PODCAST · business
Own Your Upside
by Aaron Ameen
You've done everything right. Good income, career momentum, a family worth protecting. Underneath, a quiet realization: the path you're on is optimized for someone else's outcome.For high-earning professionals ready to build ownership alongside their career, before later costs them the years that matter most.I'm Aaron Ameen. I built a multi-state real estate portfolio while working full-time with three kids under four. Now I'm developing Everwood Reserve, a $10M assisted living project, while writing a book and building a coaching practice.The build, as it happens.Stop renting your upside.
Episodes
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How to Completely Transform Your Life in 3 Years w/ Brian Luebben
Three years ago I was buying rentals twenty minutes at a time after my daughter went to sleep. I had a good job, a decent portfolio, and no real answer for when any of it would add up to something. My mentor Brian Luebben has walked thousands of high earners through the same gap. In this episode…
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High Salary, Big Title, Zero Ownership: The Trap Explained
I left a six-figure consulting job in January. Not because I quit on corporate. Because I finally saw what my title was actually costing me. In this episode I break down: 1. Why a title proves you created value, not that you kept any of it 2. The math behind why a 3% raise quietly puts you…
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He Ran the Numbers on His "Stable" Career. Then He Left.
Most people making good money have never run the actual math on where their career ends. Not their savings rate. The terminal number. What all these years of work actually produce when the working stops. My guest today did that math at 35, standing on a ladder next to a 63-year-old electrician…
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How I Quit My Job Without Gambling My Future (The Exact Number)
Stop gambling your financial stability to build something new. Learn the escape velocity strategy to scale your income and skills safely. Many professionals are told to quit their jobs and take huge risks to succeed, but this approach often leads to unnecessary failure. This video breaks down why...
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Why Your 3% Raise Is Keeping You Poor
After 150+ episodes, I'm launching a new chapter. In this one I share why my "successful" W-2 life and a solid rental portfolio still left a gap and why my wife Andrea and I sold properties to build a $10M assisted living development. This is the launch of Own Your Upside: how I'm building in...
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The Real Estate Crisis Nobody's Talking About (Until It's Too Late)
Most real estate investors are chasing cash flow. We're building for a problem that's about to reshape the country. My wife Andrea and I left a portfolio of single-family rentals to develop two luxury assisted living and memory care homes in Houston. The reason is simple: the population is aging...
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How We Built a $9.4M Project Before Quitting Our Jobs
Most people quit their W2 to start building. We did it the other way around. My wife Andrea and I raised $2.8M, broke ground on a $9.4M senior care development, and built our entire team before I ever handed in my notice. This is what the Parallel Build actually looks like in practice. In this...
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Your Investment Goals Keep Stalling (And How to Fix It)
You’re ambitious. You want to build wealth. Maybe that means buying your first rental property, launching a business, or pursuing a bigger project. But here’s the reality most high-performing professionals face. Your calendar is already full. Between work, family, and everything else life…
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The Real Bottleneck Keeping You From Your First Real Estate Deal
You've read the books. You've watched the videos. You've run the numbers on deals you never made offers on. And you're still at zero properties.The bottleneck isn't knowledge - it's that you're not having enough high-trust conversations with the right people. In this episode, Dave (host of the...
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The Real Story Behind 8 Rentals (Built 20 Minutes at a Time)
In this episode of the 20 Minute Investor Podcast, Aaron and Andrea share the real story behind building 8 rental properties across 3 states while working full-time and raising three kids.You’ll hear the mistakes we made early on, the systems that allowed us to invest in just 20 minutes a day…
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How Smart Investors Use AI for Time Leverage
If you’re consuming podcasts, books, and market updates but still feel stuck in analysis paralysis, this episode is for you. I’ll walk you through the exact system I use to filter signal from noise, use AI to refine my thinking, and turn captured ideas into decisive action - all in about 20…
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20 Minutes a Day to Financial Freedom (with Coach Chad Carson )
8 rental properties across 3 states. 3 kids under 5. A full-time job. How? A 20-minute daily system built around constraints, not despite them. In this conversation with Coach Carson, I break down the exact weekly planning habit, floating time blocks, and offense/defense framework that made it...
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The Lazy Way to Fund College With Real Estate
Nathan and I explore innovative personal finance strategies related to real estate investing. We discuss how rental properties can serve as a college fund, leveraging property appreciation and cash flow to fund education. Additionally, we discussed the concept of interest-only payments on primary...
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Is Single Family Real Estate Dead in 2026?
