I create efficient tax and investment strategies for tenured Sales and Software Pros | Financial Advisor & Fractional CFO | Guiding you to a better and abundant financial life |

TFA’s mission is to enhance the present and future economic well-being of its clients and representatives. 

Baby Boomers are retiring every day.

The average baby boomer believes $300,000 is sufficient enough to retire on.

Do you think that's enough money? But before I answer that, here's my story:

I was on track to be a Chemical Engineer till 2020. But when I graduated, I was distraught with what the job requirements were. Putting myself first, I completely decided to quit the track.

No plan, no job in sight. I started to panic.
 
That's when my mom sat me down and told me to list the things I'm passionate about. Turns out personal finance and education were the top two on my list. Not shocking, considering I always had a passion for how money works. 
 
So, I started doing research for jobs in financial services. My goal was to implement my passion for financial education for everyone. 

Since then I've helped countless individuals, families, and business owners make easier financial decisions for their future.
 
Services I provide:

1. Portfolio Planning
2. Budget Creation
3. College Funding
4. Debt Reduction 
5. Retirement Planning 
6. Proper Protection
7. Tax Efficiency
8. Investment Allocation



What makes me different:
- Keeping you accountable to your goals
- Creating simple yet effective strategies
- Establishing a personal relationship
- Yearly reviews accounting for changes in goals and income

So to answer the question above, $300,000 is not enough money to retire on, in my opinion. But that's where I come in. 

If you want to learn more about how my clients are pursuing their financial goals, let's have a quick chat :)

Omkar Shinde

I've spent $75,000+ on my mortgage over the last 3 years.

3 reasons why I'll never ever go back into Real Estate ever again:

1. Interest
• It's no shocker payments first go to interest, then principal.
• In an environment rate like this, I'm not motivated to buy real estate and let it cash flow -$500 to $100 per month.
• I study the markets, and they're doing much better anyways.

2. Costs and Illiquidity
• Buying a house costs time, selling a house costs money.
• And the investment is fully illiquid. I cannot sell a bathroom and keep the house.
• Yes, loaning is an option and that's the only thing I like about it. But, that can also be a slippery slope.

3. Minimal Benefits
• Shreya works 40 hours a week, I run an advisory firm, and we own 2 rentals.
• Neither of us in Real Estate, nor can we qualify for REPS. So depreciation only offsets the cash flow we receive, nothing else.
• Not to mention maintenance, HOA, property management, and paying for all of that.

So yeah, I'm a huge believer money can be used in better places than real estate.

Anyone else agree?

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I create efficient tax plans and investment strategies for Sales & Software Employees making $200,000+ | DM me “W2” for an intro call.

3 weeks ago, Trump wanted to ban large institutional investors from buying single-family homes.

People are celebrating. But let me fill in the blanks for you:

37-year-olds making $172K can't buy a house.
Because BlackRock can pick up houses for 0.00023% of their balance sheet.

The Middle Class is not competing against families anymore.
They're competing against trillion dollar asset managers.

Who see nothing but dollar signs and decimal points.

So banning them makes sense, right?

But here's the other side:

Institutional investors own less than 3% of single-family homes in the U.S.

The real issue?

→ Interest rates that doubled.
→ 40-year low housing supply.
→ Zoning laws blocking construction.

Banning institutional buyers might feel good.

But it doesn't build more houses.

I work with clients making great money who still can't afford homes.

It's not just because BlackRock bought 3% of the market.
It's because there aren't enough homes being built.

Supply and Demand is basic macroeconomics. 

So what's the real solution?

Ban institutional buyers and hope prices drop?
Or build more housing so supply meets demand?

One feels good.
Both fix the problem.

What do you think—will this ban help or are we missing the bigger issue?

Every other Friday, you wait for that $4,786 paycheck.

But by Monday... *poof*.

You worked late nights.
Put in weekend hours.
Closed the deal that finally hit your quota.

Payday arrives—
And just like that, it disappears.

Because here’s what happens:

→ The rent auto-drafts.
→ The Amex bill hits.
→ Groceries, daycare, travel... all waiting in line.

By Monday morning, you’re already stressed about how to stretch what’s left.

This isn’t carelessness, well maybe a bit..

But mostly, it’s a missing skill.

Because *earning money* and *managing money* are two completely different games.

One fills your account.
The other builds your freedom.

Without a cash flow system, the cycle repeats:

• Direct deposit in on Friday.
• Expenses drain it by Monday.
• Anxiety fills the rest of the month.

What's worse? 
You can’t out-earn disorganization.

Most Sales clients making over $200,000, don’t need more money, they want it.

But they NEED a structure that makes cash flow predictable, month after month.

What's your cash flow management look like?

DM me "FLOW" and I’ll show you how to finally keep more of what you earn.

I took a bet on myself at 23 to drop a stable paycheck to go all in.

4 years later, I've 3x'd my salary and I'll never have to look for a job again.

Here's what nobody tells you about risk:

Everything is risky.

Staying at your job? Risky.
Layoffs happen. Budgets get cut. Companies fold.

Starting a business? Risky.
You might fail. You might lose money. You might look stupid.

The difference?

One risk keeps you comfortable until it doesn't.
The other risk builds something that can't be taken away from you.

Most people avoid the "scary" risks while taking the safest-looking risk of all—betting their entire future on someone else's decision.

That's not safety.
That's just delayed uncertainty.

When I left my 6-figure job, everyone thought I was crazy.

"You're throwing away stability."
"What if it doesn't work out?"
"You should wait a few more years."

But as time went on, it became clear:

The biggest risk wasn't starting my business.
It was spending the next 40 years wondering "what if?"

4 years later, I've tripled my income.
Built financial freedom on my own terms.
And I'll never have to update my resume again.

You're going to take a risk either way.

So why not take the one with the outcome YOU actually want?

The job will always be there if you need it.
But the opportunity to build something for yourself?

That window doesn't stay open forever.

It's the first full week back in 2026, what are you doing today to start your year your way?

At 18 years old, I was denied my first credit card.

At 25 years old, I had a credit score of 815.

Here's how I did it:

• Paid off my card bi-weekly for 4 years straight
• Kept my first card open, even when I stopped using it
• Used less than 10% of my limit per month
• Increased my limit every 6 months
• Followed Chase's 5/24 rule

I didn't have anyone teach me how to build credit.

I figured it out on my own.

Most people wait for someone to show them the way.

They wait for their parents to explain it.
They wait for school to teach it.
They wait for the "right time" to start.

But nobody's coming to save you.

If you want something in life, you have to make it happen yourself.

And the difference between where you are and where you want to be?
Action.

You either figure it out or you stay stuck.
Or pay someone like me to make sure you get what you need.

P.S: Struggling with your credit? DM me "CREDIT" and let's talk.

Using your 401(k) funds for a down payment?

This will create a generation of homeowners who can't afford to retire.

