For a total of nine days in late October / early November 2012, David and I went on a road trip from our home in Michigan to and from Biloxi, Mississippi. We spent three days going down south and another three days coming back up north. It was a fantastic journey in more ways than one. The primary reason for the trip was for me to give a 10-minute speech to a group of World War II veterans (yes!), their families, and friends. During the entire road trip, we listened to a series of investment techniques by Ron LeGrand for the first time. We’ve known of Ron for quite some time since we began learning to invest in real estate. He is one of the few in the industry who actually developed and taught many of the real-estate-investment courses.
In my investing-blog post in September 2012, I said to beware of the so-called gurus. And I stand by that forewarning to you. That being said, having been exposed to many people in the do-it-yourself-investment industry for more than a decade, the level of respect Ron commands from just about everyone is exceptional. When I listened to his courses, I finally understood why. He is truly a guru who deserves the title in every sense of the word.
Due to years of training, David and I have at least some cursory knowledge about almost all aspects of investment techniques in terms of residential properties. My original ten-year plan in 2004, however, was to buy and hold for the long term – the simplest and most commonly known real-estate investment technique. The idea was to secure enough rental income – which should keep up with inflation – to not only replace my fixed-retirement income (pension and Social Security) but also enable me to pay medical expenses and/or insurance premiums out of pocket. Given our simple goal and funds to tap into, many of the other available real-estate-investment techniques did not apply to us over the years.
After the 2000 and 2008 market crashes, Wall Street’s credibility to keep our retirement accounts safe has been tarnished. Many of us who chose to pull money out of Wall Street – and went on a journey to remain financially free and independent – took yet another major hit; this time, on Main Street, U.S.A. David and I are no exceptions. The conditions on Main Street, in no small part, are being impacted by what happens on Wall Street. It is one thing to say, “We’re pulling money out of Wall Street.” This does not automatically get translated to mean, “I replaced the uncertainties of Wall Street with certainties of Main Street.” For sure, the degree of certainty increases – because we’re doing our own due diligence every step of the way and keeping a close eye on our investments. Yet, there still remain some elements that are beyond our control. The condition of the real-estate market, for instance, is an obvious example.
Because of the wide-spread ramifications of the current economic conditions, many consider the situation a crisis. The word “crisis” in my first language, Japanese, is “kiki.” The first character for “ki” (on the left) stands for danger; the second, for opportunity. In other words, whenever there is a crisis, the danger is accompanied by opportunities. In the midst of danger, those who are able to see these opportunities come out of the crisis stronger than ever.
Thanks to Ron’s in-depth experience in real-estate deals, coupled with his keen ability to synthesize what is happening in the economy, he sees unprecedented opportunities in the current economic crisis. The contents of his CDs, therefore, made such good sense to me. He is sharing his investment methods that work in today’s real-estate market to anyone who is willing to learn and implement. To those of us who are ready to do whatever it takes to remain financially free, he is a god-send. I am grateful that he is committed to helping those who are, in turn, committed to pulling ourselves out of the current economic crisis.
Unlike Bernie Madoff, Ron does not take our money and invest it on our behalf. Instead, he teaches us the techniques that he uses – so that we can do our own investing. In other words, he does not give you a fish; he teaches you how to fish. Does he make a lot of money doing what he does – teaching and helping people like me? Of course, he does! And I don’t have any problem with it. Neither should you. In fact, this is how a capitalistic society is supposed to work:
- You identify a major problem. (Problem = Opportunity)
- You address it head on by putting your brain to work.
- You figure out solutions to the problem.
- You profit from being of service to others as a problem solver.
Thankfully, many of the techniques that David and I learned from Ron’s CDs during our driving trip were refresher courses. Listening to them, I came to the conclusion that the service I can provide in today’s economy is to help solve real-estate problems. The best part is that there is no shortage of them today. I expect to be compensated well for the knowledge that I have gained over the last decade both from the training courses as well as actual experiences. As Ron says repeatedly about his business philosophy, I will help only those who truly need my help and if – and only if – my services result in a win-win solution for both parties.
For the life beyond my recently-published autobiography, “To America – With Profound Gratitude,” I’m determined to remain grateful to this country for the freedom I have been able to enjoy each and every day. Consequently, I’m not interested in placing blame elsewhere for the things that are not working well for me. I simply need to get my own act together and start making some serious money – to put my own business’s fiscal house back in order.
Perhaps I had to hit the bottom – as I have – to get serious about recovering from the losses. I’m excited about being part of the solution to the current economic crisis instead of being overwhelmed by it. What started out as my simple desire to remain free and independent during the market crash of 2000 is finally ready to start paying some dividends.
If you are having to raise cash, wholesaling real estate is probably one of the quickest and easiest methods to learn and implement. Check out Ron’s $1 Deal – Wholesaling Houses. I would recommend it BUT only to those of you who are driven to succeed, can discipline yourself to focus on one investment technique at a time until profitably implemented, and are willing to take responsibility for the outcome of the investment decisions you make.
Happy investing!
Disclosure of Material Connection: Some of the links in the post above are “affiliate links.” This means if you click on the link and purchase the item, I will receive an affiliate commission. Regardless, I only recommend products or services I use personally and believe will add value to my readers. I am disclosing this in accordance with the Federal Trade Commission’s 16 CFR, Part 255: “Guides Concerning the Use of Endorsements and Testimonials in Advertising.”
Disclaimer: I am neither a financial advisor nor an attorney. My posts are merely reflections of the experiences I have gained as an investor since the year 2000. Before you take any investment actions based on information contained within this and/or any other investing-blog posts, please consult with a fee-only, fiduciary-bound Certified Financial Advisor; a Certified Public Accountant; and/or an attorney who is an expert on the specific investment instrument that you decide to pursue. You are responsible for your own financial destiny.
