Own Your Upside

Hosted by Aaron Ameen

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Episodes

154

Latest episode

Jun 2026

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About the show

You've done everything right. Good income, career momentum, a family worth protecting. Underneath, a quiet realization: the path you're on is optimized for someone else's outcome. For high-earning professionals ready to build ownership alongside their career, before later costs them the years that matter most. I'm Aaron Ameen. I built a multi-state real estate portfolio while working full-time with three kids under four. Now I'm developing Everwood Reserve, a $10M assisted living project, while writing a book and building a coaching practice. The build, as it happens. Stop renting your upside.

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60 recent

June 11, 202628 min

The Real Estate Crisis Nobody's Talking About (Until It's Too Late)

Most real estate investors are chasing cash flow. We're building for a problem that's about to reshape the country.My wife Andrea and I left a portfolio of single-family rentals to develop two luxury assisted living and memory care homes in Houston. The reason is simple: the population is aging far faster than we have the capacity to care for them, and once you see that gap, you can't unsee it.In this conversation, recorded at Michael Zuber's One Rental at a Time event with Matt the Lumberjack Landlord, we get into:— Why we walked away from traditional rentals for ground-up senior care development— The lease-to-operator strategy that bridged us from rentals into this space— How we de-risked a first-time eight-figure development through zoning, market analysis, and team— The bank that pulled out five days after we closed our raise, and what we did next— Why we believe this asset class will endure whatever the market doesIf you're a W2 professional looking for a path with real demand behind it, this is the thesis in full.EVERWOOD RESERVE everwoodreserve.com

May 28, 2026Episode 145 min

How We Built a $9.4M Project Before Quitting Our Jobs

Most people quit their W2 to start building. We did it the other way around.My wife Andrea and I raised $2.8M, broke ground on a $9.4M senior care development, and built our entire team before I ever handed in my notice. This is what the Parallel Build actually looks like in practice.In this conversation:- How we went from 8 single-family rentals to a $9.4M ground-up development with no prior development experience- The team architecture that made a first-time eight-figure project lendable- What the $2.8M capital raise really looked like, including the bank that pulled out five days after we closed- How Andrea and I aligned our vision as a couple on a project this size- What it actually feels like to build something at this scale when the math is against youIf you're a W2 professional trying to build something real on the side, this is the full arc.

March 19, 20266 min

Your Investment Goals Keep Stalling (And How to Fix It)

You’re ambitious.You want to build wealth.Maybe that means buying your first rental property, launching a business, or pursuing a bigger project.But here’s the reality most high-performing professionals face.Your calendar is already full.Between work, family, and everything else life demands, there’s never a clean block of time where you can just “focus on the big thing.”So most people stay stuck in planning mode.They read books.Listen to podcasts.Analyze deals.But the big projects never actually move forward.Today I’m going to show you the quarterly planning system I use to make meaningful progress on big projects without burning out or sacrificing the parts of life that matter most.

March 12, 202633 min

The Real Bottleneck Keeping You From Your First Real Estate Deal

You've read the books. You've watched the videos. You've run the numbers on deals you never made offers on. And you're still at zero properties.The bottleneck isn't knowledge - it's that you're not having enough high-trust conversations with the right people. In this episode, Dave (host of the Property Profits Real Estate podcast and 2,000+ episode veteran) breaks down how a simple, structured 20-minute conversation can open doors that years of studying never will. Including how one of his clients turned 260 conversations into 80 new investors on their roster.If you're a busy professional stuck in research mode wondering why you haven't made your first move yet — this one's for you.00:00 Intro04:09 Podcasting Reality Check05:50 Podcast Closing Breakthrough09:24 Monetize Without Huge Audience11:02 Host The Guest First14:13 Podcast Time And Team16:51 Set Goals And Strategy21:59 Attention And Speaking Skills23:40 Three Part Trust System26:51 Post Interview Soft Pitch30:29 Results And Reciprocity32:16 Wrap Up And Contact

March 5, 202651 min

The Real Story Behind 8 Rentals (Built 20 Minutes at a Time)

In this episode of the 20 Minute Investor Podcast, Aaron and Andrea share the real story behind building 8 rental properties across 3 states while working full-time and raising three kids.You’ll hear the mistakes we made early on, the systems that allowed us to invest in just 20 minutes a day, and the pivotal moments that changed our entire investing journey — including raising nearly $3M to build luxury assisted living homes.If you're a busy professional trying to build wealth without sacrificing your career or family life, this episode will show you what's possible.

February 20, 20266 min

How Smart Investors Use AI for Time Leverage

If you’re consuming podcasts, books, and market updates but still feel stuck in analysis paralysis, this episode is for you. I’ll walk you through the exact system I use to filter signal from noise, use AI to refine my thinking, and turn captured ideas into decisive action - all in about 20 minutes a day.

February 3, 202655 min

20 Minutes a Day to Financial Freedom (with Coach Chad Carson )

8 rental properties across 3 states. 3 kids under 5. A full-time job. How? A 20-minute daily system built around constraints, not despite them. In this conversation with Coach Carson, I break down the exact weekly planning habit, floating time blocks, and offense/defense framework that made it possible.00:00 Introduction01:09 Balancing Family and Real Estate03:36 Goal Setting and Time Management06:51 The 20 Minute Investor System13:09 Deep Work and Energy Management15:58 Weekly Planning and Delegation22:19 Outsourcing and Automation25:49 Setting Yearly and Quarterly Goals27:39 Long-Term Planning and Prioritizing Non-Negotiables30:31 The Importance of Intentional Effort31:47 Breaking Down Overwhelming Goals32:46 Living Life One Day at a Time36:28 Practical Goal Setting in Real Estate44:58 Flexibility and Adaptation in Goal Setting50:01 Final Thoughts

January 23, 202619 min

The Lazy Way to Fund College With Real Estate

Nathan and I explore innovative personal finance strategies related to real estate investing. We discuss how rental properties can serve as a college fund, leveraging property appreciation and cash flow to fund education. Additionally, we discussed the concept of interest-only payments on primary residences, emphasizing the importance of minimizing monthly expenses to invest more in rental properties. The conversation highlights the simplicity of these strategies and the importance of personal choice in financial planning.

January 16, 202617 min

Is Single Family Real Estate Dead in 2026?

Is single family real estate investing really dead in 2026?In this episode, Nathan and I share our honest take on what’s actually happening in the market right now. We talk about why it’s harder (but not dead), how we’re adapting to higher interest rates, and the mindset shift that’s helping us keep moving forward—even when deals are tough to find.If you’re feeling discouraged or unsure about your next move, this 20-minute episode will help you reset and refocus.

January 3, 20266 min

The 20-Minute Investor: A New Approach to Real Estate

You don't need more time. You need a better system. After 150+ episodes and building an 8-property portfolio across 3 states, I'm relaunching this podcast with one mission: helping busy professionals invest in real estate in just 20 minutes a day.