7 Years in Pharma until I Escaped the 9 to 5 | I Help 249+ People Build Financial Freedom ($29.3M+) by Passively Investing in Multifamily Real Estate

Concerned with the sobering reality that you're not on track to provide for your family.

No one to turn to develop a strategy to help. I get it, and that's why I am here for you.

Everywhere you look, people appeared to have mastered their finances, and yet no one talks about money or helps. 

Being in this situation is confusing.

In 2015, I was confused.

I had an average income...

and a high expense lifestyle. 

I viewed it as normal.

I was not on track.

Why do I share this?

Because it's a honest, simple and powerful realization that most people don't reach.

This reality is true for a lot of us, irrespective of income.

I say this backed by anecdotal evidence.

Everyday I help people redefine their relationship with money. 

I've done it for 277+ people. 

Making them $14.9M+ since 2018.

Growing their net worth by 31.9M+.

And the average client has a similar story. 

Looking to make money, but doesn't know where to start.

And no time to figure it out.

And so, I help people build financial security.

Using the tips and tricks that I've done for myself. 

I help people that are: 

- Tired of paying too much in taxes
- Confused with how to manage their investments
- Unsure how to grow their business
- Flustered with the myriad of options   
- Overwhelmed with where to start

Nothing is more important to me than adding value to those around me. This is why I actively work to understand pain points and how to turn them into the foundation for people to scale. 

What I do isn't for everyone. If you think we might be a good fit, contact me:

📞 https://calendly.com/mustafal/15min

📧 ml@velocecapital.com

Disclaimer: Please note that past performance is not indicative of future results and investing involves risks, including the potential loss of principal. There are no guarantees in any investment. Content is for informational purposes only and should not be construed as investment advice or a recommendation to buy or sell any security. Any forward-looking statements or forecasts are based on assumptions and actual results may differ materially from those expressed in such statements.

Before investing, carefully consider the investment objectives, risks, charges, and expenses of the investment product or strategy. Each investor's financial situation and investment objectives are unique, and the information contained herein may not be suitable for all investors. Prospective investors should consult with a financial or legal professional to determine the appropriateness of any investment in light of their individual circumstances.

Mustafa Ladha

If I had to give up every lesson I’ve learned and keep just one, it would be this:


Relationships are the most important thing in life.

Not money.
Not titles.
Not opportunities.

People.

The right relationships can change your direction,

Your beliefs,

Your identity - even your destiny.

A friend of mine, let’s call him Bob, recently shared his story with me.

For years, he was horrible with money.

No discipline.
No real plan.

Money came in, he spent what he wanted,

And whatever was left went into the bank “for a rainy day.”

Inflation slowly ate that cash.

Nothing was really growing.

Nothing meaningful was being built.

Over time, as we worked together,

He started noticing how I approached money:

-Looking for value in every dollar

-Being intentional instead of impulsive

-Always asking, “What is the purpose of this money?”

-Thinking in terms of building, not just spending

He began to ask the same questions.

He started trying some of the same habits.

Bit by bit, his mindset shifted.

Today, he’ll tell you, as he told me, that he’s still not perfect.

But he’s on a path

He’s scaling 

His finances look completely different 

And his life has transformed 

Far beyond what he thought was possible 

He did all the work 

I just happened to be one of the people he learnt from.

That’s the power of the right relationship.

And the beautiful part?

Real relationships transcend continents.

You can meet someone miles away

Who understands you better than people you grew up with.

You can build meaningful friendships online

These too can grow beyond your wildest expectations 

In a world obsessed with achievements, remember this:

You often become the average of the people you spend the most time with

So:

-Invest in the people who feel like sunlight.

-Show up for the ones who show up for you.

-Don’t be afraid to build bonds that stretch across borders.

Every meaningful stage of my journey has been shaped by people, not a “perfect plan.”

Who’s the unexpected person who changed your trajectory?

Share it below - and if you can, tag them.

Shout out to Brian Gerber, James Gerber, Talhah Khan and Sakina Ladha

From 9–5 to Financial Freedom | Helping 277+ People | Generated $14.9M+ in Passive Income & Increased Net Worth by $31.9M+ | Learn How You Can Too

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I told a startup founder not to invest in real estate yesterday

I shattered his investment strategy

And he thanked me for it

"What a masterclass I witnessed today Mustafa, thank you for your precious time and insights"

Business is funny like that.

Random email from my network,

Connecting me with someone "interested in real estate"

Startup founder, brilliant at what he does,

Wants to expand his MOAT with real estate

I jump on the call with zero agenda

No product to push

Just curiosity

Within 15 minutes, I see it clearly:

He's crushing it in his lane

But doesn't have endless capital

No real estate strategy

No team in place

I could've sold him the dream

Told him about 1980s value-add plays

Connected him to experts

Taken a commission

Instead, I told him the truth:

"Keep your money in your startup"

Real estate is the best investment, in my opinion

But not for him

Not right now

We think investing in real estate is easy

It's not

We crush it in one market

And think it transfers everywhere

It doesn't

I hated bursting his bubble

But I'd hate it more if he lost money because I stayed quiet

After helping 277+ people make $14.9M+ in passive income

I've learned something wild:

The interactions that matter most?

The ones where nobody makes a cent

When you show up to actually help

Not to close

The results compound in ways you can't predict

My metrics aren't about me

They're about the 277+ people I've helped

Sometimes helping means saying "not yet"

Sometimes it means walking away from easy money

It always means telling the truth

Even when it costs you

Especially when it costs you

Ready for someone who'll tell you what you need to hear, not what you want to hear?

DM me "TRUTH" and let's figure out if real estate makes sense for you

Or if your money belongs somewhere else entirely

I know millionaires who are broke.

And I know people making $50K who are wealthy.

The difference isn't their income

It's their assets

Last week, a surgeon I work with making $450K called me

Panicking about retirement

Meanwhile, a plumber I work with passively owns equity in 3 apartment complexes

And sleeps like a baby

After helping 277+ people generate $14.9M+ in passive income

I've seen this pattern destroy high earners:

They think high income = wealth

But income is just trading time for money

And time always runs out

The surgeon?

$450K salary
$1.2M house (with $900K mortgage)
$180K in cars (with massive car loans)
$50K saved

Net worth: $350K
Passive income: $0

The plumber?

