The Embassy Wealth Podcast: Recent Episodes
Tanya Salseth
On the Embassy Wealth Podcast we interview members of the foreign affairs community to see how they’re building wealth both personally and financially, no matter where they’re posted.
The views expressed on this podcast are only those of the individuals featured on the show and do not in any way reflect the official policy of the United States government.
Jon Matzner is a do-it-all entrepreneur whose experience abroad has transferred directly into his current career. Following seven years of service, Jon has launched several businesses, sold three, and acquired many others. Keeping an open mind and taking a goal-oriented approach to success has allowed him to continue his journey of service and success worldwide.
Hear Jon discuss:
- His initial inspiration to join the public sector
- How exposure to hyper-successful people showed him he could achieve much more than he anticipated
- How he connected his diplomatic skills to his current business ventures
- Why it is critical that people build hard skills in addition to the soft skills that come natural to many service members
…and so much more!
Music: “Higher Up” by Shane Ivers
Michael Jordan’s financial journey started when he first asked himself, “What am I doing, and why am I doing it?” Since taking control of his financial future, he now enjoys a life where the usual worries surrounding finance have disappeared. Michael’s lifestyle is a reflection of the simple plan he put into action many years ago, a strategy that is available to all of us, regardless of age or experience!
Hear Michael discuss:
- How simply starting allowed him to become a millionaire in 12 years
- Straightforward ways anyone can overcome debt and start investing
- The opportunities he leveraged throughout his career in foreign service
- Why time and consistency are so important when investing
…and so much more!
Supervisory Special Agent Michael Jordan joined Diplomatic Security in May 2002. Prior to his September 2021 arrival in Ottawa, Michael served as Deputy Regional Security Officer at the Baghdad Diplomatic Support Center. Some of Michael’s prior assignments were RSO Montreal, DRSO Basrah, Career Development Officer, and Branch Chief Anti-Terrorism Assistance Program. Michael graduated from University of Delaware with a Bachelor of Arts in International Relations.
Music: “Higher Up” by Shane Ivers
Tania Teschke is a writer and photographer whose passion for French food and wine led her on a fantastic and unexpected journey. Tania has learned from a variety of French winemakers, home cooks, butchers, and chefs while exploring the health benefits of an ancestral approach to food and lifestyle. Listen in to learn about Tania’s unique experiences abroad and how she made the most of the opportunities she discovered overseas!
Hear Tania discuss:
- The many cultures, traditions, and countries she’s explored since her first tour in 2002
- How her cookbook and natural products reflect her many experiences abroad
- The various benefits of traditional cooking and an ancestral health approach
…and so much more!
Make sure to keep up with Tania’s work on her website: www.bordeauxkitchen.com! Here you can find her wonderful cookbook The Bordeaux Kitchen and information about her upcoming tours abroad. You can also find Tania’s great products on her Etsy store at www.etsy.com/shop/BordeauxKitchen.
Music: “Higher Up” by Shane Ivers
Rachel Richards is a former financial advisor turned real estate investor and bestselling author of two books! Her passion for financial literacy stems not only from her experience as a financial advisor, but also as a witness to the lifestyle that comes with financial freedom. Rachel has sustained her incredible success as an investor by diversifying her income streams and sticking to the goal-oriented mindset she established from the very beginning of her journey. Her most recent book, Passive Income, Aggressive Retirement, details her secret to freedom, flexibility, and financial independence!
Hear Rachel discuss:
- How she achieved financial freedom at the age of 27!
- Her early experiences buying rental properties both in and out-of-state
- How her first book came to fruition and the positive impact it has continued to provide
- The many lessons she learned as an independent investor and property manager
- Passive income opportunities that can be leveraged by anyone in today’s economy
…and so much more!
You can learn more about Rachel and her work on her website: https://moneyhoneyrachel.com/.
If you are interested in reading any of her books, you can find them online here: https://www.amazon.com/stores/author/B072M1ZD4X.
Make sure to follow Rachel on social media as well (@moneyhoneyrachel) to keep up with her latest content!
Music: “Higher Up” by Shane Ivers
Greg Buford is a traveled author whose work reflects his experience living in unique cultures across the world. Building an engaging lifestyle around foreign service and his own career as an author are among the incredible achievements he and his family have accomplished throughout their lives. His memoir, Kept: An American Househusband in India, won the PNWA Zola Award, and his novel, Making Ghosts Dance, was both a Montaigne Medal and Eric Hoffer Award finalist. Beyond his professional success, Greg is a model of what can be built through perseverance and an unrelenting pursuit of passion!
Hear Greg discuss:
- His experience parenting and writing in a variety of cultures worldwide
- His full creative process of writing and publishing different types of books
- How he built a balanced lifestyle around foreign service with his wife and children
- How he leveraged his unique position abroad to write each of his books
- The strategies he used to create authentic and compelling literary works
…and so much more!
You can learn more about Greg and his work on his website: https://www.gregorybuford.com/. If you are interested in reading any of his books, you can find them online here: https://www.amazon.com/stores/author/B0759Y3WHC.
Music: “Higher Up” by Shane Ivers
Nick Durr is a prime example of what can be achieved by leveraging your unique resources, especially those afforded to members of the foreign affairs community! Beyond his experience in foreign security and the United States Marine Corps, Nick is a proud father of two whose resourceful nature allows him to succeed in many facets of life - notably his recent success purchasing and remotely managing multiple rental properties while living abroad. He currently serves as an Assistant Regional Security Officer (ARSO) and contract officer’s representative (COR) for a large contract guard force in service of over 130 locations throughout Uganda.
Hear Nick discuss:
- The unique challenges associated with short-term rental properties
- How he leveraged the expertise of others to create personal success in real estate
- His many tours and assignments abroad (currently serving in Uganda)
- Alternate options for financing out-of-country investment properties
- His experience managing both short and long-term rental properties
…and so much more!
