Burning The Ships

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Jun 2026

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Burning the Ships is more than just a podcast—it’s a battle cry for those who refuse to settle. Brought to you by 608B Capital hosted by Jason Seward , we dive deep into the journeys of relentless entrepreneurs, high-performers, and risk-takers who have gone all in—leaving behind safety nets, doubts, and excuses to forge their own path. Each episode unpacks the mindset, strategies, and raw determination it takes to break free from the ordinary and build something extraordinary. Whether it’s leaving a comfortable career, pushing physical and mental limits, or overcoming impossible odds, our guests prove that greatness comes to those who commit fully . If you’re ready to burn the ships and bet on yourself, you’re in the right place. Let’s get after it.

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June 14, 202632 min

Jason Seward: The Mental Framework That Keeps Bad Days From Getting Worse

Jason Seward is the host of Burning the Ships and a private lender at 608B Capital, where he works daily with real estate investors to close deals fast. He's built his business on relationships and clear communication, which makes this solo episode feel less like a lesson and more like a conversation with someone who's had the same frustrations you've had.In Episode 225, Jason introduces the Boat Theory — a simple but powerful mindset shift about how we assign blame, react to other people's behavior, and either pass negativity forward or stop it cold. This one's for anyone who has ever let a bad interaction ruin their day, in business, in marriage, or just navigating life with other humans.This concept came from something Jason read a couple of months ago and couldn't shake. He tested it in real life just three days before recording this episode, and he'll be the first to tell you he handled it wrong before he got it right.Key Talking Points of the Episode[00:20] Jason introduces the Boat Theory and where the name fits with the show[01:07] Setting the scene: calm lake, quiet kayak, then — bam[02:20] The emotional pivot: anger disappears when you realize the boat was empty[03:38] The core insight: we attach our emotions to assumptions about a situation[04:00] Car analogy: getting rear-ended and assuming the worst about the driver[05:09] What if they just found out their family member was in an accident?[06:27] Jason's honest admission: he still gets irrationally emotional sometimes[08:20] Every driver has been the distracted one — you've been that person too[11:07] Real business example from three days before recording: a rude loan applicant[14:54] The business partner texts at 8pm — here's what was actually going on[20:05] Marriage version: clashing because you're not on the same emotional frequency[23:55] The Cleveland Clinic video: 30 strangers, 30 invisible battles, no context[26:43] The snowball effect: one rude interaction contaminates the whole chain[29:32] How to give grace, stop the snowball, and not carry it forwardQuotables"Your anger, which was ready to fight somebody right there, just slammed into nothing — and now you're confused.""Most of the time in life, we attach our emotions into assumptions of the situation.""You don't have to know the information, but be aware that these circumstances could exist.""I've been that person before. If you catch me at the end of a really bad day and I answer a phone call, I'm probably not going to be 'Hey, how's it going?'""Nobody has a clue what battles you're fighting except the people you've shared those battles with.""If it makes it to me, I want to stop that snowball.""Be compassionate when you're getting bad energy. Look at it from the lens of — this person might be having a bad day, and they don't even know they're directing it at me.""That's the boat theory."Links608B Capital — 608bcapital.com

