Gib Irons

Irons & Irons P.A.

As the managing partner of Irons & Irons, P.A., I am in charge of running the day to day operations of the business including but not limited to implementing firm policy related to cash flow and profitability, staffing, client development, time management, and productivity systems.  
My practice is focused on personal injury litigation and family law.  As a rule, our firm does extensive screening before accepting a personal injury or family law case.  We seek to limit the number of active clients that we are representing at any given time in effort to streamline the litigation process.  As such, our clients enjoy being able to have regular and frequent access to their attorney and exceptional service.  
In the world of domestic and family law, where tension and stress are all too common for everyone involved, and the burnout rate amongst attorneys in astonishingly high, we provide a client based service that caters to high net worth and upper middle class individuals seeking to reach a favorable disposition in their case within a reasonable timeframe.

Managing Partner

Irons Equity, LLC

Gib Irons is an attorney, entrepreneur and real estate investor.  He is the founder and CEO at Irons Equity and oversees operations, acquisitions, investor relations and asset management.
Gib and his wife, Kate have 3 children, Anna-Gibson (9), Miles (7) and Malene (4).  Gib is an avid surfer and fisherman and loves offshore fishing for tuna, dolphin and wahoo.

Chief Executive Officer

Helping Accredited Investors Passively Invest in Real Estate | Founder @ Irons Equity | Father & husband (and surfer & fisherman, but my wife told me to write that last.)

In 2007, I started my law firm in Greenville, NC.

In 2019, I had a breakthrough.

Being an attorney is taxing.

It's stressful. It's intense. It's a ton of work.

It's all of that — and it's non-stop.

(If you're an attorney, you're nodding your head right now.)

A lot of attorneys work until they die. Not because they want to — but because they don't have an exit plan. 

My breakthrough came when I met a real estate investor during the Big Rock Blue Marlin fishing tournament in 2019.

He started telling me all about his strategy.

- How he invests in real estate.
- How it's saved him 6 figures in taxes. 
- How he built 6 figures in passive cash flow.

I walked off that boat committed to real estate investing.

14 months later, I owned 14 properties.

Today, my mission is simple:

I want to help other high-earners (not just attorneys) experience the same benefits I've seen from real estate investing.

Yes, not paying as much in taxes is incredible.
Yes, the portfolio diversification is great.
Yes, the return potential is wonderful.

But you know the best thing?

Real estate gives you and your family more options for your lives.

And what could be better than that?

Visit ironsequity.com or send me a DM to learn more.

Gib Irons is an attorney, entrepreneur and real estate investor.  He is the founder and CEO at Irons Equity and oversees operations, acquisitions, investor relations and asset management.  Gib is a resident of Greenville, North Carolina.

Gib owns 14 single family condominiums, a commercial building, and a short-term rental (STR) property in Sevierville, Tennessee near Pigeon Forge and Gatlinburg named “Smoky Mountain Masterpiece.” 

Gib is a passive investor in a 660-unit portfolio in Arlington, Texas, a 344-unit apartment building in Dallas, Texas, and a 295-unit property in Fayetteville, Arkansas. 

In addition to Gib’s real estate investing experience, Gib is the owner and managing partner of Irons & Irons, PA, a multi-million dollar law firm based in North Carolina and established in 2007.

Gib and his wife, Kate have 3 children, Anna-Gibson (9), Miles (7) and Malene (4).  Gib is an avid surfer and fisherman and loves offshore fishing for tuna, dolphin and wahoo.

Your $75K salary becomes $150K.
Then $250K.
Then $500K.

And you know what happens?

Your stress doubles. Your tax bill triples. Your time disappears.

You're making more but keeping less—and you've got nothing to show for it except exhaustion and a fat tax return to the IRS.

The dirty secret of wealth building isn't about making more.

It's about **keeping more** and making your money work while you sleep.

I see this with every high-earning professional I meet:
- Doctors working 80-hour weeks
- Lawyers billing their lives away
- Business owners trapped in their own companies

They're rich on paper but broke on time.

Real wealth isn't just income. It's options.

The freedom to say no. The ability to take a Tuesday morning surf session. The option to retire—or not—on your terms.

That only happens when you stop trading time for money and start putting your capital to work.

Most people wait until they're 60 to figure this out.

Don't be most people.

What's keeping you from making your first passive investment?

My wife made $250,000 in a year while staying at home with my kids.

When I first started investing in real estate, it was chaos.

-> I was trying to run a law office.
-> I was managing my 14 properties.
-> I was juggling multiple contractors.

Then my CPA made a suggestion:

“Gib, would your wife be open to becoming a qualified real estate professional?”

My CPA told me if Kate managed those 14 properties and logged 750 hours in a year, she could become a qualified real estate professional, and we’d be able to improve our tax situation.

Kate was interested, and in 2021, she earned her qualified real estate professional designation.

Now, Kate is critical to our real estate success as a family.

-> Any time we have turnover, she’s at properties doing showings.
-> She’s constantly juggling maintenance people and tenants.
-> And did I mention she watches our 3 kids under 10 years old?

It’s a ton of work — and she’s incredibly good at it.

In 2021, thanks to Kate’s help and her professional designation, we were able to save $250,000 in taxes in a single year.

Not a bad salary for a Stay at Home Mom.

I quit alcohol 17 years ago because of the metal band Korn.

Why it was one of the best decisions of my life:

In 2002 I met the lead singer, Jonathan Davis.

I thought he was the stereotypical party animal like most rockstars.

But he told me something that changed my life:

“I saw my career going down the drain and I had to make a choice:

Music or partying.

I couldn’t do both so I quit.”

He didn’t drink or do any drugs.

5 years later… I quit.

Since then I:

• Have become healthier
• Wake up more energized
• Built 2 thriving businesses
• Got better at handling my emotions
• Created the best relationships with my friends and family

If you’re stuck in the same miserable job or situation and have no idea how to break out…

Look at how much you’re drinking.

I guarantee it’s holding you back.

P.S. -

If you're looking for an opportunity to invest in medical real estate and build passive income. 

Send me a DM.

I missed my daughter's soccer game to bill $800.

Worst trade I ever made.

And I've made some shitty investments.

But that one hurt different.

Because you can't get that back.

Here's what nobody tells you:

High income is a trap.

