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

I dropped out of University of North Dakota with 12 credits left and $2,500 to start MAK Construction.

Now UND is one of our best partners.

Back in 2010, I walked away from a college degree to bet on myself. No diploma. No Plan B. No money.

Just a concrete guy from North Dakota who believed he could build something.

Fast forward 15 years:

→ MAK Construction LLC and MAK Capital are developing projects on the UND campus
→ UND grads are joining our team
→ The same university I left now trusts us to help build its future

And it says a lot about UND.

When most parents think of top schools in the US...North Dakota usually isn't the first place they think.

While many students chases brand-name schools on the coasts, UND just quietly broke its all-time enrollment record: 15,844 students. Up 825 from last year.

President Andy Armacost is expanding programs the state actually needs:

• Top-ranked nursing school in North Dakota
• First university in the U.S. Space Force Partnership Program
• Aviation program with global reputation
• Degrees that lead to jobs—not just debt

And now they’ve earned Carnegie R1 status—putting them in the same research class as Harvard, Stanford, and MIT.

UND isn’t trying to be flashy. They’re just doing the work.

The kind of work that builds a great future workforce with necessity-based jobs that quietly run the country.

We’ve hired UND grads who show up early, solve problems, and outwork the resume chasers. That matters in our business.

We also build for the school, support the football team, and see them as one of our best long-term partners.

Everybody wins when a local institution like UND plays the long game with local businesses.

Sometimes coming full circle isn’t about going back to finish what you started.
It’s about building something strong enough that the place you left wants you back at the table.

We’re proud to help UND expand its campus while it invests in real careers, real programs, and real people.

Go Fighting Hawks!

What schools in your area are doing the unsexy but important work of preparing students for actual jobs?

Marc Kuhn

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

I burned out building a $30M construction company.

But without my wife...I would've stayed stuck at $1M.

In my 20s, I thought grinding 100-hour weeks made me successful.

I hit $250K in income and felt like a failure because I was drowning in a business I didn’t know how to run.

I was good at construction.
Terrible at running a company.

Chelsie brought what I didn’t have:

→ Organization where I had chaos
→ Strategy where I had hustle
→ Structure where I had gut feel
→ Brand clarity where I had zero clue

She runs our EOS meetings. Keeps the team aligned. Takes my messy ideas and turns them into actual systems that scale.

She’s the reason I get to focus on what I do best—growing MAK Construction and MAK Capital.

Here’s what nobody tells you about building a business with your spouse:

It’s not about finding someone who thinks like you.
It’s about finding someone who balances you.

I see the vision. She maps the path.
I chase the deal. She helps the team deliver.
I go fast. She makes sure we go smart.

The best business decision I ever made wasn’t a real estate deal. It was marrying someone who made me better without trying to change me.

We’ve got 3 kids, multiple companies doing $30M+ a year, a 50+ person team, and $60M real estate portfolio.

None of it works without systems. And none of those systems exist without Chelsie Kuhn.

If you’re building solo, you’re capping your growth.

Every entrepreneur I know who scaled past $10M?

They didn’t just grind harder. They found someone—partner, co-founder, spouse—who filled their gaps.

Your job isn’t to do it all. Your job is to do your part and find people who crush the rest.

What’s the best partnership decision you’ve made in your business or career?

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

$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?

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!

JSESSIONID

li_at

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

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.

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 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.

At 30, I said Yes to every real estate deal I could.

At 36, I say No to 15-20+ deals a month.

Grew MAK Construction to $30M revenue saying Yes.
Grew MAK Capital to a $60M portfolio saying Yes.

Yes to building houses.
Yes to the random real estate deal.
Yes to anything that would pay the bills.

That’s how most people start: Hustle Mode

But what gets you from $0 to $10M won’t get you to $100M.

At some point, saying yes becomes a liability.

You say yes to too many things, and suddenly:

You’re busy, but not growing.
You’re working harder, but not wealthier.
You’re stuck in the weeds, missing the bigger picture.

In 2025, I’m saying No more than ever.