Music: “Higher Up” by Shane Ivers
CNN producer Stephanie Genkin found herself on the frontlines of the financial crisis in 2007-2008 and witnessed the financial world crumble. As people lost their jobs, homes, and businesses, she kept thinking, “what if that was me?” This deep question became the springboard for Stephanie’s mid-life career leap from veteran journalist to financial planner. Since then, her holistic financial practice has flourished, with a unique focus on not just the math, but also the human side of the money equation.
Hear Stephanie discuss:
- How people outside of your immediate circle of friends and family can provide unique insights and perspectives into your strengths
- why we don’t see more women and minorities in finance
- Should you mix emotion and money? Is it even possible to separate them?
- Why banks are like cocaine dealers
- The “thousands of voices” influencing your money decisions
- How invisible money scripts may influence us without our knowledge and how to recognize and change deeply ingrained money behaviors
…and so much more!
Stephanie Genkin, CFP® is the founder of My Financial Planner, LLC, a New York State Registered Investment Advisor. A veteran journalist, Stephanie is the financial planner behind the Yahoo! Finance digital makeover series Fix My Finances and teaches investing fundamentals at New York University. Before training to becoming a financial advisor, Stephanie was an editorial producer at CNN for 15 years and worked with the network's Chief Business Correspondent. She holds a B.A. with honors in Journalism and Hebrew Literature from the University of Wisconsin, Madison, and received masters degrees in Modern Jewish History and Middle Eastern Studies from the University of Oxford, St. Antony's College in the U.K. She was a Fulbright scholar in Amman, Jordan.
www.stephaniegenkin.com
Music: “Higher Up” by Shane Ivers
The Embassy Wealth Podcast is kicking off the new 2023 season with our favorite topic: money! On this episode, certified Trauma of Money coach and financial wellness practitioner, Sherrette Garate-Estes challenges us to dig deep for an introspective look at our relationship with money.
Do you overspend when you shouldn’t? Hoard money? Avoid looking at bills? Overwork because you feel stressed there won’t be enough money? Or maybe you are overly conservative and feel you should invest but have never taken any steps to study investments because you feel blocked or intimidated?
Join us for this fascinating discussion into the field of money trauma and how money events, especially negative ones experienced early in life, can continue to impact how we manage our finances even years after the event has passed. Learn how you can identify and remove these hidden mental and psychological obstacles to clear your path to financial wellness and success.
Hear Sherrette discuss:
- What is financial trauma and how it shows up in our lives
- The three money disorders that hold people back
- What is a healthy relationship with money?
- How examining your money story and relationship with money can clear your path to greater financial wellness and success
- How cultural and family programming plays a large role in how we perceive money and our relationship to it
…and so much more!
Sherrette is a certified Trauma of Money coach, financial wellness practitioner, host of the Disability Adjacent podcast, Sign Language Interpreter, and Child of Deaf Parents. Her current work is focused on people who are adjacent to a person with a disability and how to heal the financial trauma that often comes with those experiences.
Music: “Higher Up” by Shane Ivers
Financial coach and planner extraordinaire Acquania Escarne returns to the podcast to explain how listeners can begin organizing and planning to reach their goals in 2023! Having a clear picture about where you want to be starts with a solid plan: as we finish up 2022, it’s a great time to reflect on what you’ve accomplished this year, and think about what you’d like to achieve in 2023. Sitting down with a pen and paper to map out your goals takes time, but, as we learn from Acquania, breaking down the big picture to smaller steps you can scale will put you on the right track to making 2023 an amazing year!
Hear Acquania discuss:
- How to set “smart goals” that are measurable and obtainable
- Accomplishing long-term goals
- Why telling others about your goals holds you accountable to actually achieving them
- Modifying your goals so that they realistically fit your lifestyle (and budget!)
…and so much more!
Acquania Escarne began her diplomatic career in 2008. Today, she is also a financial coach, hotel owner, podcast host, and life insurance producer who is committed to helping people find financial freedom and build wealth. Learn more about how you can build generational wealth one dollar at a time with Acquania Escarne at https://thepurposeofmoney.com/
Music: “Higher Up” by Shane Ivers
Nate Carter returns to the Embassy Wealth podcast to discuss life one year after retiring from the Foreign Service at the young age of 50! While this might seem like an impossible feat, Nate successfully transitioned and has had an amazing first year post-FS: consulting for foreign governments, adding more investment properties to his portfolio, starting new business ventures, and - most importantly - finding more time to be with his family and enjoy all of his hobbies. Proper planning by cutting expenses and putting money aside can lead to a successful retirement that can go the distance, even if you exercise that option at 50!
Hear Nate discuss:
- Leaving the Foreign Service after being overseas for nearly 20 years
- Using your retirement as an open door for new opportunities
- Leveraging your Foreign Service network post-retirement
- What it feels like to not report to work every day or get a steady paycheck
- Tips for how you can begin planning for your own successful retirement
…and so much more!
Check out Nate’s book “Become Loaded for Life: Financial Independence, Retiring Early, Maximizing Happiness” here: https://tinyurl.com/43pnmspj
Music: “Higher Up” by Shane Ivers
Preparing for retirement doesn’t need to be scary. After 36 years as a federal employee with multiple federal government agencies, Abraham Grungold retired with a hefty sum in his Thrift Savings Plan and a passion for helping other retiring federal employees. In this episode, Abe shares the key to a successful retirement and how one can continue their career while still receiving social security. Receiving a 20+ page retirement package to complete sounds daunting, but with the right advice and guidance, you can confidently make plans that will have a positive impact on your future retirement.
