFRs produced $41K of rent in 2024. 
• The 5-SFRs produced $56K in expenses. 
• 𝗧𝗵𝗲 𝟱-𝗦𝗙𝗥𝘀 𝗹𝗼𝘀𝘁 ~ $𝟭𝟰𝗞 𝗶𝗻 𝟮𝟬𝟮𝟰. 
• After paying their debt payments. 
• All-in, they netted 4K in 2024. 
• (No 2025 P&L either)

With the SFRs producing negative cashflow, my intent was to sell the SFRs as single family homes, & keep the 4-unit. 

• Local cap rates for this vintage of asset is 7-10%. 
• Here's how I priced the 4-unit apartment: 
• [(NOI: $23,418)/(cap rate: 8.3%)] 
• = value of asset: $284,200
• The Zillow estimate for the SFRs was: 
• $734,000. 
• Combined: $1,018,200. 

The sellers offered seller financing for 50% LTV @ 6% interest. 

Curious to hear your thoughts on my approach.  

Comment below with your thoughts.

I asked a developer who's built $300,000,000 worth of real estate about what capital structure he's raising capital with in 2026. Here's what he told me: 

His "equity" investors invest as a 2nd position loan. 

• He secures a construction loan from a local bank.
• He provides the equity to close the development. 
• His investors come in to fund a subordinate loan.
• His investors receive a fixed 12% on their capital.
• (The 2nd-position loan is secured by the land).

Rather than participate in the upside of the deal. 
Many investors he spoke with wanted certainty. 
So he created a product to fulfill that desire. 

P.S. Do you like the capital structure? 
Or 
Would you have another in mind?

If you're starting a "solo-preneur" business in 2026, you'll beat 99% of the competition doing this: 

1. Pick a niche market to sell to. 
2. Sell to people who can afford to grow with you. 
3. Sell a product you believe in. 
↳Do free work until you believe in it. 
4. Choose a social media platform your clients are on. 
5. Post content every day that solves their problems. 
6. Sell by identifying problems & selling the solution. 
7. REMEMBER: 
↳You haven't won yet, so you have nothing to lose. 

P.S. What's your goal for 2026?

Helping Accredited Investors Create Passive Income & Wealth In Multifamily Real Estate | Founder of Focused Capital | Experienced Real Estate Investor

Hi I’m Chad. 

Husband, Father, Real Estate Investor. 

Prior to real estate, I spent nearly 2 decades in the financial payments industry serving hundreds of Midwest business owners successfully. 

In 2017 I began my real estate journey as a way to find tax advantages. Initially, I never imagined it would turn into Focused Capital but here we are. 

After acquiring several multifamily apartment complexes with my own capital and learning many hard lessons along the way, I formed Focused Capital officially in 2022. 

The vision was clear: make an impact in communities, investors, and employees of this company. 

Now I run Focused Capital, where we help people grow their wealth through passive multifamily investments. 

Mission: Impact 1000 families financially with real estate investing. 

Focused Capital is located in Fishers, IN. We acquire apartment complexes in strong Indiana markets and operate with excellence. I’ve assembled a team of A-talent as we scale and continuing to search for great people to join our mission. 

We’ve raised $24M+ in equity and built a $100M+ portfolio by doing things the right way — buying smart, planning for the unexpected, and putting people first.

But we’re not just here for accredited investors.

We’re here for the people living in our communities too. That means upgrading the properties — and upgrading lives. 

From safer spaces to better amenities to financial literacy programs, we’re on a mission to help residents not just live better, but grow.

What I’m about:

Cash-flowing, downside-protected deals

Clear, honest communication

Creating real impact — for investors and residents

Empowering families to take control of their financial future

Personally: I love traveling with my wife and 2 little kids. Summers are lake watersports and winters are spent mostly in Hawaii hiking, surfing, and quality time. 

I’m not just here to raise capital.

I’m building trust, creating opportunity, and investing in relationships. 

You can find more about me and my company at www.focusedcapital.com

Instagram: @chad_schieler
Instagram: @focusedcapital

Chad Schieler

Distributions sent on our development project - update:

91 units mixed-use | Fishers, IN

Began construction February 2024
Completed construction August 2025
Cash flowing for several months now

First round of distributions went out to the investors 2 days ago,  and plan to distribute quarterly.

Always great to see a project go full circle.  This one is special to me since its just minutes from my home and office.

The focus now is operating it well.

Click the link in my profile if you’d like to talk about future investment opportunities.

Founder @ Focused Capital | Private Equity | Real Estate Investor | Making an Impact with People

No alternative text description for this image

Last year taught me clarity>certainty.

2025 started out quiet then the storm called in.

Several times, I did not know how we would accomplish acquisitions in front of us, but said yes and figured it out along the way.

This is a shift from how I have normally thought.

It’s a shift that I see a lot of experienced investors make as well.

You don’t always have 100% of the facts and data to make the decision - sometimes you have to make a decision based on what you know at that time. Maybe it’s only 85% of the answers. 

2025 was a big year:

Acquired $50M of real estate
Raised $17M in private capital (many investors came from LinkedIn relationships)
Exited 4th asset - realized 47% IRR
Launched private lending business-$7M+ in loans

The biggest win? 

Taking the last two weeks of the year to unplug with my family in Hawaii. 

Sure, 2026 has big goals too. 

But the focus right now is team efficiency, operational excellence, present time with my family, and personal health non-negotiables. 

Thank you to every supporter, partner, investor, and teammate who played a role in making this happen. 

