We were lucky to catch up with Morgan Hampel recently and have shared our conversation below.

Morgan, looking forward to hearing all of your stories today. We love asking folks what they would do differently if they were starting today – how they would speed up the process, etc. We’d love to hear how you would set everything up if you were to start from step 1 today

If I were starting over today, the first thing I’d do is kill the scarcity mindset. That held me back more than anything else. When you grow up without much, it’s easy to think small—to ask “what can I afford?” instead of “what’s possible?” But that mindset is a ceiling. And the truth is, whether you want to go big, medium, or small—you’re going to spend time and energy either way. So if you want to go big, go big. Don’t take the scenic route. If your goal is Florida, don’t stop in Arizona just because it’s closer. Go straight there.

The other big thing I’ve learned is to get really honest about what you bring to the table—and what you don’t. You don’t have to have it all. You just have to bring value and do right by people. The rest, you can find in partners, teammates, and collaborators. This business is way more about alignment and execution than trying to be a solo genius.

So if I were starting over today, I’d set my sights higher, move faster, and build with people who compliment my strengths. That’s where the magic happens.

Morgan, before we move on to more of these sorts of questions, can you take some time to bring our readers up to speed on you and what you do?

I got into real estate while on active duty in the Navy. I was driven by a desire to build something meaningful outside of my military career—something that could ultimately replace my income and give me the freedom to design a life I loved, rather than chase a paycheck behind a desk. For me, the most rewarding life includes three things: human connection, a challenging environment, and autonomy (Outliers – Malcolm Gladwell). Real estate, particularly in complex and creative projects, allows me to pursue all three.

Since leaving active duty, I’ve built a career at the intersection of investment, development, and operations—working across asset classes and deal structures to drive value and bring bold visions to life. I specialize in repositioning underutilized assets and revitalizing historically significant properties, blending financial discipline with creative strategy. I’ve worked on everything from boutique hotel redevelopments in historic districts to large multifamily projects that support long-term urban growth.

Today, I operate across both the strategic and operational sides of real estate. I work with private capital, developers, family offices, and entrepreneurs to help them clarify vision, structure deals, execute plans, and build systems that scale. Through my company Hammer and Hampel as well as my operations role with CAST Capital Partners, I support clients across investment sales, development consulting, and project operations. I’m especially drawn to early-stage projects where alignment, creativity, and grit are needed to move ideas from concept to closing and execution.

What sets me apart is a mix of operational rigor, adaptive thinking, and a bias for taking small consistent action—qualities I honed in the military and now apply to every project I take on. I don’t see myself as a broker or developer in the traditional sense—I’m a builder, a connector, and a problem-solver. I take pride in being someone people trust to navigate complexity and get things done.

I’m most proud of the partnerships and teams I’ve helped grow. Whether it’s helping a friend or client unlock value in a legacy asset or building systems that give entrepreneurs back their time, I find purpose in creating impact through execution.

At the end of the day, I want people to know that I’m someone who shows up, thinks long-term, and does the work. My goal is always to create durable value—for everyone I work with and the communities we work in.

What’s worked well for you in terms of a source for new clients?

The best source of new clients for me has always been referrals. Nearly every investor or partner I’ve worked with has come through a direct relationship or a personal introduction from someone who trusts me. This business—like most businesses, really—is built on trust.

Your reputation is everything. It’s not just about how you show up on your biggest deal or with your most important client. It’s how you treat everyone and everything. How you do anything is how you do everything. That consistency builds trust over time, and it’s what people remember.

People want to do business with people they know, like, and trust—or people who are known, liked, and trusted by someone they already have confidence in. It’s simple, but powerful. That’s why I always prioritize relationships over transactions. If I take care of people the right way—deliver value, do what I say I’m going to do, and treat their goals like my own—everything else follows.

I’m proud that the people who’ve worked with me continue to send others my way. That’s the greatest endorsement I could ask for, and the only marketing I really care about.

What else should we know about how you took your side hustle and scaled it up into what it is today?

My side hustle absolutely turned into my full-time career—but it wasn’t a straight line, and it definitely didn’t start glamorous.

Back in 2017, I was still active duty in the Navy when I bought my first single-family home. I rented out the rooms to some buddies and made about $400 a month. It wasn’t much, but it was enough to catch the bug. Real estate felt like a way to start buying back my time and building a life that wasn’t dictated by a salary. I wanted freedom, and this felt like the first step.

The next deal was a three-unit I bought with a friend for $54,000—all cash, split 50/50. We thought we’d BRRRR it, refinance, and be off to the races. Instead, it turned into a total gut job, and we barely broke even. Eventually, it cash flowed maybe $100–200 a month. It was a gut punch—and a wake-up call. If I was going to replace my income by the time I got out of the Navy, this wasn’t going to cut it.

Growing up low-income, I carried a scarcity mindset for a long time. That project pushed me to a breaking point. I realized I needed to think bigger. So I started asking bigger questions, getting into rooms with serious operators, and shifting my mindset from “what can I afford?” to “what can I create?”

That shift led to a huge milestone: in 2021, I closed on a 68-unit, $3.7 million acquisition—with none of my own money, because I didn’t have any. What I did have was hustle, vision, and the right relationships. That deal marked the true transition from side hustle to full-time operator. Since then, I’ve continued to scale, working on larger and more complex projects, helping others raise capital, reposition assets, and execute on big ideas.

It’s still evolving, but I’m proud of how far it’s come—and I’ll never forget where it started.

Contact Info:

• Website: https://www.hammerandhampel.com
• Instagram: @morganhampel
• Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/in/morgan-hampel/