This is The Executive REI Show, so we talk about real estate. But it can be easy to stick our heads in the sand, focus only on real estate, and forget about other lucrative investment opportunities. That’s why we like to reach out and connect with people who have diverse backgrounds and projects then your “typical” real estate investor.
We brought Isaac Bennett onto a recent episode of The Executive REI Show for exactly this reason. Switching over from an extensive career in sales, Isaac now runs a company that focuses on holistically improving people’s lives. One avenue to do this is through investing, both in traditional real estate and alternative investment options.
Isaac shares why it’s important to go beyond real estate and investigate some alternatives. In doing so, investors can build an exciting and broad portfolio.
Isaac’s Story
Prior to starting his own company, Isaac had a 16-year career in sales. He started in car sales fresh out of high school, earning a valuable “life education,” as he put it. From there he worked for a decade in a company that sold mining products, which took him all over the world. His most recent job was as a VP of Sales, learning the ropes on the executive side.
After this long career in sales, Isaac and his wife felt the pull to start something of their own. They wanted to take the personal development work they were doing from 7:00-10:00 p.m. every day and turn it into a career. This developed into a holistic brand called YouAre: A People Brand. Under this umbrella, Isaac runs four agencies:
- YouAre l Well: Emphasis on health and wellness.
- YouAre l Home: Real estate services.
- YouAre l Abundant: Alternative investment opportunities.
- YouAre l Good: Philanthropic activities.
The motivation behind these agencies is to help people create their full, abundant life. Instead of just focusing on investments and earning money, it’s important to look at your whole life. Holistic health prioritizes things like wellness and philanthropy alongside investment and making money.
Why Sales Skills Matter
After a long career in sales, Isaac knows just how important this skillset is. In fact, he encourages anyone who does not have strong sales skills to ensure they partner with someone who does.
Sales skills are important for investors because it is primarily about creating relationships. And investing—especially in real estate—is a relationship business.
Isaac’s advice for people who want to grow in their sales skills is twofold:
- Talk to a lot of people. You need to get out in front of high-impact people, introduce yourself, and make connections. It can take a lot of energy to do this, but it is the only way you will build the relationship you need to open doors and opportunities.
- Stop talking about yourself. To be successful in both sales and relationships, you need to understand the benefits of Aim to ask questions around 90% of the time and then intently listen to the answer. This makes you more likeable to people and helps you learn about them and their needs.
Sales and investing operate on a foundation of relationships to other people. So, keep this in mind and continue to become a better communicator (through listening!) and grow your network.
Real Estate & Alternative Investments
Through his real estate agency and syndication company, Isaac holds a variety of asset classes. Along with traditional assets like multi-family homes, he holds a few creative alternative assets. Some of these include:
- The rights to songs. Fun fact: Isaac’s company owns the rights to “Whip My Hair” by Willow Smith! Talk about an interesting party icebreaker.
- Mobile home parks.
- International (Belize) high-end resorts.
These are just some of the creative alternatives to real estate. There is an educational hurdle for many people to embrace them because they just don’t understand them. But it can be beneficial to diversify your assets.
Beyond diversification, alternative assets can also provide better returns. It’s harder to find good real estate deals in some areas because of how expensive things are getting. Breaking out of the box and trying something new is a good strategy for investors looking to maximize their investments.
Even if it’s just a small part of your portfolio, try investing in something that no one else does! It adds interest, learning opportunities, and the chance for excellent returns.
Conclusion
Whether it’s real estate or the rights to a pop song—investors must be continual learners. That’s why Isaac’s number one advice is to learn how to ask questions and intently listen to the answers. Learn what you can and start exploring new and exciting alternative assets.
If you’re interested in the work Isaac does through YouAre, connect with him at www.apeoplebrand.com or on social media under the same name (A People Brand). And, if you want to follow along with what we’re up to with the podcast, check out our website at www.executivereishow.com.
