What does it take to scale from zero to over $52 million in self-storage assets in just six years?

In this insightful episode, Joe Downs reveals how he raised $15 million and built a portfolio of over 20 self-storage facilities by mastering off-market deals, partnering strategically, and adapting to market conditions. He breaks down his transition from multifamily to self-storage, explains how he built a vertically integrated team from scratch, and shares the exact steps that helped him launch and scale a real estate investment company while still working his W2 job. If you're an investor looking to break into self-storage—or scale fast—Joe’s story is a must-listen.

5 Key Takeaways from Joe Downs’ Episode:

1. From Multifamily to Storage:
   Joe started in multifamily but found more scalability, deal flow, and operational control in self-storage.
2. Off-Market Deal Mastery:
   Nearly all 20+ facilities were sourced off-market, using direct mail, broker relationships, and seller outreach.
3. Built a Vertically Integrated Team:
   Joe hired third-party management initially but quickly transitioned to a fully integrated in-house team across operations, construction, and marketing.
4. Raised $15M with Limited Prior Experience:
   By building trust, showing transparency, and proving capability, Joe successfully raised millions—even before having a massive track record.
5. Balanced Scaling While Employed:
   Joe built the business part-time at first, making strategic hires and systemizing early so he could transition out of his W2 and into full-time investing.

About Tim Mai

Tim Mai is a real estate investor, fund manager, mentor, and founder of HERO Mastermind for REI coaches.

He has helped many real estate investors and coaches become millionaires. Tim continues to help busy professionals earn income and build wealth through passive investing.

He is also a creative marketer and promoter with incredible knowledge and experience, which he freely shares.

He has lifted himself from the aftermath of war, achieving technical expertise in computers, followed by investment success in real estate, management skills, and a lofty position among real estate educators and internet marketers.

Tim is an industry leader who has acquired and exited well over $50 million worth of real estate and is currently an investor in over 2700 units of multifamily apartments.

Connect with Tim
Website: Capital Raising Party
Facebook: Tim Mai | Capital Raising Nation
Instagram: @timmaicom
Twitter: @timmai
LinkedIn: Tim Mai
YouTube: Tim Mai

What does it take to raise over $100 million in just four years—while building a portfolio that spans more than $2 billion across real estate, debt, and business acquisitions?

In this powerhouse episode, Sam Silverman, founder of Silverman Capital, lays it all out. From leaving corporate America to mastering capital raising at scale, Sam shares why he focuses on operator selection over deal structure, how he aligns interests with investors, and the real reason capital raisers get stuck. If you're serious about scaling your capital and doing it right, this conversation is a masterclass in execution, clarity, and strategy.

5 Key Takeaways to learn from this episode:

1. Quality Over Control:
   Sam prioritizes partnering with best-in-class operators, even if it means taking a back seat in management—because investor outcomes matter most.
2. Capital Raising Is a Full-Time Business:
   Treating capital raising like a company, not a side hustle, is what helped Sam scale to $100M+ in four years.
3. Clear Operator Standards:
   His selection criteria include access to proprietary deals, operational excellence, and a track record of investor-first outcomes.
4. Why Most Capital Raisers Fail:
   According to Sam, they’re focused on promoting deals instead of providing value—and they lack the systems to nurture real investor relationships.
5. Fund of Funds Done Right:
   Sam uses the FoF model to offer his LPs better terms, diversification, and deal access—while keeping his firm lean and efficient.

About Tim Mai

Tim Mai is a real estate investor, fund manager, mentor, and founder of HERO Mastermind for REI coaches.

He has helped many real estate investors and coaches become millionaires. Tim continues to help busy professionals earn income and build wealth through passive investing.

He is also a creative marketer and promoter with incredible knowledge and experience, which he freely shares.

He has lifted himself from the aftermath of war, achieving technical expertise in computers, followed by investment success in real estate, management skills, and a lofty position among real estate educators and internet marketers.

Tim is an industry leader who has acquired and exited well over $50 million worth of real estate and is currently an investor in over 2700 units of multifamily apartments.

Connect with Tim
Website: Capital Raising Party
Facebook: Tim Mai | Capital Raising Nation
Instagram: @timmaicom
Twitter: @timmai
LinkedIn: Tim Mai
YouTube: Tim Mai

How does a former restaurateur and retail franchisee pivot into managing nearly $19M in real estate assets?

In this compelling episode, Brian Plumer shares his journey from struggling to sell his first fix-and-flip in 2008 to now owning over 1,000 units across multifamily and self-storage. Hear how a pandemic pivot, relentless learning, and hands-on experience led him to raise capital, partner on syndications, and build Litmus Capital Investments. Brian opens up about his early failures, the mindset shifts that fueled his success, and why self-storage has become his secret weapon for scalable, resilient investing.

5 Key Takeaways from Brian Plumer’s Episode:

1. From Retail to Real Estate:
   Brian’s first failed flip turned into a long-term rental—and his gateway into passive income and multifamily investing.
2. Self-Storage Strategy:
   Pivoting to self-storage gave Brian access to off-market deals with seller financing, lower management headaches, and powerful cash flow.
3. Raising Capital with Credibility:
   He started small—$250K from friends and family—and learned that confidence, transparency, and trust are more important than pitch decks.
4. Fund of Funds Future:
   Inspired by the HERO Alliance, Brian is building toward a fund-of-funds model to scale without taking on asset management roles.
5. Consistency Beats Speed:
   Whether taking baby steps or giant leaps, Brian emphasizes staying the course, finding mentors, and building relationships as the key to long-term success.

About Tim Mai

Tim Mai is a real estate investor, fund manager, mentor, and founder of HERO Mastermind for REI coaches.

He has helped many real estate investors and coaches become millionaires. Tim continues to help busy professionals earn income and build wealth through passive investing.

He is also a creative marketer and promoter with incredible knowledge and experience, which he freely shares.

He has lifted himself from the aftermath of war, achieving technical expertise in computers, followed by investment success in real estate, management skills, and a lofty position among real estate educators and internet marketers.

Tim is an industry leader who has acquired and exited well over $50 million worth of real estate and is currently an investor in over 2700 units of multifamily apartments.

Connect with Tim
Website: Capital Raising Party
Facebook: Tim Mai | Capital Raising Nation
Instagram: @timmaicom
Twitter: @timmai
LinkedIn: Tim Mai
YouTube: Tim Mai