$85K salary
$250K house (paid off)
3 apartment complexes, his equity is worth $750K
$200K saved

Net worth: $1.2M
Passive income: $3,750/month

One makes 5x more

The other is 3x wealthier

Most high earners have golden handcuffs

And live in a golden cage:

- Can't quit (lifestyle depends on next paycheck)
- Can't slow down (expenses keep climbing)
- Can't retire (no income without working)

They're rich on paper

Broke in reality

The framework I show every HENRY (High Earner, Not Rich Yet):

𝗦𝘁𝗮𝗴𝗲 1: 𝗛𝗶𝗴𝗵 𝗜𝗻𝗰𝗼𝗺𝗲, 𝗡𝗼 𝗔𝘀𝘀𝗲𝘁𝘀
Making $200K+ but saving nothing
Living paycheck to paycheck

𝗦𝘁𝗮𝗴𝗲 2: 𝗦𝗮𝘃𝗶𝗻𝗴 𝗕𝘂𝘁 𝗡𝗼𝘁 𝗕𝘂𝗶𝗹𝗱𝗶𝗻𝗴
401k maxed, savings growing
Losing 2-7% yearly to inflation

𝗦𝘁𝗮𝗴𝗲 3: 𝗕𝘂𝗶𝗹𝗱𝗶𝗻𝗴 𝗔𝘀𝘀𝗲𝘁𝘀
Converting income into passive ownership
Real estate that actually pays you

𝗦𝘁𝗮𝗴𝗲 4: 𝗔𝘀𝘀𝗲𝘁𝘀 𝗣𝗮𝘆 𝗬𝗼𝘂𝗿 𝗟𝗶𝗳𝗲𝘀𝘁𝘆𝗹𝗲
Passive income covers expenses
Work becomes optional

The surgeon is stuck in Stage 1

The plumber hit Stage 3 and keeps building

One client, an executive making $580K, was burning through everything

We found one property

Then another

24 months later:
$7,200/month passive income 

Your high income is a superpower

It's the fuel to build your dreams

But only if you know how to convert it into assets

Every month you wait

You're choosing to stay trapped

Three moves that change everything:

• Calculate your "freedom number" (monthly expenses × 1.5)
• Invest in your first passive property
• Reinvest and scale your passive portfolio 

Most people think they need $1M to start

You need one property

One good opportunity

That pays you while you sleep

Drop your stage below (1, 2, 3, or 4)

If you're ready to stop being income-rich but asset-poor

DM me "ASSETS"

I'll show you exactly how my clients go from high income to true wealth

Through real estate that pays them every single month

My best performing client spent 18 years chasing $1M.

He didn't find it until he stopped looking for it.

I've helped 277+ people generate $14.9M+ in passive income.

The pattern is always the same:

The ones who build wealth fastest aren't chasing money.

They're chasing a specific life.

This week on my podcast Emiliano De Laurentiis — who built and exited 3 companies before 40 — said it perfectly:

"Take that gap year and figure out what is going to make your life worth living.
Once you have that, then you can have a plan."

But you don't need a gap year to figure this out.

A director I worked with, discovered his answer in a single moment.

𝗬𝗲𝗮𝗿𝘀 𝟭–𝟭𝟴: 𝗖𝗵𝗮𝘀𝗶𝗻𝗴 𝗧𝗵𝗲 𝗡𝘂𝗺𝗯𝗲𝗿

70-hour weeks

Saved aggressively

Invested randomly

Net worth: $340K

Miserable

𝗬𝗲𝗮𝗿 𝟭𝟵: 𝗧𝗵𝗲 𝗦𝗵𝗶𝗳𝘁
His daughter asked: "Why are you never home?"

He couldn't answer.

So he spent 3 months defining what "worth living" meant:

Coaching his daughter's soccer team

Teaching coding to kids

Building something his family could inherit

Once clear on his priorities, the investment strategy became obvious: properties near schools that could run themselves.

𝗬𝗲𝗮𝗿𝘀 𝟮𝟬–𝟮𝟭: 𝗕𝘂𝗶𝗹𝗱𝗶𝗻𝗴 𝗧𝗼𝘄𝗮𝗿𝗱 𝗧𝗵𝗮𝘁 𝗟𝗶𝗳𝗲

Bought 2 properties near good schools

Structured deals for afternoon flexibility

Created systems that work without him

Today:
$8,400/month passive income
Net worth: $1.3M
Coaches soccer Tuesday/Thursday at 3pm.

Money stopped being the objective.

It became the means.

Most people have it backwards. They chase money for freedom, hoping it brings purpose.

But in reality, it usually works like this:

Purpose → Strategy → Money → Freedom

Without knowing what makes your life "worth living", you're just accumulating numbers.

Once you do, every decision becomes obvious:

Which opportunities to take

Which to ignore

How much is "enough"

When to stop grinding

So before you set another financial goal...

Before you chase another zero…

Ask yourself Emiliano's question:

What would make your life worth living — not in 20 years, but right now?

Mine? 

Empowering people.

Having massive systemic impact. 

Enabling people to passively build wealth. 

What's one thing you'd do every Tuesday at 3pm if money wasn't a factor?

Drop it below.

If you want help building a plan around it,

DM me "WORTH" and we'll start there.

Imagine finally making $200K a year...
And still being one paycheck from disaster.

That's most high earners.

You quietly suffer.
But you can't explain why.

Sunday nights, that knot in your stomach.
Every bonus, gone in 48 hours.
Every raise, somehow already spent.

You're not lazy.
You show up.
Pay the school fees.
Support the parents.
Carry the mortgage.

Outside: "You're crushing it."
Inside: "Nothing I do is helping me get ahead."

After helping 277+ people generate $14.9M+ in passive income,

I've seen the exact moment everything shifts.

It's not motivation.

It's not an app.

𝗛𝗲𝗿𝗲'𝘀 𝘄𝗵𝗮𝘁 𝗰𝗵𝗮𝗻𝗴𝗲𝗱 𝗲𝘃𝗲𝗿𝘆𝘁𝗵𝗶𝗻𝗴 𝗳𝗼𝗿 𝘁𝗵𝗲𝗺:

It's one strategic asset.

That first $250K rental passively making $700/month.

Sounds small?

Watch this:

$700/month today
→ $8,400 year one
→ With 3% annual rent increases
→ $84,000+ over 10 years
→ From ONE property

In a market where rents climb while you sleep.

Yesterday: "I'm trapped."
Today: "I'm building."

One property becomes two.
Two becomes momentum.

By property three: $2,100/month passive

By property five: $3,500/month without working

By property seven: Your passive income exceeds most people's salaries

You still work.
But because you want to.
Not because you have to.

Real options.
Not overnight.
But inevitable.

Still feel trapped despite the high income?

DM me "FREEDOM" - let's fix that.

80% of people have the same problem 

And it hurts more than they realize...

They protect their comfort more than their growth.

A guest on my podcast Wesleyne Whittaker, shared something profound

The type of anecdote that's stays in your mind:

"Ask yourself: How am I growing 1% today?
Then actually invest your time and money in that growth."

I like this because it's practical.

1% growth today might look like:

30 minutes reading instead of scrolling

One class that teaches you a new skill

One conversation with someone ahead of you

It's not dramatic.
But it's intentional.

She made an important point:

Listening to something helpful today is great.
That's your 1% for today.

But what about tomorrow?

If there's no plan,
we fall back into old patterns.

After helping 277+ people make $14.9M passively, I see two paths:

1. The hopeful learner:
- Saves posts for "later"
- Watches videos when convenient
- Waits for the "right time"

2. The intentional builder:
- Invests $500+ in a strategy
- Blocks mornings for deep work
- Has strategic coffee meetings monthly

One "likes" posts about financial freedom.
The other quietly builds it.