Is single family real estate investing really dead in 2026?In this episode, Nathan and I share our honest take on what’s actually happening in the market right now. We talk about why it’s harder (but not dead), how we’re adapting to higher interest rates, and the mindset shift that’s helping us...
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The 20-Minute Investor: A New Approach to Real Estate
You don't need more time. You need a better system. After 150+ episodes and building an 8-property portfolio across 3 states, I'm relaunching this podcast with one mission: helping busy professionals invest in real estate in just 20 minutes a day.
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2025 Recap: 3 Active Investors Share Milestones, Hard Lessons & Breakthroughs
In this collaborative episode, Aaron Ameen, Ana Bialek, and Nico Garcia reflect on their experiences in 2025, discussing their goals, challenges, and future plans in real estate. They share insights on property management, innovative housing solutions, and creative financing strategies…
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Why He Chose Memory Care Over Multifamily or Self-Storage
In this episode, Aaron sits down with Pedro Luna, a former aerospace engineer who pivoted into real estate and ultimately found his calling in senior care. Pedro and his wife are currently developing two 16-bed assisted living and memory care homes in Oklahoma, focused on delivering dignified,...
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How We're Handling Project Delays, Risk, and Real-Life Pressures
Development is no joke, and this episode is us being honest about that. Andrea and I share where things really stand with Everwood Reserve—from surprise pipeline issues and SBA delays to how our tolerance for risk has had to grow this year. We also talk about launching the Ameen Family Foundation...
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How I Stayed Productive With Twins, a W2, and 8 Rentals
After my wife and I had twins, my old routines fell apart, and traditional time blocking stopped making sense. What did work was shifting from task-based scheduling to a simple framework I call Offense vs. Defense—a core part of our 20 Minute Investor system. I’ll walk you through how this…
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Stop Using Spreadsheets — Track Your Rentals Like a Stock Portfolio with Leah Walczak
In this conversation, Leah Walczak shares her remarkable journey in entrepreneurship, highlighting her unexpected success in her first year, where she sold about $10 million. She reflects on the lack of entrepreneurial education in traditional schooling, emphasizing the importance of self-made...
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12–15% Returns Without Tenants? Note Investing 101
Notes can outcash-flow rentals. Data pro turned investor Sierra Davis breaks down mortgage notes 101, buying at a discount, partials, realistic yields, due diligence, and how to start even with a self-directed IRA. 00:00 Intro 04:04 What Is a Note? 05:56 Why Notes? 08:22 Buying at a Discount…
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The Relationship Capital Playbook (That Funded Our $13.4M RAL)
On this special cross-post, I join my friend Haydynn Fike on The Art of Connecting to share how my wife and I pivoted from rentals to launching Everwood Reserve—two boutique residential assisted living “memory care mansions” near Houston. We get into the mindset shifts, mentors, and masterminds...
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From Tech Exec to Remote Rental Investing
How a tech exec and dad built a six-figure remote rental portfolio using time-blocking, automation, and Midwest buy boxes without sacrificing family. here you go—same timestamps, crisper chapters: 00:00 Intro 01:20 Juggling Career & Family 03:17 Time-Blocking Tactics 08:01 Tech Career → REI 12:52...
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He Went Bankrupt at 34… Here’s How Real Estate Saved Him
Matt Theriault from @EpicRealEstate shares his journey from Marine Corps veteran to music industry millionaire and how digital disruption forced him to start over at age 34. After filing for bankruptcy and taking a job bagging groceries, a chance conversation with his grocery store manager...
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The Email That Changed My Life: Off-Market Deal, Real Numbers Inside
Live from Total Wealth Academy in Houston: how one email in 2019 led to an off-market, zero-vacancy deal that changed my family’s path. I break down the numbers, the lender pullout four days before closing, the cash-out refi that saved it, and the biggest lessons on relationships, legal prep, and...
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7 Levers Getting Me Through My Hardest Season
Full-time consultant, three kids under four, and we’re building two assisted living homes in Houston. It’s the hardest season of my life, and I share the simple systems that keep me moving: micro routines, light time blocking, smart delegation with VAs, and a small circle for coaching and...
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Your First STR: Where to Buy (and What to Skip) With Kirby Atwell
In this episode of the Hybrid Real Estate Professional Podcast, we have Kirby Atwell, founder of Living Off Rentals and an Army veteran. Kirby shares his journey from military service to flipping over a hundred properties and his pivot to high cash flow vacation rentals. He underscores the...
