Dave Denniston's $4M Land Empire Blueprint (and an Unmissable Event)
Feb 18, 2025
auto_awesome
Dave Denniston, a land investor with a flourishing multi-million dollar business, shares his roadmap to success. He dives into effective scaling strategies and how AI is reshaping land investment. Denniston also reveals innovative marketing tactics that continue to work in 2025. The conversation highlights the importance of community at events like the Land UnConference and the launch of 'Leadership in Land', aiming to enhance team-building and leadership skills for aspiring and seasoned investors alike.
Dave Denniston emphasizes effective team management as crucial for scaling a multi-million dollar land business and ensuring operational efficiency.
The Land Unconference serves as a unique platform for fostering collaboration and genuine networking among land investors across diverse communities.
Shifting marketing strategies, including a refined approach to direct mail and exploring PPC, are essential for staying competitive in the evolving land investment market.
Deep dives
Diverse Business Ventures
The speaker shares insights into Dave Denniston's diverse business background, highlighting his experiences in financial planning and land investing. Denniston graduated in 2003 with a finance degree and spent over two decades in the financial planning sector, which he enjoys despite occasional challenges. In 2017, he expanded into land investing, focusing initially on acquiring affordable lots before gradually scaling his operations. Currently, he also engages in hard money lending and facilitates the Land Unconference to build community within the land investment niche.
Significant Revenue Operations
Denniston reports impressive figures from his land business, generating over $3 million in revenue within the last year. The bulk of this income comes from cash flips, with terms deals contributing significantly but entailing a heavier management workload. He manages a team of around 15 to 20 staff members, which he considers essential for maintaining business efficiency and achieving growth targets. While he acknowledges that his reach is substantial, he prefers not to expand his team excessively, focusing instead on effective team management.
Innovative Unconference Events
The discussion reveals the evolution and purpose behind the Land Unconference series that Denniston hosts, aimed at fostering collaboration among land investors. He emphasizes the importance of creating a welcoming environment that encourages participation from different communities instead of being insular. The upcoming events will feature an increased number of attendees and offer intimate, meaningful sessions for networking and sharing experiences, avoiding the typical upsell tactics of other business conferences. Denniston's goal is to provide a platform for genuine connections and tailored discussions that benefit attendees' businesses.
The Importance of Leadership Strategies
Denniston discusses his initiative, Leadership in Land, which focuses on providing resources and support for effective team management within the land investment sector. This project reflects his commitment to leadership development, discussing hiring practices, employee retention, and team dynamics. He aims to build community knowledge by sharing best practices and insights from various leaders in the industry. Through this platform, he hopes to empower others to enhance their leadership skills and aim for sustainable growth in their own businesses.
Marketing Evolution and Adaptation
The conversation highlights the shifting landscape of marketing strategies in land investing, as Denniston shares their recent efforts in direct mail, cold calling, and text messaging. He recounts the successes and challenges of various campaigns, noting that blind offers previously yielded high returns, but competition has made results less predictable over time. Currently, his team plans to focus on refining their direct mail strategies, including a mix of blind and neutral letters, to maximize lead generation. Looking forward, they aim to explore new methods like PPC to remain competitive while navigating an evolving market.
209: In this episode of the REtipster Podcast, Dave Denniston discusses the ins and outs of running a multi-million dollar land business. We explore how to scale effectively, the role of AI in growing a land business, and the surprising marketing strategies that still work in 2025.
We also dive into the Land UnConference, a game-changing event for land investors, and the launch of Leadership in Land, a free initiative to help you master team-building and leadership.
Whether you’re an aspiring land investor or a seasoned pro, this episode is packed with actionable insights to grow your business.
