She Lost $80,000 — Then Built a 7-Figure Wholesale Business

Today's guest is Andrea Cruz. Andrea owns a multi-million dollar wholesaling operation. Uh she's done over 500 real estate transactions. A lot of those have been wholesales, fix and flips, noations, owner finance. What were the circumstances that created Andrea Cruz? >> I lost over 80,000. It was a flip. That was my first deal ever. I didn't know about wholesaling. I didn't know much about it. I just knew I was like, I got to flip. It was the

worst nightmare. Anything that could have gone wrong on that flip went wrong. So it took me from beginning to end 9 months and then I was pregnant the whole 9 months. A lot of things were happening to me at that very moment. Like I lost money. I just had a baby. I wasn't sleeping at night. I feel like those growing pains really were building me up to prepare me to the real deal. We ended up signing

up for the mentorship which is $20,000. I asked my mom for the money. You know, have faith in us cuz she was like, "I don't know. You just lost $80,000." But she knew too how I was. I'm the type of person I'm going to do whatever I can to get you the best of this. So, she was like, I trust you, Andre. I'm gonna give you the money, but it's your responsibility. If you lose it, you

got to pay me back. So, we ended up doing the mentorship. Once we did the mentorship, oh, that's where everything changed for us because they taught us about how to do systems and process and how to really build an operation. And after 6 months doing it, we hit our first 100K month. I was blown away. Like I even cried because I'm like, "Dude, we went from from losing the $80,000. I wanted to get it back." >>

Most people if they would have lost $80,000 on the flip would have quit immediately. What kept you going? >> Welcome to another episode of Pick Up the Phone Podcast. My name is Jose. I'm the CEO of Vancom.io. I specialize in helping companies scale their business with marketing, sales, and artificial intelligence. Today's guest is Andrea Cruz. Andrea owns a multi-million dollar wholesaling operation. Uh she's done over 500 real estate transactions. A lot of those have been wholesales,

fix and flips, noations, subject to owner final, owner finance. Um and a lot of those have been virtual, right? So I'm excited to talk about all that. You have a successful coaching business. So you have a lot of stuff going on, Adra. >> Yes. Yes, I do. And I love it. I like to keep myself busy. Keeps me away from trouble. >> That's right. Um, I've known you for a long time, Andrea. So, I think it'll

be I I don't think I've ever had the the chance or maybe um, you know, the the the chance to sit down and really talk about your story. So, that's what I'm really excited about today. >> Um, let's talk about, you know, how you got here. I mean, it seems like you have a lot going on. You have a lot of success going on, >> but now most importantly, um, what what were the circumstances that created

Andrea Cruz? Where where you from? Are you from Houston? Where you from? Yeah. I'm from born and raised Houston, Texas. Yeah. >> Yeah. Nice. Yeah. So, uh Yeah. So, before I was even in real estate, I uh I had a a hairdressing company. Really? >> It was a studio, right? I started off as a hairdresser as soon as I graduated from high school. Yeah. >> I worked uh for a salon in the Rice Village. So, it

was a really good area. >> And I worked there for six years. Uh and then I kind of went on my ventured on my own. and I opened my own studio and I started doing hair from there. Um, and I did that for another six years. And but I started thinking like, you know, I like my freedom, right? I I've always been a type of person that I've always liked to add value. Like I've always liked

to learn of ways on how I can improve myself or my services. Yeah. >> So I came across the book Rich Dad Poor Dad and uh that's where I realized that I was in the wrong quadrant. you know, even though I was an entrepreneur, but I owned the business pretty much owned me. It was like a job. >> It was a J O. >> Yeah. I had to >> How old were you at the time, Andrea?

>> Uh, when I went on my own, I was 26. >> 26? >> Yeah. I was 26 years old. >> And, uh, I went, it was a scary jump because I went from a very high-end salon where they offered all these different services to literally going to a room uh, behind, it was in a nail shop, so I rented a room there. Wow. So, it's like I took all my clients from like this nice luxurious place

to like a room. So, it was a hard uh thing for me to do, but I'm just like the type of person where I like to mess around and find out, you know, and you know, people would tell me like, oh, you know, you're going to lose clients, you're going to, you know, like all the things that uh whenever you're about to open your business that they'll tell you, hey, you know, you got to now do

this on your own. now you have to get your own products. But to me, it just made more sense because I get to, you know, I was like, I'll get to create my own hours and work whenever I can. So, I did it. I did it. Um, and yes, I did lose a lot of my clients, but I offered a really good service. So, a lot of them stayed and you know, and then from there, once

I started making money, I I jumped into a better studio, you know, more high like >> it worked a lot better. So, but I started slowly and um if you ask me, I'm I'm so thankful I did that. I I'm so glad that I am that type of person where I don't let other people's fears kind of like project what I'm going to do because when you're going to do that, like a lot of people are

like, "Are you sure?" They make you second guess yourself. So, you know, betting on myself has been one of the biggest blessings because it's kind of like, you know, when people tell you something, it's coming out of them. like that's what their their capabilities projecting their own insecurities, their own thoughts, their own emotions, their own feelings, their own experiences, >> but it has nothing to do with you and and the superpowers that you have and the

abilities and the skills that you have. >> So, um yeah, kudos to you for being able to make that jump. >> Yeah. >> Uh a lot of people don't understand how important it is to read some of these impactful books, you know, like Rich Dad Poor Dad is a huge one that also had like a last lasting impact for me. It completely changed my life. So, uh, it sounds like it did the same for you. >>

