Cody Laughlin and Brian Alfaro, Managing Partners at https://blueoakinvests.com/ (Blue Oak Capital), focus on helping and connecting with professionals that are too busy to invest in real estate themselves to show them the power of commercial multifamily real estate. Cody Laughlin is a real estate entrepreneur, podcaster, and meetup host with 10 years of real estate investing experience. His focus is acquisitions of cash-flow producing real estate with a special focus on value-add, multifamily assets. Cody is the founder of the “Prosperity Through Multifamily Real Estate Investing” podcast and the Space City Multifamily Meetup. He works alongside other investors through syndication to acquire multifamily assets and is currently invested in 128 units. Brian Alfaro is a real estate entrepreneur and local Houston business owner. Starting in foodservice operations, Brian quickly expanded his span of control in a customer-focused Franchise business. Leveraging his expertise, Brian now controls a multi-location business that serves 1000’s offering an upscale coffee experience. In addition to his Commercial Real Estate experience from his retail business, Brian is also a residential real estate investor and currently a licensed agent. KEY POINTS The power of partnerships Scaling with systems and processes Time management while investing with a full-time job Leveraging relationships in your network Common mistakes made by beginning real estate investors How Blue Oak Capital came to be LIGHTNING QUESTIONS What was your biggest hurdle getting started in real estate investing, and how did you overcome it? Limiting mindsets - both Cody and Brian worked on their mindsets first and then scaled. Do you have a personal habit that contributes to your success? Both Cody and Brian prioritize exercise in their daily lives. Do you have an online resource that you find valuable? https://www.biggerpockets.com/ ( BiggerPockets) Subscribe to commercial brokerage lists (Marcus and Millichap, CBRE, etc.) What book would you recommend to the listeners and why? https://www.amazon.com/Miracle-Morning-Habits-Transform-m/dp/1473668948 ( The Miracle Morning) book by Hal Elrod https://www.amazon.com/Habits-Highly-Effective-People-Powerful/dp/0743269519 ( The 7 Habits of Highly Effective People) book by Stephen R. Covey If you were to give advice to your 20-year-old self to get started in real estate investing, what would it be? Cody: Stay focused, stay disciplined, and stay patient! Brian: Get started now! RESOURCES Visithttp://m/gp/product/B00NB86OYE/ref=as_li_tl?ie=UTF8andtag=jacob0ee-20andcamp=1789andcreative=9325andlinkCode=as2andcreativeASIN=B00NB86OYEandlinkId=100a9d2905599266aa7088bba0a33d55 ( Audible) for a free trial and free audiobook download! https://blueoakinvests.com/ (Blue Oak Capital) https://www.linkedin.com/in/cody-laughlin-35067660/ (Cody’s LinkedIn) https://www.linkedin.com/in/balfaro89/ (Brian’s LinkedIn) https://www.amazon.com/ABCs-Real-Estate-Investing-Investors/dp/1937832031 (The ABCs of Real Estate Investing) book by Ken McElroy https://www.amazon.com/Rich-Dad-Poor-Teach-Middle/dp/1612680194 (Rich Dad Poor Dad) book by Robert Kiyosaki