June 7, 202643 min

Mike Cobb: What Raising Kids Overseas Does to How They See the World

Mike Cobb didn't find his path — he built it from scratch in a country most people couldn't locate on a map. In the mid-90s, a trip to Belize with a lawyer buddy turned into a mortgage company, which turned into a bank, which turned into a 2,500-acre development on the Pacific coast of Nicaragua, which turned into a teak timber operation planted in 1999 that's only now coming to harvest. Three businesses, three countries, and thirty-plus years of building things designed to outlive him.This episode isn't about the deals or the developments. It's about the mindset behind someone who has spent his entire adult life saying yes when most people would have walked away, and who now spends his time building leaders the same way he planted teak trees — knowing full well he may never sit in the shade.Key Talking Points of the Episode[00:37] How Mike and Jason first connected at a Dealmaker event in Richmond through Jim Ingersoll[02:49] The mid-90s trip to Belize that accidentally launched a mortgage company[03:51] Finding the gap: no mortgage money existed for North Americans buying in Belize[04:36] Growing the mortgage company into a full bank — a process that took from 1998 to 2003[08:00] Five years of asking to buy into the business — and finally deciding to burn the ships when the answer kept being no[10:47] The risk calculation at 34: newly married, no kids, and willing to restart if it failed[22:59] Moving to Nicaragua in 2002 with a two-year-old — and staying 14 years[25:58] Raising third culture kids: the book, the fishbowl analogy, and what it means to grow up between two worlds[29:30] Moving back to West Virginia in 2016 after the oldest daughter received a ballet scholarship to the Joffrey program in New York[30:27] Building 100-year businesses and what that mindset shift does to how you lead and develop people[36:51] Why great leaders should expect — and celebrate — when people outgrow the roles they were hired for[38:19] How the original mortgage fund was structured before it became a bankQuotables"We find a need that's either not being served or not being served very well. And if we can do something to change that, then we can be successful — if we're good at what we do.""You got to pick your path and you got to commit to it. You just have to go all in.""The fear of failure, the consequences of failure, can really paralyze us. So often in life, we imagine this two by 12 stretched between two skyscrapers, when in reality it might be a foot off the floor.""I'm willing to take almost any risk that keeps me in the alive category.""We said to ourselves: we're building a small town, and that's going to take 50, 75, 100 years. So we need to build a company that's going to be around for 100 years.""It's not just about bringing up leaders and having them evolve. It's about making sure they understand that their real job is to develop the leadership that comes after them.""You are not hiring people to stay in the role you're hiring them for. If they outgrow it, that should be a good thing."LinksECI Development — ecidevelopment.comMike Cobb's book: How to Buy Your Home Overseas and Get It Right the First Time — available on Amazon; free Kindle download via email: podcast@ecidevelopment.com (write "book" in subject line)608B Capital (episode sponsor) — 608bcapital.com

May 31, 202659 min

Jason Seward: Why Your Spouse Is the Most Important Business Decision You Will Ever Make

Jason Seward has spent the last four-plus years building a real estate business from scratch after a full corporate career, and he's been married to his wife Katie since 2009. In this solo episode, he makes a case he says most entrepreneurs get wrong: that your spouse isn't just a support system for your grind, they are the single most important business decision you will ever make.Jason walks through the specific traits that make a spouse a business asset or a liability, the moment in late October 2022 when Katie's words gave him the confidence to resign from his corporate career, and why he recently hired a marriage coach for a relationship he already considers a nine out of ten. If you're an entrepreneur trying to understand why your output at work is directly tied to what's happening at home, this one will hit differently.Key Talking Points of the Episode[01:00] Jason introduces the episode and the thesis: your spouse is your most important business decision[02:28] Why most entrepreneurs get this conversation wrong — it's not about having someone hold things down while you grind[07:42] The pressure of entrepreneurship and why emotional swings make your home environment a make-or-break variable[12:12] Belief in the mission — why Katie not knowing the details of the business doesn't matter, and why her faith in Jason frees him to take risks[14:41] Battery charger versus battery drainer — the concept that Jason says is the core of why their marriage fuels his business[18:43] What it actually looks like when a spouse drains the battery and how that compounds day after day in the business[22:09] Katie's role in the business with zero direct involvement — the specific functions she performs that matter most[25:26] How both Jason and Katie handled adversity early in their relationship, and why that became a key indicator[39:01] Why Jason and Katie have always given each other complete freedom to travel, take golf trips, and recharge separately[43:06] Green light culture — the difference between asking permission and coordinating the calendar[49:24] The questions every entrepreneur should ask before committing to a life partner[54:25] Why Jason and Katie hired a marriage coach even though the marriage is already exceptional, and what it's producedQuotables"The right spouse doesn't remove pressure from entrepreneurship. They help make the pressure meaningful.""She stopped me and said, 'Me and the kids do not give a shit how much money you make. We just want you here.'""Katie is like my battery charger. If I get home at the end of the day and my battery is drained, we charge each other.""I can focus on maneuvering in my business without the pressure of a spouse at home questioning every decision I make. That's a cheat code.""Chemistry is what everybody kind of rides on early in a relationship. But alignment is what sustains a relationship.""If I fail at everything and it all goes to zero, we're going to be okay. That is empowering as an entrepreneur — knowing none of it defines us.""We will live under a bridge with each other if we have to. And that's real. We both feel that.""Michael Jordan was the best basketball player ever. He still had coaches. One area nobody does this in is their marriage."Links608B Capital — 608bcapital.com