You think: "Just a few more years."

"Just one more promotion."

"Just get to partner first."

Then you're 50.

Rich on paper.

Poor in memories.

The math that woke me up:

$400K salary = 2,000 billable hours

Every hour you work = $200

Every game you miss = Priceless

You can't buy those back.

What I did:

Stopped optimizing for income.

Started optimizing for time.

Bought assets that work without me.

The shift:

2019: 80-hour weeks, missed every game

2020: Bought 14 properties in 14 months

2024: 1,200 units GP/LP, never miss a game

Still make the same money.

Work 40% less.

The assets pay me monthly:

Medical real estate → distributions

Build-to-rent portfolio → Cash flow

Multifamily syndications → Equity growth

All while I'm coaching soccer.

The truth nobody says:

Your kids don't care about your salary.

They care if you show up.

Your spouse doesn't want the promotion.

They want you present.

You're not building wealth for later.

You're trading life for money.

Working 80-hour weeks is hard.

Building assets that buy your time back is hard.

Realizing too late that you missed everything is hard.

Choose your hard.

---

Comment "TIME" if you're tired of missing what matters.

Follow me for real talk on buying your life back.

I invested $1.5M of my own money in 24 months.

Not a single dollar from investors.

Here's what that bought me:

The right to ask for theirs.

Most syndicators are broke.

They're raising capital they can't afford to invest in themselves.

Then they wonder why nobody trusts them.

Here's what I learned:

Skin in the game > Slick pitch decks

Real money talks > Fake Instagram posts

Eating your own cooking > Selling dreams

The breakdown:

$500K → Multifamily deal (Arlington, TX)

$300K → Medical real estate fund

$200K → Phoenix build-to-rent

$500K → Three more deals after vetting 100+ opportunities

What happened next:

Raised $12M in 3 weeks.

Why?

Because investors could see my money first.

Not asking them to do what I won't do.

The truth nobody says:

You can't raise capital without credibility.

You can't have credibility without skin in the game.

You can't have skin in the game without capital.

Being broke is hard.

Risking your own money is hard.

Asking others to trust you when you don't trust yourself is hard.

Choose your hard.

Comment below:

Would you ever invest with anyone that does not have skin in the game?

Here's the wealth-building advice I wish someone gave me at 25:

Your friends will tell you to max out your 401(k).

Your parents will tell you to save 10% of your income.

Your financial advisor will tell you to invest in index funds.

None of them are wrong.

But none of them will make you wealthy, either.

Here's what will:

Own things that produce cash flow.

Not stocks that might go up.
Not crypto you can't explain to your spouse.
Not speculative investments that keep you up at night.

Things that put money in your account every single month, whether you work or not.

Real assets. Real businesses. Real estate.

I spent my 20s doing what I was "supposed to do" saving diligently, investing in my 401(k), working harder.

I spent my 30s doing what actually builds wealth buying assets that generate passive income and reduce my taxes.

The difference?

In my 20s, I was hoping to retire at 65.

In my 30s, I realized I didn't have to.

Because when your assets cover your lifestyle, work becomes a choice, not a requirement.

And that's when everything changes.

You don't need to make a million dollars a year.

You need to build a portfolio that throws off $10K-$20K a month.

That's freedom.

Which path are you on the path everyone takes, or the path that actually works?

The Fed just injected $13.5 billion into the economy.

It's the second largest injection since COVID.

And we're barely into December.

Here's what nobody's telling you about what this means for your cash:

If you're sitting in a savings account right now, you're getting destroyed.

Your 1% interest rate has no chance of keeping pace with what's coming.

That's because they're greasing the pipes before they open the firehose.

More money printing is coming. Way more.

When they flood the system with cash:

→ Your dollars will buy less
→ Inflation accelerates
→ Asset prices rise
→ Savers lose, holders win

I'm not saying this to scare you.

I'm saying it because I've watched this movie before.

The playbook is simple:

✅ Get into hard assets
✅ Real estate that appreciates with inflation
✅ Tangible investments that can't be printed into oblivion

With interest rates heading down, the cost of capital is about to get cheaper. Interest rates are heading down.

If you've been sitting on the sidelines waiting for the "right time" to invest, you're watching it happen right now.

Cash is losing value every single day they run the printer.

Don't be left holding the bag.

Holders of cash will get crushed. 

Send me a DM if you want to diversify.

I pay 35% in taxes.

I paid $0 on $1M of income last year.

Legally.

Here's exactly how I did it:

I made a $200,000 charitable donation in 2023.
That donation turned into a $1,000,000 tax deduction on my 2024 return.

Let me break down the math:

Tax I would've paid on $1M at 35%: $350,000

Tax I actually paid: $0

Net savings after the $200K donation: $150,000 in my pocket

Here's the $100K example:

Say you donate $100,000.
You receive a $500,000 tax deduction (5x multiplier).

If you're making $1M annually in the 35% bracket:

Tax on $500K at 35% = $175,000
Amount you donated = $100,000
Net benefit = $75,000 you keep instead of sending to the IRS

How This Actually Works:

You donate to a qualified charitable organization

→ They buy raw materials and create a product (medical supplies, accessibility tech)
→ Independent appraisal values the finished product at 5x cost
→ You get a K-1 by March 15th with your charitable deduction
→ Reduces your AGI by up to 50% per year
→ Excess carries forward to future years

The Track Record:

9 consecutive years of successful operation
Zero IRS audits
$90M raised annually in just 8 weeks

Hundreds of high-earners have used this strategy

Yes, there's risk.

The IRS could theoretically disallow it years later.

You'd owe back taxes plus penalties.

But with 9 years and zero audits, I'm comfortable with that risk to keep an extra $150K.
The Bottom Line:

Donate $100K → Save $175K in taxes
Donate $200K → Save $350K in taxes

The window opens mid-September and closes by Thanksgiving.

If this caught your attention, DM me "TAX".

I'll send you more details on my personal experience with this strategy.

--
I am not a CPA, tax attorney, or financial advisor. This is not tax or financial advice. This is educational content based on my personal experience.

$500,000 Invested → $550,000 K‑1 Loss

Most professionals think “passive income” sounds too good to be true.

