We caught up with the brilliant and insightful Aaron Washington a few weeks ago and have shared our conversation below.
Aaron, appreciate you joining us today. We’d love to hear the backstory behind a risk you’ve taken – whether big or small, walk us through what it was like and how it ultimately turned out.
I guess I will start with the cliché of “life is about taking risks”…and this becomes ever so true in the realm of investments. Every investment that has the potential of fruitful gains comes with considerable risk. Risk is inevitable when investing into something or someone so it is a reality I have become accustomed to at this point. However, the biggest and most uncomfortable risk that I have taken in my life thus far has been quitting my corporate job and becoming a full time entrepreneur.
This risk was very scary and became very real, fast. In June of 2022, I left a comfortable, cozy corporate career as a product manager for a multi-billion dollar corporation, where I was making high six figures, had a company car, expense account, and traveled all over the country. Although this job was great, the people were nothing less than amazing, and I was highly revered, it was still what it was; a job.
I knew in the back of my mind if I wanted to truly be who I know I am, and wanted to achieve the goals I have engrained in the back of my mind, I would either work for someone for 30 years plus, or leave and try my hand at my dream, of retiring at 35, retiring my parents, and creating lasting wealth for my family.
So I did what I felt was necessary for growth, and I left. The reality of not having a paycheck come in every two weeks took some getting used to, and no free car or gas, was a reality check for sure, but I couldn’t be more happy with the decision I made. I am a different person now. I am a now true leader that doesn’t get sea sick from the waves and if I never left it would have been like I never left the dock..
Aaron, 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?
My company Rosem Capital Investments LLC. has been in operation since 2019. My father Terry Washington is my business partner, so we are very much a family business. I originally got into real estate to achieve generational wealth, and also because it is something my dad has wanted to get into for a while.
My company specializes in a multitude of different real estate services, such as but not limited to, renovations of properties, structuring and executing creative financing, wholesaling properties, generating cashflow through long term and short term rentals, etc.
What sets us apart from our competition is our branding and values as a business. Perception is reality in real estate as it is in a lot of industries so we do everything we can to market ourselves in the correct light and make sure our clients feel overserved while getting results.
We are very proud of our business and the brand perception we have created over the years. We have grown considerably in a very tough real estate market and have our sights set on continued success through 2023 and beyond.
What’s been the most effective strategy for growing your clientele?
The most effective strategy for growing our clientele has been through providing an unparallel service to the point where our clients feel so good about their interactions or the results, that they recommend us to their family, friends, neighbors, etc.
Also another huge key is to always think long term. Do what you need to do to create lasting relationships. If creating a lasting relationship means I will take a deficit now to create long term benefits in the future, weigh this decision and weigh it seriously. My experience has almost always been, if you give now you will get tomorrow.
Are there any books, videos or other content that you feel have meaningfully impacted your thinking?
I used to read a ton of books but I have pivoted to more audio books now due to a lack of time. Some of my favorite books are the How to Win Friends and Influence People, The Alchemist, The Monk Who Sold his Ferrari, Extreme Ownership.
I watch a lot of podcasts as well. Earn Your Leisure, High Level Conversations, and Market Monday are three of my favorite in no specific order.
Contact Info:
- Instagram: @rosemcapital