• No to building 10 homes (eats time, doesn’t scale)
• No to chasing small deals and shiny objects
• No to being everywhere, for everyone

Instead, I’m doubling down on:

→ Luxury storage developments in markets we love
→ Large multifamily projects, strategic acquisitions
→ Scaling what’s working—without spreading thin

Saying No to 10 small projects so I can say Yes to the 1- 2 large opportunities that move the needle.

Great things are built by doing less, better.

Are you in the Yes phase of your career? 
Or are you in the "less is more" season?

--
♻️ Repost if you're saying No more in 2025

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

As a luxury storage developer, my business model is based on Alex Hormozi's advice: "Sell to the rich." 
 
Money is abundant (if you know where to look).
 
I've learned this as a contractor, developer, and investor with wealthy mentors. 
 
Capital is abundant and looking for a place to allocate to high ROI deals. 
 
This is why we build "luxury" storage and condos. 
 
Storage is already recession-resistant. 
 
But the luxury model attracts: 
 
• Higher-end buyers 
• Higher-end investors 
• Higher-end monthly rents 
 
Instead of focusing on: 
 
→ Can you pay rent? 
→ Can you afford our units? 
→ Can you stay with us long-term? 
 
We focus on problems the wealthiest tenants care about with our units. 
 
Do you offer a premium product? 
Do you promise the highest quality? 
Do you give the buyer peace of mind? 
 
Our tenants are online store owners, contractors, and wealthy entrepreneurs. 
 
They aren't worried about month to month. 
They are worried about value. 
 
One of the biggest unlocks you will find as a real estate investor: 
 
Building a network of wealthy buyers. 
 
Have you thought about investing in projects that appeal to the wealthiest 1%? 
 
-- 

P.S. We're launching new luxury storage projects to our exclusive investor list.
 
If you're accredited and want to learn about these opportunities, DM me "storage" to connect.

Barry Sternlicht had ZERO hotel experience when he bought his first failing property in 1991.

But he did something most people wouldn’t.

He ignored the “experts” who said hotels had to be either luxury or budget.

Instead, he spotted what everyone else missed: the middle.

At the time, Four Seasons was charging $500 a night for marble bathrooms. Holiday Inn was racing to the bottom at $89 a night.

Barry asked a better question:

“What if people just want a place that doesn’t suck?”

So he built it.

→ Cool design that didn’t feel corporate.
→ Local vibe instead of chain sterile.
→ Quality without the luxury pretension.

That simple idead turned into W Hotels.

W became Starwood.
Starwood grew to 1,200+ locations.
Marriott bought it for $13 billion.

Today, Barry oversees over $100 billion in real estate.

All because he followed a simple playbook:

→ Find the gap everyone else ignores
→ Build what people actually want
→ Systematize it
→ Scale it

That’s the same reason I’m going all-in on luxury storage.

It’s not flashy. 
It’s not trendy. 
It’s not on CNBC.

But it's simple, repeatable, and prints cash flow.

While everyone’s chasing the next crypto, AI, or whatever “next big thing,” I’m focused on boring businesses with demand.

My customers are contractors, e-comm store owners, local blue collar entrepreneurs.

They’re not impressed by Public Storage’s tiny boxes.

They want clean, secure, premium space...and they’ll pay for it.

And guess what?

There’s almost no competition 'cus everyone’s busy chasing shiny objects.

Here’s what most people get wrong about boring businesses:

They think boring means low upside, but they’re wrong.

• Boring means predictable cash flow.
• Boring means less competition.
• Boring means higher margins.
• Boring builds wealth.

The flashy stuff gets the headlines.
The boring stuff builds the balance sheet.

If you’re serious about building something that lasts, stop following the herd.

Start looking for the gaps no one else sees.

That’s where the real money is hiding.

What outdated industry would you redesign if you had the chance?

--

♻️ Repost if stories like Barry's inspire you
🤝 Reach out if I can be a resource Marc Kuhn

What's the difference between making $10,000 in your 9-5 job and $10,000 from real estate?

$10K paycheck:

• Taxed at 40–50%
• Trades hours for dollars
• Stops when you stop working

$10K from a real estate deal:

• Taxed close to zero with depreciation
• Keeps paying you while you sleep
• Grows equity in a real asset

Most people spend 40 years chasing the paycheck.