One client started with 30 minutes every Sunday.
Just reviewing one opportunity.
Learning the language.
Asking questions.

18 months later:
$4,100/month passive income.

It started with 1% weekly growth.

Tonight, ask yourself:

- How did I grow 1% today?
- What will my 1% be tomorrow?

Small moves.
Consistent direction.
Compound results.

If part of that 1% is understanding how money works...

Understanding how to make it work hard than you do 

DM me "BEGIN"

I'll send you a few simple ways to start learning.
Before you ever feel "ready."

I've helped 277+ people make millions. But the call that mattered most? The one where nobody made a cent

This Thanksgiving, I'm thinking about that call

And how it connects to something I never understood as a kid

Back then, I'd tell my teacher:
"I'm thankful every day. Why do I need one specific day to be thankful?"

Same thing in medical school:
"Why wait to become a doctor to help people? I want to help people now"

That impatience became my entire approach

Last Friday epitomized it

A friend mentioned how his friend finally bought a house

After 5 years of searching

All because of one conversation we had

The guy sings my praises

Says I changed his life

His wife too... and I never even spoke to her

But honestly?

I spent maybe 3 hours total

Diagnosed his real challenges

Connected him to the right people

That's it

No commission for me

No investment from him

Just one person helping another figure out what was actually blocking them

After helping 277+ people make $14,900,000+ in passive income

I've learnt something crucial:

The transactions that matter most aren't always the ones that make money

Sometimes it's the 3-hour call that helps someone stop spinning their wheels

Sometimes it's connecting two people who needed to meet

It's usually listening to what someone's actually struggling with

Not what you assume they need

So this Thanksgiving, here's my offer:

If you're stuck on something - anything - reach out

Even if you're not sure what help looks like

And while you're at it

Ask someone in your life: 

"What's one thing you're struggling with?"

You'd be surprised how you can help when you're actively listening

Happy Thanksgiving

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If it triggers you

It’s probably the truth

Most people trust the wrong sources when it comes to their money

And they don’t even realize it

Here’s the biggest lie you're being sold about building wealth:
“Just listen to the experts.”

But who exactly are those “experts”?

I ran a poll on Friday:
“Where do you get your money advice?”

Here’s what they said:
• Financial advisors — 32%
• Social media/influencers — 3%
• Books & courses — 13%
• My own research — 52%

And honestly… that last number says everything

Half the people trust themselves more than anyone else

That’s powerful

They'd rather figure it out alone than risk trusting the wrong person

And I get it

Because most "experts" sell advice

They're selling you their commission

Not your success

The financial advisor pushing products they get paid to sell

The influencer with zero real experience

The course creator who made money teaching, not doing

No wonder people trust themselves more

At least when you mess up, you know why

After helping 277+ people make over $14.9M in passive income

I've seen what actually works

You don't need to become an expert in everything

You just need to know enough to spot BS

And find people who've actually done what you want to do

Not just talked about it

The math is simple:

Wrong advice costs more than no advice

Right guidance accelerates everything

So ask yourself:

1- Who's giving you advice?
2- What are they selling?
3- Why do you need that product or service?

The answer will help you scale

If you get to a point where you want to unpack your situation 

You want to see if you’re growing as efficiently as possible 

DM me

Everyone talks about diversification

But nobody explains this

Diversification sounds good

It makes sense

But it’s really confusing

Or it’s really simple and everyone does it wrong

90% of people are worth 1.5M or less

Most of those people have their wealth in 1 of 2 places

#1 the stock market

#2 their personal house

The house they live in doesn’t make them money

And they typically have a mortgage

This mortgage is typically 60% of the home value

So when you look at investments

90% of people aren’t diversified 

They’re only in the stock market

And that’s okay

They have the appearance of diversification

And it makes them feel good at night

I am not talking to those people

If you’re in that category and you want help DM me

If you’re in the other category

The 10%

Your problems are typically different

One group I see confused by the myriad of options

They don’t know where to start

22% of people from Friday’s poll said the same

The second common problem

27% of people had capital tied up elsewhere

The best opportunities in real estate don’t wait

But also we don’t position ourselves to have access to the best opportunities

The exiting part is that there is a one size fits all solution

It’s education

It’s having conversations with experts in real estate

To understand the opportunities they have access to 

To understand the timelines 

And to ultimately invest if the project resonates

Here’s a simple example

Last week I messaged a few clients

In less than a week we have $1,700,000 in soft commitments 

People looking to invest if everything makes sense

If we’re able to answer all their questions

And address all their concerns

It’s not a done deal

To be clear

They haven’t invested yet

But the idea of people saying they’ll invest 

The idea that people have money sitting on the sidelines 

Can feel surreal

Especially if you’ve never invested in real estate before

Many of these people have been working with me for 5+ years

Easily made over 1,000,000+ 

Passively

They’ve:
1- Learnt the strategy
2- Seen the results
3- Passively scaled beyond belief

This doesn’t happen overnight

It happens by booking a call

By taking one step

If you’re curious to learn more

The link is below my name

At the top of this post

Speak soon

Here’s the problem

Most people have it wrong

They think they need more money

More time

Or more experience 

Before they can build wealth 

But that’s not the case

I recently had a conversation with a commercial real estate professional 

And here's what it boiled down to:
“If you’re young, the smartest move you can make is buying a duplex, triplex, or fourplex. 

I don’t know a better financial investment to get someone started.”

What he’s talking about is called house hacking 

Here’s why his perspective is valuable:
• You’re leveraging the bank’s money, not just your savings
 • You’re building cash flow, not just theory
 • You’re creating a foundation for generational wealth, not short-term hype

Yet most people do the opposite

They spend years “preparing"

Watching tutorials

Reading books

Taking notes

All useful… but none of it builds wealth by itself

At some point, you have to stop studying and start taking action

And that’s exactly what we broke down in my newest episode with Joseph Gozlan, The Retail Navigator 

How to Build Wealth with Commercial Real Estate (Step-by-Step)

We got into:
 • How to start with rental properties
 • How to scale into commercial deals
 • How to maximize cash flow
 • And how real estate builds generational wealth in a way most people don’t realize

If you’re serious about getting ahead financially 

Check out the conversation 

The link is in the comments

If you’re not sure where to start

DM me

Managing Principal @ Eureka Business Group, Published Author & Speaker, CRE Investor & DFW Retail Expert. Leverage our hands-on experience and market insight to accelerate your wealth through strategic retail investments

Adam did everything right

40 years at one company

$5.2M in his 401k

Goes to sleep satisfied

Wakes up

It was all a dream

Omar?

Healthcare renewal arrives

15.48% increase

$327 more per month

He shrugs

Raises his rental properties 3%

That’s $420 extra per month

Already ahead

After helping 277+ people generate $14.9M+ in passive income

I’ve seen this pattern hundreds of times:

Adams wait for security

Omars build it

Healthcare costs jump?

