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Raise the Bar

Raise the Bar

By: Seth Bradley | Attorney Founder Investor Speaker
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Elevated conversations on raising capital, real estate and entrepreneurship. Raise the Bar Radio is the podcast for capital raisers, real estate investors, and entrepreneurs ready to stop playing small and start building real wealth. Hosted by Seth Bradley, securities attorney, startup founder, real estate investor, and multi-billion dollar dealmaker, this show delivers straight-talk strategies, expert insights, and real-world tactics to help you raise more capital, close bigger deals, and build a business (and life) on your own terms. Whether you’re scaling your first fund or breaking free from the golden handcuffs, you’re in the right place. Let’s go.Copyright 2025 All rights reserved. Economics Leadership Management & Leadership Personal Finance
Episodes
  • MDM 13 | Million Dollar Monday With Jennings Smith Jr.
    Dec 22 2025

    In this episode, Jennings explains that he made his first million by buying apartment complexes, stabilizing them, improving operations, and exiting for profit. His last million came from the same business model, continuing to buy, fix, and sell multifamily properties. Looking ahead, Jennings plans to make his next million through a flex warehouse development project. Jennings building a 37,000 square foot industrial property, dividing it into smaller contractor garage units, and selling them individually under a condo structure. Jennings expects to be all-in for about $4.2 million with a projected exit around $9 million.

    Bullet Points and Highlights: - Jennings made the first million by buying, stabilizing, and improving apartment complexes. - Jennings generated profits by exiting repositioned multifamily properties. - Jennings made the last million through the same multifamily investment strategy. - Jennings continues to operate heavily in apartment acquisitions and dispositions. - Jennings says the next million will come from flex warehouse development. - Jennings is developing a 37,000 square foot industrial flex property. - Jennings is breaking the space into 1,100 square foot contractor garage units. - Jennings plans to sell the units individually under a condo association structure. - Jennings expects to be all-in for about $4.2 million on the project. - Jennings projects an exit of roughly $9 million, creating substantial upside.

    Links from the Show and Guest Info and Links:

    Seth Bradley’s Links: https://x.com/sethbradleyesq https://www.youtube.com/@sethbradleyesq www.facebook.com/sethbradleyesq https://www.threads.com/@sethbradleyesq https://www.instagram.com/sethbradleyesq/ https://www.linkedin.com/in/sethbradleyesq/ https://passiveincomeattorney.com/seth-bradley/ https://www.biggerpockets.com/users/sethbradleyesq https://medium.com/@sethbradleyesq https://www.tiktok.com/@sethbradleyesq?lang=en

    Jennings Smith Jr.'s Link https://www.instagram.com/jenningsfostersmithjr/?hl=en&utm https://x.com/Jenningsfoster https://www.facebook.com/jennings.smith.50/?utm

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    1 min
  • T1C 11 | The 1% Closer With Jennings Smith Jr.
    Dec 19 2025

    In this episode, Jennings explains that the biggest risk he ever took was a highly distressed 208-unit property in Oklahoma. The asset was half vacant, most of the remaining tenants weren’t paying rent, and it required a $2.5 million rehab while being located halfway across the country. The deal demanded consistent oversight, weekly calls, and frequent trips to Tulsa to keep the project on track. Jennings and his team bought it for roughly $5 to $5.5 million, were all-in for about $8 million, and ultimately exited for $12.6 million. For Jennings, this deal is the perfect example of big risk producing big reward.

    Bullet Points and Highlights: - Jennings’s biggest risk was a distressed 208-unit property in Oklahoma. - The property was 50 percent vacant when acquired. - Many of the remaining tenants were not paying rent. - The project required a $2.5 million renovation. - The property was halfway across the country, increasing operational difficulty. - Jennings and his team bought it for about $5 to $5.5 million. - They were all-in for roughly $8 million after rehab. - They exited the deal for $12.6 million. - The project required two years of consistent focus, weekly calls, and regular trips to Tulsa. - Jennings views the deal as a clear example of big risk leading to big reward.

    Links from the Show and Guest Info and Links:

    Seth Bradley’s Links: https://x.com/sethbradleyesq https://www.youtube.com/@sethbradleyesq www.facebook.com/sethbradleyesq https://www.threads.com/@sethbradleyesq https://www.instagram.com/sethbradleyesq/ https://www.linkedin.com/in/sethbradleyesq/ https://passiveincomeattorney.com/seth-bradley/ https://www.biggerpockets.com/users/sethbradleyesq https://medium.com/@sethbradleyesq https://www.tiktok.com/@sethbradleyesq?lang=en

    Jennings Smith Jr.'s Link https://www.instagram.com/jenningsfostersmithjr/?hl=en&utm https://x.com/Jenningsfoster https://www.facebook.com/jennings.smith.50/?utm

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    1 min
  • TME 28 | The Six Figure Ceiling: How to Break Through the $100k Mindset with Jennings Smith Jr.
    Dec 17 2025

    The last two years have tested every real estate investor’s limits. In this episode, Jennings Smith, CEO of My First Million in Multifamily and co-creator of The Deal Room, joins Seth to break down what’s really happening in today’s market. Jennings opens up about over-scaling, selling off high-risk assets, and pivoting into easier, more stable investments.

    Jennings also shares how he grew one of the fastest-rising Facebook groups in the real estate space by giving massive value, staying transparent, and teaching others to raise capital ethically and sustainably.

    Bullet Points and Highlights: - Why raising capital in 2025 feels harder but better - The difference between scaling fast vs. scaling smart - How floating-rate bridge loans nearly broke his portfolio - When to pivot, liquidate, or double down - The real reason some investors failed after 2021 - How to communicate value when people ask “what do you do?” - Why community and education have been his biggest growth tools - Behind the rise of My First Million in Multifamily

    Links from the Show and Guest Info and Links:

    Seth Bradley’s Links: https://x.com/sethbradleyesq https://www.youtube.com/@sethbradleyesq www.facebook.com/sethbradleyesq https://www.threads.com/@sethbradleyesq https://www.instagram.com/sethbradleyesq/ https://www.linkedin.com/in/sethbradleyesq https://passiveincomeattorney.com/seth-bradley/ https://www.biggerpockets.com/users/sethbradleyesq https://medium.com/@sethbradleyesq https://www.tiktok.com/@sethbradleyesq?lang=en

    Jennings Smith Jr.'s Link https://www.instagram.com/jenningsfostersmithjr/?hl=en&utm https://x.com/Jenningsfoster https://www.facebook.com/jennings.smith.50/?utm

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    32 mins
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