But freedom is on the otherside of ownership.

I learned this in my early 20s. Started trading my time pouring concrete, building a construction company.

But the smartest thing I ever did was buy my first office building and lease out the unused space.

"Holy sh*t I didn't know you could do this."

The tax benefits in the first year alone were enough to get me hooked and eventually start MAK Capital in 2020, going all in on multifamily and luxury storage.

Since then, we’ve built and acquired $60M in commercial real estate across the Midwest.

And every time we pay out investors from a property we own...

I’m reminded: 
That $10K from a real estate deal is more than money.

It’s time back with my wife and kids.
It’s leverage for creating generational wealth.
It’s doable to go from $0 to millionaire with time.

Don't get caught in the earn a lot, spend a lot game.

Use a paycheck to buy assets and become an owner. 

That's the game.

What was your first “aha” moment that made you realize real estate was the path to real wealth?

--

♻️ Repost if this resonated with you.
📌 Follow me Marc Kuhn for daily content.

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?

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?

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

We raised $1.9M for our Fargo Luxury Storage.

Now we're raising $2.5M for the next one...

Many investors are on the sidelines right now.

Afraid to make moves because of:

• Interest rates
• Slowing deal flow
• Uncertainty around an election

Meanwhile, our development team at MAK is looking to do even more storage deals in 2025.
 
𝗧𝗵𝗶𝘀 𝗶𝘀 𝗮 𝗯𝗿𝗮𝗻𝗱 𝗻𝗲𝘄 𝗽𝗿𝗼𝗱𝘂𝗰𝘁 𝘁𝗵𝗮𝘁: 
 
• Our tenants love 
• Our LP investors love 
• Our development company loves 
 
Self-storage is known for being a recession-friendly, cash-flowing asset. 
 
But these aren't your average self-storage. 
 
We've got boats and RVs. 
We've got luxury car owners. 
We've got contractor shop owners. 
We've got Amazon, Shopify biz owners. 
 
𝗧𝗵𝗲𝘀𝗲 𝗮𝗿𝗲 𝗹𝗮𝗿𝗴𝗲𝗿 𝗳𝗮𝗰𝗶𝗹𝗶𝘁𝗶𝗲𝘀 𝘁𝗵𝗮𝘁 𝗰𝗼𝗺𝗲 𝘄𝗶𝘁𝗵: 
 
• Two lights, one outlet 
• Garage door and opener 
• Heated and AC controlled 
• 20 by 50 self-storage units 
 
We've tested this in North Dakota and decided to expand across the U.S. 
 
What's our expertise at MAK? 
 
We find the land.
We secure the financing.
We build the storage facilities. 
We find renters and operate them.

Fully vertically integrated.
 
Our LP investors love that.
 
If you want to learn more about this asset class, DM me "Luxury Storage" 
 
I'll share our upcoming projects. 
 
𝙄𝙨 𝙩𝙝𝙞𝙨 𝙖𝙣 𝙖𝙨𝙨𝙚𝙩 𝙘𝙡𝙖𝙨𝙨 𝙮𝙤𝙪'𝙧𝙚 𝙡𝙤𝙤𝙠𝙞𝙣𝙜 𝙖𝙩 𝙛𝙤𝙧 2025 𝙖𝙨 𝙖𝙣 𝙞𝙣𝙫𝙚𝙨𝙩𝙤𝙧?

You don’t need a ton of clients to achieve your dreams.

You just need to:

-> 𝗛𝗲𝗹𝗽 𝗮 𝗳𝗲𝘄 𝗰𝗹𝗶𝗲𝗻𝘁𝘀 𝗮𝗰𝗵𝗶𝗲𝘃𝗲 𝘁𝗵𝗲𝗶𝗿𝘀. 

If you focus on transactional clients…
You’re just spinning your wheels.

But if you focus on long-term relationships…
You harness the value of compound interest.

The longer you work with someone, the greater the opportunities to grow together are.