Hear Abraham discuss:
- The ideal time for a federal employee to retire to get the most out of retirement
- Working after retirement and how it can affect your social security (and some tips on how to make sure any income doesn’t negatively affect your retirement income)
- How you can retire happy - even if you aren’t a TSP multi-millionaire
…and so much more!
You can contact Abraham Grungold and read his blog posts here: https://grungold.com/
Music: “Higher Up” by Shane Ivers
Stephanie Toler is the CEO of Nest, a property management company servicing DC. With over 1,400 homes under management and 40+ employees, Nest handles all of the headaches that come with property management – from tenant placement to maintenance requests to organizing property upgrades and other make-ready services. Being a landlord isn’t easy anywhere, but D.C. can be especially complex due to its landlord-tenant laws and city regulations. Hear Stephanie’s advice for those who choose to self-manage in the city and how important it is to find the right property manager.
Hear Stephanie discuss:
- Maintaining single family homes versus condos
- Getting your home ready to rent prior to going overseas
- Tips for those self-managing their rentals
…and so much more!
Music: “Higher Up” by Shane Ivers
With a Master of Fine Arts degree in Creative Nonfiction Writing from The New School in New York City and an interest in travel, Tim Tranchilla’s three year assignment in Tel Aviv inspired him to write his guidebook, the Bucket! Guide to the Holy Land: A DIY Travel Planner to Create a Bucket List-Filled Dream Trip to Israel, Jordan, Palestine, and the Egyptian Sinai. Tim shares his journey of self-publishing and marketing his guidebook while living in a paperless, e-book world and the costs of being an independent author. With several five star reviews, the Bucket! series is just getting started.
Hear Tim discuss:
- How he made time to work on his guidebook while working full-time
- Whether you should self-publish or get a publisher
- Why publishing a physical travel guide was a bold choice in a sea of e-books
- The costs of publishing a book as an independent author
…and so much more!
You can purchase your copy of Bucket! Guide to the Holy Land here: https://tinyurl.com/2tz8dkms
Music: “Higher Up” by Shane Ivers
In this second part of a two part series, Tanya dives deeper into her decision to leave the Foreign Service and blaze her own path in the world of real estate. After being a solo agent for several years, Tanya discusses her experience going from single agent to team leader of Stateside Residential, a real estate team serving the DC area, as well as her most recent journey into launching a property management franchise.
Hear Tanya discuss:
- Considerations when deciding to leave the Foreign Service
- Following your inner compass when it comes to work
- Pivoting from real estate investing to buying a business
- Why franchises can be an attractive way to become a business owner
- How to purchase a franchise, the process, and what to look for
…and so much more!
Music: “Higher Up” by Shane Ivers
Time to meet the host! In this episode, Tanya Salseth shares how she went from working for the U.S. government to full-time real estate investor and agent serving the diplomatic community. Investing in real estate isn’t always pretty and can be scary, but once you learn the market and how to make the numbers work, the money will start to work for you. Tanya now owns 20 doors across the DC area, is a team lead for a real estate group of five agents, and isn’t done yet. Stay tuned for part II to see what Tanya has in store next!
Hear Tanya discuss:
- Buying her first property while overseas
- Leaving the Foreign Service
- Selling 6-7 homes from abroad
- The joys of being a self-managing landlord
- Renting vs buying in the DC area
…and so much more!
Music: “Higher Up” by Shane Ivers
Sam Dogen, author of the instant Wall Street Journal bestseller “Buy This, Not That: How to Spend Your Way to Wealth and Freedom,” grew up thinking about money. After spending his childhood as a Foreign Service kid at posts around Asia, he studied economics at William & Mary, and then took a job working at Goldman Sachs, where he dived head first into the world of finance. In the midst of the 2009 global financial crisis, Sam started his blog “Financial Samurai,” which shared his personal wealth story and financial advice so others could achieve their own financial freedom. After 2.5 years of blogging, Sam was able to leave his corporate job to be a full-time blogger. Financial Samurai now receives over one million visitors a month, and Sam has engineered a life where he works with who he wants to, where he wants to, when he wants to. “Buy This, Not That: How to Spend Your Way to Wealth and Freedom” spells out his formulas for how to determine what to buy, how much to spend, and how to get the most out of your paycheck to build your path to financial freedom.
Hear Sam discuss:
- Where one should invest their money
- How to maximize wealth building
- Starting a blog that could eventually become your full-time job
…and so much more!
You can purchase “Buy This, Not That: How to Spend Your Way to Wealth and Freedom” on Amazon: https://tinyurl.com/4xtv67k4
Music: “Higher Up” by Shane Ivers
After 8 years and multiple tours in the Foreign Service, Patrick Branco left the Department to run for public office. He immediately entered the race for Hawaii State Representative for District 50 (Kailua & Kāne‘ohe Bay) and found himself campaigning during COVID-19, running vaccination centers, and knocking on nearly four thousand doors while wearing a lei and a mask to show the dedication he had to his community. Hear Patrick’s story about his journey post-Foreign Service, including his recent run for U.S. Congress (Hawaii’s 2nd congressional district) and how he has used the skills he gained as a diplomat in his next chapter as a politician.
Hear Patrick discuss:
- Transitioning out of the Foreign Service into a new field
- The process of going from underdog to Hawaii State Representative for District 50
- Running a political campaign during COVID-19
- How he used skills from his time in the Foreign Service as an advantage in his political career
…and so much more!
Music: “Higher Up” by Shane Ivers
Brandon Possin got his first taste of investing in tech at the tender age of 13, when he purchased stock in Apple with his lemonade stand money. His interest in financial technology deepened further after joining the Foreign Service, when he was posted to Pakistan. There, he found that e-commerce entrepreneurs were disadvantaged by their lack of access to platforms like PayPal, as the options available for transferring money and receiving payments were exorbitantly expensive. That experience led Brandon to working directly for a fintech company started by one of the co-founders of Ethereum, where he continued to research crypto and expand his knowledge on how this new digital medium of exchange is changing the world.
