In this episode of Burning the Ships, I sit down with Sam Hopkins, a 26-year-old real estate investor who’s built a powerhouse business in record time. From buying his first deal at 20 with just $11,000 in savings, to scaling into 180+ transactions a year, Sam’s journey is proof that focus, discipline, and the right mindset can accelerate your success.

We talk about his early days working two jobs while wholesaling on the side, how he transitioned into flips and rentals, why he brought on an integrator to free himself for high-level work, and the role fitness plays in keeping his discipline sharp. Sam also opens up about working alongside his fiancée, building a team, and what legacy means to him this early in the game.

If you’ve ever questioned whether you’re too young or too inexperienced to succeed in real estate, this conversation will flip that belief on its head.

Key Talking Points of the Episode

00:00 Introduction

01:06 JJ’s Joke of the Week

02:51 Sam’s background: Growing up in small-town Virginia & first exposure to real estate

04:45 Discovering Rich Dad Poor Dad at 19 and shifting his mindset

07:00 Early mentorship experience: Shadowing a flipper while making $11/hour at AT&T

08:53 Wholesaling in 2020 to doing 100 deals a year and breaking seven figures

11:19 Transitioning from wholesale to flips, rentals, and private capital

12:40 Building a team: cold callers, acquisitions, transaction coordinators

13:29 Bringing on an integrator: Why visionaries need operators

15:45 “Who Not How” and learning to focus on unique ability

19:11 Confidence, imposter syndrome, and buying glasses to look older

21:08 Lessons on logistics: Flipping nationwide vs. Focusing on Virginia, 100+ flips a year

25:55 Taxes, cost segregation, and why syndications don’t appeal to him

27:25 Why Sam doesn’t want a fully passive business just yet

31:32 Working with his fiancée inside the business + future roles

33:48 Business and personal life overlap—why they don’t separate it

35:40 Coaching & mentorship: Why Sam is not focusing on it yet

37:36 Who are Sam’s customers in business?

38:22 Lessons from The One Thing and Jesse Cole’s Fans First

40:01 The next 12 months: EOS & operations upgrades

42:23 Thinking about legacy and impact beyond money

44:23 Lending partnerships, integrity in deals, and working with 608B Capital

47:49 Fitness, bodybuilding, nutrition, and discipline through structure

54:45 How consistency on social media can attract deals and capital

Quotables

“I actually bought glasses at 20 years old just to look older so people would take me seriously.”

“No one cares how old you are. In fact, most people want to help you when they see you hustling young.”

“I don’t want 1,000 rentals. I want quality doors in good neighborhoods that appreciate.”

Links

Sam Hopkins

https://www.facebook.com/sam.hopkins.3726

608B Capital

https://608bcapital.com

In this solo episode, I open up about the pivot we’re making with Burning the Ships and why it’s time to shift gears. For almost two years, my Weekly Rambles have been a mix of mindset lessons, random thoughts, books I’ve read, and ideas I wanted to share. But with the growth of 608B Capital and the demands of building our lending business, I realized I’ve been scrambling to keep up with these episodes and that means the quality hasn’t always been what I want for you.

So, we’re pivoting. Going forward, solo episodes will be more structured, tactical, and practical—think step-by-step breakdowns on topics like underwriting a fix-and-flip, the BRRRR strategy, or scaling through short-term rentals. And while I’ll still end every episode with a mindset nugget, I’ll also be bringing in experts from my network to share their insights in areas like real estate, business, fitness, and finance.

This episode is both an update and a mindset lesson in itself: the power of pivoting. I share why flexibility is key, how stubbornness can kill momentum, and how learning to “zoom out” has been one of the biggest game changers in my life and business.

Key Talking Points of the Episode

00:00 Introduction

01:11 The history of the Weekly Ramble and why it worked… until it didn’t

02:02 Challenges: lack of prep time, rushed ideas, scrambling to record

05:33 JJ’s Joke of the Week

06:51 Moving from random rambles to tactical, structured solo episodes

08:22 What to expect in the new structure of Burning the Ships

10:48 Adding mindset nuggets to anchor tactical lessons

12:08 Bringing in expert guests to teach tactics in their fields

16:00 Why structured episodes benefit you, the guest, and our team

17:20 Updating intros, outros, and integrating 608B Capital transparently

20:47 The importance of pivoting in business and life

22:40 Embracing humility: being willing to admit when something isn’t working

25:55 Why refusing to pivot is often the death of businesses and ideas

30:44 Zooming out: seeing opportunities, threats, and weaknesses from 30,000 feet

36:05 Where do you need to pivot in your own life right now?