If you genuinely place more emphasis on helping your clients achieve their dreams than you do on getting as much money from them as possible…

You’ll end up with more money than you know what to do with.

I could write a book of “Things I Wish I Knew When I Started” 14 years ago.

But this would be the first chapter.

Help others achieve their dreams.

And watch as you achieve yours. 

𝗪𝗵𝗮𝘁 𝘄𝗼𝘂𝗹𝗱 𝗯𝗲 𝘆𝗼𝘂𝗿 𝗖𝗵𝗮𝗽𝘁𝗲𝗿 𝟭 𝗼𝗳 "𝗧𝗵𝗶𝗻𝗴𝘀 𝗜 𝗪𝗶𝘀𝗵 𝗜 𝗞𝗻𝗲𝘄 𝗪𝗵𝗲𝗻 𝗜 𝗦𝘁𝗮𝗿𝘁𝗲𝗱"?

--

P.S. If you want to passively invest in real estate (and build a long-term relationship)
 
DM me "storage" to invest with me.

If you’re in real estate, you know Sam Zell.

Before he passed away in 2023... 

Zell was one of the most successful real estate investors of all time. 

His specialty was acquiring distressed assets. 

It earned Zel the nickname, “The Grave Dancer.”

And The Grave Dancer had a few legendary quotes for investors:

1. “All the opportunity in the world means nothing if you don’t actually pull the trigger.”

2. “Reputation is your most important asset. Everything you do, everything you say, is a part of the permanent record.”

3. “Where there is scarcity, price is no object. This basic tenet of supply and demand would later become a governing principle of my investment philosophy.”

In Unfollow the Herd newsletter, I’m breaking down the best wealth-building lessons I’ve absorbed from:

-> Sam Zell
-> Ray Dalio
-> Ryan Pineda
-> Brandon Turner
-> Robert Kiyosaki

Join 4,500 readers who get it for free here: marckuhn.substack.com

--

Follow me Marc Kuhn for daily posts on real estate, entrepreneurship, and financial freedom.

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."

Codie A. Sanchez

Investing millions in Main St businesses & teaching you how to own the rest | HoldCo, VC fund, Founder

On a mission to create financially free and free-thinking humans.

I founded a media company called Contrarian Thinking that teaches people to think critically and cashflow unconventionally with boring businesses.

Our newsletter has over 1M+ weekly readers, here → contrarianthinking.biz/li

Our community has taught 9,000+ members biz buying, biz growing, and doing deals. 

We value experience over degrees.
Betting on yourself over building someone else's dream.
Main Street over Wall Street.

My mission is less suits, more boots. Meaning: we the people holding the power… and the purse strings.

🔗Join 1M+ others who get our free newsletter: contrarianthinking.biz/li
🔗YouTube: @CodieSanchezCT
🔗Instagram: @codiesanchez
🔗Twitter: @Codie_Sanchez
🔗Weekly business-buying newsletter Main Street Minute: contrarianthinking.biz/minute-li

Founder

We help free minds and build bank accounts.

Investing millions in Main St businesses & teaching you how to own the rest | HoldCo, VC, Founder | NYT best-selling author

5 uncomfortable truths about success:

1. You can't be a real leader and a people pleaser.

2. One day they'll go from judging you to bragging how they know you.

3. You win in life by being ok with people: not liking you, disagreeing with you, and wishing you'd fail.

4. It’s supposed to be hard, and you’re supposed to do it anyway.

5. The underrated part about being rich... you get to do what you want, say what you want, and people unfollowing or not agreeing matters ZERO.

Hope this one puts a little air in your tires today 😉

Btw - feel free to follow me Codie A. Sanchez if you haven’t yet

It’s a tragedy how many hate what they do.

There is nothing I love more than solving big problems.

Playing the game of business.

Having big conversations.

Meeting smart people.

You deserve to do work that makes you feel the same way.

Feel free to repost or follow if you’re a psychopath like me who’s willing to publicly proclaim how much you love working😂

Dear chronic people pleasers,

5 reminders as you to learn to be disliked:

1. People criticize you to hide from the real work: having to change themselves. You winning is a mirror most people can't handle.