In this interview, Brandon discusses:
- What is crypto? What is an NFT?
- Three ways to purchase crypto
- How NFTs are digital representations of social currency
- How digital, decentralized mediums of exchange can level the playing field, unlock talent, and create new capital flows
- How to evaluate cryptocurrencies and some aspects to consider
…and so much more!
Music: “Higher Up” by Shane Ivers
Greg Stoneberg began working for the U.S. government fresh out of college. Nearly 18 years later, he and his wife Tracy find themselves on track to be TSP millionaires despite being a single income family for over a decade. Although this may sound like the work of a one-off miracle, it is actually the result of budgeting, investing, and financial planning. The journey to financial stability and personal wealth may look more like a roller coaster than a straight line, but as Greg learned, mistakes are allowed, and exploring multiple investment plans can be encouraged.
In this interview, Greg shares:
- How to create a budget that works for you and your family
- Weighing the risks vs. the gains
- The importance in finding a savings/investment plan that works for you
…and so much more!
Music: “Higher Up” by Shane Ivers
EFM Tim Robinson returns to share his insights on making the leap from real estate investor to full-time real estate salesperson and entrepreneur, as well as his perspective on investing in real estate and other asset classes in a market characterized by rising interest rates.
Hear Tim discuss:
- The pros, cons, and costs of a career in real estate
- Working as a solo agent vs working on a team
- Why real estate investors shouldn’t necessarily get a real estate license
- Which personality types will enjoy sales & entrepreneurship (and which won’t)
- Why EFMs are in a great position to take on the risks of entrepreneurship
- Reasons for continuing to buy real estate despite lower returns
- Whether real estate deals still exist
…and so much more!
Music: “Higher Up” by Shane Ivers
When Marcelle Yeager left behind a career she loved and found herself in Uzbekistan struggling to find work, she began reviewing the resumes of her friends and family and coaching them on job transitions. She found a niche in helping talented people transition into the job they wanted, not just the job that was the logical next step to a promotion in their current field. Seeing how much talent was in the Foreign Service EFM community overseas, she started Career Valet in 2012, with the idea of matching talented people to their ideal jobs.
In this interview, Marcelle shares:
- How she went from giving free advice on resumes to turning it into a stream of income
- Starting a business overseas in a pre-Zoom world
- How to reflect on skills you’ve obtained from your current job to determine what you may be interested in pursuing for your next career
…and so much more!
You can check out Career Valet here: https://www.careervalet.com/
Music: “Higher Up” by Shane Ivers
Talking about money has always been somewhat taboo in today’s society, so when Malene Carr’s father sat her down to discuss her Thrift Savings Plan when she first started at the State Department, she appreciated how open her father was to discussing financial matters. Now Malene is starting financial literacy groups at every embassy or consulate where she serves, with the goal of promoting open and frank discussions on investments, financial health, and debt management. She also encourages others to start their own groups with the goal of building wealth, together.
In this interview, Malene shares:
- How you can start your own financial literacy group
- The importance of being flexible with your spending and investments and financial mentorship
- Getting your family into investing (even at a young age!)
…and so much more!
Music: “Higher Up” by Shane Ivers
Time with family and friends is something you can never get enough of, but it is something Foreign Service employees struggle to find even during R&R. Shopping, organizing, and handling the pack out for your consumables shipment is time consuming, draining, and not a favorable way to be spending your time in between PCSes. The frustration Christine Lusk felt when she was spending time shopping and packing instead of seeing her family when she arrived in Falls Church led to the creation of DiploDash, a business specializing in PCS services for Foreign Service employees that provides consumables shipment and pack out assistance and care package delivery.
In this interview, Christine shares:
- starting a small business despite doubts from your peers
- how you can use the community you’re in to test demand for your business services
- how starting a small business can shine a light on areas of personal growth and development
- how to handle criticism as a business owner
…and so much more!
You can see all the services that DiploDash offers on their website: https://www.diplodash.com/
Music: “Higher Up” by Shane Ivers
Courtney and Matt Glass have discovered not one but two niches of the real estate investing world for themselves. After joining the Foreign Service and becoming accidental landlords, Courtney and Matt learned about the FIRE (financial independence retire early) movement and promptly began investing in short-term rentals in 2019. Since then, they have expanded their real estate portfolio and begun investing in self-storage facilities. These investments have allowed Matt, as an eligible family member, to have a continuous income stream managing their real estate portfolio as they move from post to post.
In this interview, Courtney and Matt share:
- How to find and finance self-storage facilities
- How to evaluate a self-storage property
- Managing a facility from a distance
…and so much more!
This is part two of a two-part interview with Courtney and Matt. In part one, they discuss their experience in investing in short-term rentals.
Courtney and Matt would love to hear from you! You can reach them through their website: www.crossover-wealth.com
Music: “Higher Up” by Shane Ivers
Courtney and Matt Glass have discovered not one, but two niches of the real estate investing world for themselves. After joining the Foreign Service and becoming accidental landlords, Courtney and Matt learned about the FIRE (financial independence retire early) movement and promptly began investing in short term rentals in 2019. Since then, they have expanded their real estate portfolio and begun investing in self-storage facilities. These investments have allowed Matt, as an eligible family member, to have a continuous income stream managing their real estate portfolio as they move from post to post.
In this interview, Courtney and Matt share:
- How to identify a short term rental market
- The value of reliable “boots-on-the-ground” vendor partners
- Cultivating good relationships with the neighbors next to your rentals
- Income differences between short-term rental and a home leave vacation home
…and so much more!
