In this episode of the Financial Freedom with Real Estate Investing podcast, I sit down with two of our Deal Maker Mentoring students — Ryan Kindred and Russell Cannon — who broke free from the grind and did something most people only talk about: they bought a 240-unit self-storage facility and raised $1.9 million to do it.

Ryan and Russ didn’t grow up in real estate. They weren’t born entrepreneurs. But they took action, surrounded themselves with the right people, and now they’re building a portfolio that’s changing their lives forever.

Whether you're a high-income earner ready to pivot, or a burned-out investor trying to scale, this episode is packed with real talk, tactical steps, and one heck of a comeback story.

Key Takeaways

From the Corporate Grind to Full-Time Investors

Ryan was managing $200M in power systems. Russ ran $100M+ construction projects. Both felt stuck.
They knew their time wasn’t really theirs, and they were done trading hours for dollars.
This is how they made the leap — while still working full-time — and never looked back.

Crushing Limiting Beliefs That Keep Most People on the Sidelines

“I don’t have the money.” “I’ve never done this before.” “Who’s gonna invest with me?” Sound familiar?
Ryan & Russ had every reason to stay in their comfort zone — but they didn’t.
You’ll hear exactly what shifted their mindset and how you can do the same.

Behind the Scenes of Their $1.9M Raise on a 240-Unit Deal

How they found this off-market self-storage opportunity
Step-by-step of how they raised $1.9M in equity — without a big investor list
The six-figure acquisition fee they earned and how they set themselves up for long-term cash flow

Why Mentorship and Community Made All the Difference

The moment they realized they couldn’t do it alone
How they leveraged our team, the community, and deal support to get across the finish line
What actually moves the needle when you’re doing your first commercial deal