We were having dinner with friends last night at a Japanese place. The conversation soon turned towards the topic of real estate investing. We have done some investing in commercial properties and are always on the lookout for new opportunities. Our friends also were interested in getting into real estate investing, but complained about how tough it was. They recounted a recent visit to the local courthouse to observe a real estate auction. However, they were intimidated by the cash upfront requirement and the dozens of people at the auction that were aggressively bidding on the properties.

We then talked about residential verses commercial real estate investing. Our friends told us that they were getting some leads from relatives on residential real estate. They felt that they wanted to focus on commercial real estate because of the hassle of residential units. However, they also lamented the fact that most commercial properties were over $1 million, out of their price range. They also commented about the lack of time they had to look for potential properties.

The message that I took from this conversation was ROADBLOCKS. How many obstacles are there to investing and starting your own business or purchasing your own assets? If we let ourselves get stopped by roadblocks all the time, no one would ever move in any direction. As I grow older (and. hopefully, a little wiser), I realize that things are not as easy as going to school, passing tests, and moving from grade to grade. Particularly for your own projects, away from your jobs and other guided processes, there is no roadmap. There certainly will be obstacles, and the thing that will separate you from your non-entrepreneurial peers is that you will define the roadmap and LEARN to get around those obstacles. That is what this website is about. It is designed to give that little kick in the behind and that little bit of inspiration when you are feeling frustrated or discouraged. It is also a bit of community in an endeavor where everyone needs some support.