Originally born in Colombia. I migrated to Canada in the winter of 2003. I came with little to no English. One piece of luggage, and a huge sack of dreams. The purpose was to find a stream path to richness. I was willing to sacrifice my family and friends for the lifestyle I wanted in exchange for my dreams. The goal was clear to me. The way for me to achieve it is not so much. I knew one thing; I was not going to sit on the sidelines to wait for things to happen. Of course, I had to start from the bottom and find my way up. That involved me getting out of my comfort zone and start behaving in a different way. Especially in a new country where everything was so much different from what I knew. Learning new skills and the language was a must.

I had many odd jobs at once, even after securing a more established one, as a Teller at one of the big banks in Canada. It didn’t take too long before I began climbing on the corporate ladder to become Senior Manager at that same bank. A role that offered me a clear sense of the financial market in Canada. Managing a team of more than 30 individuals helped me improve my leadership and people management skills. My ability to set priorities, goals, create processes and procedures, hire new staff and I also saw the need to fire others. Which gave me transferable skills that I use every day in my real estate investing career.

My job also taught me how to invest in the stock market. I became good at it, and I was able to build capital quickly allowing me to achieve one of my goals, buying a home. I pulled all my invested money and used it as a down payment for my Lakeview condo in Downtown Toronto. Despite the excitement I felt at that time though, I was also afraid of such commitment, and the ongoing cost this would involve. It didn’t take long for me to realize that although I now owned my home, I was living paycheck to paycheck still. My investment money had all gone into the down payment. no savings left, and no other stream of income besides my hard-working job. I understood I needed to do something different to continue pursuing my dreams.

In December 2014, I saw the need to find the right support and guidance from those who had conquered and lived the life I so desperately wanted. I started my education as a real estate investor then. I went into more debt to pay for my first tuition. The whole idea was insane to me at the beginning, but I think I was ready to get to the next level. I learned how to manage my money. Since I’ve invested more than $180K in personal development and real estate education alone.

In July 2015, I secured my first Lease Option deal, and that same month I also purchased my very first triplex property. I then continued to add additional properties to my portfolio experiencing a relatively fast growth in my real estate portfolio based on both the Lease Option and the Income Property Multi-Family strategy. I consider those my baby strategies. From there, I expanded my investments by including other strategies in the mix. Strategies like Serviced Accommodations, Wholesale, Private Lending, and Distressed Properties. I guess you could say I’ve diversified myself by using multiple RE strategies in multiple countries as well, Canada, USA, and Colombia. Gaining tons of knowledge and experience along the way.

Today, I’ve built a solid real estate portfolio that has transformed my life. I owe this transformation to not only my willingness to take action but also my mentor’s support and expert advice. I wouldn’t say it has been as easy. I’ve experienced ups and downs. On one occasion I lost $100K of my own money after a private lending deal went wrong. Yet, the lesson only made me stronger as an investor. More detail-oriented and pro-active in securing not only my own portfolio but those of my JV partners and mentees as well.

Outside investing, traveling gets me going! I enjoy soccer. Oil painting is one of my many hobbies. Nothing better than a fine glass of scotch and having an amusing conversation with my wife just before going to bed. I like outdoor events. I believe I’m easygoing, and I enjoy a good laugh. I consider myself pretty handyman. I even dared to reno a house on my own, and with fisher price tools ☺. I can share that story later!

I have a passion for helping people achieve their financial dreams. I want to be of service, I offer you my knowledge, skills, and experience to give you a hand in reaching your goals and dreams. Trust Your Talent is the perfect space to nourish your success!

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