This is part one of a two-part interview with Courtney and Matt. In part two, they discuss their experience in investing in self storage facilities.
Courtney and Matt would love to hear from you! You can reach them through their website: www.crossover-wealth.com
Music: “Higher Up” by Shane Ivers
After several wonderful assignments in Europe, Dillon Banerjee wanted to see how he could continue living in Europe after retiring from the Foreign Service. A tourist passport only allows Americans up to a 90 day stay in the Schengen Area, and Dillon wanted to be able to enjoy retirement with his family without geographic limits.
While researching options, he found another Foreign Service officer who had used the Golden Visa program to become a full-time resident of Portugal. This impactful conversation launched Dillon down a path that ultimately led him to applying for EU citizenship.
In this episode, hear Dillon discuss:
- How to navigate the bureaucratic process of the Golden Visa application
- The funds necessary for the investments
- In which countries the Golden Visa is a possibility
- How to find and vet law firms that specialize in this process and can assist you
…and so much more!
Music: “Higher Up” by Shane Ivers
During an overseas assignment in France, Toby Wolf and his wife discovered their appreciation and love for sustainably-raised local food. While his wife was in the process of writing a French cookbook, they toured local farms. Talking with farmers and seeing how their businesses worked inspired Toby to consider more directly supporting and investing in sustainable and regenerative agriculture. These investments are now part of his overall portfolio allocation, providing not only diversification, but an ethical component to his investments.
Hear from Toby about:
- How to invest in agricultural investments as a small, non-institutional investor
- Utilizing a self-directed IRA for unconventional investing
- How investing in regenerative agriculture can build up rural communities
- The ease of investing in sustainable projects through index funds
…and so much more!
Music: “Higher Up” by Shane Ivers
Vacation rentals, multi-family properties and house-hacking: Stephen Marquette has tried a variety of real estate investments over twenty years of overseas and domestic assignments. From purchasing his first condo to partnering up with a FS colleague and learning the power of a team, Stephen has gained a wealth of experience along his investing journey. Building a strong local network, leveraging partnerships, and continually educating himself and adjusting his strategy has helped him and his partners build a portfolio of 27 units in 3 states.
Learn from Stephen:
- How to utilize your primary residence as an investment property through house hacking
- The benefit of partnerships to mitigate risks and grow your portfolio faster
- The importance of keeping accurate and clean records of your investments and expenses
- How real estate fits into his diverse investment strategy
…and so much more!
Music: “Higher Up” by Shane Ivers
Ajani Husbands was a seasoned FSO when he went on leave without pay to attend law school and pursue a career in corporate law. During several grueling years in corporate law, during which he officially resigned from the FS, Ajani decided to launch a beverage brand based on his mothers signature rum punch recipe. He experimented with different flavor profiles and, after moving overseas with his FS spouse, he re-branded his punch in order to launch his new beverage brand in South Africa.
Hear Ajani explain:
- Leaving the Foreign Service and transitioning into corporate America and entrepreneurship
- How he turned a family rum punch recipe into a high end beverage that he launched on the South African market
- The importance of market research and partnering with experts in design, branding, and manufacturing to launch a product in a foreign country
- Determining product pricing and design and building brand awareness
…and so much more!
You can learn more about Ajani’s signature rum punch at www.drink1966.com
Music: “Higher Up” by Shane Ivers
Mike Warder fell into real estate investing in 2006, when he turned his Denver condo into a rental property. He self-managed that property for 10 years before he and his wife decided to buy a second property. Since then, they have been acquiring properties each year and now own properties in Maryland, Virginia, and South Carolina. Mike is a hands-on landlord with lots of great lessons and stories on how to self-manage your properties from a distance, even when you’re in a different time zone.
Hear Mike discuss:
- Why a strategy of owning a mix of appreciating and cash flowing properties helps balance risk
- How you can successfully self manage a property from a distance
- The benefits of networking with fellow investors
…and so much more!
Music: “Higher Up” by Shane Ivers
After being in the U.S. Marine Corps, and then completing several tours abroad as a Diplomatic Security Agent with the Foreign Service, Corey Crane left the FS for a desk job with another federal government agency. That desk job wasn’t particularly fulfilling, especially after tours overseas in Iraq and New Zealand, so Corey started thinking up ideas for small businesses in his spare time. Although no one in his family had a business or was an entrepreneur, Corey launched his first online business with just a few hours a week and a website, and an entrepreneur was born.
That initial, small success with his first online business led him to found a skip tracing business, a real estate wholesaling business, and a background check company. Corey also used funds from the sale of a home he and his wife owned to purchase and found several locations of a gourmet popsicle franchise, which exist to this day.
In this interview, Corey discusses:
- Following your intuition and ideas to discover opportunities with just a few hours a week
- How to use your existing skills and knowledge to create a side business
- How to be successful in many different industries
- How to purchase, set-up, and successfully run a franchise
- The importance of mentors and partnerships
- Free resources everyone can use to build a company
…and so much more!
Music: “Higher Up” by Shane Ivers
What do rising interest rates and skyrocketing rents mean for the housing market? Should you rent or should you buy? Having a good grasp on mortgage financials in a rising interest rate environment with inflationary pressures can often mean saving (or losing) thousands of dollars. Hear Loan Officer Liz Conrad break down how the larger economic picture matters when taking out a mortgage and how you can select the best type of mortgage for your situation, whether you’re a first time homebuyer or seasoned real estate investor.
Hear Liz discuss:
- how being a loan officer can be a great “portable” job for EFMs
- how FS clients can close mortgage loans from overseas, even in remote areas with no internet (hint: it’s difficult, but not impossible)
- what happens when a mortgage gets sold and where does it go?
