Why You Should Stop Calling Yourself an “Investor”

Anyone who has ever had their name mispronounced knows that names matter. It’s not just how other folks view you, it’s how you view yourself. That’s why we’re here to tell you that calling yourself an “investor” is a bad idea for your rental business future — and what you should call yourself instead.

Why it matters

It may not seem like it, but an investor is actually encouraging you to be passive with your real estate. An investor puts their money into a property, then passively reaps the rewards. Unfortunately, that’s not how this business works, and if you have that attitude going in, you’ll probably be very frustrated. We believe that obtaining rental properties is a great job — but it is still, in fact, a job. Thinking that this is a “set it and forget it” type of industry is a quick recipe for burning out.

Call yourself an entrepreneur

Entrepreneurs don’t just invest, they put deals together. They’re active. Do you know what people do with entrepreneurs? They invest with them. Why? Because even if an entrepreneur doesn’t have the money, they still have the hustle and drive to succeed. That’s a subtle shift in thought, but it’ll pay dividends in the end.

These aren’t things that I was ever taught, I just learned them through experience. I purchased my first four-plex apartment in March of 2003 – with absolutely nothing down. Over the next two years, I went on to purchase 50 units, again, nothing-down (on a part-time basis) while working my full-time corporate job. Two years later I retired from my corporate career to focus on real estate full time.

Take the next step to get started in real estate, join our Small Apartments School and learn how to make money finding deals for other buyers, and other creative ways to get into real estate without using your own money.