Yes, an education in business or finance is a good foundation for a real estate investor. But spending time with an experienced syndicator and watching a deal happen firsthand is more valuable than any degree. So, how do you find a mentor and convince them you’re worth their time?

Josh Gorokhovsky is the Managing Principal at Telos Properties, a real estate investing firm that focuses on 2- to 4-unit new construction, build-to-rent projects in Los Angeles. After graduating from USC in 2015, he interned for LA Properties under company principal Scott Rosenfeld. Since founding Telos in 2017, Josh has placed more than $7M in equity for investors and managed $20M worth of real estate transactions.

On this episode of Apartment Building Investing, Josh joins cohost Drew Whitson and I to explain how he broke into real estate at the age of 21, describing the persistence it took to get an informal internship with his mentor. He gets real about the 900 hours he dedicated to finding his first deal and why he niched down to the new construction, build-to-rent model. Listen in to understand what gave Josh the confidence to go solo at 23 and get his advice on working for free early on to build the network and experience you need to succeed!