It did. >> Yeah. So, you So, you uh >> you were working as a a hairdresser. You were doing hair and then you opened up your own studio. You finalized, you went to a bigger studio. When did you get into real estate? >> So, right after that, that's when I got in right when I went into the second studio. I had talked to a friend of mine who had cuz I had money saved, right? I had

money and I was like, I really want to invest it. I just didn't know where. And I was even thinking of opening my own salon, like a pretty big whole like everything massage and everything. So I had talked to him and he had told me the idea of flipping, right, of like, hey, can I'll borrow your funds and you can let me borrow and I'll give you some money off whatever I do. So I have never

heard of investing in real estate until he had brought that up, you know, he just said, "Hey, I'm looking for funds." And I was like, "Flipping, huh? What what happens there?" there and he's like, "Oh, you just find a property that is distressed and you fix it and you sell it for a higher profit." >> And I don't know when he told me that, I really just like it it something clicked in my head. I was

like, "Oh, I need to really look into it." I didn't look into it at the time, but then that's when I started look I read the book Rich Dad Poor Dad because it talks about investments. And once I read that book, that's when I realized I said, "Okay, I have to do something for my retirement because I can I as a hairdresser, you're the I was the only one making money. If I didn't show up, there

was no money to be made." So, I realized I was in the wrong quadrant. So, then that's when I started looking into real estate. I I read the the book and then after that, I signed up for their seminar, the Rich Dad and Poor Dad Seminar. You >> went to that one? >> Yeah. Yeah. And then that's whenever I, you know, they were pretty much like you find distressed properties and and I started really looking into

it. And then I started going to network events. I like started to meeting more people on >> What year was this? >> That was in 2015. >> 2015. How old were you at the time? >> I was What's 2015? Like 10 years ago. >> 10 years ago. Yeah. >> Yeah. Uh, so what? I'm 30. I was 30. >> You were 30? >> Yeah, I was 30. >> Wow. I was 30 at the time and I had

I had three kids. >> So, uh, so I started going to events, but I met this guy who was like, "Hey, I got to, you know, he worked at net worth and I had told him and this is a tip. Never tell people like, oh, I got all this money. I'm trying to invest it. Like, can you help me?" >> Don't ever tell the people that. >> Never. Never. That's that was my biggest mistake. But because

I'm such a person like I want to hurry up and get things done. I'm like, I'm just trying to meet and connect the right people. Um, so he got me a deal. Uh, and I I ended up closing on it. It was the worst nightmare of a deal. I lost over 80,000. It was a flip. Yeah, that was my first deal ever. I didn't know about wholesaling. I didn't know much about it. I just knew. I

was like, I got to flip. And the way I'm going to learn is like me messing around and find finding out. So that and see. And some things do work for your advantage. And some things you're just going to have to learn the hard way. But you went into this this flip with no mentors, >> with no guidance. N >> no one telling you what to do. >> Nope. >> You just went blind in. >> Yeah.

That's crazy. >> I know. >> You're insane. >> I am. I know. I am. I am. >> I mean, but kudos to you, too, because >> most people would be like, I'm scared. I'm I'm not going to do that. Right. And so, at least you were brave enough to make the leap and, you know, learn from your mistakes, right? Most people if they would have lost $80,000 on a flip would have quit immediately after that, right?

So, what kept you going? >> Well, because I'm the type of person like when I lose I get like upset. I'm like, "Oh, I'm going to go back out and try it again." Because >> I also realized everything I did wrong. Like I really That flip taught me that was everything I needed to know. >> You paid an $80,000 worth of education. Yes. Real world education doing a flip. >> Exactly. And and another thing I thought,

well, I I had the worst case scenario already happen to me. What else could go wrong? Right? So that was like one of the things that I kept telling myself to make myself feel better because I felt like crap. I I felt like a failure. And not only that, I had just had a baby while all that like a lot of things were happening to me at that very moment. Like I lost money. I just had

a baby. I wasn't sleeping at night. And so I feel like those growing pains really were building me up to prepare me to the real deal. You know what I mean? And I and I figured like if I went through all this like it was so much like >> you lost 80,000, you just had a baby, you're not sleeping. I'm like how much worse can this get? So my thing is like I didn't give up. I

said I'm going to get myself situated. What had helped me too that I made money doing hair. So, it would have been a worse situation if that was my only income. Um, so that was what helped me to get back up, but I after that I waited a little longer cuz I said I don't want to flip. Like it was I was a little traumatized, but that's when I learned about wholesaling, you know, and I met

Gloria and we partnered up, her and I, because she knew more about the wholesaling. She was a little bit more experienced on on that aspect that I was, but I had a lot of the work ethic. So, and I was like, "Tell me what do I need to do to get it done?" And so, she did. And so, I would go out there and on appointments, she would pull the list. She would give me the data.

I will call the leads. And that's how I was able to learn about wholesaling because I was like, "Oh." >> When was this? >> That was in 2017. >> 2017. Got it. >> In 2017. >> Were you part of the um >> Raphael Vargas? Yeah. >> The mastermind. >> Yeah. Yeah. So after that is when we saw that they were putting up a show like a a event for virtual wholesaling. I never even knew what virtual

I >> it never even dawned on me to do virtual like I was like how are they even doing this you know? So >> once you do it it's just like so simple, right? It's like oh wow that wasn't that hard. >> It wasn't. It wasn't. But when we went to their event, um we ended up signing up for their mentorship, which is $20,000. And I was really like in a bind already cuz I had already

lost this money. So it it was another thing where you kind of had to bet on yourself. So I had I asked my mom for the money, you know, and I said, you know, Gloria and I we're going to pay you back. Um you know, like have faith in us. Cuz she was like, I don't know. You know, you you just lost 80,000. But but she knew too how I was. I'm the type of person if

you give me what I need, like you can trust me. Like, I'm going to do whatever I can to get you the best of this. So, she knew how I operated. So, she was like, "I trust you, Andre. I'm going to give you the money, but it's your responsibility. If you lose it, you got to pay me back." And so, she knew that if I was to lose that money, I would find a way to pay

her back. Even if it was even me having to pay her back all my life or whatever. So, she trusted me. So we ended up doing the mentorship. Um once we did the mentorship, oh that's where everything changed for us because >> they taught us about how to do systems and process and how to really build an operation because before we were doing spreadsheets and we were calling from our phone. We didn't have a CRM. >>