Omar’s rental income jumps

Inflation hits?

His properties appreciate

The system that breaks Adam

Makes Omar stronger

Adam plays defense

Omar owns assets that grow with costs

Not against them

I’ve helped increase net worth by $31.9M+

Not by telling people to save more

But by showing them what Omar knows:

You don’t beat inflation

You grow with it

Most people know this

Few do it

That’s the gap I help cross

DM me “OMAR” if you’re ready to stop dreaming and start building

Let’s stop pretending

Real estate doesn’t work for everyone 

Most people aren’t avoiding real estate because it’s hard

They’re avoiding it because it feels unclear

No roadmap

No starting point

Just information overload 

And when things feel unclear

People freeze

I've helped 277+ people build $14.9M in passive income

And every single one had the same fear at the beginning

"Where do I even start?"

Let me share what I wish someone told me 10 years ago:
The difference between those investing and those waiting?

One Google search

One phone call

One property tour

That's it…

One step

Because here's the truth about real estate:
You don’t need to know everything 

You don't need to understand cap rates on day one

You don't need $100K sitting in the bank

You don't need to time the market perfectly

You just need to take one action

Just one

The 50% already investing?

They're not smarter than you

They just stopped waiting for the perfect time

And started with imperfect action

They started by learning

So they could reduce risk

So here's my challenge for you:

Pick one:
* Tour an investment property this week
* Join a real estate meetup
* Schedule a 15-minute call with someone who invests

One action that helps you strategically build wealth

If you're unsure how to do this 

DM me "START"

I'll break it down even further 

And help you take your first step

Nobody likes hearing this

But it's the truth about making more money

The real barrier isn't strategy

It's what you believe you're worth

I had a conversation with Katarina Polonska on my podcast

She said something profound:

Most people don't hit their income ceiling because of tactical limitations

It’s because of emotional ones

Not feeling worthy

Not feeling "ready"

Not wanting the responsibility 

Not trusting themselves to handle it

People don't fear making money

They fear what money demands from them:

More visibility

More decisions

More expectations

More pressure

So they hover

They hesitate

They pull back right when they should push forward

Not because they can't scale

But because part of them doesn't feel safe scaling

You can't build a bigger life from a foundation of fear

You can't pursue abundance while believing you're not worthy

You can't reach for more if you don't feel safe where you are

Real growth only happens when your nervous system feels stable enough to allow it

Safety creates capacity

Capacity builds confidence

Confidence drives growth

When you release the blocks, everything opens up:

You think clearer

You take bigger swings

You stop self-sabotaging

And opportunities you used to miss suddenly become obvious

Your next level isn't waiting on luck

It's waiting on alignment

After helping 277+ people make $14.9M+ in passive income

I've seen this pattern repeatedly

The ones who scale fastest aren't the smartest

They're the ones who dealt with their internal blocks first

But honestly

All of this is easier said than done

And that’s the power of the right team

It makes things effortless

Check out full episode with Katarina Polonska on Youtube 

Link in the comments

Helping executives fix their marriages, relationships & love life - without regret, drama & risk | University of Oxford MSt | Relationship Strategist | Secure Leadership | Build True High-Performance | Podcast Host

You can't hit a target you can't see.

On Friday I asked: "Financially, do you know how much is 'enough'?"

The responses were telling.

Knowing your number isn't just helpful.

It's everything.

After helping 277+ people generate $14.9M+ in passive income, I've watched the same pattern:

Those without a clear target wander for years.

Those with one build wealth systematically.

Not know your number is like driving at night with no headlights.

You're moving.

You're busy.

But you have no idea where you’re going.

Last week, I sat with a client who'd been investing for 15 years.

Smart guy.

Good income.

Multiple properties.

But when I asked his target?

Silence.

We did the math together:

𝗖𝘂𝗿𝗿𝗲𝗻𝘁 𝗺𝗼𝗻𝘁𝗵𝗹𝘆 𝗲𝘅𝗽𝗲𝗻𝘀𝗲𝘀: Track every dollar for 30 days

𝗗𝗲𝘀𝗶𝗿𝗲𝗱 𝗹𝗶𝗳𝗲𝘀𝘁𝘆𝗹𝗲 𝗰𝗼𝘀𝘁𝘀: What you actually want, not what you think sounds good

𝗕𝘂𝗳𝗳𝗲𝗿 𝗳𝗼𝗿 𝗹𝗶𝗳𝗲: Kids, healthcare, the unexpected

*His freedom number:* Way less than he thought.

And he was already 60% there.

15 years of investing blind.

When he could've been done in 5 with clarity.

The math is simpler than you think:

𝗦𝘁𝗲𝗽 𝟭: 𝗬𝗼𝘂𝗿 𝘀𝘂𝗿𝘃𝗶𝘃𝗮𝗹 𝗻𝘂𝗺𝗯𝗲𝗿
What you need to keep the lights on.

Basic expenses, nothing extra

𝗦𝘁𝗲𝗽 𝟮: 𝗬𝗼𝘂𝗿 𝗰𝗼𝗺𝗳𝗼𝗿𝘁 𝗻𝘂𝗺𝗯𝗲𝗿 
Current lifestyle maintained.

No downgrades, no stress.

𝗦𝘁𝗲𝗽 𝟯: 𝗬𝗼𝘂𝗿 𝗱𝗿𝗲𝗮𝗺 𝗻𝘂𝗺𝗯𝗲𝗿
The life you actually want.

Travel, experiences, giving back.

Most people guess at these.

The ones who build wealth calculate them.

Multiply your comfort number by 1.5.

That's your monthly passive income target.

Why 1.5?

Because life happens.

And inflation never stops.

Once you have this number, everything changes:

Every investment gets measured against it.

Every opportunity becomes binary - does this get me closer or not?

Every month you can track real progress.

Without it?

You're just collecting assets and hoping.

The most dangerous investor isn't the one who takes big risks.

It's the one chasing "more" with no definition of enough.

They buy everything.

Build nothing.

And wonder why they never feel secure.

Today, grab a notebook.

Calculate these three numbers:
- Survival
- Comfort 
- Dream

Then ask yourself:

How much monthly passive income gets me to comfort?

That's your real target.

Not some arbitrary net worth.

Not what sounds impressive.

Your actual freedom number.

Share your monthly target below.

Not to brag.

But to make it real.

Because a target you don't declare is just a wish.

If you want help calculating your exact number...

And a roadmap to hit it...

DM me "TARGET"

I'll show you how my clients go from guessing to knowing.

And from knowing to building.

