Today, we’re doing a 2024 recap. While many people focus on setting goals for the year ahead come January 1st, we often forget to reflect on the year that’s just passed. Did we accomplish the goals we set? What were some of the big milestones? In this episode, I’ll touch on some personal highlights, some life lessons I learned, and our business achievements particularly in the lending space, since that’s the focus of this podcast. Let’s start with how we did in 2024.

Personal

Sleep Apnea

On a personal note, one significant change in January was getting a CPAP machine. If you suffer from sleep apnea, it’s a game-changer. I didn’t realize how much better I could feel upon waking until I tried it. Sure, it’s a bit annoying wearing a mask while sleeping, but the boost in energy is incredible. I highly recommend it, especially if you’ve struggled with sleep or constant fatigue.

Largest Renovation

Another big personal milestone was completing the largest renovation we’ve ever done. We fully rebuilt a home for $185,000—basically restructured it from the inside out. The house was constructed entirely from cinder blocks, including the interior walls, which made plumbing and electrical work a nightmare. But after reframing and drywalling the entire place, the final result was worth it. We made a good profit, though we definitely spent more than planned. It was a challenging yet rewarding project.

Relocation

In May, my family and I decided to relocate to Arizona permanently. After spending several winters there, we realized we weren’t fans of the cold in Idaho, where we had lived. When we returned to Idaho in May and found snow still on the ground, we made the call to move. While we didn’t relocate immediately, we agreed that Arizona’s warm weather for most of the year was a better fit for us. We’ll escape the 120°F summer heat by returning to Idaho for the brutal three months, effectively doing the reverse snowbird thing.

So, after Thanksgiving, we packed up and made the leap. It’s January 1st now, and the weather here is a perfect 70°F. Looking at snow in Idaho on the cameras back home, I couldn’t be happier with our decision.

Anniversary

In June, my wife and I celebrated our anniversary with a getaway to Cabo. It was an all-inclusive resort where we spent five amazing days just the two of us. It was a great way to unwind.

ER Visits

On the unfortunate side of personal things, we had three hospital visits this year. Two were unexpected: My wife had a wakeboarding accident that left her with a pretty serious gash on her forehead, which required an ER visit. She also had surgery to fix a deviated septum, which was a huge relief for her—she could finally breathe properly! Lastly, my daughter had a concussion after falling off her scooter. It was a scary moment, but she’s doing fine now. Hopefully, we can avoid any hospital visits next year!

Lending

Lendr

On the business side, we launched Lendr in June. This venture had been three years in the making, and the response has been better than expected. Of course, there have been hiccups—bugs, mistakes, and growing pains—but the feedback has been overwhelmingly positive. It’s exciting to see it grow.

Social Media

In August, I started posting regularly on Instagram. I’ve had a YouTube channel for years, but I wasn’t fully utilizing Instagram until joining Dan Martell’s coaching program. Dan’s focus on Instagram really pushed me to get more active, and the results have been phenomenal. In August, I had 1,300 followers; now, we’ve broken 7,000. It’s been a fantastic growth experience, and I plan to dive deeper into how we’ve leveraged social media for marketing in an upcoming episode.

Mastermind

In November, I attended the Inner Circle Mastermind for private lending in Tampa. It was a transformative experience. I spent time with some of the most serious lenders in the country and walked away with a ton of knowledge. If you haven’t listened to my podcast episode on that, I highly recommend checking it out—it’s packed with key takeaways.

Origination

Now, let’s talk about the lending business, which is probably why you’re listening. In 2024, we originated 34 loans, which we’re really pleased with. It’s not as high as we would have liked, but considering we really got serious about lending this year, it’s a solid start. We began transitioning into lending back in 2022, slowly liquidating other assets, but 2024 was our first full year of focused growth. So, all things considered, we’re very happy with the progress.

Capital

Out of the 34 loans, we’ve originated $4.25 million in total volume, with an average loan size of around $125,000. My goal is to increase that average size by focusing on larger deals—ideally, bringing it up to $175,000–200,000. But we’ll see how that develops.

On the investor side, we paid out over $400,000 in interest this year, which is way higher than expected. That averages out to around $34,000 in monthly distributions to investors. I was honestly surprised by that figure—it’s much more than I anticipated.

