How We Built a Real Estate Business That Supports Our Life

In this episode, I share a very personal and practical walkthrough of how Jay and I built our real estate business around our life—not the other way around. If you’re working 60+ hours a week, struggling with boundaries, or feeling like your business is your entire identity, this conversation is for you. I unpack how vision, boundaries, and intentional scheduling gave us our time back—and how you can do the same.

This isn’t theory. It’s what actually helped us go from 80-hour weeks to 12 weeks off per year, from chaos to clarity. I also break down one simple but powerful calendar exercise that changed everything for our family, our marriage, and our business.

Episode Timeline:
[0:00] – Why vision matters before business even begins
[1:13] – Our life before: Jay working 80 hours, 4 young kids, no balance
[2:07] – Realizing we needed to design our life and business together
[3:11] – The myth of hustle: why boundaries are more powerful
[4:34] – When you’re always available, you’re never fully present
[5:18] – How overwhelm sneaks in when you lack clarity
[6:10] – Why we plan our lives like people plan weddings or funerals
[7:03] – The calendar exercise: your week, your way
[8:12] – My top 3 non-negotiables for our family and business
[9:59] – You don’t need a full-time hire—start small
[10:39] – The shift that brought back Friday night date nights
[12:30] – Reframing client expectations and reclaiming time
[13:20] – Time is more valuable than money—and it’s non-refundable
[14:08] – Knowing your “genius zone” and outsourcing the rest
[16:03] – Starting with $9/hr help and getting more life back
[17:05] – If you have a day job, here’s how to start your RE biz
[18:20] – Find others who’ve built the life you want—and study them
[19:13] – Tell someone your goal. Accountability changes everything
[20:07] – Challenging the 9–5 mindset: why wait 40 years to live?
[21:03] – Coaching, meetups, masterminds—we use them all
[24:00] – How we went from burnout to 25-hour workweeks
[25:27] – Our yearly reset using the “Wheel of Life”
[27:00] – My audacious fitness goal—and what it taught me about vision
[29:08] – Reverse engineering your goals into daily steps
[30:02] – How we stay connected to our vision daily

5 Key Takeaways:

1. Don’t build a business that breaks your life. Design both together.
2. Clarity and boundaries are the secret to reclaiming your time.
3. You don’t need full-time hires—start with just a few hours a week.
4. Your calendar reveals your values. Block the time that matters.
5. A strong vision gives every task meaning—and prevents burnout.

If this episode gave you clarity, please share it with someone who’s in the thick of hustle. And don’t forget to rate, review, and follow The Real Estate Ride—it helps us keep bringing you raw, real, and helpful conversations like this one.