Trump's berlieves his proposal is the solution to help the home-buying dilemma.
Let me show you what this actually means:

You're 28 with $40K in your 401(k).
You can't afford a down payment.

Now you can pull $30K out and buy a house.
Problem solved.

But here's what you're not seeing:

Keeping retirement funds locked up has actually been helpful.
It forces people to save cash for a down payment.

Which means:

→ They build an emergency fund first.
→ Their retirement keeps growing the entire time
→ They prove they can handle homeownership costs.

Yes, it delays buying a house.

But that delay protects both your home AND your retirement.

Now imagine this:

A 28-year-old pulls $30K from their 401(k) for a down payment.

Buys a house they can barely afford.
Then the AC breaks. Roof leaks. Property taxes spike.
No cash reserves left.

And their retirement account is back at $0.

They're house rich, cash poor and back to the foothills of the retirement mountain.

Access to retirement funds might sound like freedom.
(Could be)

But my bet is it's more likely to create a generation of homeowners who can't afford to retire.

What do you think—does easy access help or hurt more people?

I've worked with AE's making $400,000/year. 
 
I've also worked with a bakery owner making $40,000/year. 
 
My top 5 lessons on literacy I've learned while serving a diverse client base: 
 
→ Financial discipline is the main difference, 
Between someone making $1,000/month vs. $10,000/month. 
 
→ Educating people about their finances sells. 
Not the fee structure. 
 
→ Your history and your mission are both crucial, 
And bridge both of these with your story. 
 
→ Money is still a taboo topic, 
even in high-income households. 
 
→ Your salary on paper does not matter. 
It's your bank account balance that does. 
 
 
The only way to freedom is through education. 
 
So get literate to be liberated. 
 
Message me today to take the first step.

A potentially illegal Roth IRA hack that hasn't been discovered yet.

Disclaimer: This is not financial advice.

Father has a Roth IRA. Son has a Roth IRA.
Father makes $82,000. Son makes $76,000.

Father pays for everything, has nothing to save at the end of the month.
Son is single and lives at home, 80% of his income is discretionary.

Son maxes out his Roth IRA. 
Son maxes out Father's Roth IRA.

Son is 27. Father is 58.

There's a mutual understanding between Father and Son that Son will inherit the Roth upon the Father's passing.

Let's assume Father lives till 90.

Which means Son has 32 years of compounding interest on $15,000/year of contributions.

Considering they start from $0, and max it out every year,
that's a combined Roth Account of $2M completely tax-free.

With the 4% rule, that's $80k/year in tax-free retirement income for the son.
Even higher with an Annuity.

To any tax pros, is this legal?

P.S: This may or may not be an real life scenario. 👀

Shreya and I spent $2,134 on our trip to Portland, Oregon in December.

Here are the 2 financial rules that help us travel every month:

1. Systems create peace.
2. Memories > Money any day.

Let me lay out the scene:

→ United Economy to Portland.
→ Diamond status got us an Upgraded room at Hilton.
→ Waterfalls, Mountains, beaches and mouth watering food.

The best part? 

I was swiping my card like a Kardashian.
I never swiped thinking, “Can I actually afford this?”

The actual difference between budgeting and building a system.

Budgeting is like trying to count calories while you’re holding a plate of warm cookies.
Systems are the reason you don’t even keep cookies in the house.

Before the trip:

→ Travel fund? Funded.
→ Investments on autopilot as always.
→ Houses on rent so no worry on the mortgage.
→ Business cash flow still operating despite 4 days off.

So this trip was a nice getaway for us to treat ourselves.

I had the peace of mind that my money was working for me.
I was spending time with Shreya, last few months as fiancées.

Just 2 D.I.N.K's with a good financial system.

But this is where most sales reps struggle.

One big commission check hits and it feels like winning the lottery.
The next month, income dips and panic sets in.

That volatility isn’t the problem—it’s the lack of a system to handle it.

So yes, we spent $2,134.

But what I really bought was peace of mind and memories with the best.

Sales doesn’t have to feel unstable.
You just need a structure that makes the unpredictable... predictable.

Want a masterclass in business and finance?

The Chainsmokers make 7 figures/year for a 245 second song from 2016.

TikTok has the "2026 is the new 2016" trend going on.
And it brought back Freshman year memories.

The biggest flashback was screaming,
"From your roommate back in BOULDER, we ain't never getting older."

And I realized, they recorded "Closer" 9 years ago.

And it still pays them millions.

Every stream. Every radio play. Every TikTok video.
They get paid.

If only we taught that to everyone, because most people trade time for money:

Work 40 hours → Get paid once → Repeat forever.

But the smartest people build assets:

Work once → Get paid forever.

Here's what that looks like:

• Invest in assets that pay dividends
• Write a book that sells for 10 years
• Build a course people buy on repeat
• Create content that generates leads daily

The Chainsmokers aren't special.

They just built something once that keeps working for them.
You can do the same thing.

Stop chasing the next paycheck.
Start building something that pays you long after the work is done.

Because the goal shouldn't be to work harder.
It's to work once and get paid forever.

What's one thing you're building today that will pay you for years?

I sobbed the entire night after I got laid off.

It made me accept the reality which I was avoiding.

Here's what I chose to ignore:

I worked at a company that paid me just enough to keep me comfortable.
And I gave them just enough to hit quota and stay off the radar.

I was checked out. 
I was wondering "is this it?".

I did what many corporate employees do:

* Hit my numbers.
* Met expectations.
* Waited for the next cycle.
* Played the promotion game.
* Hid behind my Zoom camera.

From the outside, everything looked fine.
Inside? I was uneasy.

This arrangement was bad for everyone.

I wasn’t building real leverage or skills.
The company didn’t get my full potential.
And my motivation slowly eroded quarter after quarter.

The layoff was brutal. But it forced honesty.

Today, I’m genuinely grateful for the environment I work in now.

One where:

* You’re rewarded for impact, not just tenure.
* Ownership matters more than politics.
* Growth isn’t tied to a title change.
* Effort actually compounds.

If you’re feeling that low-grade dissatisfaction between performance reviews and promotion cycles, pay attention.

That feeling isn’t burnout.
It’s misalignment.

You don’t owe your career another year of playing it safe.
You owe your future another year of building your heaven on earth.

P.S. If this sounds like you, trust me—you’re not broken. You’re just ready for more.

Open to other opportunities? DM me "Open" because I'm hiring 3-5 motivated people for 2026.

Trump wants Credit card companies to slash rates to 10% for 1 year.

Here's how it affects you:

Let's take the Average Joe:
Joe has $6,000 in Credit Card Debt.

Current rate (22%): $1,320/year in interest
Proposed rate (10%): $600/year in interest
Savings: $720/year

That's real dollars back in your pockets.
But it's what I call "invisible money". 

You will be happy with a reduction in interest charges, 
but unless it is consciously put to use, this is money that will be spent on something random.

And here's the other side:

Credit card companies make $120B/year in interest.