Quotables

“Patience is not passive. It’s planting seeds every day and trusting they’ll grow—even when nothing seems to be happening.”

“Pivoting is vital—not just the act of pivoting, but the awareness that you’re going to need to do it again and again in life and business.”

“Ego and pride will keep you locked into bad ideas. Humility frees you to change course.”

Links

608B Capital

https://608bcapital.com

In this powerful episode of Burning the Ships, I sit down with Wendy Coles, whose story is a raw, inspiring example of resilience, resourcefulness, and redemption. From a troubled relationship with her mother and running into legal trouble at 18, to raising four kids, rebuilding her life, and eventually finding freedom through real estate and service, Wendy’s journey shows what it means to keep moving forward—no matter the storm.

We dive deep into her early struggles with identity, her time on the run while pregnant, and how she turned setbacks into stepping stones for growth. Wendy also shares how she discovered her true heritage later in life, how real estate investing gave her the stability she always sought, and how giving back through Chair the Love (a charity that delivers wheelchairs worldwide) has reshaped her purpose.

This conversation is about more than real estate—it’s about storms, strength, and the courage to step into who you’re meant to be.

Key Talking Points of the Episode

00:00 Introduction

01:27 JJ’s Joke of the Week

02:32 Wendy’s background: strained relationship with her mom, identity struggles, and introversion

05:33 Meeting Eddie, stolen cars, jail time, and learning she was pregnant at 18

08:20 Running away to Canada while pregnant, fear vs. fearlessness, and life on the run

13:08 Homelessness, shelters in Buffalo, and the decision to turn herself in

17:17 Jail, probation, teen motherhood, and the burden of a felony record

19:25 DNA test reveals her true identity—meeting her Filipino father and half-siblings

25:28 Raising Jocelyn, honesty about her father, and building family bonds

29:27 Balancing kids, divorce, and survival as a single mom with sales jobs

35:10 Marriage, entrepreneurship, running a sports training facility, and parental validation

40:28 Closing the facility, husband’s health issues, and pivoting into real estate

42:35 From flipping to buy-and-hold: building long-term wealth and getting licensed despite felonies

45:16 Managing rentals, short-term rentals, and self-managing tenants successfully

49:09 Discovering Chair the Love: providing wheelchairs, mission trips, and real estate mastermind connections

59:03 Health, habits, and staying youthful at 54—honesty about struggles with food and workouts

01:03:11 Storms as opportunities: why challenges clear the path for something better

Quotables

“Storms destroy what isn’t solid and reveal what is.”

“Most kids won’t remember the money you made, but they’ll remember the time you spent.”

“Getting uncomfortable is where the best results in life come from.”

Links

Chair the Love

https://www.facebook.com/CTLFlorida/

Wendy Coles

https://www.facebook.com/wendy.r.coles

608B Capital

https://www.608bcapital.com

In today’s episode, I share how reading Jesse Cole’s book Fans First, the story behind the meteoric rise of the Savannah Bananas, impacted not just how I see entertainment, but how I want to run my business.

From a struggling summer league baseball team with fewer than 100 fans in the stands, to selling out stadiums nationwide with waitlists longer than a Taylor Swift concert, the Bananas’ success is rooted in one core principle: Fans First. Every decision, hire, idea, and experiment runs through the filter of “Does this improve the fan experience?”

I unpack how that same philosophy applies to any business, whether you’re a real estate investor, a plumber, or an entrepreneur building your brand.

This isn’t about baseball. It’s about putting your customers first in a way so radical, so consistent, that profits and loyalty become inevitable.

Key Talking Points of the Episode

00:00 Introduction

01:17 JJ’s Joke of the Week

01:50 Discovering the Savannah Bananas during Covid shutdowns

03:19 Jesse Cole’s experience: A failing team, sleeping on an air mattress, and betting it all

05:33 From summer league to “Banana Ball”—creating baseball built for entertainment

07:41 My firsthand experience: a Norfolk game that entertained from start to finish

10:42 Why “organized chaos” kept kids off iPads and parents mesmerized

13:19 Discovering Jesse Cole’s book Fans First at the game

15:12 The Bahamas connection: how impactful books seem to find me on those trips

17:44 The mindset shift: how Fans First validated my own business instincts

19:42 Customers = fans: Why every decision must reduce friction and add value

21:07 Building a culture where everyone contributes ideas to serve the customer

23:52 Rejecting investors and sponsors to keep customer-first decisions pure

25:19 Why you should read Fans First—no matter your business or industry

26:03 Put your customers first, profits will follow

Quotables

“Blame is the enemy of progress. Ownership is the fuel for momentum.”