2. You'll never look back and wish you made more nameless humans on the internet like you. Never give first-row opinions to those who paid for nosebleed seats.

3. Never take advice from someone who hasn't achieved the thing they're advising about. Listen, sure. But filter advice viciously.

4. Our brains are trained to focus on the negative, aka survive. People question me online all the time — about my ethnicity, my career, my body. It's all good, it'll happen to you too. Always remember, you're the one doing sh*t not talking sh*t.

5. Choose your f*cks carefully. You’ll never be everything to everyone anyway.

↓ ↓ ↓

PS: I have a weekly newsletter sharing stories and tips from business owners. Highly recommend to anyone trying to be better → https://lnkd.in/euh-mDd8

3 more harsh truths about success:

- You only have to be right ONCE. One big right move can erase a lifetime of wrong ones.
- You can't be upset at the results you’re not getting from the actions you’re not taking.
- The successful don't wait for someone to come save them. You want a better life, go build it.

If you needed to hear this today, feel free to share for next person who needs it ♻️

cs-venturesllc

cresco-capital-partners-llc

unconventional-acquisitions

strike-fire-productions

linkedin.com

Talks about #growth, #finance, #investing, #venturecapital, and #contrarianthinking

The best founders do one thing brilliantly... 

Hire.

Here’s how we think about finding & attracting A-players for our portfolio companies:

Most owners hire like they're running a restaurant.

They think more cooks = faster service.

Instead, they get a kitchen full of people bumping into each other, burning food, and blaming everyone else.

That’s why hiring isn’t a numbers game.

You don't need more people. You need the RIGHT people.

It’s impossible to build a worthwhile business with mediocre talent.

Over the years, we've developed a framework to find, attract, and close the top 0.001%. 

I call it the 4 C's to Top-Level Talent:

1. CURATE

Start hiring before you start hiring.

Follow smart people in your niche on Twitter. Connect on LinkedIn.

Bookmark stuff that makes you say, "Damn, I wish I wrote that."

Treat talent like a portfolio. Study first, invest later.

The best hires happen when you're NOT desperately hiring.

1. CULTIVATE

Engage without being weird.

Compliment their stuff. Comment. Ask smart questions. Send them ideas.

The best talent moves when THEY'RE ready, not when you need them.

Plant seeds early. Water them consistently.

3. CLOSE

When it's time to close the sale, go HARD.

Fly them in. Meet their spouse. Pay more than you're comfortable with.

I wasn't even looking for a company President when I met Marc. I wanted a CRO.

But after one conversation, I knew he was our guy.

So I changed the org to fit HIM.

That's how good hires work. They change you.

Don't squeeze top talent into your current structure.

Bend your business around exceptional people.

4. CONTINUE

Top performers won't always stay forever. That's okay.

Even when they leave, keep them close.

My old Head of Content now runs a 7-figure business. We still trade notes.

They send better talent than any recruiter ever could.

As someone who’s hired 100s of people, take it from me:

Your best hires won't walk in the door with a resume in hand.

They're already working somewhere else, crushing it.

It’s your job to go find them.

Hiring the right people is one of the most powerful growth levers for any business.

If you want to see exactly how we attract and retain top-tier talent across our portfolio, I’ll be breaking it all down in an upcoming workshop (tomorrow).

This is just one of several proven scaling strategies we’ll cover— more info here: https://lnkd.in/emd63SuT

Formula is do, fail, learn, fail, do again.

Don’t be afraid of outgrowing EVERYONE.

Your friends. Yes.

Your family. Likely.

If you are great... Even the people you hire today you will outgrow.

Don’t apologize a f*cking second for outgrowing people who can not keep up with you.

You need to make the hard call to move on, and move on FASTER than you think.

I was on the phone with a friend the other day runs another portfolio and famous on the internet and we both had to fire a csuite executive. We talked on Friday, I asked on Tuesday when she was doing it, she said she already did it that morning.

“Once I know I have to, I rip the bandaid off.”

Tough truth I’ve never regretted ONCE parting ways with someone who isn’t going as fast as I am.

THIS is the hard and brutal truth of greatness.

The first person you need to forgive is the old version of you. 