A rate cap would cut that in half, which results in:

→ Fewer rewards programs.
→ Higher fees to offset losses.
→ Stricter approval requirements.
→ Lower credit limits for existing customers.

There's one thing I can guarantee you:
Banks will not absorb the losses (why would they?).

They will pass them down.

The people who need credit the most?
They'd have the hardest time getting it.

So who actually wins here?

Companies lose revenue.
People trying to build credit get locked out.
People with existing balances get temporary relief.

With no guarantee of them actually getting out of debt.

To me, the real question isn't whether 10% sounds better than 22%.
It's whether we're solving the problem or kicking the can down the road.

What do you think—would this help or hurt more people in the long run?

I left corporate, built my own paycheck, and found my sense of freedom.

Would you like that too?

2025 was a year of growth for me:

- Got engaged 💍
- Caught 7 flights 🛩️
- Moved back home 🏠
- Better Systems and Ops.
- Finalized our dream wedding.
- $200,000+ revenue generated.
- $10,000,000+ AUM accumulated.

All this without:
- Worrying about a job loss.
- Hesitating to take time off.
- Applying to jobs because mine sucks.
- Responding to slack messages on vacation.
- Moving my mouse because PTO wasn't approved.

Now 2026, I have only one goal:

- SCALE.

But there's a problem. 

I, like everyone else, have only 24 hours in a day.
And I'm at a point where 12 of those are already taken up by my clients.

Which means, if I want to positively impact more people, 
I have to hire more people.

So, I want to help you create a life just like mine.
(It's hard work, but I think it's worth it 😉)

Here's what I'm looking for:
- Someone who wants to positively impact their community.
- Someone with a passion for Finance but doesn't know how to get started.
- Someone who's dissatisfied with their career and are open to other options.
- Someone who's always dreamt of being a business owner, but never had the opportunity.

You'd be introduced to a team that:
- Have backgrounds in Engineering, Law, Finance, Sales and Medicine.
- Are collectively pushing $400MM in Asset Under Management.
- Have worked at KPMG, Deloitte, Arther-Andersen, Booz-Allen Hamilton etc.
- Want to take a chance on you making it.

It's only 16 days into 2026. Imagine what this could look like 349 days from today.

Don't underestimate how long it might take you to be successful. 

We all have to start somewhere. Might as well, be here and be today.


Interested? We're interviewing people that fit the above criteria. DM me "FA" and I'll reach out to you to set a time.

If you're not interested, send this to someone you know who might be a good fit.

Instagram's CEO claims "Quality content is dead."

If you're creating content in 2026, here's what you should know..

Everyone and their mom is using AI now.

Templates structure their posts.
ChatGPT generates their hooks.
Claude writes their captions.
Grok fact checks the result.

And it sounds as perfect as Celine Dion's Voice.

We're more connected than ever before but we've never felt more disconnected emotionally.

I've seen it happen:

Someone posts 5 times a week with AI-written content.
Gets 8 likes, 12 comments.

And then crickets....

But posting about what happened to you when you were 14, and how that impacted you today?

DMs flood in.
Comments blow up.
People finally feel something.

Because it was authentic.

Stop trying to sound smart, start sounding like you.

Share the messy parts.
The failures.
The "I have no idea what I'm doing" moments.

AI can write your posts.
But it can't tell YOUR story in your voice.

Every time your audience reads your post, if they can't imagine you saying it, you've lost.

And that's the only thing people actually care about anymore.
Your voice.

What's one thing you've been afraid to share because it's "too vulnerable"?

High Taxes? Real Estate is the answer to everything.

I wouldn't touch real estate with a 10 ft. pole if that was me.

Every guru screams the same thing:

"Real estate is the best tax shelter!"
"Depreciation writes off everything!"
"Buy rentals and pay zero taxes!"

Cool story. Let's take a quick peak behind the scenes, shall we?

You're trading tax savings for actual cash flow.

Let me break it down:

You buy a $500K rental property.

Depreciation saves you $7K/year in taxes.

But you're also dealing with:

→ $15K roof repair you didn't budget for
→ Tenants who stop paying rent
→ Property taxes that went up 18%
→ Insurance that doubled in 2 years

Your "tax savings" just got eaten alive by expenses.

And that's if everything goes right.

What if interest rates spike and your property value drops 20%?

What if you need cash and can't sell because the market's dead?

What if your tenant trashes the place and you're stuck with a $30K renovation?

Real estate isn't liquid.
It's not passive.
And it sure as hell isn't a guaranteed win.

I've seen clients lose more money chasing "tax benefits" in real estate than they ever saved.

They bought properties they couldn't afford.
In markets they didn't understand.
Because someone on Instagram told them it was "the smart play."

Here's the truth:

Real estate CAN be great.

But only if you have the time, the capital, and the risk tolerance to handle it.

If you're buying rental properties just to "save on taxes"?

You're doing it for the wrong reason.

And you're probably going to lose money.

Tax savings don't mean anything if you're broke.

What's your take—is real estate overhyped or am I missing something?

A simple X post made me rethink what doubt is.

Here's how it goes:

"The archer aims at the target, not the doubts in his mind or on his ears."

It's what I needed to hear that day.

Because here's what happens when you chase something big:
Everyone has an opinion.

"That's too risky."
"What if you fail?"
"Why don't you just stay where you are?"

And the worst part? You low-key believe them if you aren't confident in your skills yet.

You question yourself.
You second-guess every move.
You get paralyzed by what could go wrong.

Here's the reframe:
Doubt isn't the problem. Doubt is actually a good thing.

It means you're on a path that most won't tread,
which means lesser competition,
and a higher reward.

Focusing on doubt is the major.

Our brain takes a small piece of information and creates the scenario that's worse than death.

The archer doesn't aim at his doubts.
He aims at the target.

Every single day.

Your job isn't to eliminate doubt.

It's to ignore it and focus on the task in front of you.

Write the post. Make the call. Send the email. Face the rejection.
But show up again tomorrow.

None of that matters if you just keep aiming at the target.

Big goals aren't achieved by overthinking them.
They're achieved by doing the small tasks every single day.

America is at $1,130,000,000,000 in Credit Card debt. 
 
Here's how I helped John and Jane Doe eliminate theirs. 
 
John and Jane are very frugal: 
 
• John works in construction making $120,000. 
• Jane runs her own embroidery business. 
• Paying down a house and 2 cars. 
• Provide for their 2 children. 
• Yearly family trips. 
 
They just did one thing incorrectly. 
 
They paid for a wedding using Credit Cards. 
 
They admitted it themselves. 
"We were young, dumb and broke." 
 
But that was 8 years ago..... 
 
Since then they've paid off only $25k, 
and paid more than $30k in interest. 
 
They needed a way out. 
 
That's when they sat down with my team. 
 
Here's the plan we created for them: 
 
1. Consolidated the debt 
- They had 12 different cards, with variable rates balances. 
- Credit transfer onto one card with a 0% APR for 21 months. 
 