Nobody wants to hear this

But there immense power in knowing

No matter what you do

People will always criticize you

Become wealthy → "All you care about is money"
Stay broke → "You’re lazy"

Work 80 hours → "No work-life balance"
Work 40 hours → "You're not hustling hard enough"

Be generous → "You're buying friends"
Keep to yourself → "You're selfish"

Post on LinkedIn → "You're desperate for attention"
Stay quiet → "You're not building your brand"

I spent years chasing the impossible

Trying to make everyone happy

Here's the truth:

You'll never win playing by other people's rules

This is a crazy realization

The kind that shifts everything 

I stopped conforming to the mold

And started scaling on my terms  

It was life changing

That’s how I built Freedom

Not the Instagram version

The real version

Freedom to pick up my kids from school

Freedom to take a random Tuesday off

Freedom to work because I want to, not because I have to

My foundation has been real estate

Not because it was trendy

Not to impress anyone

But because it made sense

It is a safe and solid foundation for

After helping 277+ people make $14.9M+ in passive income

I've learned something profound:

The people who build real wealth don't care what others think

They care about one thing:

Building a life where their time belongs to them

So here's my question:

How many more years will you spend trying to impress people who don't pay your bills?

If you're ready to stop performing for an audience that's never satisfied

And start building income that works while you sleep

DM me "FREEDOM"

Let's talk about how to make this next year different from last

On Friday I asked a simple question and the responses were revealing...

"What's your investing philosophy?"

Here's how the votes landed:

38% – Buy and hold forever
38% – Diversify everything
21% – Focus on one thing
3% – Wait for perfect timing

Here's what surprised most people:

After helping 277+ people invest over $62M and generate $14.9M+ in passive income...

80%+ of their wealth came from one investing approach:

Focus on one thing.

Typically investing in the stock market

Not because diversification is "bad"

But because it’s hard to get access to things outside the stock market 

It’s hard to build strategically 

The other ~20% are diversified 

But it almost seems spread out arbitrarily in the name of diversification

Trying to be in stocks, crypto, real estate, and their cousin's startup

All at once

And they wonder why their net worth barely moves

Here's what actually works:

Pick one primary investment vehicle (for me, it's real estate)

Go deep until you actually understand the risks and levers

Build a repeatable system instead of chasing the next shiny thing

Then diversify out of strength, not fear

The 277+ people I've helped?

They didn't start with complex portfolios

They started with one focused strategy

A strategy to target the weaknesses in their portfolio 

Once they hit $1M, $2M, $5M in that one vehicle

Then they diversified

But here's the kicker:

Even after diversifying, 70-80% of their wealth stays in their primary vehicle

Because that's where they have the knowledge

The relationships

The edge

If your portfolio feels "diversified"

But your net worth isn't really moving

You might not have a diversification problem

You might have a focus problem

Curious which approach makes sense for your situation?

Drop your current philosophy in the comments

Or send me a DM with the word "FOCUS"

And I'll share how I help people build wealth

Financially, do you know how much is “enough”?

You don't need to be perfect

You just need to be real

I have the craziest conversations online

Here’s how you can use my experiences to grow

People book calls with me for all sorts of reasons

Sometimes it’s because they want to make money passively in real estate

Most of the time, it’s because they think I understand them

Here’s how I approach these calls:
Salaam / Hi [name], how can I help?

I actively listen to their concerns

I try to help

Here’s a practical example:
A guy is inheriting a business from his father

His net worth is increasing by $2,000,000+ overnight

His debt load is skyrocketing

He doesn’t want to have any debt

He’s managing intra-family and Inter-generational communication / vision gaps

In theory, nothing I talk about online addresses this

(Until this post, I guess)

But these are all challenges I am equipped to talk about

Not because of some degree

But because of life experience

So, we chart out a path to help him

A few weeks later, we have another call

More clarity, more steps

But still no call to action to invest

At some point, I clarify why:
“Listen, you’ve asked what you can do for me

Honestly, right now - nothing

You have a lot on your plate

Focus on that

In a few years, when things stabilize and you’re making more money than you know what to do with

Reach out to me, and we’ll talk about how to strategically invest.”

We live in a world of instant gratification

If you’ve read my posts, they’re anything but instant

The point is to help you learn and grow on your terms

Not to push a product

If you’re looking to learn and grow

But don’t know where to start

Comment ‘2M’ 

I’ll send you a link

Most people don’t have a money problem. They have an awareness problem.

How would you describe your current relationship with money?


After helping 277+ people invest $62,100,000+ 

And generate $14,900,000+ in passive income

I've noticed everyone falls into one of these camps:

What's your investing philosophy?
• Buy and hold forever
• Diversify everything 
• Focus on one thing
• Wait for perfect timing

(Hint: Only one of these created 90% of my clients' wealth)

Which one has actually made you money?

Grow Your Cashflow

Grow Your Cashflow helps accredited investors ($3M+ net worth) build diversified passive income portfolios through strategic, cash-flowing alternative investments. Our mission is to simplify investing, empower financial freedom, and enable our clients to live life on their terms.

What We Do:
→ High Cash Flow Investments: Deliver consistent monthly income by focusing on opportunities in real estate, private equity, and other alternative assets.

→ Strategic Partnerships: Partner exclusively with top-tier operators to ensure stability and expertise. We invest in every deal alongside our clients, aligning interests and building trust.

→ Hands-On Guidance & Transparency: Provide end-to-end support—from deal analysis to execution—helping investors navigate the complexities of alternative investments confidently.

Key Achievements:
→ Helped clients generate over $120,000/yr in monthly passive income.
→ Curated a portfolio of 6+ vetted investment opportunities in 2023 alone.
→ Built partnerships with operators managing over $5 billion in assets.

How We Help:
→ Eliminate the stress of managing volatile markets by offering reliable, cash-flowing investments.
→ Build portfolios tailored to each investor’s financial goals.
→ Empower investors to reclaim time and freedom while building wealth.

👉 Ready to start building your financial independence?

Message me directly or sign up for your free Passive Income Starter Kit (link in bio).

Founder & CEO

Pascal Wagner Holdings

Pascal Wagner Holdings is my personal investment and advisory portfolio, focused on high-yield real estate investments, high-growth startups, and alternative assets. My portfolio reflects a strategic approach to wealth building through diversified investments and trusted partnerships.

Advisory Roles
Serve as Board Member/Observer for:
→ Forecastr (forecastr.co) – Financial forecasting software for startups.
→ Cubby Beds (cubbybeds.com) – Transformative sleeping solutions for children with special needs.


Investment Portfolio
Pre-IPO and Angel Investments:
→ Forecastr – Financial modeling for startups.
→ Enaia – Innovative tech solutions for scaling startups.
→ SpaceX – Space exploration and advanced transportation.
→ Stripe – Online payment processing for internet businesses.
→ PadSplit – Affordable shared housing for workforce tenants.
→ Sheets & Giggles – Sustainable eucalyptus bedding products.
→ Machinery Partner – Equipment marketplace for small contractors.
→ Favs – Community-driven e-commerce recommendations platform.


Real Estate Investments (Co-Living Capital):
→ Built a portfolio of 11 co-living properties in Atlanta, Georgia, generating sustainable monthly cash flow.
→ Developed rental models achieving 90%+ occupancy rates by transforming underutilized assets into vibrant, cash-flowing communities.