Stop blaming the past and learn how to use this release to build your future.

The only way to move forward is to figure out how to let them go.

A reminder that it’s ok to rise a lil earlier and grind a lil harder…

The faster you move, the more money you make.

How to win in your 20s:

1. Choose your hard. If you don't choose your hard, hard will choose you.

2. Ask more questions. As Socrates said: “Smart people learn from everything and everyone. Average people learn from their experiences. Stupid people already have all the answers.”

3. Do whatever it takes

4. Chase purpose. A friend once told me: “I wish you not one penny over $299 million. Reality gets lost somewhere after that.”

5. Not every moment has to be productive. Silence is not your enemy.

6. Be bored more often

7. Get in shape, stay in shape (applies to both finances and fitness)

8. If someone you just met is talking shit about their ex, friend, partner, or boss, they will do the same to you next. Character matters.

9. Behind every successful person is a story that gave them no choice.

10. Put your relationships first. My number one regret in life is not prioritizing my marriage above just about everything.

11. You become the person you want when no one else is watching. It's the quiet, private reps that will never be cheered that actually lead to greatness.

12. Never take advice from someone who hasn't achieved what they're advising about. If you don't want their life, don't listen to their advice.

13. Inconvenience yourself. This generation went way too hard setting boundaries. Show up for those you love, even when it's not convenient.

14. The greatest muscle you can build is urgency.

15. If it's not a hell yes, it's a no.

16. You will be richer when you understand leverage. But you'll also be aware of when people are trying to take advantage of you. Learn it so you can spot it.

17. Learn to be disliked or you will find yourself stuck in a prison of other people's beliefs.

18. You don't have time to hate someone when you're busy building. The less you build, the more you criticize.

19. Your input eventually becomes your output.

20. 99% of people don't move fast enough. Every time you say "one day," you cost yourself future dollars.

21. Complexity makes you seem smart. Simplicity makes you money.

22. The longer something has been successful, the more likely it is to continue being successful.

23. Say you will do a thing, then actually do the thing.

24. The fastest way to build a memorable brand is to pick a fight.

25. Never let your worry be bigger than your faith. God doesn't give you a seed without provision for it to grow.

26. Nobody cares about your life.

27. Someone not as good as you is making more money because they're not afraid to start.

28. You will wish you started earlier and worked harder when you are young.

29. Waking up at 5:45 a.m. solves 99.9% of daily issues.

30. Work smarter, not harder is a beautiful lie. You will not know how to work smart until you've worked very hard for an irrationally long time

31. The size of the problems you solve equal the size of your bank account.

32. The smartest people I know obsess over their reputation. Do not play short-term games with your name.

Money = options. Poverty = trapped.

It's not the money we want. It's the freedom.

↓ ↓ ↓

You’re either the hammer or the nail.

Hammers make things happen. They drive the point home. They aren’t afraid to swing hard, take calculated risks, and make an impact. They don’t wait for things to happen; they make things happen.

Nails? They get pounded. They hold things in place, but only because *someone else* decided that’s where they should be.

Nails wait for instructions. They stay put, keep their heads down, and hope they don’t get bent out of shape. Nails might hold things together, but hammers built the house.

No one remembers the nails — they remember who hammered them in.

It can be easy to look at the work of a hammer and think, “Must be nice.” But don’t be mistaken, the toll on a hammer is rough.

What you don’t see are the years of blunt force trauma on the hammer’s head, face, neck, cheek, throat, eye, and claw (all real parts of a hammer). Years of being thrown around. Years of missing the mark and smashing a finger.

Are you starting to get it now?

Hammers are owners.

Nails? The owned.

(PS: This is an excerpt straight from my newsletter. Get it every Thursday here → https://lnkd.in/euh-mDd8)

What they dream of: Starting the next Apple

What I dream of: Owning a painting biz...

Trillions of dollars are about to fall into the hands of those who are paying attention.

Let's talk numbers:

• 33.3 million small businesses in the US.
• That's 99.9% of all businesses.

What does this mean?

A sea of opportunity. 

Over 80% of these businesses have no employees. Just solo owners, doing their thing.