But this was my reality on my very first real estate syndication deal.
→ Deal: Aria Ventura (660-unit Class B apartment portfolio)
→ Capital Invested: $500,000 as a Limited Partner
→ K‑1 Loss: $550,000 — thanks to bonus depreciation

Yes, you read that right:

I invested $500K and showed a $550K loss… on paper.

Here’s what most people don’t realize:

→ The IRS allows something called bonus depreciation
→ When structured properly, real estate syndications can pass that to Limited Partners
→ That creates paper losses—which can offset other gains (or even active income if you qualify)

This isn’t a loophole.

It’s a strategic framework the wealthy have used for decades to:
→ Reduce taxable income
→ Preserve capital
→ Build wealth without trading time for money

I didn’t manage tenants.
I didn’t fix toilets.
I didn’t deal with late-night maintenance calls.

I simply deployed capital into a professionally managed, cash-flowing real estate asset—and let the structure do the heavy lifting.

If you’re a high-income professional tired of the grind and ready to make your money work harder than you do:

→ DM me and I’ll show you how to start building wealth without sacrificing your time.

I built my law firm into a prison.

Then I bought my way out with real estate.

Spent 10 years becoming the attorney everyone wanted.

Also became my own worst boss.

The prison I built:

80-hour weeks

Can't take vacation (clients need me)

Miss my kids' games (depositions scheduled)

Make great money (but can't spend it with my family)

The wake-up call:

2019 Fishing tournament. Met a guy with 200 properties.

He asked: "What's your exit plan?"

I didn't have one.

39 years old. Multi-million dollar firm. Zero exit strategy.

What I did next:

Bought 14 properties in 14 months.

Studied real estate like I studied for the bar exam.

Invested $1.5M of my own money.

Built a 1,200+ unit portfolio.

The truth no one tells you:

You can't build freedom by selling hours.

Doesn't matter if you charge $500/hour or $50/hour.

Time for money = prison.

Assets that pay you = freedom.

Today:

Still run my law firm (on my terms)

Invested in 20+ real estate deals

Raised $12M in 3 weeks

Actually see my kids play soccer

Being trapped is hard.

Building an exit is hard.

Staying trapped forever is hard.

Choose your hard.

---

Comment "EXIT" if you're ready to stop trading time for money.

Follow me for real talk on escaping the high-earner trap.

Grateful today.

Not for the deals. Not for the distributions.

For the time.

Time with Kate and the kids.

Time I wouldn't have had when I was billing 2,000+ hours a year.

Real estate gave me options but the best option has always been choosing family first.

Happy Thanksgiving.

Every successful investor I know has a Not To Do List.

Here's mine and some people will hate this:

I don't invest in deals without skin in the game.

I don't chase cap rates without looking at sponsor track record.

I don't take calls from syndicators who won't show me their actual distributions.

I don't invest in markets I haven't personally visited.

I don't respond to pitch decks that say "strong cash flow" without numbers.

I don't work with sponsors who don't invest their own capital.

I don't sit through webinars that are just sales pitches.

I don't buy into deals where the sponsor makes money even if I lose mine.

I don't invest without understanding the tax benefits first.

I don't take advice from people who've never closed a deal.

I don't fill my portfolio with assets that can't show me monthly distributions.

I don't ever invest in something I can't explain to my wife.

Your time is your capital too.

Spend it wisely.

I donated $200K to charity in 2023.

And took a $1M charitable contribution.

Let me show you the math.

My numbers:

Donated: $200,000

Charitable Contribution K-1 loss: $1,000,000

If I'm in the 35% blended tax bracket on that $1M of income:

Tax I would have paid: $350,000
Tax I actually paid: $0 (on that portion)

Money saved: $350,000

Net savings after donation: $150,000 in my pocket

Here's how someone could do this with $100K:

Donate: $100,000
Tax deduction received: $500,000 (5x multiplier)

If you're making $1M annually in the 35% bracket:

Tax on $500K at 35%: $175,000
Amount donated: $100,000

Net benefit: $75,000 you keep instead of paying to the IRS

The Structure:

-> You donate to a qualified charitable organization.
-> They purchase raw materials and create a product.
-> Independent appraisal values the finished product at 5x the raw materials cost.

-> You receive a K-1 by March 15th showing your charitable contribution.
-> You can reduce your adjusted gross income by up to 50% per year.
-> If the charitable contribution exceeds 50% of your AGI, it carries forward to future years.

The track record:

The sponsor I work with has done this for 9 consecutive years.

Zero IRS audits.

$90M raised annually in just 8 weeks (mid-September through Thanksgiving).

Hundreds of high-earners using this strategy.

Yes, there's risk.
The IRS could disallow the deduction years later.
You'd owe back taxes plus penalties and interest.

The bottom line:

Donate $100K, save $175K in taxes.
Donate $200K, save $350K in taxes.

The math is simple.
The strategy is proven.

This post is just here for educational purposes. 

If you have more questions or want to connect on my personal experience send me a DM. 

Disclaimer:
I am not a CPA. I am not a tax attorney. I am not a financial advisor. This is not tax advice. This is not financial advice. This is purely educational content based on my personal experience. Always consult with your own qualified tax professional before making any financial decisions.

17 years of being a lawyer taught me this:

You can make $200k+ and still feel trapped.

Attorney life almost broke me before I found real estate:

→ I was working 60-80 hour weeks
→ Clients were demanding and draining
→ Every dollar required my time and energy
→ I was stressed, exhausted, intense, non-stop

Sure, the money was good. But the lifestyle was terrible.

It all changed when I met a guy at a fishing tournament who owned 200+ properties.

He asked me what my exit plan was as an attorney.

I told him I didn't have one.

The conversation that followed marked a turning point in my life.

14 months later, I owned 14 properties. All while still running the law firm.

Today I'm at 1,200+ units.

The law firm is still running. But now it's a choice, not a requirement.

Real estate gave me perks that practicing law never could:

→ Passive income that flows whether I work or not
→ Tax advantages that actually keep more money in my pocket
→ Equity that builds while I sleep
→ Time back with my family

Most high-earners I talk to are in the same trap I was in:

Making $250K-$500K+ per year but completely dependent on showing up every single day.

One health issue. One burnout moment. One big life change. And the whole thing collapses.

Real estate didn't make me rich. It made me free.