I mean we didn't have nothing at all. Like we were just doing it however we could. >> Provides a lot of structure for sure. >> Oh yeah. Oh yeah. Um, and after us coming back, I mean, we were working for hours trying to set up, you know, all of the, you know, >> podio back in the day. It was >> podio. Then we were doing coal calling cuz we didn't even, we weren't doing coal calling then,

hiring VAS, um, setting up podio, setting up car rail cuz they had all these different softwares that they were using to build this operation. Like now it's so much easier than it was before because >> it's a lot easier now. >> It is. Yeah. >> So, we had to get we had to learn about the about the software, set them up, you know, pull the list, do the marketing, go, you know, so it was a lot,

but we did it. And after six months, um, doing it, we were we hit our first $100, I mean 100K month, which we were, when I tell you I was blown away. Like I I even cried because I'm like, dude, we went from I went from losing the 80,000 and I was I wanted to get it back. So like now I was like yes like we're profitable now you know. >> So so just so I can

get the storyline um right in my head 2015 you you did your first flip, right? You buy it. How long did it take you to do it? >> Nine months. >> N it took you 9 months to flip a house. Y >> how big was it? >> It wasn't that big. But it it just it was so messed up all the time because we like contractors the wrong contractors. Yeah. >> They screwed me over. They left

the man, I'm telling you, anything that could have gone wrong on that flip went wrong. >> Yeah. >> And so it took me from beginning to end nine months and then I was pregnant the whole nine months. >> Oh my god. >> Yeah. I know. I'm telling you. >> That's rough. >> It is. >> You're a warrior for sure, man. >> I know. And you know, I would cry cuz I'll tell God like, "Man, God, all

I'm trying to do is make money for my family. Like, why you have to make it so hard like this?" >> Yeah. God's got to make sure you want it. >> Yeah. I just got to make sure you want it bad enough, you know. So, >> um, so you're you're pregnant through the whole thing. 20 2015 2016 rolls around and you >> 2016 I didn't do anything. I was just kind of trying to get myself back

together because I'm telling you, I didn't I wasn't sleeping. My baby >> from all the stress I went from the flip, I didn't My baby got it all. So, she didn't sleep for the first two years. Wow. >> And it was when I'm telling you, I feel like I was going crazy. I was, but I that's where I feel like a lot of my uh growth came from because >> I still did what I had to

do without no sleep. I was still showing up to do hair. I was still showing up for my family, for my clients. Even though I had all this strategy happen to me, I still make that decision to show up, you know, and that's hard because someough you could choose to dwell on the problem or you're like, well, let me do something about it. And it was a hard decision to make, but I was like, "No, I'm

going to choose to do something about it." >> Yeah. >> Well, I think that shows a lot of your character, you know, and and how hardworking you are. Um, but I think more more than anything, it just shows a lot of courage. You know, a lot of people >> whenever it gets tough, they give up. >> Yeah. Right. A lot. And you know, you decided to, hey, I'm going to double down and I'm going to invest

20 more $1,000 into something that only I can see. >> Exactly. >> Right. And because your mom couldn't see it, right? No one else could see it. Only you and Gloria could see it. And so >> you guys made it happen. Came back and started crushing it. >> Yes. And we did cuz we were one of the first ones from Houston to go get that mentorship like to get set up like that. Like the co- calling,

the SMS, the ring list. No one was really doing I think in Houston they were just doing direct mail because that's what a lot of people knew. And so yeah, we came back and we were crushing it. I'm telling you, we were it took us only 6 months to hit our first uh you know uh 100 100k month. And then like after that >> I really like I was really we were really proud of myself but

me more because if I would have given up right there and then I would have never been able to see this into light. So to me it was like and then I proved it to you know my husband, my parents because of course with I took that loss >> you know people when you lose they're kind of happy because they're like I told you so. >> So when I went back to do it again they thought

I was crazy but it's just one of those things where you bet on yourself. You're like I'm going to make this work cuz I already learned from the experiences that caused my failure the first time. So I know what I what I not to do. So then when I saw that flourish, it was like, see, like I told you, you know, I was able to go back and say, I told you so. And now everybody wanted

to be my friend again. >> That's amazing. >> You know, what a great story. >> Yeah. Yeah. But it t and even like my my dad, you know, cuz he he always tells me, I feel that you have more balls than usual guys that I know. But it was an excitement moment for him too because >> you're like to watch your daughter, you know, fail. And and two, when I did fail, I never I didn't ask

for help. I wasn't like, "Hey guys, I need money. I need this." Like I literally >> dug myself in that hole and I dug myself out. Yeah. >> Like however I could without, you know, having to say, "Hey, can I borrow this? Can I borrow that?" like I made it happen to get myself into it and I was able to get out without needing help from like oh mom well I'm not able to pay for this

now like nope I and that's how I've always operated like I mean it's a good thing and a bad thing but I try not to ask for help and try to figure it out all by myself you know. >> Yeah. Yeah. Yeah. Well I think also Andrea you know you being a woman in a male dominated industry I think is extremely impressive. um everything that you've accomplished and I think you're a walking role model for a

lot of females out there, right? Because there's there's women out there that want to do better, right? That may be stuck doing hair, maybe doing something else, whatever they're may be doing. >> Um and you're here saying, "Hey, look, I failed. I lost money. I came back and I made it happen and I created a multi-million dollar organization." Like, that is >> something to be there's something to be said about that, right? And I think >>

um I think you need to be spreading your word a lot more, right? So you can impact a lot more females out there because >> um they need to hear your story. >> Yeah. Yeah. Yeah. And that's why I'm doing a woman's event next Thursday. Are you? >> Um Yeah. >> Yeah. because I do I love to impact women especially because I came from um just with brothers and I also saw like how they would treat

women and I always just felt bad for women cuz they were so naive and >> just you know so I wanted to be like hey it doesn't have to be like this. I came from nothing too and I built something like you >> you know I'm not saying you don't need a man. I'm just saying you can do it too you know. Um, and that's pretty much what my thing was. Uh, >> I mean, I mean,

even more importantly, starting to um, you know, that whole mindset of not needing a man, I think it's also like a it's also like a fallacy because imagine if you do do it with a man. >> Exactly. I mean, imagine how much further you can go with the right partner. I agree. >> Right. You could just like crush it. I mean, and I think, you know, your your husband has been able to like help you out

a lot in business. I've seen him um create some of your systems, create the ads and so I because you have the right partner also I would say that you've had this a lot of the success, right? So I think >> I think that's also something to be that needs to be spread right now and like this this I I've I've been seeing this movement right now with females where it's like you don't need a man

blah blah blah blah and I think that's like >> why are you spreading that? That's like killing That's killing families, right? Like, dude, if if you can just figure out a way to work it out with your man. Imagine how much further you can go. You know what I mean? >> No, I totally agree. I totally agree. And I I was very lucky to have someone that did support uh he did support me. He's a a