But of the other 20% (aka 6.6 million)... Many are ready to sell.

Problem is, most people are still daydreaming about sexy startups and AI breakthroughs.

They’re not daydreaming about plumbing companies. Laundromats. Self-storage units.

Because they’re not sexy.

In fact, they kind of smell like hard work. They smell like Main Street.

But the thing about these businesses is:

They quietly cashflow.

So.. why don’t you just start one?

A few reasons why starting sucks:
• Cashflow takes time
• You start with 0 employees (aka, you do all the work)
• You start with 0 customers (aka, even more work)
• You have to find a profitable biz model.

But there’s another option…

BUYING a business (done right) means:
• Instant cash flow.
• Existing customers.
• Proven business model.

You're not reinventing the wheel. You're taking something that works and making it work better.

It's a path to financial freedom that most people overlook.

The opportunity of a lifetime is hiding in plain sight.

So here's my challenge to you:

Stop dreaming about the next big startup.
Start looking at the businesses in your backyard.

Then go big and DO the damn thing.

↓↓↓↓

Disclaimer: I know I've made this sound easier than it is. 

Buying & running a biz is NOT easy. 

One of the reasons why I'm hosting a (free) Masterclass next week on biz buying. I'll break down the 10-step process I've used to buy dozens of cashflowing businesses.

My goal? You leave with the confidence & roadmap to buy your first biz. 

More info here → https://lnkd.in/e24qgbuh

Work smarter not harder is a beautiful lie.

Hard lesson for me and you...

The people doing better than you aren’t smarter than you. They aren’t better than you. They aren’t luckier than you.

They’re just working so much harder than you, you can't even imagine.

The only thing separating you from them is:

Grit + Time + Consistency

The difference between a $1M business and a $100M business:

Systems.

Here’s how we think about building systems for our portfolio of 30+ businesses:

Think of systems like a car. You need:

- Vision = windshield (see where you're going)
- Dashboard = gauges (track your speed)
- Goals = GPS (know your destination)
- Communication = alerts (stay coordinated)
- People = maintenance (keep everything running)

Miss any one and you're broken down on the side of the road.

1. Start With The Foundation

Most owners focus on tiny processes instead of the big stuff.

It's like saying "I want to build the Sistine Chapel" then starting out by picking out what candles you want inside.

You have to start with the foundation first or you'll never get the thing done.

2. Use 'Proven' Frameworks

Everyone on the internet acts like they have the best new "battle-tested" system, when realistically it's often a lot of fluff.

That said, there is a lot of merit in implementing systems that have worked for someone else - just make sure you're getting them from the right place.

3. Follow Dual North Stars

The danger of single metrics is it creates tunnel vision.

But when you have two, they keep each other honest. It could be:

- Revenue + Followers
- Sales + Customer satisfaction
- Growth + Team retention

Just remember to keep one qualitative and the other quantitative.

4. Keep Pace With Your Yearly Vision

Without systems, it’s easy to get caught up in busywork.

I’ve met hardworking owners who thought they were moving the needle only to realize the opposite at EOY.

Building the right systems prevents that:

5. Use Scorecards

It’s not enough to give deadlines when assigning tasks.

You also want to create a dashboard where you can track:

- Completion rates
- Who’s responsible for what
- Color-coded status updates

That way, you can see a bird’s eye view of what's moving along and what isn’t.

6. Apply The Rule of Three for Documentation

Do you like repeating yourself? Me neither.

Anything you do more than 3 times in a week (or has at least 3 steps) should get documented.

Use Loom + Google Docs to create playbooks so specific that even a highschooler can follow.

- 

Only so much I can get into in a single post.

If you’re curious to learn more, I’m hosting a workshop on November 12th where we’ll walk you through the four simple levers every business owner can pull to unlock new profit in their business.

Last time, we helped owners uncover $5.4 million in hidden cash. Now, it’s your turn.

Save your post here: https://lnkd.in/emd63SuT

This reminds me of a study I learned about.

It found what's called The Spillover Effect:

Kellogg Insight did a study across 58,000 hours in 11 companies.