- differences between a primary, secondary and investment mortgage loan (and which types allow you to rent out your house and when!)
- why interest rates are already going up in anticipation of the Fed’s interest rate increase and what this means for home buyers and renters
…and so much more!
Liz Conrad is a former EFM and Senior Loan Officer with George Mason Mortgage. Liz is licensed in 13 states to include MD, VA, DC, PA, DE, WV, KY, TN, OH, NC, SC, GA & FL and specializes in helping Foreign Service, DOD and Veteran Families to finance primary, second homes or investment properties while still living abroad.
Music: “Higher Up” by Shane Ivers
After the incredible response we had to William Carrington’s first episode, he returns for a second episode to break down the steps necessary to successfully make the leap, both financially and emotionally, into a fulfilling retirement.
Hear William discuss:
- how to come up with a budget for retirement, even if you don’t know where you’ll retire
- why the first couple of years of retirement might be more expensive than expected
- when to take withdrawals from your TSP, pension, and social security
- the dollar amount most FS retirees budget annually to live on each year
- why the FS pension and healthcare benefits are so valuable and how hard it is to match those benefits in the private sector
- what inflation does to retirement savings
- the one question you can ask yourself now to ensure your retirement is fulfilling
…..and so much more!
William Carrington is the owner of Carrington Financial Planning, a financial planning and wealth management firm that specializes in working with Foreign Service employees. Since founding his firm over a decade ago, William has worked with more than 500 Foreign Service clients. He is a Certified Financial Planner, a Retirement Management Advisor, a NAPFA-Registered Advisor, and is a fee-only fiduciary. He was also an Eligible Family Member (EFM) for 24 years until his wife retired from the Department.
Music: “Higher Up” by Shane Ivers
Matt and his wife started their real estate investment journey in 2009 when they bought a condo in Los Angeles while posted there on an assignment. While Matt had met other investors earlier in his life, it wasn’t until 2020 that he started seriously researching rental properties as an attractive way to supplement his government pension. He started at his computer, identifying regions and markets that might work for his goals, and then leveraged his L.A. condo into 10 cash-flowing rental properties in Jackson, Mississippi that he purchased sight unseen from the comfort of his living room.
In this interview, Matt discusses:
- How Roofstock might change the rental property investment world.
- How he worked on multiple deals at the same time while still working a day job
- Identifying a rental market that worked for his specific needs and criteria
- The snowball effect that happens when you own more and more properties
… and much more!
Music: “Higher Up” by Shane Ivers
Lisa Tilstra is a woman with many talents: she has traveled all over the world, been part of the Foreign Service lifestyle for more than 10 years, and owns multiple businesses. Lisa has also built a great portfolio of rental properties and now consults and advises others on how to invest in real estate from abroad.
Her latest venture is a new podcast “Making Life Less Difficult” where she and her guests share stories on how to make life a little less difficult.
In this interview, Lisa discusses:
- How to build a business based on your strengths
- Finding purpose in life through creating things and non-monetary projects
- Defining success for yourself
- How to build a real estate portfolio “on the side”
… and much more!
Music: “Higher Up” by Shane Ivers
This episode is a re-run from earlier this year.
Joe Burkhead grew up in a small farming community in central Kentucky with a population of less than 400 people. In a place where fast food and manual labor jobs were plentiful, Joe knew no one in his hometown that was a serious investor. After joining the Marines Corps and being sent to Paris with the Marine Security Guard (MSG) program, Joe picked up “Rich Dad, Poor Dad” and was inspired to invest in real estate.
At 23, with savings largely earned from his first year as an MSG, Joe bought a four-unit apartment building. This purchase launched an amazing real estate investment journey spanning two decades, during which Joe built a small multifamily property empire in his hometown.
In this interview, Joe shares his experiences with:
- investing in all phases of the real estate market, including during periods of high mortgage interest rates (6%+!) and in periods of low inventory
- securing bank financing to purchase 90 units
- what to look for when purchasing a property and what to avoid
- building his own new construction multifamily
- using leverage to grow and expand your real estate portfolio
Joe’s incredible story is a testament to what just one person on a federal government salary can accomplish through sheer determination and persistence over time, no matter where in life you start. Be sure to listen to the end to catch Joe’s best tips for real estate investors!
Music: “Higher Up” by Shane Ivers
While assigned in Africa, Joe and his wife Marissa longed for a place in the states to hang their hats while on home leave. Proximity to friends and family lead them to the largest lake in Maryland, Deep Creek. A year after their first Deep Creek property was purchased, Joe put it on the market himself and realized there was an incredible demand in the area for vacation rental properties.
After some wild adventures purchasing foreclosures and renovating sight unseen properties completely from abroad, Joe and Marissa founded Silver Paddle Investments, a business focused on purchasing, renovating, and managing properties in the Deep Creek area. Joe also partnered with his real estate agent and co-founded Cabine Custom Homes, which builds new construction homes in Deep Creek.
In this interview, Joe discusses:
- How looking for a home leave vacation property turned into an incredibly successful side business
- The trials and tribulations of doing business remotely
- Building your network and team and sourcing vendors while abroad
- Vacation rental market dos and don’ts and advice for those who are considering getting into vacation homes now
- How to manage a business while working for the government full-time and still have a great family life
… and much more!
Music: “Higher Up” by Shane Ivers
As a Foreign Service spouse and young mother with small children living in South America, Eurona found herself passing by a Pilates studio everyday while taking her son to school. Having never taken a Pilates class, she was intrigued. When she visited the studio in person, however, the instructors initially tried to dissuade her from taking classes, as she wasn’t the same build as the other students. Eurona persisted anyway and fell in love with the practice. She had a dream that one day she would find a way to make Pilates an inclusive practice that would welcome all shapes and sizes of students.
