90: Reed Goosens, Author and Multifamily Syndicator

Daniel Giordano

SUMMARY:

In this episode of The All-In Podcast, Dan welcomes an Australian upstart whose entrepreneurial journey started with – and continues to flourish under – a simple question: Will you regret this decision when you’re 65? So far, Reed Goossens’ strategy has worked. He has compiled a great track record, working and traveling across multiple countries, meeting his future American wife and acquiring the skills necessary to launch what today is a successful real estate development career. He is also the author of “Investing in the U.S.: The Ultimate Guide to U.S. Real Estate” and “Investing in the U.S.”

The conversation also touches on something that Reed has come to understand matters every bit as much as tirelessly and enthusiastically pursuing your entrepreneurial North Star: Balance. The illness and death of his mother several years ago offered Reed an opportunity to step back and recognize that no amount of professional success will replace quality of life and meaningful connections. He shares thoughts on the “pillars” he believes are key (among them health, relationships and community).

The episode wraps up with some great practical advice for anyone starting their entrepreneurial adventure. Steps that Reed recommends right out of the gate include:

#1 Define your North Star.
#2 Be curious enough that you have a drive or passion for it.
#3 If you don’t have the necessary skill set, get out there and start researching, learning and acquiring whatever necessary knowledge.
#4 Surround yourself with people who share your passion and can serve as inspiration and as mentors.

Click here to access a complimentary chapter of Reed’s book, “Investing in the U.S.: The Ultimate Guide to U.S. Real Estate.”

KEY TOPICS:

Reed shares thoughts on his quintessential – but humble – upbringing in Australia and the values it imbued in him.
After graduating university, Reed migrated to London, where he worked on prep for the 2012 Olympics, and also spent time working as a super-yacht deckhand in the South of France. That’s where he happened to meet an American girl who some years down the road became his wife.
Eager for another adventure, Reed decided to try the expat life in New York, got the girl and has over the last 10 years carved out a hugely satisfying life. But it couldn’t have happened had he not chosen to take a risk and leave his safe niche as an engineer back home in the comfort of Australia.
Now living in Los Angeles, Reed spent six years working in corporate America with real estate as his side hustle. He bought his first property at the end of 2012 for $38k and clearly had already been bitten by the real estate bug.
How Reed educated himself: Reading widely and attending meetups, at first, then building on that foundation with the help of mentors. The book “Rich Dad, Poor Dad,” By Robert T. Kiyosaki was pivotal.
In figuring out how to leverage his engineering skills, Reed opened the door to a transition and training ground within the real estate development industry.
Reed’s Drive: His North Star has always been wanting to work for himself and build something of value. But once he’d achieved that baseline, he reset the goal and is now looking to build wealth and, most of all, live up to his fullest potential.
A New North Star: Reed’s business is at a fork in the road where he’s now immersed in brand building and constantly evolving as an entrepreneur.
Hurdles He Has Faced: Reed was working full-time, trying to build a brand and grow his real estate business on the side, when back in Australia his mother fell ill and ultimately died. It was a wakeup call as to the brevity of life. He realized that the time to go for it is NOW. At the same time, it was a sobering reminder that ultimately the most important thing is to savor the journey, which means building a fulsome life.
Even as she was dying, Reed’s mom reinforced that he was on the right path and should keep pursuing his dreams. But his journey now had to incorporate balance: Time outside of chasing his financial dream to maintain his health, attend to his wife, enjoy his community.
Reed honors what he thinks of as the “pillars” of his life, foundational elements that give dimension, joy and a sense of well-being physically, mentally, socially and spiritually.
Words of Advice: Reed advocates above all else a commitment to clarity. You have to define clearly for yourself what your goal is, what’s your passion and do you have the skill set necessary? Or do you need to go acquire that skill set by taking the time to learn and grow?
Reed provides info about how to get in touch (links below).

KEY QUOTES:

“The decision to move to the U.S. when I was 26 was the best decision I’ve made in my entire life in terms of where I am today as an entrepreneur, a business owner, a husband, future father … ”
“I had a skill set that was transferrable to the industry I wanted to be in. So if I couldn’t just go off and start a business, what if I could keep getting paid and getting paid to learn?”
“The lesson is that I was able to understand my value to someone else while continuing the learning process and pull on skills that I could go off and apply in my own business, which is what I’m doing today.”
“I keep asking myself the same questions today: Will I regret this decision when I’m 65 years of age … Ultimately what drives me is wanting to be the better version of myself.”
“What entrepreneurs have is this curiosity to never stop learning, to never be complacent but always wanting to evolve.”
“Life is short. What the hell are you doing building someone else’s dream? If you really want to be your own boss, go out and do it.”
“If you’re not going to enjoy the process of building, then there’s just going to be another mountain to climb when you get to the top of this one.”
“The feeling of being burned out and overwhelmed comes at a cost … Mental health, having good physical health, great relationships with loved ones are all pillars that make life worth living and thus you have to put time into those as well – not just your business.”
“Regardless what business you’re in, you need to be surrounded by mentors and people you aspire to be … It boils down to surrounding yourself with the right mindset and the right, clear goals when you’re getting started.”

About Reed:

Reed is a real estate syndicator who buys large commercial real estate (specifically multi-family apartments) pooling together investors’ money. To date he operates 3,000 units in central Texas with a portfolio of approximately $450 million in assets under management.

Contacts for Reed:

Website: www.reedgoossens.com

Email: reed@rsnpropertygroup.com

Reed’s Podcast: Investing in the US

About the All In Podcast Show:

The All-In Podcast Show presents top Entrepreneurs, Innovators and World Changers willing to share their breakthrough moments and how they are changing the world. Focused on being “All-In” on the four areas of life: faith, family, finances, and health, host Daniel Giordano invites mentors who exemplify balance and a commitment to building a bold life of excellence.

Previous episodes of the The All-In Podcast can be found here.