There were two main findings.

1) Positive Spillover

If you sit within 25ft of a HIGH performer, your performance increases by 15%.

You are no smarter, you work no harder... and you're 15% better.

These highest performers are not impacted by the low performance of their neighbors.

My takeaway = the strong lift up the weak.

But there was a second finding too, a much more concerning one...

2) Negative Spillover

If you sit near a LOW performer… Things get bad fast.

How they define “low performer” in the study is important:

These are “toxic workers.”

A “toxic” person = someone who ends up being fired for their behavior/performance.

On average:

- A toxic worker costs a company $12,800
- 2% of all workers are toxic
- They infect FAST.

And actually – the poison of a toxic worker spans way beyond 25ft:

Researchers said, “You can see their negative imprint and negative effect across an entire floor.”

So remember:

Success is contagious.

But so is toxicity.

↓ ↓ ↓

The same is true for the media you consume. Doomscroll hate on social media, you become a hateful person.

But if you'd rather surround yourself with stories of business owners & freedom finders, read this instead → https://lnkd.in/euh-mDd8

The 6 secrets to increasing your biz's value all start with one term: 

Recurring revenue.

The holy grail of business.

It's predictable, stable income that comes in month after month, year after year. Plus, there are a ton of other benefits:

• Higher Customer Lifetime Values (CLVs)
• for lower acquisition costs
• More predictable cashflow
• which makes budgeting & planning easier

Potential buyers LOVE recurring revenue. It makes it 10x easier to hire an operator, secure funding, and scale.

As an owner, your end goal is likely an acquisition... And recurring revenue increases your chances.

There are 6 types of recurring revenue:

(Ideally, your biz has at least 3 of these)

1. Long-term contracts

These are agreements of over a year that lock in guaranteed revenue. The longer the contract term, the more valuable it makes a business.

2. Auto-renewal subscriptions

This is the "set it and forget it" model. Customers sign up once, and their card is charged every month, quarter, or year.

3. Sunk money subscriptions

This is also known as the 'razor and blades' business model: You buy a base product (a razor), then have to continually buy refills (blades). Since the real money's in the refill, the base product is often sold cheap.

4. Pay-as-you-go

Customers only pay for what they use, but are still subscribed long-term as there’s friction in moving to another platform.

5. Loyalty programs

Giving your customers points & perks makes a customer feel they're "losing out" on potential savings if they go elsewhere. No one does this better than airlines.

6. Simple consumables

These are one-off items that are repurchased out of sheer habit & loyalty. Think, regulars at coffee shops, your favorite brand of toothpaste, transportation you have to take every day.

Recurring revenue is a HUGE key to retirement as a business owner.

With so many different types, the options are limited only to your creativity.

↓ ↓ ↓

Best way to track & forecast recurring & non recurring revenue? 

A cashflow tracker. 

Because the only real business advice you really need is...don't run out of cash. 

Feel free to use my template: https://lnkd.in/eHEiMUr9

We’ve completely forgotten why we're entrepreneurs.

When did we become a group of vitamin-D-deprived, Allbird-wearing, alternative-milk-drinking, extreme PowerPointers?

Many of us got soft.

We don’t climb mountains, we only take risks with other people’s money, we sit behind keyboards bragging about how ChatGPT did all the work.

What a terrible thing to strive for.

How can you make the most money by employing the fewest people and doing the least amount of work? How can you get mailbox money? Or a fast exit so you can tweet about it?

The secret:

Entrepreneurs don’t exist just for a bunch of zero’s and some big exit, but because we are crazy people willing things into very existence.

We are supposed to be the next generation of explorers, risk-takers, adrenaline junkies. Addicts to the masochistic mission of achievement and ownership.

The feeling of being so damn unemployable your only option is owner. The inability to sleep because of visions so big they pull you from bed in the dead of the night. Dreams so futuristic people laugh when you tell them.

Those are the entrepreneurs I admire.

My husband and I have a saying: “Protect those who can’t, cast aside those who won’t, enable those who want.”

Here’s to all of you who want so badly your wants become realities.

↓
💥 Follow me Codie A. Sanchez for more

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