Leveraging Social Media and Networking: How to Grow Your REI Team and Portfolio with CJ Calio

CJ Calio's story begins with him working as a well-paid, labor-intensive UPS driver. However, a particularly busy Christmas season where he couldn't see his family for months made him realize that he couldn't continue doing this job for the rest of his life. After discussing his frustration with his wife, she suggested looking into real estate as a potential income replacement. Although initially hesitant due to his lack of knowledge and pride, CJ eventually came around and supported his wife's idea. Together, they started attending networking events and learning about real estate strategies. CJ initially felt out of place and afraid to engage with others, but as he immersed himself in the industry, he realized that it was a legitimate opportunity for financial success. They took a leap of faith and purchased a property, eventually realizing that it was generating income. This success propelled CJ into becoming a leader in the real estate industry. He and his wife rapidly grew their portfolio, enabling them both to leave their previous jobs. As word spread about their achievements, CJ found himself mentoring others who were interested in achieving financial independence through real estate. After five years of mentoring, CJ and his wife have helped numerous individuals overcome their fears and start building their own portfolios of passive income. They are thrilled to be a part of this journey and continue to empower others to achieve financial success in real estate.Show more

Connect with CJ Calio: https://www.instagram.com/wnnproperties/

Key Topics and Bullets
- Leveraging social media and joining REI meetup groups and mastermind groups
- Building a list of team members including agents, lenders, property management, and loan officers
- Presenting oneself seriously and being genuine on social media
- Establishing credibility by getting on the phone with people quickly and introducing oneself as a real investor
- Organic growth of team building efforts and being authentic about current status and goals
- Focusing on cash flow and buy and hold strategy from the beginning
- Seeking a stream of income that can replace job income
- Success with the buy rehab rent, refinance, and repeat (BRRR) strategy
- Scaling portfolio in single-family and small multifamily properties
- Spouse becoming overwhelmed as portfolio grew
- Applying expertise in other areas and gaining confidence from experience
- Expanding into commercial real estate investing, specifically in retail, strip malls, office space, and medical space
- Applying same strategy but on a larger scale in commercial properties
- Discussing different types of commercial properties owned, including an office, a medical facility, a government building, and a mixed-use space
- Contrasting commercial properties with residential properties in terms of evaluation and return on investment
- Overcoming initial perception of being a salesman and emphasizing benefits for others
- Belief that they needed to work long hours to deserve income, but shifting mindset to prioritize productivity
- Mentoring from someone with experience helping change mindset and focus on productivity
- Having more time to spend with family after shift in mindset
- Finding dealing with businesses and commercial entities intimidating, particularly technical aspects such as leases
- Need for legal assistance due to lack of standardization in commercial leases
- Importance of team consisting of acquisition agents, property managers, contractors, lenders, and potentially other licensed agents
- Initial skepticism and disbelief from family about venturing into real estate
- Family's confusion about leaving stable job at UPS and pursuing something different
- Threats of disownment from close family members
- Eventually convincing family members through persistence and success
- Attempts at other business ventures such as car detailing, yard work, landscaping, and selling car accessories
- Preference for authenticity and sharing where they are at rather than hiding true feelings
- Importance of following through on word, even if deals are not always the best
- Open conversations about what works and helping others be successful
- Frustration and unhappiness with labor-intensive job as a UPS driver
- Trying other business ventures and eventually coming back to real estate

TIMESTAMPS
00:00:00 reimastermind.net
00:00:55 UPS driver discovers real estate, achieves financial independence
00:06:06 Car detailing, yard work, sales - all failed
00:10:12 Initially thought crazy, but proved them wrong
00:13:03 Cash flow strategy scaled from residential to commercial
00:18:19 Leveraging social media, building teams organically
00:21:26 Trading time for money, working long hours
00:23:21 Always seeking growth and improvement in all areas
00:28:04 Get into real estate, expand your knowledge
00:31:41 Start with inner circle. Trust honest feedback
00:33:01 Positive feedback from networking events, useful collaboration