Real Estate Funds:
→ Oil & Gas: LCP Chocwell 10A.
→ ATMs: Real Asset Investor – Fund 5.
→ Self-Storage: Reliant Capital Management – Fund 3.
→ Debt Funds: DLP Capital – Debt Lending Fund, Preferred Credit Fund.
→ Multi-Family: Rise at Suncrest, Cardone Capital – Fund 20, Quantum Capital – Highland Park & Penn.

Founder

Techstars

As Fund & Portfolio Manager at Techstars, I led the deployment of $150 million across three years, investing in over 200 high-potential early-stage startups. My role involved creating scalable systems to identify, evaluate, and invest in top-tier opportunities, ensuring strategic allocation across diverse industries and geographies.

Key Achievements:
→ Capital Deployment: Oversaw the allocation of $150 million in venture capital investments, driving portfolio growth and targeting startups with exceptional scalability and market potential.

→ Deal Sourcing & Evaluation: Developed a comprehensive system to analyze thousands of startups, enabling efficient decision-making and ensuring investments focused on the most promising companies.

→ Board Participation & Founder Mentorship: Provided hands-on support to portfolio companies as a board member, guiding founders on growth strategies, fundraising, and operational improvements.

→ Portfolio Value Creation: Played a critical role in securing equity positions in high-growth startups, aligning investments with Techstars’ strategy and contributing to a high-performing portfolio.

Fund & Portfolio Manager

Walkthrough (a PlanOmatic brand)

After buying & selling 4 properties, I realized how backwards and outdated the real estate industry was. 

I searched on Google & Yelp for photographers, inspectors & appraisers only to find many of them couldn't help me within the next 3 weeks to meet a deadline. After 15 phone calls and hours of searching I finally found someone who could meet with me in 2 weeks but they would only accept checks and took their sweet time getting everything I needed back to me. 

In the age of being able to instantly book a ride (Uber) or vet different places to stay (AirBnB), I knew there was a great opportunity to bring the industry to the 21st century. 

To solve these problems, at Walkthrough we enabled agents (and any other home owners) to book the services they needed, when they needed it, and at the best price without sacrificing quality. All of this was done through an easy online app, filled with reviews & instant booking.

We built what I wish I had when I bought & sold my first few properties. I went on to sell the company to a national photography firm called PlanOmatic in 2019. 

---Here are a few things I accomplished---
‣ Pre-sold $5,000 in orders from customers before any code was written or product existed.

‣ Grew Walkthrough from $0 to $10,000+/mo in revenue in 6 months and ultimately to above $55,000+/mo from 3,000+ customers.

‣ Scaled the company from just an idea to 47 team members and launched 6 markets. 

‣ Tested 27+ acquisition channels before focusing on a channel that repeatedly converted at a 33% conversion rate with a ~$30 CAC.

‣ Raised $2M+ in funding, directly managed 3 engineers and an 8 person operations team, as well as negotiated & led the company to an acquisition.

‣ 3x company learning speed by introducing the ‘Northstar' growth framework and running 1 experiment per team member per week.

‣ Used the weekly ‘Traction’ framework to align the Support team to reduce ‘time to ticket resolution’ from 40 hrs down to ~4.5 hrs in less than 12 weeks.

Chief Executive Officer

Online Ad Labs (Acquired by PosterBrain)

I helped ecommerce businesses who advertised on Facebook get a higher return on their ad spend. 

Some of these companies we're pretty awesome to work with like Barbell Shrugged, The Amazing Seller, Inflowstyle, and the multimillion dollar brands Masterclass, Mahabis, & BC-Loans. 

After reading "Work The System" by Sam Carpenter I systematized everything and then grew the team to 5 people. It allowed me to live the 4 hour work week, live in Bali and travel all across Asia for 9 months. 

I learned how to hire & manage people, build processes & procedures, and how to fire clients that I didn't like to work with.  Thankfully, I was lucky enough to build something someone else thought was valuable. In June of 2016 I sold the company and moved on to bigger and more inspiring projects.

---Here are a few things I've accomplished here---
‣ Signed & managed 54 contracts with advertising budgets totaling over $1,200,000 delivering on the Facebook & Google platforms.

‣ Grew the team to 5 members and systematized operations to be turn-key, ultimately leading us to an acquisition.

‣ Increased ROI on Ad Spend by 7x for ~80% of the 54 companies we took on (typically reducing their cost per lead from ~$8 to below ~$1) through proper copywriting & detailed customer segmentation.

Elevate Mastermind

After graduating college I realized that a lot of my success would be determined by the people I surrounded myself with. I didn't know many entrepreneurs that could be my support system so I pulled in a few friends to help me organize an event to meet all of the entrepreneurs I had been following on "the internet" for the last several years. 

I rented a huge mansion in Breckenridge to throw our event in the first year, and then found a beach house in Bahamas the 2nd year. Somehow I managed to figure out how to have my favorite entrepreneurs buy tickets to attend an event put on by me - some random guy who just graduated college. The flow of the event focused on building deep relationships so instead of sitting around conference tables, we went on adventures, had snowball fights and went deep sea fishing together. 

I now have a solid new group of people I can call friends that have helped me achieve and become the man I am today.

Co-Founder

NotaryElite

Sick of trading time for money, I went through a program called The Foundation which taught the fundamentals of how to start a software company (i.e. building a product instead of a service).

I got on the phone with Notaries (I don't even remember how I fell into this niche) asking them what their problems were, what solutions to those problems could be, how much they'd pay to have those problems solved, and then somehow convinced several of them to pay me 6 months up front for a discount so I could use their money to build their dream product. 

I called it NotaryElite. It was my first crack at building a software company which answered calls on a notaries behalf and scheduled appointments for them in their calendar while they were unable to answer the phone on the road or in meetings. 

I was super proud of building this company - it took a lot of sweat and hustle to get this off the ground but maybe a little too late, I realized the probability of ever earning more than $10k in revenue per month with our product was extremely unlikely because the market size was too small. 

Lesson learned.

You better believe I'll do my research of market potential before starting any new company in the future.

Pünkt IT Consulting

This was my first step up after selling candy bars between classes for $0.50 profit in high school (which apparently is pretty illegal) to buy my first macbook. 

With the goal of making ends meet and graduating college debt free, I helped local companies build websites, provided them web hosting, and had my first shot at helping companies with Facebook marketing. I even fixed a few computers and ran a computer tech shop. 

It was the first time I learned to sell to businesses, write an invoice, charge ahead of time for my services instead of chasing people for payments, and learned what it was like to trade time for money.

Everyone wants to build passive income, and I figured out how.

With over $250K/year in passive income from 30+ investments, years of venture capital experience deploying $150M at Techstars, and a proven system, I can help you build a reliable cash-flowing portfolio (without spending years figuring it out).