2. Negotiation 
- Believe it or not, some credit card companies are willing to extend promo periods. 
- We negotiated a 0% APR for an extra year (21 -> 33 months). 
 
3. Priority mapping 
- Do you want to keep your same lifestyle or pay off your debt? 
- Which one is worth the short-term pain? 
 
4. Take action 
- Stick the the monthly payment outlined. 
- Contribute any bonuses or extra amounts to the principal. 
 
They've been on their journey for 22 months. 
 
Yesterday marked $40k in debt paid off. 
 
They hit 1.5x in 22 months, 
than what they paid off in 7 years. 
 
That's the power of proactive debt planning.

How are you eliminating your debt?

Your job at Salesforce might impress your folks.

Big title. Big quota. But your bank account? Still small.

If I had to guess, you’re grinding:

* Consistently hitting quota
* Managing a team or region
* Exploring a side hustle "just in case"

On paper, you’re winning.

But in reality: 

* Taxes are quietly crushing your take-home
* Lifestyle creep followed the last promotion
* Tax planning feels reactive, not intentional

Here’s the hard truth I see with a lot of AE's and Directors:

You’re earning from multiple places,
but you’re running your money with zero system.

Common mistakes I see:

* Treating commissions like salary
* Running side hustles without tax planning
* Outsourcing everything except your finances

So how do you fix it?

Start here:

1️⃣ Separate operator money from lifestyle money
Your commission and side hustle income should follow rules.
Not vibes. Or your friends orders.

2️⃣ Automate wealth, not just savings
401(k), backdoor Roth, brokerage.
If it’s manual, it’s optional. And optional never scales.

3️⃣ Proactively Tax plan
RSU's, ESPPs, Commission Checks - need in depth planning.
Real Estate, Oil and Gas, Private Equity - need qualifications.

It’s not about closing more deals. You already know how to do that.

It’s about keeping more of what you earn
and making your money work as hard as you do.

Your dream life doesn’t come from a higher quota.
It comes from better systems.

P.S. If you’re an AE making $200,000+ but feel behind anyway, DM me "AE" if you want to lower stress, and higher bless.

Real Estate Investor and CEO at MAK Capital | Luxury Storage Developer | 200+ CRE units | Financial Freedom Mentor

I’m Marc Kuhn and in 1994 I started my construction career with my Dad. I started at $1 per hour and got a $1 raise every year as I worked for my dads construction company. 

In 2010, I left my hourly job with $2,500 in my bank account. 

I started my entrepreneurial path and opened MAK Construction, my first business. I’ve grown the construction company to over $25 million a year. We develop commercial projects both 3rd party and investment projects for our investors. 

Since 2018, we have added over 200 units in the Midwest. The benefits of real estate have given me the freedom of time. My goal is to help investors reach financial freedom through real estate. 

Today I own and operate three successful companies that do eight figures a year. 

https://linktr.ee/marckuhn?fbclid=PAAabPuGTp9yBQf1LtvPMccAGv2W9DDPWjJCYvxn3mKnV12VKxsr7s0g8Lc18

2010: MAK Construction: Build and Manage Construction Projects. 
www.makconstructiongf.com

2020: MAK Capital: Let’s passive investors invest in real estate projects beside us! 
Unfollow the herd newsletter: 
www.makcapitalgf.com

2020: CK Agency: Manages Multifamily and Storage properties. 
www.ckagencyllc.com

Marc Kuhn

2025 was a hell of a year. Hit a lot of business goals!

Also lost my Dad to lung cancer at 63.

Here were the highs, the lows, and the perspective changes for me this year to have a strong 2026:

Our teams crushed it this year at MAK Capital + MAK Construction LLC.

Built a $15.4M workforce housing project in a town that hasn't seen new housing in 30+ years.

Started a drilling company from scratch and did nearly $1M in revenue.

Developed $23M in new luxury storage facilities.

Ran $30M through our construction and concrete companies.

Raised $6M from investors and grew to $70M in assets under management.

But losing my Dad overshadows it all. 
It put life into perspective.

I grew up in the concrete business right next to him. We worked together for years. He taught me everything about hard work, grit, and showing up when it's hard.

When he got sick, all the business success didn't matter. 

He told me:

"It's not always about money, Marc. When you're sick, throw money out the window. It doesn't matter anymore. Purpose is what matters—why you do what you do. Lean on God when you need to find it."

Easy to say. Hard to do.

So here's what I'm changing in 2026:

Yeah, I've got business goals: 

• Develop $100M in projects
• Raise $10M for storage
• Hit $100M in assets under management. 

Those are still there.

But I'm being more intentional. Better leader. Better husband. Better father. Better friend.

I'm 37 and my biological age is 33.8 (I wear a Whoop watch and have worn it for 600+ days straight). 

I use 10x Health for blood work every 6 months to catch problems before they start. If you don't know what those are, look them up. Game changers for your health.

You have one body. Take care of it.

I know most people follow me for business content, and I love the game. But this year reminded me there's more to it than that.

I create content for free because if I don't share during the journey, I'll be irrelevant at 60 trying to give advice. I'm in the trenches with you right now.

I'm not here to compete or brag. I'm showing you what's possible when your mindset shifts.

If a kid who grew up poor in North Dakota can build what we've built, you can too.

I appreciate everyone who's been part of this journey—my team, my investors, my family, and everyone following along on here.

Here's to a more purposeful 2026.

Happy New Year!

Marc Kuhn

Unfollow the Herd

📌 𝗜𝗳 𝘆𝗼𝘂'𝗿𝗲 𝗶𝗻𝘁𝗼 𝗽𝗼𝘀𝘁𝘀 𝗮𝗯𝗼𝘂𝘁:

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CEO @ MAK Capital | CRE Developer | Guiding You to Wealth with Passive Investments in Luxury Storage & Multifamily Real Estate

Tony Robbins owns 110 businesses. $10B in revenue.

Guess what his favorite asset class is?

He says private equity returns the highest on anything he's done.

I believe him.

I was listening to him on The Iced Coffee Hour podcast with Graham Stephan when they asked him about his investment strategy.

Private equity.

• Not stocks. 
• Not bonds. 
• Not crypto. 
• Not even real estate funds.

Direct ownership in businesses.

You know what's crazy? He pays fees. Management fees. Carry. All the costs people complain about.

And it still returns more than anything else in his portfolio.

This is what the wealthy have figured out.

Because when you own equity in a real business, you're not hoping the market goes up. You're controlling the asset that generates cash flow.

Public markets: You own a piece of paper that goes up and down based on what other people think it's worth.

Private equity: You own a piece of a business that produces cash flow every month regardless of what CNBC thinks. 

And if you own enough of it, you have a say in who is running the business, what strategies they use, and how to make it more efficient.

Stocks on your Robinhood app are great because they're liquid, you can buy and sell anytime you want. 

But safe and liquid also means you're playing the same game as millions of other people. 

