The Strategy for Success: From the Experts
The Creative Finance Summit 2025, Cincinnati, OH — Day 2
Day two of the Creative Finance Summit in Cincinnati was fantastic! The "How to Find Deals" panel was a real highlight, featuring Anita Johnson, Vena Jones-Cox, Damon Remy, and a very sharp woman whose name I unfortunately missed. It was impressive how open they were to answering any question thrown their way.
I even got to ask them my go-to question: "If you were starting over today with only your current knowledge, what would be your first five steps?" Here’s what I gathered:
Damon Remy from REI Blackbook emphasized setting up his tech and these intriguing "mobile bandit signs" – seriously, you should ask him about those! His focus was on having the systems in place before even considering marketing, to ensure he could handle the influx of leads without getting overwhelmed. (And just so you know, I don't have any affiliation with him, but his platform for investors amazes me!)
The super friendly panelist whose name I didn't catch… Vena playfully compared her to a golden retriever puppy, which completely resonated! She mentioned immediately joining a REIA group and proactively connecting with people, letting them know her interests and offering help with their real estate challenges. She emphasized building relationships and networking.
Vena Jones-Cox, the Real Estate Goddess and self-proclaimed introvert, also stressed the importance of initial systems. Following that, she would build a sales funnel with a structured sequence of mailers, calls, and texts, all carefully worded. She highlighted the value of A/B testing to identify what yields the best results.
Anita Johnson, The Wrap Queen, gave an answer that truly struck a chord with me! Her first step would be to choose one strategy to master – for example, wholesaling to probate sellers or tired landlords. What I really appreciated was her commitment to avoiding "shiny object syndrome" by fully mastering that single strategy and establishing the necessary processes. Only after that would she bring someone on to teach it to, allowing her to scale and move on to another strategy.
Key Takeaways for Me:
It is clearly possible to achieve extraordinary success in multiple different ways, even in the same industry.
There is plenty of business to go around, regardless of the current challenges, real or perceived.
These successful individuals readily collaborate, even if they might seem like "competitors" to others.
Having repeatable and measurable systems is crucial for growth – this was a consistent theme.
They all recognize and work in alignment with their own individual strengths, even if it differs from someone else's "blueprint" for success.
Something I’ve observed frequently from seasoned experts is a certain level of frustration. They see newcomers try a strategy superficially, not fully follow instructions, and then give up, claiming "it doesn't work." But naturally, if you don't implement it correctly or completely, it's unlikely to yield results! I understand the temptation to seek shortcuts, especially when you feel the pressure to achieve immediate results. And it's even more challenging when you constantly hear about others succeeding with different approaches. That’s why Anita’s advice on mastering one thing at a time caused me to break out in applause. It's sound advice for any entrepreneur, in any industry!
My day concluded (the pre-bedtime portion, anyway!) with "The Most Creative Deal Contest." Honestly, each of the ten or so presentations was more impressive than the last! I’ll have to share those details in another conversation because my mind is officially overloaded.
Is there anything I can do to support you and your current efforts?