→ In 2020: I started from scratch with $0 in passive income.
→ In 2021: I took on the responsibility of managing my family’s finances after losing my dad, ensuring my mom could retire with peace of mind.
→ In 2024: I built a $250K/year portfolio and helped 10+ executives start their journey to financial freedom.

I’ve worked with busy, high-earning professionals to eliminate stress from volatile markets, create passive income portfolios tailored to their goals, and regain time for what matters most.

Here's how I can help you:
→ Download my Passive Investing Starter Kit—trusted by 1,000+ investors. It’s your first step to building a reliable cash-flowing portfolio. (Link in bio)

→ Join the Cashflow Academy to learn how to create your own investment thesis, find pre-vetted opportunities, and start generating passive income.

→ Explore Curated Investments with exclusive access to pre-vetted opportunities, including multifamily real estate, high-yield funds, and alternative assets with built-in tax advantages.


If you're not ready for any of that yet, no worries! Stick around—I share insights on investing smarter, building passive income, and creating a portfolio that works for you.

See you on the feed 👋.

Pascal Wagner

Want to avoid losing $50,000+ on your next real estate deal?

Here are the 4 assumptions that will make or break your returns — and most investors never stress-test them.

We all (should) know that projections are just guesses.
But these 4 variables have the biggest impact on the outcome of a deal.

From reviewing 1,000+ commercial real estate deals, here’s what consistently moves the numbers the most:

1) Rent Growth Projections

Are they assuming modest rent bumps or aggressive increases?

You can cross-check their numbers in 5 minutes using YoY rent data on Zillow or Reventure.

If their assumptions outpace the actual market, that’s not a business plan — that’s optimism.

2) Occupancy Rates

Are they projecting occupancy above the market average?

If yes, how are they getting there?

→ Lower rents?
→ Better amenities?
→ Stronger execution?

If they can’t articulate it clearly, don’t trust the projection.

3) Exit Interest Rates

What rate are they assuming when they sell or refinance?

A lot can change in 5 years.

If the returns only work when rates fall… that’s not underwriting — that’s hope.

4) Operating Expense Growth

Are they assuming realistic increases for insurance, taxes, maintenance, and other operating costs?

In many markets, the biggest expense lines — especially insurance and maintenance — have been rising 4–8% per year, not the old 2–3% underwriting standard.

If they assume flat expenses, the deal’s in trouble before it starts.

And the best part?
These are all 5-minute checks you can run on any deal.

You don’t need hours of research — just a simple stress test.

A deal might “look great” on paper…
but if the assumptions are off, your actual results can look very different.

Am I missing anything? What else do you check before investing?

Sharing How I Built $250K+/Year Portfolio with 30+ Investments | Best Ever CRE Podcast Host (200K+ Monthly Listeners) | Ex-VC @Techstars, Deployed $150M in 3 Years | Join 1K+ Investors Using My Free Starter Kit👇

A few things I’ve been reflecting on as we head into Thanksgiving:

1) Living in Miami

Miami has honestly been such a gift. The pace, the energy, the weather, the people — it’s a city that makes you feel alive and pushes you to dream bigger. I didn’t expect to love it this much.

2) More time with family

I got to see my mom a couple times this year. Those trips weren’t long, but they meant a lot. The older I get, the more I realize how rare it is to get time like that back.

3) Trips with Ashley

Getting away together — even just for a weekend — has been a reset button for both of us. Some of my favorite memories from this year came from those small windows where it was just the two of us.

4) The team around me

This year, a few people stepped up in big ways. It’s hard to put into words how much that matters when you’re building something that feels bigger than you. I’m grateful for the people in my corner.

5) Taking a bet on myself

I built a mentorship program from scratch and turned it into a real consulting revenue stream. It took longer and required more belief than I expected, but I’m genuinely proud of it.

→ As the year winds down, I’m taking time to reflect, simplify, and double down on what’s already working.

Do less — but better.

And keep improving the things that are already moving in the right direction.

Everyone was loading up their Amazon carts yesterday…

I loaded up on Bitcoin.

Didn’t realize Cyber Monday came with a BTC sale—down almost 5% this week.

Better than 99% of the deals I scrolled past.

Not sure what I was doing all these years. 😂

Ever driven past a parking lot and wondered who owns it — or how much it actually makes?

I recently sat down with Kevin Bupp, founder of Sunrise Capital Investors, to break down one of the most overlooked (and surprisingly profitable) niches in commercial real estate: parking.

Kevin’s team has acquired more than $400M in assets — including 4,000 mobile home parks and $150M in parking garages and surface lots across the country. With 20+ years of experience and multiple market cycles under his belt, he explains why he’s doubling down on this niche… and why almost no LPs are watching it.

Here’s what we covered:
 ✅ Why parking lots often outperform multifamily on a hassle-to-return basis
 ✅ How Sunrise blends mobile home parks and parking assets in one fund to balance steady cash flow with long-term appreciation
 ✅ The macro trends driving supply compression and stable demand in parking
 ✅ How self-driving technology, urban redevelopment, and zoning shifts could transform this overlooked sector
 ✅ Why “highest and best use” can create asymmetric upside for investors
 ✅ The biggest mistakes LPs make when evaluating alternative asset classes

If you’re an LP looking for stable, tax-advantaged income and diversification beyond multifamily, this conversation will show you how institutional investors are quietly repositioning capital toward these low-volatility, cash-flow-driven assets.

YouTube link in the comments 👇

It’s surprising how much your life improves when you stack tiny habits.
 
A few things quietly made my life better this year:
 
1) Walking more
 
When I moved to Miami, I told myself, “Alright, I’m ready to step up and finally get a six-pack.”
 
At the time, I was averaging around 7,500 steps a day. Nothing too impressive.
 
Then I bought a walking pad for my desk and started walking during one meeting a week.
Then two.
Then most of them.
 
Now I regularly hit 12–15k steps a day without thinking about it.
 
I look leaner, I feel better, and it’s honestly one of the easiest habits I've ever built. 
 
(Photos to come soon 😉)
 
Wild how such a simple thing can change your whole baseline.
 
2) Treating social media like a craft
 
This one surprised me too.
 
Posting consistently takes time and effort — way more than people think — but it’s been worth it.
 
Every single client I’ve worked with this year came from social.
 
On LinkedIn, I’ve been growing around 350 followers a month.
On YouTube, my videos now get 300+ views in the first week.
 
It’s been fun to learn, fun to iterate, and fun to feel like I’m finally getting the hang of it.
 
It’s starting to feel like a real skill.
 
3) Building momentum slowly
 
Not everything has to be sprint → burnout → repeat.
 
Some things get better when you show up a little bit every day and let the reps stack.
 
Walking more.
Creating more.
 
Being a little more visible.
Just nudging things forward.
 
None of it is flashy.
But it’s working.
 
Can you tell?

Bitcoin just dropped 30% — from around $126K to the low-$80Ks.

Whenever we get a move like this, I catch myself doing the same thing:

I start digging. Charts, articles, graphs… anything that helps me double-check whether I still understand why I own this.