Sometimes you have to bet on yourself and your network that you’ll succeed.

Last year we reviewed and underwrote 177 deals. Submitted 62 offers.

Acquired 2 of them. 

Several deals were close in best and final, but we held firm. 

Remaining selective and patient. 

The theme last year and going forward: capital preservation first, returns second. 

Still a decent spread between buyer and seller. Saw it close in towards the end of the year. 

Saying no to more deals than we say yes to. Sometimes winning is simply not acquiring the wrong deal. 

The wrong deal doesn’t just lose money — it consumes time, focus, and energy that should be spent operating a great one.

2026 is already looking like another year of opportunity.  

This year we have redefined our "buybox" to get even clearer on what we will spend our time reviewing and acquiring so that we can deliver the best investments to our partners.

The goal isn’t to do more deals.
It’s to do the right ones.

How we de-risked a multifamily deal with 75% of leases expiring at once:

When we acquired this property, ~75% of the rent roll was either month-to-month or expiring on 12/31.

On paper, that’s a red flag. In practice, it became an opportunity—if you have a plan.
(Side note - this is why the previous buyer backed out)

Here’s how we approached it:
• Acquired in March and went to work immediately
• Renovated several units to test demand and pricing
• Leased those units at ~$350/month above prior average rents

That gave us real-time market proof—not pro-forma assumptions.

Next, we focused on risk reduction:
• We proactively approached existing residents
• Offered early 3-5 month renewals at their current rental rate
• In exchange, we staggered lease expirations into March, April, and May

Result:
~75% of the property de-risked
Only ~25% of units exposed to a single expiration date

From there:
• Continued early renewal offers with modest increases
• Allowed remaining tenants to exit on 12/31
• Renovated those units and pushed rents meaningfully higher

The outcome wasn’t just higher rents—it was a balanced rent roll, stable cash flow, and reduced operational risk.

~Two years later, we exited the deal at a 3.0x equity multiple and 93% IRR.

The lesson:
Risk in real estate isn’t eliminated—it’s managed.
Lease expirations, tenant profiles, and timing matter just as much as purchase price and IRR.

This is why we spend more time on execution strategy than headline returns.

Passive Investors: Stop comparing deals based solely on IRR.

IRR is a useful metric—but it’s also one of the easiest numbers to manipulate with assumptions.

Change the hold period.
Adjust rent growth.
Tweak vacancy or exit cap.

Suddenly, the IRR looks great on paper.

What actually matters more:
- The operator and their track record
- The risks in the deal
- Location and market fundamentals
- Sustainable cash flow along the way

IRR should inform your decision—not make it for you.

No longer is 90's value add the only asset class we are focused on.  Last year taught us that.

This is why:

It all comes down to pricing in the risk to achieve the desired returns.

With value add - considerable risk to complete renovations, its an older product so higher risk for deferred maint and ongoing large repairs, plus risk to achieve a large rent bump if part of the model.

We learned that we loved acquiring core plus after acquiring 2 deals at an average basis of $143k/unit built in 2021-2023.  

No major renovations needed, not large rent bumps needed, and considerable protection with acquiring at positive leverage and very attractive agency debt.

We are still reviewing value add deals, but with a different lens now.

Cash flow first, Appreciation second.  

Why is cash flow important?
How is it calculated?
Why do many real estate investors base decisions on this?

Launching a few basic fundamentals episodes first, so don't worry we will get into the good stuff soon.

Check out our latest episode on Focused Fridays that just dropped today:

https://lnkd.in/gPTtzmx3

Open video: Focused Fridays | E03: What is Cash Flow and Why Does It Matter? on youtube.com

Focused Fridays | E03: What is Cash Flow and Why Does It Matter?

The most important thing that money cannot buy? Time.

This the reason many choose the passive route.

In today's Focused Fridays episode, Jared and I break down the difference between Active and Passive investing and which route may be right for you.

A lot of real estate investors start the active route but end up going passive due to the time component.

Not to mention, the additional risk components of learning hard lessons along the way by putting in the work yourself actively.  Ask me how I know.

Check out todays episode here:

https://lnkd.in/guiTHN8g

Open video: Focused Fridays | E04: Active vs. Passive Investing: Which One is Right For You? on youtube.com

Focused Fridays | E04: Active vs. Passive Investing: Which One is Right For You?

I started investing in real estate first as a passive investor before doing it on my own.

Why? Lowest barrier to entry and time commitment.

Educating myself along the way through mistakes and lessons has been the key to becoming a better investor.

Many people are so focused on getting all of the answers before making their first investment.  It all starts with understanding the basics.

If one of your goals this year is to passively invest and educate yourself, check out our latest Focused Fridays podcast episode live here:

https://lnkd.in/grZ9dJ7t

Open video: Focused Fridays | E02: How Much Money Do I Need To Get Started in Real Estate Investing? on youtu.be

Focused Fridays | E02: How Much Money Do I Need To Get Started in Real Estate Investing?

Many passive investors spend their time underwriting the deal.

The smarter ones underwrite the operator.

When you invest passively, you’re not just investing in a spreadsheet, you’re trusting a team to execute for 5-7+ years. 

Just a few of the important things to review when choosing a sponsor:
- track record
- skin in the game
- transparency

This is exactly what we unpack on the latest Focused Fridays episode—what to look for, what to avoid, and the questions most investors don’t ask early enough.

If you’re investing passively, this one is worth a listen:

https://lnkd.in/g5vKDbi3

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