Additionally, we raised $1.4 million in new capital. We started the year with $1.6 million and now manage a total of $3 million. While I’d love to hit $5–$10 million, I’m pleased with where we are so far, especially since we only really started pushing capital raising in March and April.

Status

Currently, we have 18 active loans under management, and 17 capital investors. We also grew our social media following by 6,000 on Instagram, which is a nice bonus.

Lessons

Before wrapping up, I want to share some life lessons I’ve gathered over the year. These may not be earth-shattering, but I find value in reflecting on them.

1. Embracing Growth & Action

a.) There’s never a “right” time to do something—you just have to dive in. I’ve realized this in various parts of my life, from having kids to starting a business. You can prepare all you want, but the real learning comes from taking action. Whether it’s becoming a parent, starting a business, or running a marathon, you’ll never feel fully “ready”—you just have to start.

b.) Being “cringe” is part of learning. The first time you try something new, like filming content or playing an instrument, it’s going to be awkward. Embrace it! You can’t get better without being bad first. Every great achievement starts with cringe, so don’t shy away from it.

c.) Ask the right questions. This is another point I’ve reflected on and is how important it actually is. Just like with Google or AI, how you phrase things determines the quality of your answers. For example, instead of asking “How are you?” try “What’s exciting you right now?” The more specific your question, the better your response.

d.) If you haven’t succeeded yet, you might not be good enough—YET. Here’s a tough truth. I’ve struggled with this, but it’s important to recognize that if you’re not seeing results, you probably haven’t honed your skills enough. This doesn’t mean you won’t get there, but understanding where you stand can help you focus on improvement.

e.) CREATE and don’t worry about job security. In this rapidly changing world, creating is one way to avoid worrying about job security, AI, or career shifts. Whether you’re creating content, building software, or launching a business, creation keeps you in control. The world will always need creators—AI can’t replace that.

2. Mindset & Belief

a.) You have to believe in yourself so much that it’s borderline delusional. Setting big goals is one thing, but you have to truly believe you can achieve them, even when others might doubt you. It’s this unshakable belief that keeps you going through the ups and downs of the journey.

b.) Stop acting like the victim. This is another important life lesson I’ve learned this year. It’s frustrating when people act as if they’re victims of circumstances they created themselves. You are in control of your life, so stop making excuses and take responsibility.

c.) Remember the nights you prayed for the things you have now. I often catch myself desiring the next goal without appreciating what I’ve already achieved. For instance, I once dreamed of owning a home with a three-car garage, and now I have a property with a 12-car garage. Yet, the goalpost keeps moving. It’s easy to forget that you’ve already achieved things you once thought would bring happiness.

d.) It’s better to be respected than liked. This is a key insight I’ve gained this year. People might not like Elon Musk for various reasons, but I respect what he’s accomplished with Tesla, SpaceX, and his ambitious goals. You don’t need to be everyone’s favorite person; what matters is whether you’re making a real impact.

3. Reality Check & Hard Truths

a.) Hard work doesn’t always equal big rewards. There are people working harder than I do—physically demanding jobs—but that doesn’t necessarily translate into higher pay or bigger rewards. Reward often comes from value, not just effort, so keep that in mind as you pursue your goals.

b.) The gap between the very rich and everyone else is widening. I noticed this especially around August, as costs—housing, groceries, fuel—are skyrocketing. Young families and professionals are facing enormous barriers to entry. The middle class is shrinking, and we’re doing everything we can to avoid getting stuck in that gap.

c.) Stop sharing your goals—JUST DO THEM. There’s a story about a man who catches crabs. When one tries to escape the bucket, others drag it back down. This analogy resonates because often, sharing our goals only gives us a false sense of accomplishment. Stop talking about what you will do and just do it. Let the results speak for themselves.

d.) It’s never been easier to win. The bar for mediocrity is so low that it’s easy to stand out if you simply choose to be above average. Whether it’s health, finances, or character, just do the basics right, and you’ll rise above. Sometimes, it’s as simple as choosing the harder path, like taking the longer walk or sticking to your goals.

It’s never been easier to win. The bar for mediocrity is so low that it’s easy to stand out if you simply choose to be above average.

In conclusion, this is my 2024 year in review. It’s not just about lending—there are personal lessons here too. If you found value in this, great. And of course, I plan to do this again at the end of 2025 to track progress and ensure we keep moving forward, without settling.

I’d love to hear about your 2024! Thanks for a great year!

 

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