Profit First Chat: How to Determine Your ‘Owner’s Pay’ As A Real Estate Investor | Solocast E28

David Richter of Simple CFO breaks down one of the most practical questions real estate investors avoid: how to actually pay yourself first instead of paying everyone else and their mother. Drawing on the Profit First formula, he walks through the exact system for setting owner's pay when your income is unpredictable.This solo episode swaps the broken "sales minus expenses equals profit" model for the wealth formula and shows you how to build an owner's comp account that pays you consistently. If you're a real estate investor closing deals but feeling guilty about taking money out and wondering where all the cash went, this one is for you.Timeline Summary[0:26] – David opens with the hard truth that your business might be paying everyone except the person who built it[0:47] – Why the standard "sales minus expenses equals profit" formula keeps owners stuck in a rat race[1:40] – Waking up a decade into your business asking where all the money went[2:03] – The Profit First wealth formula flipped: sales minus profit equals expenses[2:23] – Why so many owners feel guilty taking money out of their own business[2:40] – Breaking down the three required components: sales, profit, and expenses in the right order[3:17] – The pay-yourself-first principle from Rich Dad Poor Dad and Robert Kiyosaki[3:36] – Lessons from The Richest Man in Babylon and The 7 Habits on putting first things first[3:57] – What margin actually means and why it's your financial safety buffer[4:32] – The simplest first step: open a separate owner's comp bank account today[5:02] – A real example of splitting $10,000 in income into consistent owner's pay[5:21] – Why the "black hole" single bank account keeps you from ever getting paid[6:15] – Building personal stability so the entrepreneurial roller coaster doesn't shake you[6:40] – Why an owner's comp account matters most when a spouse or family depends on you[7:05] – Finding your two key numbers: what you need and what you want[9:11] – Advice for W2 earners: build 6 to 12 months of reserves before making the jump5 Key TakeawaysFlip The Broken Formula — Stop using sales minus expenses equals profit. The wealth formula is sales minus profit equals expenses, so you pay yourself before you fund everything else.Open An Owner's Comp Account — Create a dedicated business checking account and route a set portion of every deal into it. This single move turns "pay yourself first" from a slogan into a habit.Know Your Need And Want Numbers — Pin down what you need monthly to cover your lifestyle, then what you want to fund your dreams. These two numbers give your owner's pay a target.Kill The Guilt Around Getting Paid — A dedicated account removes the guilt of pulling money out because it's earmarked for you. You built the business, and you deserve to be paid from it.Build Reserves Before You Leap — If you're still working a W2, stack 6 to 12 months of owner's comp reserves before quitting. Full-time investors should hold 3 to 6 months to weather the ups and downs.Links & Resources• Simple CFO — https://simplecfo.com Enjoyed This Episode?If David's owner's comp account idea got you rethinking how you pay yourself, don't keep it to yourself. Share this episode with a fellow investor who's paying everyone but themselves, and if it gave you a new perspective, follow the show and leave a rating and review so more real estate investors can build real financial clarity.