“The Savannah Bananas turned baseball into entertainment because they put fans first—and they didn’t waver.”

“Every decision has to pass one test: does this improve the fan experience? If not, scrap it.”

Links

Fans First by Jesse Cole

https://www.amazon.com/Fans-First-Change-Unforgettable-Experience/dp/154452921X

608B Capital

https://608bcapital.com

In this episode of Burning the Ships, I sit down with Tim Blodgett, entrepreneur, consultant, and culture-builder who has been helping businesses scale by focusing on their people and their process. Tim shares his story of growing companies through operational clarity, why leadership is about listening before speaking, and how faith and perseverance have carried him through the toughest moments.

We dive into how business owners can build cultures where people thrive, the value of aligning core values with action, and the patience required to truly see transformation happen in both life and work.

This episode will challenge you to think about your leadership differently and to double down on the things that matter most: people, purpose, and perseverance.

Key Talking Points of the Episode

00:00 Introduction

02:40 JJ’s Joke of the Week

04:22 Meeting Tim at a mastermind event and nurturing a good relationship

06:13 Tim’s background: Aspiring athlete to the Marines

09:12 The moment that led to Tim’s decision to serve in the Marines

11:40 Why leaders need to listen first, act second

13:38 How the Marines shaped Tim’s leadership

17:55 Leadership differences between the Marines and the civilian world

20:04 How Tim got into real estate investing at 21

23:45 The best ways to learn about real estate investing

26:26 Balancing a career in the military, a new marriage, and a real estate business

27:10 Overcoming a life-changing injury from serving in the Marines

29:21 Leading life with positivity: Focusing on the solution vs the problem

30:53 Making a conscious effort to develop a positive mindset through life

33:46 Veterans vs. Mental Health: Fighting the war outside the military

37:55 The story behind Tim forming a soccer league in their community

42:36 Getting back into soccer, growing the team, and reigniting passion for sports

48:00 Tim’s perspective on fatherhood and how it impacts his business and life

52:20 What the future looks like for Tim: Business plans and life goals

56:48 Advice for veterans and military personnel in active duty

Quotables

“Culture eats strategy for breakfast, lunch, and dinner.”

“Transformation takes time. Patience is the price of growth.”

“Faith doesn’t remove the struggle—it helps you persevere through it.”

Links

608B Capital

https://608bcapital.com

In this week’s ramble, I dive into a personal realization I’ve had about what it truly means to “reset.” For years, I treated vacations as a hard stop—a complete separation from business and responsibility. But after two back-to-back trips with my family and my wife, I’ve come to see that work and relaxation don’t need to live in separate worlds.

In this episode, I talk about the importance of resets not just as time away from the grind, but as opportunities to recharge, think creatively, and still remain connected to the business I’m passionate about.

From balancing vacations while running 608B Capital, to scuba diving in the living room with my son, I share stories and lessons on why time, presence, and family matter more than chasing just one more dollar.

Key Talking Points of the Episode

00:00 Introduction

01:21 JJ’s Joke of the Week

02:04 Outerbanks tradition: 11 years of family beach vacations

03:28 Back-to-back vacations and business prep with Bill

05:38 Learning to trust the 608B Capital team while traveling

06:52 Shifting perspective: from shutting off completely to staying lightly connected

09:01 Why it’s okay not to fully disconnect when you love what you do

11:19 Realization: resets can coexist with business without compromising family time

13:17 Rethinking retirement—growth and creation don’t stop with age

15:07 The balance of travel, work, and family experiences

16:28 The epiphany: resets don’t have to mean total separation

18:08 Grind culture vs. real life: Why “providing” doesn’t replace presence

21:36 Family first: the scuba diving story with JJ and what kids really remember

25:24 Rethink what vacation and reset mean in your life

Quotables

“I realized I can have my cake and eat it too: enjoy vacations while still keeping a finger on the pulse.”