And once you have that, you can't imagine going back.

What would change for you if your income wasn't tied to your time?

You have anxiety because deep down you know you could be doing greater.

It's really just you against the mirror.

You vs you.

I get it. 

I spent years billing 2,000+ hours as a trial attorney while knowing I was trading time for money in a game I couldn't win.

The anxiety wasn't about the work.

It was about the path.

When I invested my first $500K into real estate, the anxiety didn't disappear it transformed.

Now it's fuel.

It reminds me that sitting still is more expensive than any deal I could lose money on.

So when anxiety hits, I do one of two things:

Go small—knock out the task I've been avoiding.
Or go BIG—take the swing I've been thinking about for months.

For me, going big was putting $1.5M of my own capital into deals before asking anyone else to invest.

For you, it might be making that first $50K passive investment instead of letting it sit in a savings account earning 4%.

Which sounds scarier?

That's the one you need to do.

Our team raised $12 million in 3 weeks.

For medical real estate.

People keep asking how we did it so fast.

Here's what actually happened:

It wasn't one big pitch that convinced everyone.

It was 18 months of building trust before we ever opened the fund.

Here's the truth about raising capital that nobody talks about:

The raise doesn't start when you launch the fund.

It starts the first time you show actual results.

Our investors didn't invest in a deal.

They invested because they'd been watching:

→ Monthly distribution updates (actual amounts, not vague "cash flow")

→ Real tax savings with receipts ($250K my first year)

→ Honest conversations about deals we walked away from

→ $1.5M+ of my own capital already invested alongside LPs

When we opened the medical real estate fund, we weren't asking people to trust us.

We were giving them the opportunity to participate in what we were already doing.

That's the difference.

Most sponsors spend weeks trying to convince investors with projections.

We spent 18 months showing them actual results.

By the time we launched, the question wasn't "Should I invest?"

It was "How much can I invest?"

---

$12M in 3 weeks wasn't luck.

It was proof of concept that took years to build.

Do you want to connect and discuss your 2026 investment goals?

Send me a DM.

$152,000,000,000.

That’s what the U.S. travel industry contributes to GDP every single month.

40+ days of delays, disruptions, and uncertainty.

It’s not just frustrating for travelers it’s a major economic red flag.

Here’s what this shutdown is doing to U.S. travel:

1. TSA + air traffic staffing stretched thin overtime halted, sickouts rising, delays spiking

2. Passport + visa processing slowed or stopped backlogs growing, trips canceled

3. National parks + landmarks closed or unstaffed tourism dollars lost, local economies hit

Why it matters for investors:

→ Travel-dependent assets (hotels, STRs, tourism hubs) are seeing demand shocks

→ Markets reliant on visa/immigration flow = instability risk

→ Infrastructure delays can ripple into CRE timelines and valuations

→ Consumer confidence tied to smooth travel and right now, that’s shaky

This shutdown is a sneaky saboteur.

It’s not loud. But it’s quietly choking off the flow of money, people, and opportunity.

If your income relies on systems that *need permission to function…

You’re playing someone else’s game.

I help investors build streams that flow no matter what—

Passive, tax-efficient, and shutdown-proof.

I break it down weekly in my newsletter:

https://lnkd.in/e3dfUJFp

Real Estate Investor and CEO at MAK Capital | Luxury Storage Developer | 200+ CRE units | Financial Freedom Mentor

I’m Marc Kuhn and in 1994 I started my construction career with my Dad. I started at $1 per hour and got a $1 raise every year as I worked for my dads construction company. 

In 2010, I left my hourly job with $2,500 in my bank account. 

I started my entrepreneurial path and opened MAK Construction, my first business. I’ve grown the construction company to over $25 million a year. We develop commercial projects both 3rd party and investment projects for our investors. 

Since 2018, we have added over 200 units in the Midwest. The benefits of real estate have given me the freedom of time. My goal is to help investors reach financial freedom through real estate. 

Today I own and operate three successful companies that do eight figures a year. 

https://linktr.ee/marckuhn?fbclid=PAAabPuGTp9yBQf1LtvPMccAGv2W9DDPWjJCYvxn3mKnV12VKxsr7s0g8Lc18

2010: MAK Construction: Build and Manage Construction Projects. 
www.makconstructiongf.com

2020: MAK Capital: Let’s passive investors invest in real estate projects beside us! 
Unfollow the herd newsletter: 
www.makcapitalgf.com

2020: CK Agency: Manages Multifamily and Storage properties. 
www.ckagencyllc.com

Marc Kuhn

We skipped the 529 plan for our 3 kids' college.

Bought an 8-plex they'll own in 10 years instead.

I've written about it before on LinkedIn and Substack, so here's a fun update.

In 2021, we bought a small, low-income 8-unit property in a rural North Dakota town near us. 

Nothing fancy. Nothing shiny.

Just solid cash flow and a lesson in ownership.

• Bought it in 2021 for $450,000.
• Spits off ~20% a year cash flow.
• Kids used birthday money and loan from Mom & Dad.
• Over 10 years, it’ll return $300,000+.

They've owned it for a few years with our help, and have already been paying Mom and Dad back with cash flow.

By the time they need the money, the equity and cash flow will be more than enough for them to:

• Go to college
• Start a business
• Buy a decent car
• Hopefully not blow it on Legos or Sephora

Right now they’re 5, 10, and 11.

They get the cash flow, see the checks, help "manage" the property, and learn the ownership game early.

I’ll help them learn so hopefully they can financially support themselves and learn to invest and make money by 18.

Not because I’m harsh...because I want them to be capable and prepared for the real world.

I love Kevin O’Leary’s mindset:

“My kids don’t get my money. 
They get my lessons.”

Here's the best part.

When we talked about the latest distribution, they were excited about junk food and toys…

Then my oldest asked “Can we buy more of these?”

That’s the whole game right there.

• Teach 'em young. 
• Let them own something. 
• Show them what it means to earn.

My job isn’t to carry them after 18.

It’s to make sure they’re strong enough to carry themselves.

What are you doing today that your kids will thank you for in 10 years?

--

P.S. I broke down this 8-plex purchase for parents who want to do something similar.