All reacting to the same news. 
All getting the same returns.

Private equity is different:

→ You control the asset
→ You improve operations
→ You increase cash flow
→ You decide when to exit

That's why the wealthy put money into boring businesses nobody else wants.

Construction. Hotels. Drilling companies. Storage facilities. HVAC companies.

Not sexy. But they print cash.

And cash that you control beats a stock portfolio that moves based on Fed announcements.

I've tried it all. 

Built a stock portfolio. Built a real estate portfolio. Operate businesses.

My businesses always outperform.

Because I can control the outcome. I can't control what the S&P does tomorrow.

If you had $100K to invest today, would you put it in the stock market or buy equity in a boring business?

---

♻️ Repost to start the conversation with others

Follow me Marc Kuhn for daily posts on building wealth with real estate, boring businesses, and ownership mindset

AI won't fix your overflowing toilet in 2026.

And it won't show up to mow your lawn.

It won't pressure wash your driveway.
It won't build your local housing development.
It won't lay a slab of concrete or roof your house.

There's a lot of doom and gloom on the internet saying "If you don't bet on AI, you'll lose your job. If you don't bet on AI, you'll never build real wealth."

It's going to transform a lot of jobs and almost every industry.

But if you don't want to bet the farm on AI and robots…and you still want to build wealth…

Choose "boring" ways to make money.

• We'll still need trades.
• We'll still need construction workers.
• We'll still need lawn care companies.
• We'll still need apartments for people to live.
• We'll still need self-storage for people's stuff.

While everyone's panicking about AI...there are plumbers, HVAC, and roofing companies printing millions in cash flow that aren't worried at all.

These aren't venture-backed apps with no revenue. They're boring businesses in boring towns that print cash every single month.

The wealth gap isn't between people who understand AI and people who don't.

It's between people who own businesses and people who trade time for a paycheck with no ownership.

You know what wealthy people are actually buying right now?

• Landscaping routes. 
• Pressure washing businesses. 
• Construction companies.
• Boring self storage.

Not because they're sexy. 

Because they're profitable, scalable, and impossible to disrupt with code.

The real opportunity isn't in the thing everyone's talking about.

It's in the thing everyone's ignoring while they're busy talking and chasing hype.

Boring stil = wealth in 2026.

What boring wealth-building opprtunities are you eyeing up this year?

--

♻️ Repost if you agree and follow me Marc Kuhn for "boring" wealth building ideas this year.

DM me if you want to learn about my favorite boring, cash-flowing asset: luxury self storage.

My goal as a Dad with 2 daughters:

Teach them "high-agency" life skills.

By the time they're out of the house and off to college, they'll know how to:

• Change a flat tire.
• Back up a truck with a trailer.
• Climb a roof and put shingles down.
• Read and analyze their personal finances.
• Fix what’s broken, and walk a construction site with confidence.

We're raising them to rely on themselves to get through life.

The cool kids on the internet call it "High Agency."

High-agency people don’t sit around waiting for permission, perfect conditions, or someone else to solve the problem. They assume it’s on them to figure it out.

One day, I hope they marry husbands who take care of them. And we'll always be the first to help.

But that’ll be a luxury, not a requirement, for them to solve problems in their lives.

My dad helped me develop this skill from a young age, watching him run a business and working beside him. 

I learned the value of figuring it out, doing the work, and taking responsibility.

That’s the same lesson I want for my girls.

Because if they grow up capable, they’ll never be at the mercy of anyone. And that confidence will carry into everything—family, business, and life.

For the parents out there: 

What’s one skill you want your kids to leave your house with?

--

♻️ Share this with parents in your network
🤝 Reach out if I can be a resource Marc Kuhn

10 financial lessons that took me 16 years to learn.

You can learn them in 2 minutes:

1. Don't diversify when you're broke.

Pick one thing. Master it. I did concrete for 5 years straight. Boring but it built the foundation for everything else.

2. Live like a monk for 5 years.

Live like you're poor for the first 5 years of your career so you can live like the 1% the rest of your life. No fancy car. No upgraded house. Just compound your skills and capital.

3. Reach higher than you think you can.

In construction, a $5K residential job is just as hard as a $500K commercial job. But one pays 100x more. Stop playing small, even before you feel you're ready.

4. Easy to buy = hard to sell.

Mobile homes are easy to buy, hard to sell. Quality assets in good markets are hard to acquire but easy to exit. Think about your exit before you buy your first property.

5. Play Monopoly, not Salary.

Optimize for equity, not income. A business that loses $10K/year for 5 years but is worth $5M at year 10? Play the long-term game of ownership.

6. Make money while you sleep.

If you disappear for 30 days and your business falls apart, you don't own a business. You own a job you bought yourself. Invest in people, process, and systems that run without you.

7. Real estate takes a decade.

You make money when you buy. But the real wealth comes in years 5-10 through appreciation and debt paydown. Play the long game.

8. Riches are in the niches.

Don't just "do real estate." Get specific. I'll spend a decade going deep on luxury storage before diversifying into other assets.

9. You become what you hate.

I used to think mini storage was inferior to luxury storage. Now I use both. Don't be so rigid you can't adapt. Your ego is the biggest enemy in business.

10. Don't buy yourself a job.

The coffee shop owner working 60 hours a week for the same pay as their old job? That's not freedom. Become an owner over the long-term, not just an operator.

These 10 lessons took me 15 years and millions in mistakes to learn.

You just got them in 2 minutes.

What lessons would you add to this list for your 20-year-old self?

---

♻️ Repost to help others build their wealth

Follow me Marc Kuhn for daily posts on building wealth with real estate, boring businesses, and ownership mindset

The secret to making your family's wealth last 100 years (and your marriage last for life): 
 
Consistently talk about money. 
 
• With your spouse. 
• With your children. 
• With your grandchildren

I didn't grow up with money.
It wasn't talked about much in my house.

For many families, it's a "hush-hush" topic. Which is how it becomes a problem that doesn't get fixed.
 
Every year my wife and I sit down to talk about our goals for the year. 
 
- Goals for our businesses 
- Goals for personal finances 
- Goals for parenting our kids 
- Goals for family and ourselves 
 
We both get aligned and decide what our roles will be for each goal. 
 
Without her support and teamwork... 
 
I wouldn't be able to focus on: 
 
- Building 3 companies 
- Managing a growing team
- Showing up for our kids' sports 
 
If you want to be the best version of yourself that you can be in life... 
 
Find a life partner to set goals with! 
 
And talk about money, business, and goal-setting with your family.

Most wealth is destroyed in the 3rd generation...

Because grandparents didn't teach their kids...
Then they fail to teach their kids...
And the lack of education...

Is what ends up destroying the financial success and spending it all, leaving nothing for future generations.
 
How do you handle money, investing, and wealth conversations in your household? 
 
Share your ideas with me ↓

Everyone thinks "Luxury Storage" is for supercars. 

Here's why our tenants pay premium rents:

There's a lot of people on LinkedIn telling you how to build wealth in different ways.

