How My Multifamily Journey Started
By Brooke Ceballos-Pinero
“I know you guys might see me as this guy that’s great with sales and marketing but want to know where most of my financial success comes from? Real estate, apartment buildings to be exact.”
I listened to Grant Cardone as he explained that with $3K in his pocket, he purchased his first apartment building in San Diego, CA, at 38 units. This lit a cauldron of fire under my ass! In 18 months, I’ve moved heaven and earth to make shit happen.
But before I get ahead of myself, let’s rewind a bit.
After reading Grant’s 10X Rule, I started stalking him on social media and saw that he was offering a one-year mentorship to help accelerate sales. It was March 2020, and the world was on lockdown, so I needed creative ways to get customers’ attention to grow sales for my day job. Working from home meant no in-person interactions, feet on the street, shaking hands, and kissing babies at events.
How in the hell was I supposed to sell fiber installations for buildings where nobody worked?
So I signed up for Grant’s Sales and Marketing mentorship program to strategize with him.
In July 2021, I attended Grant’s first-ever Real Estate Summit and sat VIP to be the center of it. I listened to Grant speak, elated by all the phenomenal people there and Grant’s contagious energy. He had an offering for a 12- month Real Estate Club for “serious investors.” Was I a serious investor? The only thing I would invest in was my 401K, which was more annoying than a rollercoaster you can’t get off of. However, I knew from my 18 years of hard time in the corporate world that I always wanted to open my own business, but what?
Jarrod Glandt, the President of Cardone Enterprises, got on stage, reminded us to act, and iterated that the time was now. My gut told me, “If you don’t do this, you will regret it.”
Jarrod then asked who would take advantage of the one-year Real Estate Club today.
I raised my hand, knowing that all Grant’s salespeople were watching like hawks.
Anthony Sisson, one of Grant’s sales guys, strolls over to me with a big grin. “What questions do you have regarding the Real Estate Club?” I responded, “Let’s get this done. I’m hungry. Lunch is being served!”
The following 12 months after that were blood, sweat, and tears. Along with MASSIVE DAILY ACTION, unforgettable experiences of touring properties while tackling best and finals. The highlight was Grant and I being both best and final for The Hayworth. The shit-talking that our club witnessed during that friendly competition was fun!
Neither one of us got that property, by the way.
All these incredible experiences created what is known today as Empower Capital LLC.
It also developed impactful and meaningful business and personal relationships and the confidence to tackle multifamily. I became relentless and obsessed with my education and diversifying my network.
In this journey, I came across Michael Blank
and the SDA he created for underwriting.
When I hunted Grant on social channels, I did the same with Michael and found his famous yellow book, Financial Freedom with Real Estate Investing. I tell you this because a handful of people educate and inspire others on multifamily investing, and each has its spin on it that will help the light bulb turn on for you.
From Brad Sumrok, Veena Jetti, Jake and Gino, Michael Blank, InvestHER, Hunter Thompson, Bay Area Real Estate Investor Club, Multifamily Masters, Family Offices, Rod Khleif, and MORE! I have learned something different from each community.
In the words of Alex Hormozi,
“Stop investing in the S&P, and start investing in the S&ME.”
Brooke Ceballos-Pinero started as an LP investor acquiring 676 units and is a GP in 507 units and counting. She’s using her 20 years of servant leadership experience in corporate America and her educational and team-sports background to build her active real estate portfolio. Brooke is a part of the Grant Cardone Real Estate Club, The Michael Blank DM, the Bay Area Real Estate Investor Club, Multifamily Masters, InvestHER and Sumrok’s Millionaire Multifamily Mastermind, and more.She also interviews those who have closed their first deal on YouTube for Michael Blank.Brooke is the CEO of Empower Capital, where their team empowers people financially, where they live, work, and play through investing. She is passionate about health and fitness, travel, women’s empowerment, and providing a clear path to marginalized people to provide generational wealth while being a financial fiduciary. She enjoys baking with her daughters, Macayla and Marissa, dancing salsa, and hitting every food spot with her husband, David, in Northern California.