May 24, 202653 min

Adrian Smude: Building Wealth Through Mobile Homes and a Mindset Built to Last

In this episode of Burning the Ships, I sit down with Adrian Smude — mobile home investor, mastermind leader, mindset coach, and one of the most genuinely interesting people to come through this show. Adrian grew up literally inside a family business in Plant City, Florida, and has been wired as an entrepreneur since before he could remember.Adrian walks through a journey that includes buying his first house at 20 years old with $1,500 out of pocket, getting evicted multiple times before he owned anything, taking a 48% loss on his second property during the 2008 cycle, surviving on tuna and Lipton noodle packets at $5 a day, and eventually finding his niche in mobile homes with land — a space he has been quietly dominating for over a decade. What makes this conversation special is that Adrian is as passionate about mindset, coaching, and personal development as he is about real estate. The two topics are completely intertwined for him, and it shows.We also dig into his belief that 60% knowledge is enough to take action, why he has coaches for everything from business to relationships to fitness, the ripple effect of helping people, and why health span matters more than any number in a bank account.Key Talking Points of the Episode00:41 How Jason and Adrian met at the Dealmaker conference in Richmond01:43 Growing up inside a family business in Plant City, Florida02:22 House hacking before it was a thing — spaghetti wrestling parties and getting evicted constantly03:28 The second house, the adjustable rate mortgage, and the 48% loss09:40 Going to four to eight meetups a week and driving up to two hours to get there10:03 Being super shy and introverted — and wearing a Ninja Turtles shirt so people would come to him15:18 What steered him into mobile homes — cash flow was the one thing his coach helped him clarify16:47 The ego that kept him from hiring a coach for years — and why he has had one ever since17:53 Coaches for business, finance, relationships, health, and writing his book27:37 Everyone who is super successful has massive failures behind them29:18 The temptation to go back to a W2 — and why he will live under a bridge before he does33:11 The Savannah Bananas book Fans First and how it changed how he builds his team35:57 Running his mastermind and the ripple effect of watching others succeed37:00 Kelly Garrett and the mentor who helped him build a competitor — and why she did it40:37 Health and fitness as a non-negotiable — started in high school and never stopped43:39 Health span over lifespan — what is the point of retiring if your body can't keep upQuotables"I was ignorant enough to not ask a million questions, so I could actually take action.""At 60% knowledge you've got to do something. By 80% you know everything that can go wrong and you'll never move.""I throw mud at the wall and whatever starts sticking, I do it.""If your mindset is not right, your whole life is not right, and your business will never be right.""There's enough sunshine for all of us. You taking some sunshine isn't taking it away from me.""If you help enough people get what they want, you will get what you want.""I want to not just live a long life. I want to enjoy that life I live.""Success is in the mundane of everyday things that has to get done.""I will live under a bridge before I go back and work for someone."Links608B Capital https://608bcapital.comAdrian Smude Instagram & Facebook: search Adrian Smude Book: Trailer Cash — available on social media and Amazon