Chasing the newest shiny object. Raising millions from VCs. Thinking wealth has to be flashy or complicated. 

But if you're like me and would rather build quiet, boring, resilient cash flow...

Then visit one of our Mega MAK Storage sites in North Dakota at 9 am on a Monday.

Here's what I see when I show up for work:

(Built MAK's new office next to our luxury storage)

✅ Contractors launching businesses out of their climate-controlled units
✅ Amazon and Shopify store owners treating their bay as HQ and inventory
✅ Business owners storing seasonal gear because industrial leases are unaffordable
✅ Blue-collar operators, plumbers, landscapers, roofers, the guy laying tile all day...

A lot of the people who choose to pay for premium space are entrepreneurs growing their businesses.

Reminds me why I'm building, looking back 15 years from a solo concrete guy to a 50-person construction and development team.

Plenty of demand for more of these flex spaces as entrepreneurs and companies flock to business-friendly, affordable states like North Dakota.

The boring cash flow is nice, too.

What's your favorite "underrated" asset class to invest in right now?

--

P.S. If you want to learn more about luxury storage, DM me to connect and check out one of our locations here: https://lnkd.in/gwSmVgcm

If building a real business was as easy as it looks on social media…everyone would be rich.

Social media is the highlight reel.

But here's the reality of running 3 companies:

• Up early, get the kids ready for school
• Warm up the truck in -20 North Dakota winter
• Squeeze in a workout before heading to the office
• Meet with the MAK team, pushing projects forward
• Traveling to meet investors, bankers, project sites

Sure, we get to go ice fishing with some of our investors and it's all smiles for the camera.

But make no mistake about it...

Most of the time, founders are in problem-solving mode.

→ Developments taking longer than expected.
→ Unexpected problems come up that need solving.
→ Team is growing, vendors delay, projects hit roadblocks.

That’s the real game.

The reality of a successful business isn’t sitting on a beach with a laptop.

It’s grinding through setbacks, adapting to market shifts, and making high-stakes decisions daily.

Success isn’t about avoiding problems.

It’s about getting so good at solving them that nothing phases you.

So next time you see an entrepreneur flashing the highlight reel, remember:

The real ones don’t just post wins. 
They're persevering through challenges.

What’s the hardest challenge you’ve had to push through in business? 

Let’s talk about it in the comments.

--

Follow me Marc Kuhn for practical tips on business, real estate, and investing.

I run a $30M ARR company + $70M RE portfolio and still feel like an imposter (and that's good):

I talk to young entrepreneurs, and here's the dangerous trap I see them fall into.

• They build the courage to start a business
• They make the leap to owner-operator
• They get some success over 2-3 years

Then they get stuck.

The mindset that propelled them to start and build to their first success milestone ends up being the mindset that holds them back from getting to the next level.

If you don't feel like an imposter, you're probably not growing enough.

I like to be at the edge of "Can I really do this?"

If I find myself in a place of comfort, only doing things we've done in the past, only pushing myself to do the same thing we did last year...

Then I'm in the wrong place.

Imposter syndrome is not a problem to fix. It's a sign you are growing to a new level you've never been to before, which forces you to grow (and it feels super uncomfortable).

If you've:

• Mastered your current stage.
• Mastered the skills for $1M revenue. 
• Mastered the small real estate deals.

Then for me, that's a sign to get uncomfortable and figure out what the next level is.

The best sign you're growing is thinking "Sh*t I don't know if I can do this"

What got you to $1M won't get you to $5M.
What got you to $5M won't get you to $20M.
What got you to $20M won't get you to $100M.

Imposter syndrome means you're operating at the edge of your capability. You're in rooms you haven't "earned" yet. You're making decisions without a proven track record.

That's exactly where growth happens.

When I hit each major milestone, I felt totally out of my depth:

→ First $1M job? Had no business being there.
→ First $10M storage development? Terrifying.
→ Raising capital from big investors? Who am I to do this?

But here's the truth: You'll never feel ready for the next level until you're already there.

If you wait until you feel like you belong, you'll stay exactly where you are.

I'd rather feel uncomfortable at $70M than comfortable at $20M.

I'd rather question if I'm capable than know I've stopped pushing.

So if you're feeling like an imposter right now? Good.

That means you're aiming big enough.

Do you see imposter syndrome as a problem or a sign you're growing?

- Marc Kuhn

In construction, you pay $200,000 in labor and materials...and the client pays you $0.

Next month, you pay another $300K. The client pays you $150K.

Third month, you pay $250K. The client pays you $200K.

That's just how construction billing works.

You're always in the hole until final payment. 
You're the bank on every job.

A $5M project means you're financing $500K-$1M at any given time out of your own pocket.

On a $20M project? You're financing $2-4M.

That's not just 4x the revenue. 
That's 4x the financial risk.

Most contractors hit a ceiling and think it's a skills problem. They think they need better estimators, better project managers, better systems.

But it's not a skills problem. It's a cash flow problem.

They physically cannot carry the financing burden of bigger jobs.

Either the bank won't extend them enough credit. Or their operating capital can't handle being $2M in the hole for 90 days.

So they stay stuck doing $5M jobs forever, even though they could execute $20M projects.

This is why I vertically integrated MAK Construction with MAK Capital.

One feeds the other, smoothing out cash flow so we can take on bigger projects without waiting on slow-paying clients.

If you're stuck at a revenue ceiling, ask yourself:

Is this a skills problem or a cash flow problem?

Nine times out of ten, it's cash flow.

Have you ever had to turn down a project because you couldn't finance it?

-

If you want honest advice from someone who's been through the good, bad, and ugly of scaling boring businesses, follow me Marc Kuhn for daily posts.

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Why is a 50-person company is easier to run than a 5-person company?

And a 300-person company is easier than a 50-person company.

Sounds backwards.
But it’s true.

When I started MAK Construction, I thought scaling would get harder at each level.

More people = more problems.

Wrong.

I used to be the guy saying, “If you’ve got 5 people, it’s really hard.”

Those first 5 employees felt impossible. You’re still the best at the work, but now you have to take care of yourself and make them better.

And you have to let them make mistakes. But the stakes are so high because one big screw-up can take down the whole ship.

That’s why most entrepreneurs never make it past 10 people.

Then a guy told me, “Wait till you get to 50. It’s so much easier.”

I didn’t believe him.

Holy shit, he was right.

At 50 people, you’ve got good people who think like you. Culture is set. Systems are in place. You’re not the one solving every problem anymore.

Then another guy told me, “Get to 300. It’s even easier.”

Same thing.
He was right.

At 300 people, no one relies on you for the day-to-day. The ships run without you. No key man risk.

You’re building the business, not running the business.

The hardest part is getting from 5 to 50. That’s the valley of death for most entrepreneurs.

You’re not small enough to do it all yourself anymore. But you’re not big enough to have real systems and people who can run without you.