very He's behind the scenes like kind of guy. Very We're totally different. Very different. Um but sometimes that's what you need. And uh no, he did help me out a lot on the systems. When I first started real estate though, I was kind of doing it on my own. Um he did come in he came in he came in the picture in 2021. Uh but when you went solo on >> when I went solo, yeah, when

when I was working with Gloria, it was just her and I and then at the beginning flip that was just me. But then yes, he did join. He said he felt sorry for me in 2021. So he's like, "I'm going to help you, you know, because I'm tired cuz I'm really good in sales, but when it's the system part and like putting all that, I hated doing that." >> Same. >> So he saw me like struggling

in the office like, "Oh, I just can't get this." So he that's where he was he actually quit his job to help me. >> And he literally came home to tell me, "Hey, I quit my job. I'm going to go all in with you." >> And I was like, "Wait, what? No. like I one of us has to have a job and but he's like no I you need help and I'm going to help you and

so >> talk about a supportive partner. >> Yeah. Yeah. >> I think that should be more of the message that you ask like with the success that you've had like I I believe and I firmly cuz I I'm seeing this movement you know like this whole like hey you can do it on your own girl blah blah blah and it's like hey that's that's great you can do it on your own but look at the flip

side to that. What if you find the right person? What if you right find the right partner? Right? And I think you Andrea, you have a voice. You got to spread that out and be like, "Hey girl, like, yeah, you can do it on your own, but it's even better with a partner. It's even better cuz he's going to help you out. He's going to be down for you, and you guys are going to go a

lot further than if you would have just done it alone." You know what I mean? >> Yeah. And you know, one thing about me, I never encourage the whole like, "Oh, I don't need a man thing because to me, I think that's that's stupid. We we all need a man." You know what I mean? And men need females, too. I mean, it's it's it goes both ways, right? We need each other. That's what that's what makes

a great partnership. >> And and and I will tell you because I I do come from both parts of the side of of what that means behind it because what happens is I grew up with um a Hispanic man and what they built is that thing where it's like >> they give you and they take from you. So that's where like I a lot of these women I know cuz that's where I came from where they're

like, you know what, I don't need you to to support me and then control me. Cuz the thing is they have >> men that support then they want to have control. So I do understand both sides of the view, but I'm not going to be one to say, "Girl, you don't need a man. You can do this on your own." Um because having the right man next to you, you can flourish a lot better than you

would by yourself. 10,000%. Yeah. Yeah, I firmly believe that also. >> What a good combo there. >> Yeah, I know, right? >> Um well, let's move on. So 20 So 2015, you do your flip. 2017, you go to uh this mentorship. Um you crush it. You're doing a bunch of deals. Um let's talk about those early deals from 2017 to 2021 when you had this partnership with Gloria. What kind of deals were you guys doing? So

the first year we did we did nothing but wholesales because we were I was a little scared on doing flips. I was still not comfortable with doing that. Um and so the first year on 2018 that's all we did. Uh just wholesales, no nothing. Then we started to realize um that oh well then on 2017 we came up with that strategy net listing um where we were putting properties. This is before even the word novation came

in apart. It was we would call it net listing. Yeah. >> Uh we would we did a net listing and we're like, "Oh my god, we can put these properties on the market and sell them for more." And once we did it with two properties, we we if we would have wholesaliled them, we were going to make about 15K. And us putting on the market, we started making like 35K, 40K on on deals. So we as

soon as we saw that, we started changing our exit strategy. So we started doing a lot of the novations. Um and then we started going into wholesaling, right? So we were like picking up properties that were not really bad. They were just needed kind of like lipstick on the pig and we were putting those on the market. >> Were you purchasing them or >> Yes. Yes. On the hotels. We were purchasing them. >> Hard money or

how? >> Yeah. Hard Well, really my mom's money. My mom, my parents were, my mom is still, my parents are still my private lenders, but at the time that's who we were using the money from. Um, so we would buy one and then we will sell it and then do another one. So we weren't doing them like on volume. It was scalable. Yeah. >> Yeah. Yeah. Well, cuz we wanted to use my parents, we couldn't use

it on too many properties. So we would use it on the ones that we were able to and then get out of it and then do it all over again. >> Yeah. Yeah. >> Um but that's how we were able to scale was first we started off just wholesaling. Then we started learning other exit strategies like wholesaling and then that's really in 2021 um that's where I made the most money. We almost we did almost 2

million but we were doing a lot of novations a lot of hotels because that's when the market was so good >> and we were putting everything on the market. But that I wasn't with Gloria at that moment. Oh, that's when I was with George already. But >> that's where we like we made every exit strategy come alive, you know. We were flipping, we were wholesaling, we were doing a lot of novations and we were doing them

in volumes. Like there was times where we had on the market like 10 ovations on the market, you know, and they were selling cuz at that time everything was selling, you know, you we literally put a freaking lot that was in the middle in the height somewhere, but it was like a lock land. We sold that, too. Like things that you would like, man, I don't even know how you're going to sell this. We were selling

it. Yeah. >> So, >> I've sold some things also like just rural Texas towns. Um there's like a there's like a little city like kind of like in uh close to Milan Adessa like West Texas. Random spot ever, right? Just listed on the market, sold it, made like 15 grand, you know, for something that I would have never been able to move had I tried to wholesale or do anything like that. It was just like an

ovation. It's an investing, you know, just up on the market. You're able to sell in just the most random places, >> right? I the best strategy. >> I did one in Joplin. I never even heard of Joplin before. We made 40k on it, but that's cuz we put it on the market. And I I love doing noations. Like I love it cuz there's no like you don't have to get a lender. There's no holding cost. There's

no cost. You're just literally putting it on the market and waiting to get paid. Yeah. >> Um so that was that's by far my best exit strategy. And that's really what has scaled me so much is doing those noations, you know, uh been more profitable for us. And I think something else to that like for everyone that's listening to this, you know, um my what happened when like for example like when a lot of people start,

they're just wanting to do one thing. I only want to do fix and flip. I only want to do um noation. I only want to do uh listings cuz I'm a realtor. I only want to do wholesales. >> And I think that's the worst kind of mindset to have in business because you're leaving so much money on the table. if that lead would have been a great fix and flip lead or a wholesale lead, boom, you

could have gotten under contract and made a ton of money doing that extra strategy right there. Yeah. You know what I mean? So, >> um I think people need to know more of these extra strategies and I think you call them programs for sellers and I think we're going to get into that in a second. >> Um >> that was in 2022. >> That was in 2022. >> Uh how did you learn all of these extra

strategies? >> I pay for mentors. Yeah. >> Yeah. So, the net listing one, the Novation, um, well, we just kind of made that up. Like, we just put it on the mark because it were net listings. >> Yeah. >> So, that one we kind of just not made up, but we did it and we learned it, right? But as far as like the sub twos and the owner finance, I got a mentor, um, obviously, Pace Morby.