Check out the guide: https://lnkd.in/g-qJ3X-N

CEO @ MAK Capital | CRE Developer | Guiding You to Wealth with Passive Investments in Luxury Storage & Multifamily Real Estate

$500 dinners that generate an extra $5M revenue.

Luke owns hotels. I build luxury storage.

But the lesson I learned applies to every business owner who wants to build something that lasts…

We were scouting our next luxury storage development, when I met Luke, an entrepreneur who owns and operates luxury hotels in South Dakota and Scottsdale, Arizona.

Most people eat at 5-star restaurants for the food.
Luke eats at them to build better businesses.

We went to one of his favorite Scottsdale restaurants, The Italiano.

✅ Valet is complimentary.
✅ The server knew his name and favorite wine.
✅ My cocktail came branded with the restaurant’s name on the orange peel.

The place was buzzing. 
Packed. Polished. Precise.

I asked Luke why he does this.

“If I want to deliver a 5-star experience in my hotels, I need to study it everywhere I go. What can I borrow, adapt, or improve?”

Hard to beat an entrepreneur who's a student of his craft and thinks like Luke.

Most people are looking for shortcuts.
The best entrepreneurs obsess over details.

That mindset is why his guests come back — and why his brand will still be thriving 20 years from now.

Great businesses don’t guess what excellence looks like. They study it, steal it, and systematize it.

Whether you’re building hotels, storage facilities, or any other business…

The fastest way to stand out is to raise the standard when everyone else is lowering the price.

Do you know an entrepreneur like Luke?

I hit a glass ceiling at $1M in revenue.

Couldn't break through for 2 years.

At the time, I was grinding 100-hour weeks. So the problem wasn't my work ethic.

The issue was I couldn't let go. 

I had to:

→ Warm up the skid steer myself
→ Tie all the rebar personally
→ Be on every single job site
→ Approve every decision

I hit a ceiling because I was the bottleneck.

For that to change, I had to hire a foreman better than me.

I paid him well. Taught him the systems. Let him run jobs without me.

During the first month, I was terrified.

Second month I was less involved.

By month three, I realized the jobs ran better without me micromanaging.

That year we hit $2M in revenue.

So I did it again.

I hired an estimator and freed up 20 hours of my week.

Revenue jumped to $3M.

That’s when the playbook for levelling up became obvious to me:

→ Identify what you're doing that someone else could do
→ Hire someone better than you at it
→ Get uncomfortable letting go
→ Watch revenue grow

Now we're at $25M+ annually.

Not because I work harder.

Because I hired better people and got out of their way.

Every ceiling you hit is your fault.

Not the market's. Not the economy's. Yours.

What are you still doing that someone else should be doing?

-

Join 5,200+ investors getting real estate, business, and wealth-building insights in my weekly Saturday newsletter: marckuhn.substack.com

JSESSIONID

li_at

Talks about #investing, #realestate, #construction, #personalfinance, and #apartmentinvesting

If I were starting from scratch in 2026, I’d build one of these 7 “boring” cash-flow businesses:

After 15 years in construction and 8 years developing real estate, here’s what I know for sure:

• Boring > Trendy
• Cash flow > Hype
• Execution > Everything

While most people chase AI, I’d pick something simple that solves problems in your neighborhood.

Here are 7 ideas that can hit $100K+ in revenue if you're willing to put in sweat equity:

1. Self Storage

• Build a 100-unit facility in a growing town.
• $25K/month once stabilized. 
• Few moving parts. Predictable demand.

2. Concrete Flatwork

• Start with driveways, garage slabs, shop pads.
• 3 crews at $4K/week = $600K+/year business.
• This was my path. Still works today.

3. Dumpster Rentals

• One truck, 10 bins rented at $400/week.
• Rotate weekly = ~$200K/year in gross.
• Market to flippers, roofers, remodelers.

4. Pressure Washing

• $3K startup.
• One part-time tech with a route can bring in $7–10K/month.
• Add sealing, striping, or snow removal for upsell.

5. Utility Locating

• Every GC, city, and telecom needs this before digging.
• 1–2 jobs/week = $250K+ revenue.
• High margin, in demand.

6. Parking Lot Ownership

• Buy overlooked land near a hospital, stadium, or downtown.
• Gravel it. Stripe it. Gate it.
• $4K-5K+/month from an empty lot

7. Equipment Rentals

• Mini-excavators, skid steers, scissor lifts.
• Buy used, rent for $200–400/day.
• One $22K machine can cash flow $2K/month.

Most people overlook boring businesses because they don’t scream “scale.”

But they’re simple to start and hard to screw up.

And don’t require VCs or millions of followers.

→ Stack one boring side hustle.
→ Reinvest the profits.
→ Build a crew or stay solo.

This is a reliable path to wealth that MANY of the millionaires I've met started on.

What overlooked income stream is sitting right in front of you?

—

♻️ Repost to share these business ideas
🤝 Reach out if I can be a resource Marc Kuhn

At 27, I earned $250K and burned out.

At 37, I invest $250K in storage for freedom.

Here’s the difference most people never figure out:

Your income gives you money to spend.
Your assets give you wealth to keep.

When I was grinding 100-hour weeks in construction, I thought more income was the answer.

It wasn’t.

Income disappears the second you stop working. 
But assets work while you sleep.

Eight years ago, I started building “boring” storage units.

And here’s what nobody tells you about wealth:

It takes time. Patience. Repetition.

I didn’t hit a home run on my first luxury storage project. Or my second. Or my third.

I refined the model. 

Made mistakes.

Learned what actually works with projects in Grand Forks, Fargo, Hartford, and Spirit Lake.

It took 8 years of building these “boring” assets to finally land our best project yet.

That project is our newest luxury storage development in Rapid City, breaking ground soon.

Why this is our best location ever:

→ Right off a major highway with daily traffic
→ Both heated and cold storage units
→ Billions in military investments bringing thousands of jobs to the area
→ Affordable Midwest land that pencils
→ Rates and construction costs down

Everything we’ve learned over nearly a decade has lined up for this project.

But here’s the reality most people don’t want to hear:

Wealth takes 5–10 years to build.
Not 5 weeks. Not 5 months.

And if you don’t start now, you’ll still be chained to a paycheck in 2030.

Your W-2 pays the bills.
Your assets buy your freedom.

Make 2026 the year you ask yourself:

Are you building for an income?