May 17, 202647 min

Jason Seward: The Bad Habits Nobody Talks About Because They Feel Too Familiar

In this episode of Burning the Ships, Jason Seward flies solo to tackle a simple but counterintuitive idea that stopped him in his tracks while reading — quitting bad habits is far more impactful than starting new good ones. The premise is straightforward: you have to stop the leak before you fill the bucket.Jason walks through what that actually looks like in real life — why people default to addition instead of subtraction, how youth masks bad habits until the body starts pushing back, and how he spent years adding intermittent fasting on top of a bad diet, too much alcohol, and no real sleep routine and wondered why nothing was changing. He breaks down the most common leaks across four categories — mental, relationship, financial, and physical — and gets personal about the ones he has had to plug himself, including impatience, a condescending tone, alcohol, distraction, and identifying himself as busy all the time.This episode is not about adding more to your life. It is about being honest enough to look at what is quietly draining it.Key Talking Points of the Episode00:23 The quote that sparked this episode — quitting bad habits is more impactful than starting new good ones00:52 The bucket analogy — you cannot fill a leaking bucket by just pouring more water in01:34 Why adding new habits without removing old ones leads to stagnation or going backwards02:24 Why people love addition and hate subtraction — new habits feel productive and exciting09:12 The squirrel in the backyard — what ADHD actually looks like mid-recording10:46 Why building new habits feels immediately productive even when the leaks are still there11:16 Jason's intermittent fasting story — adding a new habit while everything else was still broken13:28 When his blood work finally showed what was actually going on beneath the surface14:47 The real change started when he stopped the leaks — not when he added more in16:47 Sleep example — buying melatonin while still doom scrolling and eating right before bed18:09 His current nighttime routine — sauna, shower, and calm wind-down before 10pm20:31 Mental leaks — doom scrolling, negativity, and comparison22:38 How he intentionally curated his Instagram feed to make scrolling less of a leak28:27 Physical leaks — poor sleep, alcohol, junk food, and stress29:39 The most honest admission — using alcohol to cope during the transition out of his career31:09 Removing friction creates momentum faster than adding complexity32:47 The boat analogy — if your boat is taking on water you do not slam the throttle down44:16 Your next level may not require becoming someone new — it may require stopping what is keeping you from who you already could beQuotables"Quitting bad habits is far more impactful than starting new good ones.""You have to stop the leak before you fill the bucket.""Nobody wants subtraction. It is painful to take away the things you perceive as pleasurable.""Removing friction creates momentum faster than adding complexity.""Most people are not losing because they lack opportunity. They are losing because they keep leaking.""That bad habit is part of your identity. So you protect it.""I would rather hear my kids drop the F bomb than say the word can't.""Your next level may not require becoming somebody new. It may require stopping what is keeping you from who you already could be.""I have intentionally curated this life. So why the hell am I telling everyone how busy I am."Links608B Capital https://608bcapital.com

May 10, 202633 min

Jason Seward: The Difference Between the Ones Who Break Through & the Ones Who Don't

In this episode of Burning the Ships, Jason Seward flies solo to break down one of the most powerful concepts he has come across in his reading — the Pike Effect. It is a real research study, it is a little dark, and once you hear it you will not be able to stop applying it to your own life.A researcher puts a pike — one of the most aggressive predatory fish there is — in a tank separated from its prey by a glass divider. The pike slams into that glass over and over, day after day, until it finally gives up. When the researcher removes the divider, the prey swims freely around the pike. The pike never tries again. It starves to death with the thing it needs most right in front of it.Jason walks through what the Pike Effect looks like in real life — in business, in parenting, in personal goals — and shares three stories that bring it to life: his mother raising three kids as a single mom who refused to quit, Dan Oliver of Daniel's Seasoning who nearly gave up right before COVID launched him into a mega brand, and his own early days building 608B Capital when nothing was moving and he just kept showing up anyway. This is a short, punchy episode with a message that will stick.Key Talking Points of the Episode00:00 Introducing the Pike Effect and why it applies to almost everything in life01:14 The research study — what the pike did and what happened when the glass came down03:13 Day by day the pike keeps hitting the glass until he finally stops trying05:40 What this means for humans — giving up right before the barrier breaks down07:17 Every goal in life requires pushing through resistance — sometimes it seems impossible08:12 The two reasons people stop — they lose faith in the goal or they stop believing they can break through09:50 Jason's mom — a car accident at 16, a hard marriage, and raising three kids alone with no high school diploma15:25 Dan Oliver of Daniel's Seasoning — grinding for years with barely any traction16:10 How Covid broke the glass wall for Dan — and what would have happened if he had quit in December 201917:28 The word he banned from his house — and why he would rather hear the F word than the C word19:22 How he handles it when JJ says he can't do something — and what happens next20:50 The rule on mistakes — I do not care if you fail when you are making the effort22:52 Building 608B Capital — talking to investors and getting no wires for months24:07 Just keep banging your head into the glass divider and tweaking as you go25:28 The breakthrough moment — when the glass finally came down and everything started compounding26:32 JJ in baseball — tucked in right field for years and now batting leadoff on two teams29:35 The takeaway — don't be the pike, be like JJ, be like Dan Oliver, keep goingQuotables"75 to 80 percent of businesses get to the point where the walls are not breaking down and they just give up.""She was life's mosquito. You are not going to knock me down.""I would rather hear my kids drop the F bomb than say the word can't.""I do not care if a mistake is made because you were making an effort to do something you thought you couldn't do.""The only thing I knew to do with confidence is just keep banging my head into that glass divider day after day.""Don't go tuck yourself in the corner and die. Go get the goal.""Some people are just too dumb to know when to quit. And those are the ones who break through.""Keep slamming your head into the wall. Keep thinking of ways around it, above it, through it — until something breaks."Links608B Capital https://608bcapital.com

