Chiseled Ep 130 - True Grit - Miriam McKinney

When Miriam McKinney got divorced in the early 2010s, she ended up in a financial hole. Depressed and broke, she wallowed a bit and wondered what to do with herself. But her self-pity didn't last long. As an already successful realtor, Miriam did what she advises her clients to do — invest in real estate."It's the best long-term investment; it's the best way for wealth. That's what we tell our clients," she said. "So, I knew that's how I could make up ground."Invest she did. But not before spending two years living a stoic life, turning down the finer things that her hometown of Asheville, North Carolina, offers, so she could squirrel away some savings and buy a property with cash.With her scrimping, Miriam was able to buy a foreclosure in 2014. She fixed it up, leased it to long-term renters, and sold it years later for double what she bought it. Then she did it again.Using investment strategies like a 1031 exchange, Miriam is now not just a realtor, but a highly successful investor with multiple properties."It's just one of those things that when you get a little bit of success and you have the mindset that 'I can do this, I got this,' then it's just like a snowball."Miriam says she relied on three things to push past her early fear — her faith, her experience as an educator, and her decision to surround herself with people who share her mindset, including fellow members of her "Buffini family" real estate coaching program."When you want to change your mindset, and if you've got goals, you have to surround yourself, you have to saturate yourself with other people ... (who) can help your mindset," she said.As an avid reader who is on a personal development journey that includes being a founding member of the John Maxwell certified coaching team, Miriam says she believes her purpose includes teaching investment strategies, particularly to women."Along my journey I have helped other people, encouraged other people, and shown them a path: how you do this, how you invest in real estate and become a millionaire, a multi-millionaire just by thinking long-term."Miriam's southern drawl and thoughtful responses to my questions may charm you into considering an investment strategy of your own. She is happy to help you get from where you are to where you want to be. You can learn more about her success and her process on this week's episode of Chiseled.