Or putting your income to work in assets that buy you freedom?

—

If you’re ready to build more than just an income, DM me “storage” to learn about opportunities with MAK Capital.

Why do the richest entrepreneurs I know spend 10-20% of their week doing...nothing?

No calls.
No meetings.
No pushing projects over the finish line.

I make a point to surround myself with entrepreneurs who are ahead of me, and I've noticed something about the most successful ones.

They block time each week with nowhere to be and nothing urgent to do.

Took me 15 years to figure this out.

I used to fill every hour. If I wasn’t working, I felt behind. Had to be producing. Building. Solving something.

Then I read "The Road Less Stupid" by Keith Cunningham. This simple line hit me the hardest:

“Think. You’ll thank me later.”

That was it. The most valuable work I wasn’t doing—was thinking.

When I started carving out space, I noticed something: My best ideas came in the quiet.

• Walking the woods behind our house
• Sitting on a plane, no Wi-Fi and a notebook
• Reading outside of construction or real estate
• Journaling in the morning before anyone's awake

That’s when the needle-moving ideas show up.

→ A new deal structure.
→ A change to how we onboard PMs.
→ An idea that turned into a new revenue stream.
→ A system that gave me hours of my week back.

None of that came when I was buried in task lists.

It came when I made space to just think.

Now I block time every week with zero agenda, and I protect it like I would an investor meeting.

If you're constantly buried in the day-to-day...try stopping, even if you don't think you can afford to.

Because doing nothing might be the most productive thing you do all week.

Do you block time in your week to "do nothing" and think?

Marc Kuhn

Every year, my kids and I pass out Christmas cards to our tenants.

And every year, it's the same:

"Alright guys, we're going to pass out Christmas cards today."

"Do we have to?"

"Yes."

"Really? Do we really have to?"

"Yes."

Then we walk around, knock on every door, and give Christmas cards to our residents.

And as we drive home every year, it's still the same:

"That was fun."

"I'm glad we did that."

"We should do that more." 

Small gestures leave big impacts.

Not just on others...

But on us, too.

In my 20s, I traded time for money.

In my 30s, I’m trading money for health.

Running multiple companies and having a family taught me something important in 2024:

My most important investment isn’t in real estate.
It’s in my body, health, and energy.

When I’m healthy, I make better decisions. I lead better. I show up better.

I have more energy—for my team, my investors, and my family.

In 2025, I made a commitment:
Invest $10,000–$20,000 per year into my health.

Here’s my plan for how I'll invest:

• Bloodwork: $300
• Genetic testing: $600
• High-quality supplements: $1,500
• Peptides: $5,000–$10,000
• Gym memberships and trainers: $3,000+

Some people think it’s excessive.
But for me, it’s a non-negotiable.

When your body is optimized, your business follows.

If you’re in a leadership role—CEO, investor, operator—this is a category worth over-investing in.

Are you investing in your health and energy in 2025?

I was stuck for 5 years in my business in my 20s.

The change that 10X'd my success?

I was trying to figure everything out alone.

The shift happened when I found operators who’d already solved the problems I was facing:

Guys running $10M+ construction companies who showed me their systems.

Investors doing deals I thought were impossible with my capital.

Entrepreneurs who’d scaled past the bottleneck I was trapped in.

Turns out, the fastest way to build wealth isn’t working harder in isolation. It’s learning from people who are 5 steps ahead of you.

That’s what today’s live Q&A event is about.

You’re not just getting my playbook for going from chaos to $30M in revenue.

You’re getting the frameworks, mistakes, and shortcuts I learned from being around the right people.

We go live in 3 hours. Still time to join.

11 AM CST | 12 PM EST

$25 for advice and community from entrepreneurs who've been where you are today.

This is your chance to get unstuck in 2026 instead of grinding and staying in the same place for another 5 years.

Last call to join: 

https://lnkd.in/gKGtHzhD

See you at 11 am CST!

10 years ago, I thought this life was impossible.

Let me paint a picture of 27-year-old Marc:

Just had my second kid.
Running a concrete business that was barely holding together.
Working 100-hour weeks because I didn’t know how to delegate.
Drinking a gallon of coffee and 4–5 Monsters a day just to survive.

Then one bad pour almost ended everything.

A $30K concrete project cracked. The client threatened to sue. We didn’t have the cash reserves to fix it and stay afloat.

I remember lying awake at 3am thinking:
“This is it. I’m going to lose everything.”

The business was fragile because I was fragile.
I was the bottleneck.
If I wasn’t on-site, nothing happened.

Fast forward to today at 37:

3 kids who actually see their dad.
A construction company doing $30M+ annually.
A $60M real estate portfolio.
A team of 50 that runs the business without me.

The difference wasn’t working harder.
It was learning the systems, strategies, and mindset shifts that compound wealth instead of burning you out.

I’m hosting a live Q&A this Wednesday to walk you through exactly how I made that shift.

• Wednesday, November 26 at 11 AM CST
• $25 to join for $100,000+ of advice if you act on it

Most people will spend 2026 the same way I spent 2014—grinding harder, not smarter.
A few will figure out how to scale, build equity, and actually enjoy the life they’re working for.

I’ll share the exact frameworks that took me from chaos to $30M in revenue—and how you can apply them to your business or real estate portfolio in 2026.

Your questions.
Real answers.
No BS.

2026 can be your breakthrough year…or another year of “I’ll figure it out later.”

DM me "scale" if you want an invite to tomorrow's live event.

If you're sick of trading 40 hrs a week for a salary and no freedom...here's what I'd do in 2026:

Fifteen years ago, I started MAK Construction with $2,500. 

Built it to $30M+ in annual revenue. Developed over 400,000 sq ft of luxury storage. Created a $60M real estate portfolio.

But I learned a lot of painful lessons trying to get rich and buy back my time in my 20s and 30s.

Here’s what nobody told me when I was pouring concrete for a living:

The asset class matters more than the effort.

Right now in real estate:

• Everyone is chasing multifamily.
• Grinding to raise millions in capital.
• Competing with big institutional investors.

Meanwhile, self-storage is sitting there...boring, predictable, and printing cash.

No toilets to fix.
No tenant drama.
No 2 AM maintenance calls.

Just metal buildings that collect rent while you sleep.