You’re stuck in the middle:

→ Too many people to manage directly
→ Not enough people to have real departments
→ You’re still the bottleneck on everything
→ Can’t afford to hire senior talent yet
→ Junior people need constant oversight

This is where most businesses die.

They either go back to being a 5-person shop where the owner does everything. Or they try to scale too fast and implode.

The ones who make it through build the operational capacity first. Get the systems in place. Train people. Let them make mistakes when the stakes are manageable.

Then you can scale.

We’re at about 50–60 people now depending on the season. Starting to feel that shift where it’s not all on me anymore.

Next phase is getting to where nobody needs me at all.

What’s been the hardest employee threshold for you?
And what changed when you got past it?

--

♻️ Repost for other founders building right now.

Follow me Marc Kuhn for daily posts on building wealth with real estate, boring businesses, and ownership mindset

The thing that kills your business fastest = YOU.

How to build as an Owner > Operator:

To grow past a few employees and survive, you must remove "key man risk".

Your biggest risk when you're building a business is not competition or the economy.

It's you.

Because you’re the key man. And key man risk is a death sentence.

I’ve been thinking about this a lot lately across all our businesses. 

• Construction
• Drilling
• Capital Raising
• Storage Development

If I disappeared tomorrow, which ones would survive?

At 5 employees, the answer is none. You’re the one who knows everything, does everything, fixes everything.

At 50, you start to have people who can run without you. But you’re still critical for big decisions.

At 300, the business runs itself. You’ve built systems and people who can handle almost anything.

The shift happens when you stop being the operator and become the builder.

Most entrepreneurs never make that shift. They stay stuck as the key man forever.

My focus in 2026 is reducing key man risk across every business we run.

Not by adding more overhead.
But by raising the capacity of the people we already have.

Chris in drilling? He’s the key man right now. He’s the best driller. He knows how to run every job.

But we can’t scale that business past $1M revenue if everything runs through Chris.

So we’re building the process:

→ Training programs for every crew
→ Systems so jobs run the same way every time
→ SOPs so knowledge isn’t in one person’s head
→ Authority pushed down so Chris isn’t bottleneck

Same thing in construction.
Same thing in capital raising.

Delegate to the people already there. Raise their capacity. Give them authority to make decisions.

Process reduces key man risk more than people do.

You can hire 10 more people. But if they all need you to make decisions, you’re still the bottleneck.

Or you can build the process so the people you have can operate without you.

That’s the goal. Not to work less. But to build businesses that don’t need me to survive.

Most entrepreneurs confuse being busy with being valuable.

If your business can’t run without you, you don’t own a business. You own a job.

And you’re the highest paid employee who can never quit.

Where’s your biggest key man risk right now?

And what’s one thing you could delegate this week to reduce it?

--

♻️ Repost if this resonates

Want business advice from 16 years of building a business?

I wrote it all out and sent it to 6K+ people this morning: https://lnkd.in/gfVw8HpQ

I learned a lesson in my 20s that helped me build a $60M real estate portfolio in by 36:
 
Nobody is going to do it for you. 
 
• Making money 
• Starting businesses 
• Leveling up your skills 
• Figuring out how to grow 
 
But here's the good news: 
 
You can ask for help and speed things up. 
 
In my 20s I was a concrete guy. 
 
Dropped out of college and built a 7-figure business that was drowning me... 
 
• Doing all the jobs 
• Micromanaging my crews 
• No clue how to delegate 
 
Result: I ended up in the hospital from exhaustion with a Doctor asking me: 
 
"𝗪𝗮𝗻𝘁 𝘁𝗼 𝗹𝗶𝘃𝗲 𝗹𝗼𝗻𝗴 𝗲𝗻𝗼𝘂𝗴𝗵 𝘁𝗼 𝘀𝗲𝗲 𝘆𝗼𝘂𝗿 𝗸𝗶𝗱𝘀 𝗴𝗿𝗼𝘄 𝘂𝗽? 𝗧𝗵𝗲𝗻 𝗜'𝗱 𝗺𝗮𝗸𝗲 𝗰𝗵𝗮𝗻𝗴𝗲𝘀 𝗡𝗢𝗪." 
 
This wake-up call led to a new skill stack. 
 
• Self-education 
• Hiring mentors 
• Reading books 
• Going to conferences 
 
Nobody is going to succeed for you. 
Self-education is the only way. 
 
How are you investing in self-education for 2026?

Tell me in the comments.

--

I started a newsletter to teach what I've learned about business, real estate, and financial freedom.

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"If you're not growing, you're dying."

In construction, that's B.S. (here's why):

2025 goal: $30M revenue at 5% margin.

2026 goal: $30M revenue at 7-10% margin.

We're aiming for the same revenue, but at higher margins, and it'll look like a totally different approach.

Most people think growth means adding more volume every year.

• More projects. 
• More employees. 
• More equipment. 
• More revenue.

That’s what we did for 15 years. Chase volume. Keep growing. Keep pushing.

But we learned something this year.

If I stopped growing today and just maintained with the personnel we have, we could make millions more in profit. In construction, this is the growth path.

To grow, you reinvest nearly every dollar or profit back into the business.

This year we’re doing something different.

$30M in revenue again. But we’re not adding a bunch of new stuff.

We’re plateauing intentionally.

We’re growing our operational legs instead of just adding more jobs:

→ Better processes so jobs run smoother
→ Less chaos, fewer mistakes
→ Same teams getting more efficient
→ Higher margins on the work we’re already doing

Then next year?

We grow again.

This is the cycle nobody talks about.

Grow, then plateau.
Grow, then plateau.

If you only grow, you never build the operational capacity to handle it. You’re always scrambling. Always putting out fires. Always thin on margins because you’re throwing bodies at problems.

But if you pause to build the machine, everything gets easier.

Then you grow into the next phase.

It’s a vicious cycle. But it’s how you build something sustainable.

Most entrepreneurs think they have to keep growing or they’re failing.

Sometimes the smartest move is to do the same thing...and do it better.

What's your growth strategy for 2026? 

More of the same but better? Or are you in growth mode?

--

P.S. If you want to see how I build my companies in public, I write a newsletter every week showing you how.

Check it out: https://lnkd.in/gfVw8HpQ

What do The British Crown, Catholic Church, and McDonalds all have in common?

They are all in the category of the largest commercial real estate owners in the world.

Most people think of McDonalds as a fast food business. A large one at that ($220B market cap).

But McDonalds is really a real estate empire.

Here's how their genius business model works:

• They own more than 38,000 locations worldwide
• Franchisees pay McDonalds above-market rent
• Predictable cash flow outside of food sales

As of 2025, McDonald's owns $30B-40B in real estate assets.

The founders of McDonald's started a burger stand.

Ray Kroc saw the massive opportunity and transformed McDonald's into a real estate empire.

Today, they're bringing in ~$9B in annual rental income.

Genius.

If you haven't seen the movie about this "The Founder", highly recommend checking it out.