Yeah. >> To to help me do that and that's how I learned to structure them. Yeah. And uh once I uh I started having I'm like okay I had all the exit strategies in place. I started to because I was in sales I mean like I was the one doing the acquisition part. So I talked to the sellers a lot. So I started to think I said okay each seller there's only so many exit strategies and

there's only so many scenarios they can have to help them. So what I did is like I started naming all the different scenarios that they could have and then how I can tie them with the exit strategies. So that's what I did and I got this idea in the shower >> because I know I'm telling you I swear I just said I'm going to do it in programs and >> it's funny cuz >> there doing your

hair in the shower and like just like a little light bulb just comes on. >> Yeah. And that's that's the visionary in me. I'm such a visionary. I I get ideas like even the the Operation X program like that was an idea I got at church. So I get ideas and then I I write them down because I get them so vividly. >> So let's talk about the programs then. Let's talk about all the programs and

let's tie them into the extra strategies. What do you what do you call the programs? >> So for our cash offer I mean cash offer is cash offer express program. For our novations we call them our premium listing program. for our regular listings is our platinum listing program. For our owner finance is called our rent to own VIP program. And then for our subst is called the fresh start program. >> So all of them have different

pro like that's what we name them and then we send them the packages um on what we offer in that program. So, for example, if a lead tells me, you know, I have a house, I'm looking to upgrade, um, you know, my house looks good, it's in great conditions, I'm not going to go in there and try to offer them our cash offer express cuz I know automatically they're not going to take it, right? Cuz I'm

listening to what they have. So instead of me losing on that opportunity, I'm like, "Okay, well, it sounds like the platinum listing program is going to be a best fit for you because your house is in great condition. You're trying to get the best the most out of it." They're not in a very like a distressed situation, you know? >> So, I'll offer them that program so I can at least turn it into an opportunity versus

me like, "Well, you're asking for too much cuz the person still needs to sell. So, like how can I still help them get what they want with one of my programs? So, that's how I tie them in based on the scenario that they're going, you know, going through. >> You know, if it's someone that's telling me I'm behind on my payments and I came no longer, then I'm going to offer them the fresh start program. So,

like you see, so everybody's tied in to what they're looking for, you know? So, >> but at least you have a specific program, per se, for every sort of distress that someone has. Yes. And I think that's where it boils down to. >> And you know what? Like, man, when it comes to stuff like this, it takes time to like like hear the pain in the person's voice and then be able to know what the what

the right exit strategy is for that person, >> right? >> How do you train I know you have like a coaching program. How do you train people to be able to detect or to be able to know what program to offer them right away? Is there like some sort of matrix that you use or some sort of like okay if they say this and this then offer this, >> right? Yeah. It is first I tell them

they need to change their perspective. They need to not look at the seller as >> they need to be a problem solver. Like when you're talking to a seller, don't think like how can I make money? think how can I solve this person's problem and turn it into a win-win situation where I can make money but I also know I'm helping that person. That was the first thing that I make even students and my acquisition agents

to change their perspective on when they're talking to sellers because a lot the problem is a lot of people think like they're looking at money when they're talking to sellers and that's where they're they first go wrong. So >> I listen to them. So, like like I mentioned to you right now, if a seller comes to me and tells me, "Hey, I'm looking to upgrade. My house is in great conditions." That's called active listening, right? So,

I'm not going to go in there and say, "Hey, well, you know what? I can offer you >> 50% of what your property is really worth." And then they're going to hang up on me, right? >> Yeah. Have a great property, >> right? So, so I'm going to be like, "Okay, well, they're looking for this. They're looking for market value. So, how can I help them?" So, I can help them by offering them the platinum listing

because that one fits in their program. Um, if I have a tired landlord that comes in and they're telling me, "Oh, I I don't want to have to deal with the tenants. I don't want to have to do I do my rent to own VIP program." That's my owner finance program because I'm coming in as just like a tenant, but now I'm offering them where they don't have to pay for taxes. They don't have to they

don't have to do the landlord things, but they can still get paid as a landlord. Does that make sense? Yeah. >> And that's how I'm able to convert those owner finance with those tired landlords because the way I pitch it to them. I'm like, you can still get monthly checks, >> but now you don't have to worry about fixing toilets. You don't have to worry about paying those taxes at the end of the year. You just

worry about getting paid, >> right? So then I offer them the rent to own VIP program, you know, and same thing with Novation. Just just talking to them. If if someone tells me that they're looking to get 150 and I see the property, I can sell it for 180, then I'm going to pitch them the novation, right? Because there's room in there for me to to to do that. Yeah. But still better than the cash offer

because >> you still need to know, for example, for an ovation, you need you need to know if you're going to have enough time to be able to list on the market. right now, especially in the market that we have right now in 2025, our market is [ __ ] I mean, it is >> the days on market are just through the roof. There's a lot of inventory. It's not a good time for selling real estate

right now. I It's definitely a buyer market. >> It is. >> So, um >> yeah, I I want to finish off first with the programs and then I'll I'll ask you um what you're doing differently right now in 2025 to still be able to be profitable. Um what what more can you tell us about the programs like in terms of being able to teach that to individuals and then like you said the packages how did you

create those packages? >> Um so on the packages it comes included like depending what we're offering right but like moving services uh I offer that in my packages. >> Um if they have tenants in there we will help the tenants find a place we will even move the tenants for them. Um we evict them too if they need to be evicted. So just depending what it is that they're looking for, we add the package on there.