A lot of my friends say the same thing every time:

→ “I don’t get Bitcoin. It doesn’t cash-flow. What’s the value here?”

I used to ask that too.

But then you step back and look at what’s actually happening around us:

→ The dollar losing ~25% of its purchasing power in five years
→ Government spending exploding
→ Savings getting quietly eroded
→ A financial system that chips away at you slowly

At some point, owning a scarce, non-sovereign asset starts to feel less like speculation… and more like insurance.

Bitcoin isn’t perfect.
It’s volatile.
It’s frustrating.
It doesn’t send distributions.

But it does protect you from something every investor underestimates:
→ your dollars getting diluted while you sleep.

Here’s one of the pieces I revisited this week during the drop:
https://lnkd.in/ebaPBZG5

Did you hold through this move?
Or did it make you second-guess things?

Open article: Part 1: Coup to Code - The End Run Around the Fed by marylandhodl.substack.com

Part 1: Coup to Code - The End Run Around the Fed

Everyone wants more affordable housing. 

But no one wants it in their backyard.

That’s the core issue no one in real estate wants to talk about.

People say they want lower rents.

They say they want to “solve the housing crisis.”

But the moment you try to put an actual solution next to them…

Like co-living, micro-units, or shared housing…

They fight it. 

I’ve been looking a lot into why we have an affordable housing crisis, and the more I dig, the more obvious it gets:

 It's NIMBYism. 

"Not in my backyard." 

No one wants a house next to them that has bedrooms added by dividing living rooms, dining rooms, or garages.

They don’t want micro-units.

They don’t want co-living.

They don’t want anything that looks like it’s meant for someone who isn’t a top-echelon high earner.

Because there’s a stigma:

Micro-units = slumlords, crime, mental illness, drugs, homelessness, and overcrowding.

And because of that, cities make it nearly impossible to build them.

→ Look at Seattle.

Back in 2012, they allowed micro-apartments.

Developers actually started building them to spec.

Then the city slowly raised the minimum square footage you had to have per bedroom…

And then, a couple years in, they changed the zoning to basically not even allow them.

It’s wild.

There are plenty of people (myself included) who would build these structures.

But regulation blocks it.

Not economics or demand. 

But red tape from cities. 
 
→ So how do you solve the problem?

A few ideas: 

1). Stop pretending you can fix affordability without changing zoning.

2). Call NIMBYism what it is: “I want solutions, just not where I can see them.”

 3). Let developers build smaller units instead of forcing luxury square footage.

 4). Recognize that micro-units work in Asia, Europe, New York (and they can work here, too).

 5). Stop raising design requirements after builders already commit to projects.

Until something changes, we’re stuck in the same loop:

People say they want affordable housing....

They’re just not willing to live near it.

Writing on LinkedIn almost every day has been way harder than I expected.

Most mornings I’m asking myself:

“Do I actually have something worth saying today… or am I about to break the streak?”

I’m not doing it to “build an audience.”
I’m doing it because distribution is leverage—and the ability to communicate clearly online is only becoming more valuable.

But the process is messy.

I worry about sounding dumb.
Or watching something that felt sharp in my head fall apart on the page.

I’ve tried writers.
I’ve tried systems.
Still—my best ideas arrive late at night.

ChatGPT helps, but not by writing for me.
It helps me see my own thinking.

I’ll read a draft and immediately feel,
“Wait… that’s not quite right. What did I really mean?”

That’s when the real work begins—pulling on the deeper thread I almost skipped.
And here’s the surprising thing I’ve learned:

Your voice doesn’t appear fully formed.
You find it by publishing imperfect work in public.

It’s uncomfortable.
It’s messy.
But it’s also how you grow.

If you’ve ever considered sharing your thoughts more often, I’d encourage it.

The reps don’t just improve your writing—they sharpen how you think.

You've invested $250K across 5 deals.

But you still don't have a plan.

Some tax plays here. 
A little equity growth there. 
A syndication your friend told you about.

And now you're wondering why it all feels disconnected.

I've been there.

A few years ago, I was doing the same thing. 

Not gambling — just evaluating each deal in isolation instead of as part of a full strategy.

I only invested in things I believed were high quality:

→ Real estate in downtown Denver (because I knew the area)

→ Funds from well-known operators (because I didn't want to lose money)

→ Passive deals through my friend group (because I wanted to spread the risk)

I was investing in what I had access to...

But the market shifted, and the plan I had wasn’t designed for the conditions we ended up facing.

So if you've built your strategy from podcasts and LinkedIn posts, I get it. 

But you're not positioned to win, either.

→ Because when you invest without a plan, your portfolio isn't optimized for what you actually need. 

Maybe you need cash flow now, but half your capital is locked up in long-term equity plays.

That's why you need to ask yourself some hard questions:

→ What do I want my portfolio to look like in 5 years?
→ How do I balance cash flow vs. equity growth?
→ How do I know which deals fit my goals?

At the time, I wasn’t asking those questions yet — because my plan was built for a different stage.

And it left me with capital tied up in deals I wished I could reallocate.

But now I know better.

I'm not falling in love with deals that look good on paper.

Instead, I'm creating a structured portfolio with:

→ Targeted equity positions with clear upside
→ Monthly cash flow from low-volatility debt funds
→ Diversification across operators and asset classes

Don't wait until your portfolio underperforms to realize you needed a strategy from the start.

It’s the end of the year… 

You’ve made great income,
Your CPA mentioned you need depreciation, 
And every operator is promising massive write-offs.

But before you wire that $100K, here’s the truth: not all write-offs actually lower your taxes the way you think they do.

In this solo episode of The Passive Income Playbook, Pascal Wagner breaks down the 3 types of income the IRS recognizes — and how to align your investments so the write-offs you earn actually hit your tax return.

After personally investing $3.3M across 23 private deals, and managing capital professionally at Techstars ($150M deployed), Pascal shares the framework that turned one painful $40K tax surprise into a repeatable system for year-end planning.

Most investors chase “tax-advantaged” deals without understanding which bucket their income sits in — active, portfolio, or passive.

Once you learn how they actually work, you’ll never look at write-offs the same way again.

In this episode, you’ll learn:
✅ The 3 income buckets the IRS uses — and why mixing them up kills your deductions
✅ How to know which type of investment actually affects your taxes
✅ The 3 rare ways to offset active income (and when they actually apply)
✅ Why depreciation only works if your income is in the passive bucket
✅ The real reason wealthy investors “stack” funds and real estate strategically
✅ How to engineer after-tax returns instead of chasing headline IRRs

If you’re looking at deals right now and wondering “Which of these will actually help my taxes?” — this episode shows you exactly how to tell before you invest.

Youtube link in comments👇

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The Battle

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Pascal Wagner

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Performance Score.css-goub6s{font-size:var(--chakra-fontSizes-md);font-weight:500;color:var(--chakra-colors-gray-600);display:block;margin-top:var(--chakra-space-1);}Mustafa Ladha's LinkedIn Performance

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