
School of Hard Knocks Podcast Ari Rastegar | How Flipping Burgers Led to a $3,000 Deal That Built a Billion-Dollar Real Estate Empire
Jan 10, 2026
Ari Rastegar, a dynamic real estate developer and author, shares his remarkable journey from flipping burgers to building a billion-dollar empire. He reveals how a humble $3,000 investment sparked his multi-billion-dollar portfolio. Ari emphasizes the power of failure as a learning tool and the importance of zoning and timing in real estate success. He discusses the necessity of a long-term vision, practical advice for newcomers, and how maintaining health and focus fuels entrepreneurship. Rastegar inspires with his unique insights on wealth building and resilience.
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Granddad's Vision Sparked A Real Estate Dream
- Ari Rastegar remembers his granddad telling him, "One day you're going to own these buildings," which shaped his ambition early on.
- That vision plus reading Think and Grow Rich became a lifelong syllabus guiding his goals and identity.
$3,000 Lot Became First Real Estate Blueprint
- Ari borrowed $3,000 in law school to buy a lot, built a house for $80,000 and sold it for $115,000 as his first development win.
- That small project connected his restaurant jobs and law studies to a tangible real estate blueprint for growth.
Write And Carry A Concrete Big Goal
- Write specific, audacious goals and carry them visibly to focus daily effort; Ari wrote himself a $1 billion check at 23 and kept it for 15 years.
- Treat written goals as blueprints that guide small daily actions toward long-term outcomes.