With vision, a lot of hard work, and a little bit of serendipity, Eurona first became a certified pilates instructor and then she had the opportunity to open her own studio in Fairfax, Virginia. Inclusivity is one of the studio’s core principles, and Eurona has dedicated herself to welcoming all students who attend her classes.
In this interview, Eurona discusses:
- how she adapted as a business owner/ fitness instructor during a time when COVID was forcing businesses to close their doors
- her advice for success (hint: it’s as easy as owning a journal)
- how society has affected female business owners’ perspective on their personal and monetary worth
- her story of how saying yes to coffee changed her world as well as the world of Pilates
… and much more! Learn more about all that Epiphany Pilates has to offer here: https://www.epiphanypilates.com.
Music: “Higher Up” by Shane Ivers
James May from Houston Texas is the managing partner of J core partners, LLC. He has been investing in income producing real estate since 2005. He manages approximately $3.5 million in his personal portfolio and has properties in Texas, Florida, Virginia, Georgia, Ohio and Missouri.
James is currently in the foreign service, but has served in the Marine Corps prior to his joining the State Department.
In this interview, James talks about:
- Starting investing in Real Estate with little money as a member of the Marine Corps.
- Growing his portfolio to 13 single family homes.
- Leveraging a TSP loan to build his portfolio.
- His multifamily syndication projects with J core partners, LLC.
...and much more!
You can learn more about James on his company's website:
www.jcoreinvestments.com
Music: “Higher Up” by Shane Ivers
In 2013, Scott Berman and his wife purchased a Capitol Hill row home in Washington D.C. and began renting out their basement and a spare bedroom on Airbnb to help pay their mortgage. What seemed like a crazy expensive purchase at the time turned out to be a property that allowed them to live in a prime DC location for free.
After selling their DC home for a significant profit, Scott used the proceeds to accelerate his real estate investing through partnerships. Today, he holds 18 units between Wisconsin and Kentucky all while traveling the world for assignments.
In this interview, Scott discusses:
- Using an additional bedroom as an Airbnb (and making lifelong friends out of it)
- How your relationships with people can quickly turn into business partnerships
- Breaking down the 1% rule in real estate investing and how to use it to your advantage
- The importance of diversifying your investments, including REITS
… and much more!
Music: “Higher Up” by Shane Ivers
James Snoddy never imagined his love for running would lead him to starting a million dollar online business. One day, after wishing he had a hammock that fit on top of his Jeep to catch a post-run breath, he decided to create such a product and bring his idea to the market. After a few wrong turns and hundreds of hours of sweat and tears with a sewing machine in his basement, James created the Jammock, a product that thousands of Jeep owners around the world now use and enjoy.
Since launching his product line, James has founded a second online State Department-themed business. all while working full-time and raising his six year old son with his wife. He also continues his love for running, consistently hitting his goal of running 1,000 miles every year.
In this interview, James discusses:
- his inspiration for creating a new product and bringing it to the masses
- the challenges of running a small business, including his trials and tribulations with the IRS
- the time-intensive process of obtaining the patent for his product
- balancing two business with his family life and own personal hobbies and goals
… and much more! You can purchase your own Jammock here https://jammock.com/ or follow their Instagram @Jammock
Music: “Higher Up” by Shane Ivers
9: Starting a Real Estate Business Abroad with Tim Robinson After discovering that the 9-5 lifestyle wasn’t for him, Tim Robinson ventured into the world of real estate, which resulted in him co-founding The Real Estate Concierge, a company with a goal to assist those living overseas purchase investment properties in the States by providing one-on-one coaching, market analyses, networking, and more. Tim Robinson is also the co-host of the REI Concierge podcast geared towards those living abroad and their loved ones who are on their own real estate investment journey (or looking to start one!). In this interview, Tim discusses: * his thought process in leaving the 9-5 world behind to start working for himself (and how he got his wife on board) * the trials and tribulations of being abroad and starting your own real estate business in the U.S. from the ground up * investing through a self-directed IRA
… and much more! You can find out more about Tim and The Real Estate Concierge here: https://thereiconcierge.com/ Music: “Higher Up” by Shane Ivers
Mary Stange left a career as a flight officer with the U.S. Navy to join her Foreign Service husband overseas. Frustrated with long clearance delays for embassy jobs and the lack of employment continuity between posts, Mary dreamed of a job that she could take with her from post to post.
After listening to a podcast about investing in small businesses for passive income, she started researching businesses for sale. That led her to purchasing a boutique travel company, Ponte Travels, right as the global pandemic shut down travel worldwide.
In this interview, Mary discusses: * her thought process behind purchasing a small business and how she went about evaluating whether the business would be a profitable venture * the steps required to purchase a business, including doing due diligence, enlisting experts, and how to navigate Small Business Administration (SBA) loans * having the courage and vision to open a business that was severely affected by the pandemic
… and much more! You can find out more about Mary and Ponte Travels here: https://www.pontetravels.com/
Music: “Higher Up” by Shane Ivers
15 years into his real estate investment journey Anthony Diaz tells us how a balanced and conservative strategy can make a federal employee a millionaire. From short term rentals to multifamily, Anthony has done a lot of different things in the real estate space.
In this episode Anthony discusses:
- How having a team in place in your local market is crucial to success.
- How he changes asset classes based on market cycles.
- How to make vacation rentals work for you, even from a distance.
- How focusing on cash flow rather than appreciation can save you when the market drops.
Listen and be inspired by Anthony’s ability to use shifts in the market to make changes to his portfolio. Music: “Higher Up” by Shane Ivers
- How having a team in place in your local market is crucial to success.
- How he changes asset classes based on market cycles.
