Episode 514: How Rick Escaped His W-2 & Used Creative Deals to Retire with Confidence with Rick Marotto

Jul 2, 2025

32:34

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In this episode, we’re sitting down with Rick Marotto, a High 6 Associate in the Wicked Smart Community, who shares his incredible journey from healthcare professional to real estate investor. Rick and his wife Linda initially ventured into house flipping as a means to secure their retirement, only to face roadblocks, setbacks, and disappointing coaching. But their story didn’t end there.

After a rough start in traditional real estate, Rick discovered the Smart Real Estate Coach community and completely transformed his approach. In this episode, he shares how the “in-the-trenches” support, bootcamps, and clear planning helped him confidently close creative deals and generate three-payday profits—all while helping buyers get back on their feet.

If you’re looking to ditch the W-2 and replace it with a step-by-step investing strategy, Rick’s story is packed with insight and encouragement.

Key Talking Points of the Episode

00:00 Introduction 03:24 Rick’s story: from the medical field to real estate investing05:10 Bootcamp experience and a boost in confidence 07:27 Real-time coaching, dials, and how practice built belief 09:00 Managing full-time jobs while launching a real estate business 10:14 Setting a retirement plan vs. just a goal 14:42 Rick’s first creative deal and how it helped a buyer reclaim his family 18:51 How Rick’s 2nd deal turned a seller’s problem into a sub-to success 20:33 Defining terms in creative real estate: VA, AO, resetting the clock 24:06 Buyers vs. Sellers: Which is harder to find? 25:37 Why bootcamps and QLS Live are game-changers

Quotables

“We were working full-time, trying to get the flipping business off the ground. It just wasn’t sustainable.”

“After the bootcamp, I started making dials and I could hear myself differently. The confidence boost was huge.”

“Creative real estate creates a win-win-win. The buyer wins, the seller wins, and we win.”

Links

QLS Live

https://qlslive.com

Real Estate On Your Terms and Deal Structure Overtime

https://wickedsmartbooks.com/podcast

FREE Master’s Class

http://smartrealestatecoach.com/masterspodcast

FREE Strategy Session with Chris Pre