May 3, 20261 hr 9 min

Kati Seward: What a Supportive Spouse Actually Looks and Sounds Like in Real Life

In this episode of Burning the Ships, Jason sits down with the most important person in his life — his wife Kati — for an honest conversation recorded in honor of their wedding anniversary. Kati has been the quiet backbone behind everything Jason has built, and this is the first time listeners get to hear the story from her side.They talk about how they met on a blind date that almost ended early, Kati's decade-long journey as a teacher from special education to second grade, and what it actually looked like for her when Jason decided to leave a stable career and go all in on entrepreneurship. Kati opens up about her lifelong battle with anxiety — what it felt like at its worst, how it affected their relationship in the early years, and the strategies she has used to get to a much healthier place. She also shares what she told Jason the night he needed to hear something real before turning in his resignation letter.This episode is for anyone building something big while trying to be a great partner and parent at the same time. It is a reminder that burning the ships is rarely a solo decision — and that the person standing beside you makes all the difference.Key Talking Points of the Episode00:25 Introducing Kati Seward and why Jason had to beg her to come on for two years01:10 JJ's joke of the week — fitting for a teacher03:13 How Jason and Kati met on a blind date in 2006 and the escape plan that never got used05:33 Kati's side of the blind date story and her own secret exit strategy07:05 Growing up wanting to be a teacher and the elementary school teachers who never gave up on her08:25 Going back to college as an adult to finish her degree and graduating in 201511:55 How her special ed experience made her a better mom to JJ and Emma13:25 What she has taught Jason about meeting kids — and adults — where they are15:19 Why she will never want to teach middle or high school and what keeps her coming back17:52 Jason asking her to stay home for years and her refusing every time25:24 What she sees in their kids now that tells her the parenting is working27:46 Introducing the anxiety conversation and how far back it goes29:04 What anxiety actually feels like from the inside — worst case scenarios, breathing problems, and constant fear45:26 The Nashville trip that made Jason's mind up — and the conversation in bed that sealed it46:19 What she said that had his resignation letter written within a week47:09 Life two and a half years after the leap — happier, more present, more flexible57:33 What Kati is excited about in the next chapter — Outer Banks house, more travel, more freedom01:00:26 Advice for spouses of aspiring entrepreneurs — what you need to hear before they leapQuotables"I trust you. That's all I kept saying. I trust you.""Our kids don't give a damn how much money you make. They want you here and they want you happy.""I wanted to make sure the kids were still going to be okay. That was the biggest thing for me.""You have to accept that you have a problem and then go find somebody who can help you with it.""I'm not trying to control your life. It is a genuine fear that something is wrong.""We don't have a problem telling each other when we think the other person is being an asshole.""We started this thing as you and I. We're not going to make the kids 100% of our lives and forget about us.""You've been a lot happier. You come home and there's no stress. That says everything."Links608B Capital https://608bcapital.com