- How to make vacation rentals work for you, even from a distance.
- How focusing on cash flow rather than appreciation can save you when the market drops.
Listen and be inspired by Anthony’s ability to use shifts in the market to make changes to his portfolio. Music: “Higher Up” by Shane Ivers
When Nate Carter returned to the U.S. after four years abroad with the Peace Corps, he reconnected with friends who had well paying jobs, houses, and cars. He felt left behind financially. Starting with just $1500 in savings, Nate vowed to do everything he could to learn about personal finance and investing and set himself a goal of being financially independent within 12 years!
In this episode Nathan discusses:
- How to look at your spending differently to help you save.
- How to stay focused on your investment goals in the long run.
- How important the right agent, lender and property manager are in real estate.
- How to stay calm even when the market turns.
Listen and be inspired by Nathan’s focus on his investment goals while maintaining a healthy work-life balance and enjoying life overseas!
Music: “Higher Up” by Shane Ivers
Alissa Redmond used a year of leave without pay to buy a book store in small town America.
Music: “Higher Up” by Shane Ivers
Matt Shedd is former military and a retired Foreign Service Officer, now serving as a government contractor overseas. He and his wife started their real estate investment portfolio by purchasing one new construction single family in Orlando, Florida in 2003, which they bought prior to moving to Sarajevo for their first overseas tour. Eighteen years later, they’ve grown their portfolio to multiple new construction multifamily properties and are looking forward to a retirement that’s “rich without a lot of risk.”
Matt’s real estate investing philosophy focuses on a “measured, conservative approach” -- one which balances risks and prioritizes “being able to sleep at night” over bigger cash flow that riskier properties might offer.
In this interview, Matt talks about:
- starting out with new construction single family homes and how his average tenant stayed 3-4 years
- doing due diligence on turnkey companies and real estate markets
- investing in Orlando, Ocala, and Jacksonville FL
- why property management is a must when overseas
- differences between single and multifamily properties
… and much more! Matt is a great example of how taking the first step is perhaps the toughest, but also the most important and empowering. Take the leap!
Music: “Higher Up” by Shane Ivers
William Carrington is the owner of Carrington Financial Planning, a financial planning and wealth management firm that specializes in working with Foreign Service employees. Since founding his firm more than ten years ago, William has worked with more than 500 clients. He is a Certified Financial Planner, a Retirement Management Advisor, a NAPFA-Registered Advisor, and is a fee-only fiduciary. He was also an Eligible Family Member (EFM) for 24 years until his wife retired from the Department.
In this dynamite show, William covers a lot of retirement ground, debunking myths about how much money members of the Foreign Service actually need to retire well (hint: it’s likely less than you think!)
Hear William discuss:
- what amount of money Foreign Service Officers actually need to retire comfortably
- why many FSOs should “live a little more” pre-retirement
- why borrowing from your TSP can be a favorable money move
- when you should hire a financial planner
- why asset class selection can make or break your investment portfolio
- why risk determines whether you have a lot of money (or not)
- how Roth vs non-Roth portfolios compare
- the “wait 24 hours” rule that takes the emotion out of investing
- the role of real estate in an investment portfolio
- succeeding as an EFM business owner overseas
…..and so much more!
Music: “Higher Up” by Shane Ivers
Nafeesah Allen is an independent researcher with an interest in literature, gender, and diaspora studies in the global South. In 2019, she completed her Ph.D. in Forced Migration from the University of the Witwatersrand (Wits) in Johannesburg, South Africa. She leads BlackHistoryBookshelf.com, a book review website that identifies global Black histories by language, theme, and country. She's a contributing writer to nationally acclaimed outlets like Real Simple, Better Homes & Gardens, MindBodyGreen, Parents, and Bold Culture Hub, among others.
In this wide-ranging interview, Nafeesah discusses how her investment philosophy is firmly rooted in contributing to neighborhoods that have historically suffered from discrimination and redlining, and how she sees herself as not just an investor, but also a community builder. She discusses:
- how to go about buying real estate in foreign countries.
- creating affordable housing in historically disadvantaged areas.
- getting over money mindset challenges and reconciling the roles of investor and community builder.
- when to let go of a property and trade up through a 1031 tax exchange
- buying a property to live in vs invest in.
- stepping into your authentic self and expressing your creativity through channels outside of work.
- how pursuing degrees outside of the United States can enhance and enrich your career
- examining your money story and the value of time.
…and much more!
You can follow Nafeesah's here:
www.nafeesahallen.com/publications
Instagram: @theblaxpat
Music: “Higher Up” by Shane Ivers
Acquania Escarne’s passion for personal finance and investing began at a young age when she opened a Roth IRA at 16 years old, and she has been seeking financial independence (FI) ever since!
After the devastating 2010 earthquake in Haiti, Acquania realized how many working professionals -- even high earners and her own colleagues -- were not prepared for an emergency or unexpected life event. This experience inspired her to get licensed to sell life insurance and educate others about the benefits of sound financial habits.
Today, Acquania is a highly successful financial coach, real estate investor, podcast host, blogger, independent life insurance producer, AND hotel owner. And these are just her side hustles outside of her regular embassy 9 to 5!
In this episode, Acquania discusses:
- how saving set the foundation for her path to financial freedom
- the importance of life insurance
- how she became an investor/owner in a Hilton hotel in Oklahoma
- how investing has the power to positively impact communities
- including your family and your children in your investing journey
- why you should always be “financially prepared” to take advantage of opportunities
- why networking is often the key to accessing insider investment deals
Listen and be inspired by Acquania’s commitment to help as many people as possible achieve financial freedom and learn how she balances her side hustle empires alongside her federal career and commitment to her family. A not-to-be missed episode!
Music: “Higher Up” by Shane Ivers