I’ve built and invested in apartments. I still do. 

But self storage bought my time back.

Here’s what I learned building and investing in storage over the past decade:

→ How to find land that actually pencils
→ How to underwrite deals that work
→ How to build and buy without breaking the bank
→ How to operate at 90%+ tenant occupancy
→ How to stack tax advantages most investors miss

This Friday, I'm sharing my self storage playbook.

Live masterclass | Friday, December 19 | 11 AM CST

This is for you if:

• You’re tired of trading time for money
• You want to diversify beyond stocks
• You want to build real wealth with boring assets
• You don’t have millions to start (I didn’t either)

You’ll walk away with everything you need to buy, build, or invest in self-storage in 2026.

Even if you’re starting from scratch and have little capital or experience.

$50 gets you live access + the recording.

Honest advice on what works (and what doesn't) from a storage developer who spent $1M+ and a decade learning the lessons I'll teach you.

If you're ready to invest in yourself and get a head start on your goals for 2026...

Register here:

https://lnkd.in/gKGtHzhD

Hope to see you Friday!

Are you eyeing self storage as an investment or developer in 2026?

Having a $5,000,000 net worth won’t save you if you have ZERO monthly cash flow.

I've coached a few people from LinkedIn, most of them in their 20s.

They all want the same thing:

• Financial freedom
• Quit their soul-sucking 9-5 job
• Buy back their time with investments

First I ask them "What is financial freedom to you?"

And they're usually focused on the wrong metric.

"I want a $5,000,000 net worth."

That's great. 

But net worth won't:

• Pay your monthly bills
• Replace your 9-5 job salary
• Allow you to use money for Time Freedom

Cash flow is the answer. 

And most of my coaching students are surprised when we break down the math.

You don't need a $5M net worth to be free.

Most people would be happy and comfortable with $10,000-$20,000 in monthly cash flow from assets.

Which takes less time than an 8-figure net worth.

For financial freedom, monthly cash flow is a better metric than net worth 365 days a year.

Agree or disagree?

In 2015 I built my first home at 26, paid for in cash.

So why did I still feel broke?

• Living with zero debt
• Had my first kid, second on the way
• Building a concrete business with 10 employees

I was a Dave Ramsey superstar.

I followed the "debt is bad" philosophy until I discovered how high-net-worth investors operated.

Smart Leverage + Assets = Multiplying Your Wealth

As MAK Construction grew and I continued to trade my time for the next paycheck....

I started studying and learning why millionaires love real estate.

• Beating inflation with quality assets
• Reducing their taxes with depreciation
• Using cash flow to scale their portfolios

If I had stayed on Dave’s path, I might have ended up with a $1M net worth after decades of saving.

Instead, I used smart leverage to scale to a $30M real estate portfolio in 10 years.

• Learning the development game
• Leveraging cash flow from construction
• Reinvesting in multifamily & luxury storage

If you're spending more than you earn, by all means follow the "avoid debt at all costs" advice.

But once you have a strong foundation...

Learn how to create different forms of leverage that can multiply your wealth without trading 100 hours a week for a bigger paycheck.

Wish school taught me this stuff!

What are your thoughts on "Good vs Bad debt", LinkedIn?

--

Btw if you want learn actionable ways to build leverage as an investor, join 5k+ reading my free guides like this one: https://lnkd.in/gvAU-ATG

In 1989, Brian Scudamore spotted a beat-up junk truck while sitting in a McDonald's drive-thru.

That moment sparked his empire.

Here's what Scudamore did next:

→ Took $700 in savings 
→ Bought a used pickup truck 
→ Started "The Rubbish Boys" 
→ Painted the truck himself 
→ Created a simple tagline: "We'll stash your trash in a flash!"

While his surgeon father wasn't thrilled...

Brian dropped out of college to go all-in.

His secret weapon?

Making an "ugly" business look professional:

→ Clean trucks
→ Sharp uniforms
→ On-time service
→ Fanatical customer focus

In 1994, he made the hardest call, firing his entire staff to rebuild with people who shared his vision.

And today?

His company 1-800-GOT-JUNK is estimated to be around $600 million in annual revenue. 

The lesson is simple:

Sometimes the "ugliest" businesses create the biggest opportunities.

You just have to be willing to think differently.

𝗪𝗵𝗮𝘁 "𝘂𝗴𝗹𝘆" 𝗼𝗽𝗽𝗼𝗿𝘁𝘂𝗻𝗶𝘁𝘆 𝗮𝗿𝗲 𝘆𝗼𝘂 𝗶𝗴𝗻𝗼𝗿𝗶𝗻𝗴 𝗶𝗻 𝘆𝗼𝘂𝗿 𝗺𝗮𝗿𝗸𝗲𝘁?


♻️ Repost to share this story with others.
👷 Follow me Marc Kuhn for more.

The stupid simple secret to making millions:

Stop buying liabilities. Start buying assets. 
 
Most Americans: 
 
-> Buy/lease cars they can't afford. 
-> Rent apartments they can't afford. 
-> Buy stuff on high-interest credit cards. 
 
And you wonder why most people can't cover a $500 surprise bill? 
 
They have a liabilities-first mindset. 
 
And a liabilities-first mindset: 
 
-> Keeps you broke. 
-> Keeps you wanting more. 
-> Keeps you on the hedonistic treadmill. 
 
It's impossible to become financially free with a liabilities-first mindset. 
 
If you want to go from: 
 
The 9-5 -> Freedom 
Anxiety -> Relaxation 
Wishing -> Having 
 
... you need to adopt an assets > liabilities mindset. 
 
-> Buy a used car instead of a new one. 
-> Buy stocks instead of flashy watches. 
-> Buy more assets instead of more sh*t. 
 
You don't have to like it. 
 
But you know it's true. 
 
Assets > Liabilities 
 
Are you going to fight it? 
 
Or make it work in your favor? 
 
-- 
 
P.S. If you want to learn how to grow your assets through real estate, join 5,200+ people getting my free weekly guides here: marckuhn.substack.com

Most people think investing is complicated.

So they do nothing.

Here's what that looks like:

•Park money in a savings account earning 0.5%
•Watch inflation eat 3-4% of your wealth every year
•Wait for the "perfect moment" that never comes
•Let fear keep you on the sidelines for decades
•Retire with less purchasing power than you started with

Meanwhile, the wealthy do the opposite.