April 26, 202641 min

Jason Seward: Ten Rules for Life That Apply to Every Age and Every Room

In this episode of Burning the Ships, host Jason Seward flies solo to share something that started as a career day presentation at his kids' school and turned into one of the most universally applicable episodes he has put together.Jason was asked to present on finance and his career to a group of high schoolers — and ended up with fourth graders in the room too after a presenter no-showed. He had to scrap his entire deck on the fly and break everything down to its simplest form. What came out of it were ten life rules that he walked those kids through, rules that turned out to be just as relevant for adults as they were for nine year olds. The best question of the day came from a fourth grader, and it reminded Jason that kids are always paying closer attention than we think.This episode is a reminder of the fundamentals — the things that sound simple but most people are not consistently doing. If you have kids, this one is worth sharing with them. If you are an adult building something, it is worth asking yourself honestly whether you are living all ten of these rules or just preaching them.Key Talking Points of the Episode00:00 Your reputation is your currency and other people are the ones defining it00:50 Why Jason is flying solo again — 608B Capital growth and team building demands02:11 The career day presentation that turned into this episode03:05 Getting thrown into presenting to fourth graders with no preparation04:38 Why these ten rules apply to every age and every area of life08:52 Rule two — Be early, not just on time, and what Jason's grandfather JJ modeled about this11:05 Why being early signals an extra level of respect for people and situations12:15 Rule three — Work hard when no one is watching13:31 Kobe Bryant showing up at 5am before anyone else arrived and what that compounded into14:24 Doing things for others when no recognition or return is coming17:07 Rule five — Don't be afraid to ask questions, ego is what silences them18:38 The fastest learners ask the most questions regardless of how they land19:03 Rule six — Read and learn constantly, not just what school forces on you20:33 Self-inflicted education as the real driver of growth and the ability to help others20:56 Rule seven — Take care of your body, it is the only vehicle you get24:52 Are the five people around you lifting you up or pulling you back down26:30 Rule nine — Proactively choose to do hard things, not just the ones life forces on you27:14 Reps of hard choices build confidence and the ability to take on more31:42 Are you modeling these ten things for your kids or just preaching them33:12 The closet and the truck — when his wife called him out for preaching what he wasn't living38:15 How his daughter's Instagram algorithm led him to his next podcast guestQuotables"Most people eliminate themselves from an opportunity simply by not showing up.""If you were supposed to be somewhere at noon, he'd be there at 11. That was my grandfather.""Work hard when nobody is watching. That's where the real reps happen.""Your reputation is your main currency in life. Spend it wisely.""Silencing your questions equals slow growth.""You are given one body. You have a responsibility to take care of it.""Look around at the five people you spend the most time with. Are they lifting you up or pulling you back down?""If you're waiting to feel ready, that is the fastest way to stay stuck.""Action gives you experience. Experience gives you confidence. Repeat that cycle and it works every time."Links608B Capital https://608bcapital.com

April 19, 202632 min

Jason Seward: The 3 Reasons You’re Not Taking Action in Life & Business

In this solo episode of Burning the Ships, I break down one of the most misunderstood reasons people don’t take action — and it’s not fear. It’s comfort.Too many people blame fear for staying stuck, but the reality is much simpler. When there’s no urgency, no clarity, and no real consequences for staying the same, people stay exactly where they are. A “good enough” life becomes the trap that keeps them from ever reaching their full potential.I walk through the three real reasons people don’t take action, how I experienced this firsthand leaving a high-income W-2 career to pursue entrepreneurship, and how these same principles apply to health, business, and even personal challenges like stepping into something completely new. If you’ve ever felt like you’re capable of more but can’t seem to move, this episode will help you understand why — and what to do about it.Key Talking Points of the Episode00:00 Why lack of consequences keeps people stuck in comfort00:23 The biggest regret people have at the end of their life — unfulfilled potential01:12 Why this solo episode exists and what Jason is diving into02:02 Taking massive imperfect action and building a relationship with risk02:38 Why fear is not the real reason people don’t take action03:05 Comfort and lack of urgency as the real problem04:02 Why a “good life” can actually hold you back05:02 The first reason people don’t act — lack of clarity06:06 Why too many options create paralysis instead of progress07:25 The biggest factor — no consequences for staying the same07:49 Jason’s story of staying comfortable in a high-income insurance career09:10 Why most people wait until things become painful before acting09:54 How clarity gave him the ability to leave and pursue real estate11:20 The pressure and doubt that come with removing your safety net12:23 What an unfulfilled life would have looked like if he stayed16:10 Stop blaming fear — it’s a clarity and comfort issue16:58 Why unfulfilled potential is the ultimate consequence17:23 Lessons from the DealMaker Conference and Chuck Glover18:16 Why most people never define the consequences deeply enough19:01 You’re not stuck — you’re comfortable19:45 How to create urgency through accountability and pressure20:39 The danger of staying comfortable doing the same thing every day24:38 Setting clear goals: blue belt and competition26:06 Competing for the first time and overcoming doubt27:05 How clarity, commitment, and consequences drove action28:13 Why you must create urgency if it doesn’t exist29:08 The danger of having a “Plan B” mindset30:09 Why people never put themselves in a position where they have to act30:31 Living a life of constant growth and chasing potentialQuotables“You’re not stuck. You’re comfortable.”“Most people don’t lack courage — they lack urgency.”“A good life is what keeps most people from a great one.”“You can’t attack something you can’t define.”“Too many options lead to zero action.”“If nothing has to change, nothing will.”“The ultimate consequence is unfulfilled potential.”“Stop blaming fear. It’s clarity and comfort.”“Create the pressure if it doesn’t exist.”“Burning the ships is about removing the option to retreat.”Links608B Capital https://608bcapital.comBurning the Ships Podcast Apple, Spotify, and YouTube