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Doctor + Veteran: Step-By-Step Blueprint to Build a 16-Bed Memory Care Home (Land, Funding, Licensing)
Dr. Chloe Kilman, a double board-certified family physician and geriatrician, and Nick Blanchard, a US Air Force veteran and operations quality control professional. Together, they are the co-founders of Bloom Homes, a luxury assisted living initiative. In this episode, the duo shares their…
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How Title Works With Investors to Get Deals Closed
Capital Title’s Andy Hemmings—licensed broker, escrow officer, and investor breaks down how title companies safeguard real estate deals. We cover title insurance, clearing tax liens and heirship issues, and why a strong relationship with your escrow officer matters. Andy also shares his path from...
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The Off-Market Blueprint for Busy Professionals with Matt Kamp
DealMachine’s Matt Kamp breaks down what actually gets off-market deals in 2025—why property condition is the #1 motivated-seller signal, why mailers pop in months 3–4, how answering the phone beats ad spend, why consistency and human connection win, and his candid take on the one channel to…
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The Fundraise is Complete. Here's What Comes Next.
In this special coffee chat, we share the news of our biggest milestone yet: successfully raising $2.8 million to fund the project. Join us as we discuss the balance between celebrating this moment and preparing for the real work ahead. We cover our immediate next steps, from value engineering…
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From Zero to $2.8M: My First Big Capital Raise & What It Taught Me
In this episode, I share exactly how we raised $2.8M for our first memory care development — from building trust with investors to creating momentum with deadlines. Topics Covered: 00:00 Intro 00:41 Starting the Capital Raise Journey 01:08 Building Trust and Credibility 03:52 The Importance of...
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How to Pick Markets, Find Deals, and Build Wealth Remotely Out of State RE Investing Playbook
Ana Bialek and Nico Garcia—two accomplished real estate agents, investors, and entrepreneurs. We explore key topics like the value of real estate meetups, the decision to become a licensed agent, and strategies for finding investor-friendly agents. Packed with wisdom and real-life experiences…
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Taking Care of People As A Form of Real Estate Investing
Today I have a special episode where I actually did an appearance on AM Radio in Houston with the Total Wealth Academy Show with host Steve Davis. Steve is a very prominent figure in Houston real estate, and I was very honored to be invited on the show. I'm a member of their academy called Total...
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Celebrating $2M in Commitments for Everwood Reserve | Coffee Chat 3
In this episode, Andrea and I share the roller-coaster inside story of raising $2 million for Everwood Reserve, our 32-bed memory-care community in Tomball, TX. With just 10 days left before our funding deadline, we break down 00:00 intro 01:12 Capital Raise Process Insights 03:45 Team Dynamics…
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Turning One House Into a $13.4M Business Model (by Helping Retirees Live Better)
Today I'm going to air an appearance I did on the Action Academy Podcast, in this episode we discuss about the only asset class where you can cash flow six figures on one home is residential assisted living, and 77 million baby boomers are creating the biggest investment wave of our generation....
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What Addiction Recovery Teaches You About Closing Real Estate Deals
Tim Woodbridge went from burned-out nurse to co-founder of a fast-growing mobile-home-park company with 600+ pads under management—all while navigating addiction recovery and a multiple-sclerosis diagnosis. What You’ll Learn From 1 park to 16: Tim’s playbook for scaling with partners, not just...
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From Concerts to Care Homes: Aaron Ameen’s Journey into Residential Assisted Living
Today's episode features a special guest appearance I made on the RAL Room Podcast with my friend Charlie Cameron, who is now a partner of ours at Everwood Reserve. Memory care project. So we talked through a little bit of my story and also dig actually deep into the details of the deal behind...
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Building A Premier Memory Care Mansion
Welcome back to the Hybrid Real Estate Professional Podcast. I have a very special episode today. I am going to air an appearance I had where my good friend, Dr. Alex Schloe, interviewed me on his podcast, the Physicians and Properties Podcast. If you haven't checked it out, he speaks primarily…
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She Bought 10 Rental Properties While Working Full-Time as a Nurse
In today’s episode, I sit down with Lindsay Barrientos — a first-gen Latina, former frontline nurse, and now a full-time real estate investor to talk about her powerful journey from burnout during the pandemic to building a portfolio of 10+ rental properties out of state. We dive into how she got...
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How to Build Wealth with Self-Directed IRAs | Kaaren Hall on Real Estate & Retirement
In this episode, I sit down with Kaaren Hall, the CEO and founder of UDirect IRA Services, to uncover the truth about self-directed IRAs — and why the idea of "passive income" might be misleading. We dive deep into how self-directed retirement accounts actually work, what you can and can’t invest...