Like if they're telling me I have a squatter in there and I'm like, "Okay, well I'm going to give them a cash offer express package." I tell them like, "I'll offer this. I'll get I'll kick them out. I'll evict them. I'll do this." Blah, blah, blah. You know, so it just depending what the where they need their help on and then we put our program package based on on their on that. Right. >> Got it. So,

it's just helping them on their needs and then we put a package together for them. >> Yeah. No, that makes sense. >> Cool. Awesome. So, um 2025 now. What are you doing differently? Um I know you said that you had to do some sort of pivot in marketing, right? Yeah. >> Before you were doing a lot of calling, a lot of texting. Um what what what are you doing differently today? >> Yeah. So, 2024 was a

really I I think 2024 woke everybody up in real estate. Yeah, >> like it was a scary moment. Um because everything that for all these years when the way my business was operating and it was working in 2024, it like all of the sudden just stopped like it stopped. The leads stopped coming in, the the contracts weren't coming in as much. Um and there was a lot of regulations with coal calling and SMS. So I had

to pivot from what I knew for so many years. And when I tell you I had it structured so good, like streamline everything to having to change it. All of it. All of it. Um, and that was a a huge, it was a 2024 was a huge setback, I would say. Not in a bad way, but it was definitely a setback because I had to think of like how am I going to be generating these leads

now because they're not co- calling wasn't working, SMS wasn't working. So I I you know you get in panic mode like okay what am I going to do? So I started learning about how to do ads inbound leads and uh and that took some time because when you're learning something you kind of have to step back of everything you're doing and I'm like okay I'm going to learn this. >> Um and then I got into go

high level as well. I I changed my CRM. >> Everything I was doing before in 2024 I had to change it. So, I had to take some time off. Yeah. And we do a lot of like learn to go high level. And let me tell you, I cried so many times learning that go high level. Yeah. >> Because it's it's not the friendliest um to learn from. But now it's like, oh my god, it's so easy.

And then also learn how to do generate leads, right? Facebook ads. So, you know, I took some time where I wasn't doing anything and I was learning this. But at the middle of 2024, once I got everything up and going, that's when I started to do the coaching program through the goh high level. I learned how to do the ads. So the beginning of 2024, I literally was I was like on a standstill like literally on

a I left my office. Um I got to meet Jesus. Like lit a lot of changes happened in 2024 for me. Like when I tell you a lot, it was like a lot, you know. >> Jimmy Jesus, did you uh do some Iawaska or what? >> No, no, no. You want to know how I went to Boris's wedding, you know, after Miami. Remember that Miami trip we took? >> You know, I after that, I was just

like, you know, I I want something different. I stopped drinking alcohol. Um >> because I was like, I'm tired of feeling >> I felt like I wasn't getting fulfillment, you know, >> and I didn't like that. So, I got uh I got baptized. I decided to stop drinking. I decided to get closer to God. >> Um just to kind of help me. I was so lost like I didn't know what direction to go because you know

I told you like a lot of things had pivot and changed. >> So I was like what do I do now? You know like what was working for me for so many years all of the sudden stopped working. So like where should I go now? And by me doing that, that's where it kind of led to the whole coaching. Like, you know, I was kind of being guided more from him than being guided from myself. And

that's where like, okay, it it was a lot of struggle, though. Like a lot of quietness. I need I I stopped hanging around with everybody. >> I didn't drink for a whole year. I literally was like me and him conversating like, "Okay, this I was fighting my old self with my new self." That right there was just the toughest thing ever. And it's kind of like you're reborn again. And and that was a hard part. But

>> now 2025 was like my year of flourish. Like when I tell you I went from zero to 100, >> it was like 2024 was just like uh like the growing pains. That's where I was pivoting, learning, seeing uh trial and error, seeing what what was going to be my next move. Um I got close to God. I reinvented myself. I was reborn again. So, a lot of like a lot of growing pains were in 2024.

And then when 2025 came, that's where the whole coaching thing was like, okay, I'm going to do it. I don't even know what I'm really doing, but I'm going to do it. Cuz I was really in my heart, you know? he had put in my heart to do. And when I tell you he like opened doors, it's just like bam. Like you know when you know when you're walking in alignment when things just start to fall

in place. And I was like, "Okay, this is really where he wants me to be, you know." Um, so from there, you know, I started offering ad services, you know, the go highlevel CRM setups and coaching my students on mastering their emotions because >> that's really where I learned all of this, how to master myself while the noise is so loud out there, you know, cuz we live in a world where it's so loud. It's so

>> like >> and everyone has opinions, notions. >> Yeah. People screw you over all this stuff. People have things to say about you. They're criticizing. You do it right. You do it wrong. You know, you got your kids, you got your family. And so, I had to shut all that noise out and really figure out what is it that I want to do? What makes me happy? And what is it, you know? What is my purpose

in this world, you know? >> Yeah. >> And that's what I found in 2024. And in 2025, I'm pretty much walking in my purpose. >> I love that. >> Mhm. >> I I bet it feels a lot more fulfilling now. >> Very much so. very much so. Cuz when you do walk in it, it's it just feels in alignment with you. And if it doesn't feel in that means you're kind of walking like you're being resistant

to what God has called you to do >> um versus what he call cuz when he's calling you to do something and you do that, he will make it easy for you. >> And it's so fulfilling. It feels joyful. It's it's uh painless. >> It is. >> Yeah. It's uh it's a it's a much better feeling to know that you're on the right track doing what you're supposed to be doing versus, you know, doing something that's

not good for you or >> Yeah. >> you know, not entirely fulfilling. >> Yeah. Well, and you know, one thing I learned was this. We I grew up thinking hustle, hustle, hustle, hustle. And that's not how it works. You don't have to hustle. So, you just have to be in alignment to what you're called to do and things are going to open up for you on its own. Um, versus us like, oh, I got to work

like 80 hours a week. If you're having to do all that to be successful, then you're not doing it the right way because God didn't put us in this world of hustle. He put us in this world so we can fulfill our purpose. So, when we are fulfilling our purpose, hustle is not even in the vocabulary. Yeah. >> You know, it just it just happens. >> It's just easy. Mhm. >> Yeah, >> man. That's a that's