“Most kids won’t remember the money you made, but they’ll remember the time you spent.”

“Grind culture tells us to trade time for dollars but the real return is in memories with your family.”

Links

608B Capital

https://608bcapital.com

This week on Burning the Ships, I’m doing something a little different—a completely unscripted solo episode. No guest interviews, no pre-planned ramble, just me answering real questions from friends about leadership, positivity, marriage, fatherhood, and life. These are the kinds of questions I’d usually ask my guests, but today, I’m in the hot seat.

I open up about where my “annoyingly positive” mindset really comes from, how I developed my leadership style (and how I almost wrecked it early on), the foundation of my marriage, and the promises I’ve made to myself as a father. I also get candid about my biggest strengths, my most frustrating weaknesses, and the lessons I’ve learned the hard way about tone, focus, and organization. If you’ve ever wanted a behind-the-scenes look at who I am beyond the mic, this is that episode.

Key Talking Points of the Episode

[0:00] – The story of Hernán Cortés and what “burning the ships” really means

[2:11] – How a last-minute scheduling change led to this solo, Q&A-style episode

[3:54] – JJ’s Joke of the Week: shellfish humor at its finest

[5:02] – Where my lifelong positivity comes from—and how my mom modeled it in hard times

[14:25] – My definition of great leadership, and the book that changed my management style forever

[25:32] – Marriage advice: trust, space, and never stopping the flirt

[33:42] – Fatherhood philosophy: why I’d rather give my kids me than anything money can buy

[38:27] – My biggest strengths, weaknesses, and how I’ve learned to work with both

[50:29] – Wrapping up the first solo Sunday episode and what’s coming next

Quotables

• “Patience and positivity don’t mean ignoring reality—they mean choosing the mindset that will actually move you forward.”
• “Leadership isn’t about fixing people; it’s about finding their strengths and putting them where they can win.”
• “The best marriages are built on trust, space, and never letting the flirting stop.”
• “Your kids don’t care what you provide nearly as much as they care about your presence.”
• “We have three family rules: have a good attitude and give max effort, treat life as an adventure, and figure shit out.”

Links & Resources

• 608B Capital – https://608bcapital.com

Closing Remark

If you enjoyed this behind-the-scenes episode, please take a moment to rate, review, and follow the podcast—it means the world to me and helps more people find Burning the Ships. And if someone in your life needs that extra push to commit fully to their goals, share this episode with them. The past is behind you, the future is yours to conquer.

In this Weekly Ramble, I’m diving deep into the last of the five core traits I believe every entrepreneur (and honestly, every person) needs—patience. And I’ll be real with you: it’s the one I’ve struggled with the most.

From my early sales career where success came fast, to building our lending company from scratch and grinding through 15 months of slow growth before hitting hockey-stick momentum, patience has been the difference between quitting too soon and building something lasting.

I share stories from my own life—parenting, hunting, sitting on the beach for hours and lessons from giants like Amazon, Tesla, and Spotify that prove overnight success is usually a decade in the making.

If you’re feeling stuck or frustrated in your journey, this episode will remind you why patience isn’t passive and how to actively cultivate it while still moving toward your goals.

Key Talking Points of the Episode

00:00 Introduction

02:20 JJ’s Joke of the Week

04:08 Hunting, beaches, and the rare places I have infinite patience

08:10 The results of impatience in business and parenting

09:44 Lessons from a 17-year sales career & how early success killed my patience muscle

12:50 Leaving corporate life: the ego-driven rush to replace income fast

17:54 The pivot to lending and realizing it was the business we’d been building all along

21:15 Grinding for 15–18 months before seeing real traction

24:05 Patience in scaling: building a team and protecting investors’ trust

26:23 Case studies: Amazon, Tesla, and Spotify—years of losses before turning a profit

30:22 Planting seeds daily in sales, relationships, and trust

34:45 The two essentials: delivering value & putting in consistent, focused reps

37:05 From $5M to $20M in less than a year by holding on

39:10 Reminder: Most people quit right before the breakthrough

Quotables

“Patience is not passive. It’s planting seeds every day and trusting they’ll grow—even when nothing seems to be happening.”

“My nature would have been to throw in the towel within six months. The only reason we didn’t is because we committed to the long game.”

“You separate yourself from the pack just by keeping on, keeping on.”

Links

608B Capital

https://608bcapital.com