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How a Six-Figure PA Started a $7.9K/Bed Residential Assisted Living
Joseph Rasberry, a healthcare professional turned real estate entrepreneur. They discuss Joseph's journey from working in healthcare to investing in real estate, the importance of community and masterminds, and their partnership in building Everwood Reserve, a luxury assisted living and memory…
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Why We’re Building a Memory Care Mansion from the Ground-Up (Instead of a Rehab or Conversion)
In this episode, Andrea and I sat down for our second Coffee Chat to reflect on some major milestones in our Everwood Reserve journey—starting with the $1M we just raised from friends and family. We talked about why we chose to build from the ground up (instead of converting an old house), the...
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Inside the Business Model Behind Memory Care Mansions (Complete Breakdown)
This is a special one. In this episode, I’m pulling back the curtain and introducing you to someone who’s played a massive role in shaping my next chapter as a real estate investor, my mentor and now partner, Brett Chotkevys. Brett is the founder of Platinum Resorts Assisted Living, and the mind...
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Why We’re Building a Memory Care Community From the Ground Up (Our Founding Story)
Welcome to the very first episode of A-mean Coffee Chat! I’m Aaron Ameen, and I’m here with my incredible wife and co-founder, Andrea. We recorded this from our couch—coffee in hand—to share the real story behind Everwood Reserve, the 32-bed memory care community we’re building from the ground up...
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The Truth About Small Business Ownership Nobody Talks About
If you’re thinking about buying a small business, quitting your job, or partnering with someone on your next venture, this conversation is a must-listen. It’s honest, raw, and packed with hard-earned insight. Carley Mitus went from leading strategic programs at GE HealthCare to buying not one…
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Single Family Rentals Are NOT Dead (Here’s What’s Actually Happening)
Is single family real estate investing really dead in 2025? In this episode, Nathan and I share our honest take on what’s actually happening in the market right now. We talk about why it’s harder (but not dead), how we’re adapting to higher interest rates, and the mindset shift that’s helping us...
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What 2,500 Millionaires Know That Most People Never Learn
In this episode, I’m joined by Bronson Hill, founder of Bronson Equity and host of The Mailbox Money Show. Bronson is a general partner in over 2,500 multifamily units worth $250M+, has raised over $50M from private investors, and is the bestselling author of Fire Yourself. His next book, Rich...
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How the WRONG End Goal Can DESTROY Your Investing Career
In this episode of The 20 Minute Investor, Nathan and I tackle a question most real estate investors skip — but absolutely shouldn’t: What’s your end game?Before chasing cash flow, portfolio size, or quitting your job, you need to define what you're actually building toward. For both of us, the...
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This “Dirtbag” Hiker Built a Boutique Hotel & Real Estate Portfolio
He lived in an RV behind a duplex. He hiked both the Appalachian and Pacific Crest Trails. Now he runs a boutique hotel in Montana — and built a real estate portfolio that funds a life of freedom. In this episode, I sit down with Joe Jimenez, a hospitality entrepreneur, adventurer, and real…
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ABOUT THIS SHOW
You've done everything right. Good income, career momentum, a family worth protecting. Underneath, a quiet realization: the path you're on is optimized for someone else's outcome.For high-earning professionals ready to build ownership alongside their career, before later costs them the years that matter most.I'm Aaron Ameen. I built a multi-state real estate portfolio while working full-time with three kids under four. Now I'm developing Everwood Reserve, a $10M assisted living project, while writing a book and building a coaching practice.The build, as it happens.Stop renting your upside.
HOSTED BY
Aaron Ameen
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Frequently Asked Questions
How many episodes does Own Your Upside have?
Own Your Upside currently has 160 episodes available on PodParley. New episodes are automatically indexed when they're published to the podcast feed.
What is Own Your Upside about?
You've done everything right. Good income, career momentum, a family worth protecting. Underneath, a quiet realization: the path you're on is optimized for someone else's outcome.For high-earning professionals ready to build ownership alongside their career, before later costs them the years that...
How often does Own Your Upside release new episodes?
Own Your Upside publishes regularly with 160 episodes available. Check the episode list for the typical release schedule.
Where can I listen to Own Your Upside?
You can listen to Own Your Upside on PodParley by clicking any episode. We provide an embedded audio player for direct listening, and you can also subscribe via your preferred podcast app using the RSS feed.
Who hosts Own Your Upside?
Own Your Upside is created and hosted by Aaron Ameen.
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