a great point. I think that goes um very well in terms of mindset, right? Being in the right mindset will really >> push you in business in in the right ways. >> Um >> but I think you're also doing the right thing by focusing on the right actions, right? >> You know, like still still coming in. I still see you here every day in the office. Oh, yeah. >> Yeah. You're still But it it doesn't feel

like hustle. It feels like, hey, this is fun. You know what I mean? Because now work has become a part of who we are >> and now it's just effortless. Right. >> Right. >> To me now I mean if I go on vacation like I'm ready to get back to work. I'm like feeling antsy after like 5 days. So I'm like dude I want to get back to work to talking to clients, talking to >> uh

sellers, everything. You know what I mean? So >> um when you're when you're in alignment, you're 100% right. Everything just becomes easier. >> It does. It does. It really does. Um let's talk also about I mean you you said you you you pivoted a lot in marketing right so what have you found to be working in terms of leads right in terms of generating leads now for sellers >> inbound uh so Facebook ads >> mainly Facebook

ads >> Facebook ads Tik Tok ads um anything on ads it's it's working like that's the best >> what's the what's the secret sauce for it what's what is it that makes it work for you >> uh it's the offer the offer that you put out there uh the videos um that it catches attention. So, I test a lot of different videos to see which one is >> Do you record yourself or do you do AI?

>> No, me. I do it me. It's me cuz one video I put of myself has made me so much money. It's just me talking like, "Hey, I want to buy your house." >> Uh people like organic stuff. They they know once it's generated by AI or if it's a really a real person. And one thing too is putting a woman out there, like a woman to promote for you. >> That helps a lot versus putting

a guy cuz I've tested it. I've done one with myself and then I've done one where it's generated by AI from a guy voice >> and my woman voice is is better. It's just it that's just a proven fact. You put a woman out there, it's just you're going to generate a lot more. People are going to be more intrigued to click on it. Um, especially if you put a pretty one out there. >> Put a

pretty girl out there. >> Yeah. So, I I'd be pimping my own self. Uh, but it works. So, the the best the ads work if you have a very uh a good offer where people are not going to they're going to click. >> So, basic I'm like, "Hey, you want to get the most you can out of your house? Click the like things that are going to be like, oh, I'm going to get the most, right?

or are you tired of of investors, you know, lowballing on your offer? Here we give you at 80, you know, things like that. So that way they can just click put their information and then from there you just, you know, you talk to them. But the offer is like something where you look and you just you cannot resist like this is too good for me to like scroll up, you know, like like hey, I have this

program where you're going to learn how to generate um a million dollars for only $5.99. Like stuff like that is what sells for ads is your offer. How you put your offer out there. >> Yeah. Yeah. Yeah. Okay, cool. >> So in terms of uh I mean Alexosi talks a lot about this, right? having $100 million offer. What would be the equivalent of like having an offer so good that people feel stupid saying no to it?

What would that offer be in terms of real estate? >> Be like, "Hey, are you tired of leaving money on the table?" Yeah. >> Call us so we can make sure we get you all the like the most money you can things like that that are people are going to be like, "Well, cuz in realistic I have an advantage because I know how investors operate. >> So I'm like, hey, are you tired of investors lowballing you?"

I know that's what they're doing. Yeah. Right. I'm even the ones lowballing them, but but it's just like on how you um >> on how you make that, right? So, guess what? All of these distressed people are getting lowalled right now. So, by me saying, "Hey, are you tired of all these investors lowballing you?" Guess how many people's attention is going to catch? Cuz that's exactly what's happening out there. So >> all the people that want

to sell to investors, they're going to click on my stuff because they are tired of them lowballing them. So stuff like that, right? That uh you can resonate with them on the pain points. You know, it's all about pain points and hitting all the right pain points when you're creating the offer. >> That makes sense. That makes sense. Um and then after you do the offer, you send them over to a landing page. Do you create

a landing page or do you do the forms that Facebook has? >> No, I do a funnel. I have a funnel. Uh it's like a landing p. It's a funnel landing page. So I >> Step one, fill out a form. Step two, more details. >> Nah, I keep it simple. Just fill out the form. That's it. And then I call them back. >> Yeah. >> Yeah, >> I got you. >> Mhm. >> That's awesome. >> Yeah.

>> And then once you call them back, then you qualify them and then you go through the whole program. So you go through your matrix if they if they are distressed and in a rush wholesale. >> Right. Right. Uh if they're distressed and more and they need more time, um you know, you can do a fix and flip. If it's slightly distressed and they have time, you can do an ovation. You know what I mean? Go

through that matrix of if this >> if this and this, then that. Right. >> Right. Exactly. Exactly. Yeah. >> Yeah. And inbound leads, they're ready. They're ready. They're they're ready. They're they're like, "Tell me what I need to do to get to get it done." Cuz they're reaching out to you. >> Yeah. One thing that I've realized is like with this uh because people like you have gone away from coal calling. I have a co- calling

company and we're like crushing it on co- calling leads now. Like we are generating a ton of leads with coal calling. There's a lot of government regulations and you need to know how to uh stay compliant with with the governments and uh we're able to do that. So, we're able to still >> Well, that's good that if you're able to help the like because for me personally, like I don't want to deal with it, right? But

if you're able to help the sell like your clients like, "Hey, we'll deal with this. We'll keep you regulated. We'll have all this." I think that's a huge saver cuz what happens is getting caught up in all that, figuring it out is what stops people from wanting to co- call, you know. >> Yeah. Yeah. It's a lot of work. It's a lot of work. I mean, we're talking about pulling data, skip tracing, >> scrubbing the data.