April 12, 202657 min

Tom Dunkel: Building Your Life Plan Before You Build Your Business Plan

In this episode of Burning the Ships, I sit down with Tom Dunkel — managing principal of Eagle Capital Investments, co-founder of U.S. Mortgage Resolution, self-storage investor, and a guy who spent ten years in corporate mergers and acquisitions before getting fired in 2006 and never looking back.Tom walks us through a career that started with aerospace deals and Harvard MBAs in DC, ran through a firing that turned out to be the best thing that ever happened to him, and evolved into a 20-year entrepreneurial journey that has generated close to $70 million in revenue. From wholesaling to distressed mortgage debt to a $55 million self-storage portfolio, Tom and his business partner Joe have built and rebuilt multiple times — and learned hard lessons each time about niching down, building teams, and creating a business that works without you.Key Talking Points of the Episode00:00 Why niching down is the difference between businesses that succeed and ones that fail01:41 Tom's background — William and Mary, corporate M&A, and the aerospace industry03:21 Building financial models and raising capital alongside Harvard and Wharton MBAs04:27 Getting fired in 2006 and why his ships were probably burned before that anyway05:07 Having a wife and two young kids at home when the decision was made for him05:53 Getting his face bashed in through the Great Recession as a brand new entrepreneur06:20 Building U.S. Mortgage Resolution into a business that generated nearly $70 million13:22 Walking out of a dream job interview because a voice in his head said don't do it23:42 Discovering discounted mortgage notes and how his finance background made it click34:37 Discovering self-storage through Scott Myers and doing the work before buying anything35:52 Buying their first storage facility in 2020 and scaling to 18 or 19 facilities36:37 Syndicating nearly all of the storage deals and raising about $20 million from investors38:16 Building the business intentionally so it never became a full-time job for either of them39:33 The mindset of running everything from an iPad on the beach — even back when iPads were new44:38 Reading The E-Myth and why Darren Hardy's advice to build your life plan first changed everything45:47 The early days of late night phone calls and grinding before the systems were in place49:08 Advice on raising kids while building a business — prioritize, plan, and show up50:13 A holistic view of education — scouting, music, and sports alongside the classroom52:12 Eagle Capital Investments and how Tom helps investors transition into passive wealthQuotables"The riches are in the niches.""I got my face bashed in during the Great Recession trying to learn how to be an entrepreneur.""There's no such thing as corporate job security. I can go figure it out on my own.""I heard this little voice in my head saying don't do it. So I pulled my name from consideration.""Build your life plan first. Then build your business plan to fit inside of it.""If you're not careful, you don't build a business — you just build a job for yourself.""Go look at your calendar and your bank statements. That's what you're really focused on.""You've got to find the niche and go deep in it."Links608B Capital https://608bcapital.comEagle Capital Investments https://investwitheagle.comThe Wealth Builders Playbook by Tom Dunkel Available at investwitheagle.com