They put their money to work.

They understand:
•Compound interest is the 8th wonder of the world
•Time in the market beats timing the market
•Diversification protects, concentration builds wealth
•Passive income > trading hours for dollars

Here's the truth nobody tells you:

You don't need to be rich to start investing.
You need to start investing to become rich.

The difference between someone who invests $500/month starting at 25 vs. 35?

Over $500,000 by retirement.

That's the cost of waiting.

I'm not saying quit your job tomorrow or bet everything on one asset.

I'm saying:

Start small. Stay consistent. Think long term.
Pick your vehicle. Build your portfolio. Create your freedom.

If you're interested in learning more about luxury storage, DM me "luxury" to join our investor list.

The best time to start was 10 years ago.

The second best time is today.

Agree or disagree?

Most will spend 2026 overthinking their next move.

A few will actually scale their wealth.

I’m hosting a live Q&A on Wednesday, November 26 at 11 AM CST to help you be in that second group.

What we’ll cover:

→ How I grew my company to $30M in revenue
→ How I built a $60M real estate portfolio
→ The boring strategies that scale wealth
→ Your specific questions answered live

I’ll walk you through the exact strategies, systems, and mindset shifts that took me from pouring concrete at 26 to running an 8-figure business and real estate portfolio.

The mistakes I made so you don’t have to.
The frameworks I wish I had earlier.
The unsexy stuff that actually moves the needle.

It’s $25 to join. 

If you’re serious about scaling your business or real estate portfolio in 2026 without guesswork, this is for you.

Grab your spot:
https://lnkd.in/gKGtHzhD

Wednesday, November 26
11 AM CST | 12 PM EST

Will I see you there?

Multifamily real estate put money in my pocket.

Luxury storage bought my time back.

I’ve built apartments. I still do, and have a ground up development project under construction now.

But when I compare the two, one asset class consistently delivers better margins, less management, and fewer headaches...and it’s not multifamily.

When I first got into development, I followed the crowd into apartments. 

• The numbers penciled. 
• Demand was there. 
• Everyone understood the model.

But I also learned the reality:

• High turnover
• More maintenance calls
• Bigger staff to manage
• Tenant laws that can change overnight

Multifamily development is still a solid business. But it’s a grind.

Then came the Grand Forks project.

The lot didn’t work for apartments, so I tried something different: heated vs. unheated storage units. 

The heated units leased faster, stayed full, and rented for $100 more per month…with only $20 in extra utility cost.

That test turned into my first “luxury storage” facility.

Since then, here’s what I’ve seen:

Operational Advantages of Luxury Storage

→ No toilets, no appliances, no carpet to replace
→ Few people can oversee hundreds of units
→ Longer term tenants—often years, not months
→ B2B customers who want premium units

Investor Outcomes

→ Recession resilience
→ Stable NOI with fewer expense swings
→ Premium rent for premium product
→ Strong risk-adjusted returns

Multifamily has built some of my wealth.

But the "boring" asset class of luxury storage will compound my net worth and buy back my time.

In 2025, we’re developing over 500,000 sq ft of it. And as long as the numbers and demand hold, I’ll keep building more.

What asset class are you betting on that others are sleeping on over the next 5 years?

--

DM me "luxury storage" if you want to learn more about this asset class and connect with the MAK Capital team.

Marc Kuhn

My plan for 8 figures in revenue in 2026:

Build tin cans. 

“Tin cans” is the phrase I use for my self-storage units.

And “luxury storage”?

Those are my tin cans with heat and power. 

At MAK Capital, our 2026 goals are to:

• Do $50 million in revenue.
• Invest in at least 1 deal a quarter.
• Build more projects through MAK Construction. 

And it all starts with tin cans.

I’ve never been one for flashier real estate investments.

I don’t mess with Class A buildings with yoga studios.
I don’t get involved in all-glass office buildings.
I’m not big on the next “It” City.

Now, I don’t expect to get to $50M on my tin cans alone...

But I also don’t expect to do it by changing what works for us and chasing projects outside of our wheelhouse.

So we’ll keep building tin cans in 2026.

Let me know if you want to join us. 


𝗪𝗵𝗮𝘁 "𝗯𝗼𝗿𝗶𝗻𝗴" 𝘁𝗵𝗶𝗻𝗴 𝗶𝘀 𝗮 𝗺𝗼𝗻𝗲𝘆-𝗺𝗮𝗸𝗲𝗿 𝗳𝗼𝗿 𝘆𝗼𝘂𝗿 𝗯𝘂𝘀𝗶𝗻𝗲𝘀𝘀? 

- Marc Kuhn 

--

P.S. If you're interested in investing in storage projects, send me a DM saying "storage."

Luxury storage isn’t what most people think it is.

It’s not rows of bays stuffed with RVs and boats.

At one of our 60,000 sq ft locations in North Dakota, there’s one boat. It’s parked outside.

The rest of the tenants are business owners.

→ Contractor who loads his truck every morning straight from the unit
→ HVAC business owner with all their tools on site
→ Florist with climate-sensitive inventory
→ Bar owner storing seasonal gear
→ Amazon shop owners

They need functional space that is affordable, flexible, and secure. Luxury storage checks those boxes. 

Not to mention, most business owners don’t want to sign a 5-year industrial lease with triple nets and a bunch of empty square footage they won’t use if they don’t have to. 

With us, they get 1,000 sq ft bays. They’re climate-controlled, well-lit, and very clean.

Each unit comes with a garage door, a side entry, basic power, and a simple 30-day lease. 

Nothing fancy, but exactly what these tenants need.
Once they move in, they rarely leave. 

Turnover stays low, collections stay clean, and the operational noise is minimal—especially compared to multifamily.

It’s not about storing excess junk either. 

These local operators simply need space to run their business without the overhead of traditional commercial leases.

That’s where the value is.

And that's why we're building millions of square feet of Mega MAK Storage and looking for partners to grow with us.

The MAK Capital team knows. 

I never shut up about it.

Have you explored developing or investing in the luxury storage asset class yet?

- -

If you're exploring real estate opportunities in resilient niches like luxury storage, DM me and I’ll share what we’re working on now.

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