Secret to Real Estate Success - Hard Talks and Harder Lessons

This episode is raw, real, and full of wisdom. Tom sits down with longtime friend and mentor Frank Hopkins to talk about life, leadership, mistakes, faith, family, and why success is about much more than money.

You’ll hear Frank’s journey from flipping three homes for $4,000 total to becoming a trusted voice for affordable housing and mentoring entrepreneurs. They discuss fatherhood, mindset, AI, business, prayer, and the power of forgiveness.

If you’ve ever wondered how to balance ambition with family, or how to bounce back from setbacks without losing your soul, this conversation will resonate.

🎧 What You’ll Learn in This Episode:

Why taking full responsibility unlocks freedom
How to rewire your brain and break old patterns
Why experiences beat “stuff” every time
How to use faith and gratitude to stay grounded
Frank’s approach to AI, business, and the future of work

💡 Resources Mentioned:

The Gap and the Gain by Dan Sullivan & Benjamin Hardy
Atomic Habits by James Clear
Ryan Holiday’s books on Stoicism

Subscribe for more conversations on faith, family, and building businesses with integrity. ►    / @propertysolutionsteam  

Chapters
00:00 – Welcome to In Layman’s Terms Podcast
00:13 – Introducing Frank Hopkins & their history together
01:01 – Why Frank resisted social media (and what changed)
02:00 – Learning forgiveness and letting go of the past
03:10 – Early real estate days: three flips, $4,000 total
04:25 – Finding a father figure and mentorship
05:00 – Quick temper, Stoicism & Ryan Holiday’s books
06:00 – Taking full responsibility for your life
07:18 – Romans 12:2 and renewing your mind
09:00 – Living to meet the person you’re meant to be
11:00 – Gratitude, perspective & lessons from travel
13:00 – Parenting differently: love, hugs & letting kids earn wins
15:00 – Building family memories over buying stuff
17:00 – Redefining fatherhood and breaking cycles
20:00 – Rewiring your brain: mind shift and self-talk
23:00 – Serving others to shift focus off yourself
25:00 – Imposter theory, growth, and today’s best version of you
26:00 – AI, the future of work & why today is the slowest day of your life
29:00 – Letting go, delegation & running a business with intention
31:00 – Knowing your “zone of genius” & staying out of email underworld
33:00 – Short life lessons: Friday stops at noon
35:00 – The cost of overworking & missing family moments
37:00 – Experiences over things: the Bad Guys 2 story
40:00 – Passing on traditions to kids and grandkids
43:00 – Prioritizing relationships over money
46:00 – Parenting teens: leadership & accountability
48:00 – Reading eight pages a day: how small habits scale
50:00 – Learning from masterminds & changing your rules
53:00 – Prayer as ongoing conversation vs. ritual
56:00 – Posting without fear: no one cares, just do it
57:00 – Five Regrets of the Dying & taking the shot
59:00 – Teaching kids courage and self-belief
1:02:00 – Sports, hobbies, and letting kids find their thing
1:05:00 – Marriage, resentment & why working together isn’t always best
1:09:00 – Setting boundaries and saving your marriage
1:12:00 – Guarding your time & minimizing distractions
1:15:00 – Not judging clients: lessons from prison ministry
1:19:00 – Real estate investing with integrity
1:23:00 – Running life decisions through your “Five Fs”
1:25:00 – Boats, rowboats, and cutting the rope on old circles
1:27:00 – Mentoring, firing, and tough love
1:31:00 – Advice to the person afraid to take the leap
1:32:00 – Closing thoughts: accountability, faith & freedom

📲 Contact Tom: 321‑204‑8232
Reach out any time - [email protected]
www.ThePropertySolutionsTeamDealership.com
Subscribe ►    / @propertysolutionsteam