Did you know this about McDonalds?

--

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If I were in my 20s or 30s and had to start real estate from zero today, here's what I'd focus on:

Cash flow. That's it.

Not appreciation.
Not "hot markets."
Not trying to time anything.

The first deal isn't about winning big—it's about surviving and repeating.

I remember my first deal clearly.

Used almost all my savings. Confidence disappeared overnight. Every possible doubt showed up at once:

"Did I mess this up?"
"Will it actually cash flow?"
"What happens if the market tanks?"

That discomfort is normal.

What matters is how you respond.

Most beginners obsess over the wrong things:

→ Perfect timing
→ Getting the best price
→ Picking the next hot neighborhood

None of that keeps you in the game.

You know what does?

A property that pays its own bills.

Cash flow buys you time. Time lets you learn. Learning compounds.

If the deal only works when everything goes right, it's not a deal—it's a gamble.

Here's what I'd look for:

✅ Cash flows with conservative assumptions
✅ Still works if rents stay flat
✅ Still works if expenses increase
✅ Still works if rates change

Boring? Yeah.

But boring properties don't keep you up at night.

The debt conversation nobody wants to have:

Bad debt = You pay for it
Good debt = Tenants pay it off

That's the only leverage I care about.

If the tenant can't cover the mortgage, the property owns you. I've watched too many people learn this the hard way.

Your first deal teaches you how to invest:

→ Rely on appreciation? You normalize speculation.
→ Underestimate expenses? You normalize surprises.
→ Stretch too far? You normalize anxiety.

Those habits don't disappear as deals get bigger.

They explode.

Real estate isn't a race.

You don't need ten deals.

You need one deal that doesn't break you.

I've built a $60M+ portfolio, one boring property at a time. No shortcuts. No fancy markets.

Just tenants paying down debt over decades. Not flashy. But it leads to skills that build you future freedom.

The pattern that works:

Cash flow → Patience → Experience → Confidence

That's how real wealth gets built in real estate.

If I started over today, I wouldn't try to look smart.

I'd try to stay alive long enough to get wise.

What did your first real estate deal look like?

--

♻️ Repost to help someone skip the expensive lessons

I break down boring deals that build wealth every week → marckuhn.substack.com

Made $260K profit buying a "boring" business.

Kept exactly $0 of it. Here's why:

People see "profitable business" and think you're cashing checks.

That's not how it works (at first) when you acquire a boring, cash-flowing business.

We bought a drilling company with 2 rigs in 2025. Made $260,000 profit year one.

Every single dollar went right back into growth.

Bought 2 more drilling rigs for about $500K.
Now we've got 4 total.

→ Peterbilt truck to haul them
→ Flatbed trailer for transport
→ Support trucks for each crew
→ Still need another truck and trailer

That's just the equipment side.

Then you've got people.

Each rig needs a 2-man crew to operate it.
Can't just buy the rig and expect it to print money.

Someone's gotta run it.
Someone's gotta maintain it.
Someone's gotta manage the jobs.

This is the part nobody talks about when they sell you on "buy a boring business for passive income."

Boring businesses aren't passive when you're growing them.

They eat cash.
Lots of it.

You're profitable on paper.
But you're reinvesting faster than you're pulling out.

That $260K profit?
Gone before we could even think about distributions.

And we still need more equipment to hit our $2.5M revenue goal this year.

Most people who buy businesses think profit = cash in pocket.

Profit = fuel for the next phase.

You're either growing or you're dying.
Can't sit still in a services business.

The payoff comes later.
Year 3, 4, 5 when you've built the machine and can finally start pulling cash out.

But years 1–2?
You're building. Not harvesting.

If you bought a business expecting year-one cash flow, how long did it actually take before you could pull money out?

--

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I turned family vacations into storage due diligence.

Last summer: Lake Okoboji, Iowa.

Not for the beaches. Because we're building a 100,000 sq ft luxury self-storage facility there.

My wife thinks I'm crazy.

My kids think it's an adventure.

I think it's the only way to actually know if a market works.

Here's what most real estate developers miss: They pick locations for their next project sitting at their desk.

• Cap rates. 
• Demographics. 
• Population growth charts.
• Pro-forma spreadsheets.

All important. But they don't tell you what's really happening from the eyes of someone who lives or spends time in the location:

→ Does this town feel alive or dying?
→ Do locals talk about the town's growth?
→ Are businesses investing here, or just surviving?
→ Would I personally want to spend time here?

If the answer to that last one is no, I don't build there.

Because if the town feels dead to me, it'll feel dead to tenants too.

Real underwriting happens on the ground, not in spreadsheets.

Talk to the guy running the hardware store. 
The woman managing the hotel.
The contractor who's been here 30 years.

They'll tell you more about market trajectory in 10 minutes than a consultant will in 200 pages.

This is how we've built a $70M CRE portfolio at MAK Capital without the "oh sh*t" moments that many developers see too late.

I don't just visit markets.

I vacation in them. Eat in them. Let my kids run around in them.

If I can't see myself coming back, I'm not putting millions into the ground there.

The numbers get you in the door.

The boots-on-the-ground tells you if you should walk through it.

What's your move when evaluating a market - spreadsheet first or boots on the ground?

--

P.S. If you want to learn how we find and develop self-storage in markets most investors overlook, DM me "storage" to hop on a call.

“I don’t know what I just did...but I need $250,000.”

I made my first big investment in 2016.

A new office building for MAK Construction.

I was unsure.
I wanted to stop renting, start owning.
And I needed $250K cash to close on the deal.

It took our profit for the year to close…

And then I had to cross my fingers that it would work out.

We had a government entity that leased out the majority of the space and paid the majority of the mortgage, which felt like enough risk mitigation to me.

But looking back (and in the moment), I was terrified for what might happen.

The moral of the story?

You’re never going to be ready to start.
You just have to get started.

You’re never going to be ready to take risks.
You just have to take risks.

You’re never going to be ready to go bigger.
You just have to go bigger. 

What was the first "big" risk you took in your business?

--

P.S. Join 5,200+ subscribers getting my my real estate deal breakdowns and strategies here: marckuhn.substack.com

You want a 6-figure passive income stream

But you're going about it wrong.

Step 1 to passive income:

Get less passive.

I'll tell you from experience:

Most of my "passive" investors got to this point by being anything but passive.

- They built businesses.
- They saved aggressively.
- They worked incredibly hard.
- They climbed corporate ladders.

The reality is that most successful passive investors put in years (sometimes decades) of active work before they could become truly passive.

I see this firsthand with our luxury storage investors:

- High-earning professionals
- Successful business owners
- Entrepreneurs who've had exits
- People who've built wealth actively

They didn't start with passive investing...

They earned their way there.

So don't start by trying to be passive.

Start by being as active as you can be.

The passive income will follow.

--

P.S. If you're interested in passively investing in our luxury storage developments, DM me "storage" to learn more about upcoming opportunities.

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