>> Scrubbing the data. We have litigators out there, so we scrub up against litigators. Um, we provide like relatives information, too. So, like if uh someone dies, we can, you know, skip trace and we get like 10 I think like 10 or 15 different relatives. It's just it's pretty great. >> Yeah. Yeah. So, >> just just a lot of work, but we we have fun doing it. >> I bet. Yeah. Well, if you love it, you're

going to have fun. >> Yeah. It's a lot of fun. We have we have a lot of Egyptians out there making cold calls every day in Houston, so and all over the nation. Really. But, you know, and I I love VAS. I have a lot of VAS that do other things for me, not just cold call. I'm all about having V I I encourage people to get VAS because you can there's other ways you do marketing,

you know, you can have them going into your Facebook post like look, hey, send me deals, things. So, there's other ways to generate leads that your VAS can help you in, you know. >> Yeah. Yeah. Absolutely. Um, the last thing that I wanted to talk about was your coaching program. You have a coaching program now, huh? Yes. >> Awesome. Let's talk about that. >> So, what are you doing? >> So, it's my um coaching program. It's

called Operation X from uh average to savage. >> Yeah. Because that's my whole thing. Like I literally want to turn these people into savages because >> you need that, you know? I like sometimes when they I I'm talking to sellers or I'm doing this, they're always like, "Damn, Andre, you're such a savage." I'm like, "You have to be in this business." Like, you can't just be like, "Oh, okay." Like, no. like like be about your business,

know what you're doing, like show up, you know, no excuses kind of deal. Like >> cuz a lot of people it's kind of like you said, they have a little problem and then they start like >> drowning like oh my god, like okay, fix the problem, move on. Like don't get stuck there. Um, and that's really what I'm teaching my students is how to how to operate, how to set up their operation and also master their

emotions because everything starts with emotions. Like everything every decision you make is all coming from inside you. So if you don't learn how to master that, then you you're never going to master anything. So you that's what I train them on. >> I listen to what the words they tell me. They're like, "Oh, but this is so hard. Oh, but this I'm like, look, you're already limiting yourself. You're stopping yourself when you say that, >> right?

>> It's hard cuz you don't know it yet. It won't be hard like this forever. So, stop bitching. You know what I mean? >> And I tell them like that because I don't >> I think you'd make a great coach for sure. >> I know. Be No, I do. And I'm very hard on them like that because >> for their own good. >> It is cuz we are our own worst enemy. We are. So once you

start to realize that you are your own worst enemy, every like every thought I get, I ask myself, is this thought going to help me be better or is it is it putting fear inside of me? Like is it making me second doubt myself? Like what is it doing? Because if we are not aware of our thoughts, then we're on autopilot and we let our thoughts dictate our future. Yeah. >> You know, but if like me

when I make these decisions, I'm not secondguessing if it's going to work. I'm telling myself this is going to work. You know what I mean? I there is no plan B. There is no none of that. So I don't give myself room for scarcity, for doubt, for none of that. So that's what I try to train them on. >> Like cuz they get scared. They're like, "Oh my god, what if this doesn't work?" Or I'm like,

"No." If you already starting like that, >> it ain't going to work. >> It ain't going to work. >> So you got to be committed and you got to say, "Hey, there is no plan B. I'm going to make this work regardless." You know? >> That's right. That's right. That's the best mindset to have. >> So, uh, and you said you already you've had already maybe some of your students that have done a noation deal. Yeah.

Successfully. >> Yeah. That's pretty awesome. >> Yeah, it is. Cuz a lot of them that's what they really want to learn is the noation uh more than any other uh strategy. >> Uh, I guess cuz it's so popular. Yeah. >> Not not only popular, but it's one of the most profitable ones. >> It is. Especially with this market, >> there's very little risk. You know what I mean? >> You're able to sell it to an FHA

buyer because the title is still in the seller's name. Y >> so I I I'm a big proponent of Novations also. >> When I first found out about Novations, you were one of the first persons that I called about and you taught me a lot about it also and and you know like whenever I have a problem I always have resources, right? So >> if I want to learn something, I'm going to call this person and

this person and this person and this person and then just from the knowledge that I get from everyone, I'm able to formulate, oh, this is what I have to do now, right? I think everyone should be able to do that. But um but you were one of them and I really thank you for that because I've I've done a lot of novations and you're part of the reason of that success. So thank you for that. >>

So where should I send my invoice? >> That ship is hell baby. >> Right. >> No and that's what party girl >> and I love to do that. If I can add value to people to help them change their lives like that is where my fulfillment comes in right there, you know. So thank you. I'm glad cuz I love that when you when people tell me that like oh I have people that they're like I heard

you speak about your programs and I did it and I got a deal like I get excited cuz I'm like yeah like yeah you know so I'm happy like that's where my fulfillment comes in is just adding value into people's lives. >> I love that. That's amazing. Um, if people want to know about Andrea Cruz and your program, Operation X, or maybe they want to partner with you, how can they find out more about you? >>

Um, through OP, well, they can reach out to me on my Instagram, Andrea Buys Houses. Okay. >> Um, they can call me personally. I don't mind giving my phone number. Throw it out there. What's your phone number? >> It's uh 8323922801. >> Hey, only call me if you have a deal. Please don't call me for no I don't want to take you out on a date and kind of stuff cuz sometimes I do get some guys

that be DMing me stuff. I'm like really >> dude I got a husband bro. >> Exactly. Exactly. >> I want that attention. >> What about emails or websites? >> So for the website is uh the uh wwtheoperationx.com and that's where we have all of our different products that we sell cuz not only I do coaching but I also do like CRM setups and then marketing. Say say the website again one more time. >> It's wwtheoperationx.com at

>> theoperationx.com. That's an that's a website. >> Yeah, got it. >> The operation. >> I was When you said at I was thinking like the email at >> Yeah. Right. wait, hold on. WW Yeah, at the Wait, no, no, no. You're right. >> Are you talking about your email? >> Give me an email. No, no, give me the website. >> Okay, I'm sorry. It's www.the theoperationx.com. >> There you go. There you go. All right. I thought

I wanted to make sure. >> Oh my god. I'm like, wait. Yeah, that doesn't sound right. >> Yeah. Yeah. Well, uh, well, this has been a lot of fun, Adrea. Thank you so much for for doing this with me. I think this is going to be maybe part one of another podcast that we'll do. We'll have um, you know, based on the feedback that people give us, maybe we can talk about different subjects next time. >>

And we definitely need to do another one in Spanish, >> of course. There's a lot of Latinos out there that need to hear this this story, too. >> Yeah, >> let's do it. I like it. My Spanish is not that great, but I can still get get the message out there. >> We'll get the message out. We'll struggle a little bit. We'll have Chad GPT here helping us out. >> It'll be a little Spanglish in there.

>> A little spanglish. It's all right. >> As long as we get the message out. >> Exactly. Exactly. >> Well, thank you so much, Andre. I really had a a great time here with you today. >> All right. Thank you so much for having me. >> Absolutely. All right.