In this powerful episode of the Collective Genius Podcast, I sit down with Jesse Burrell, the mastermind behind Batch Services, to explore his evolution from real estate wholesaler to tech entrepreneur. Jesse shares how a need to solve problems within his own investing business led to the birth of Batch Skip Tracing, eventually evolving into a full suite of SaaS tools that culminated in a major acquisition by PropStream.
We dive deep into the realities of scaling a business, navigating market shifts, building elite teams, and staying grounded through personal and professional highs and lows. Jesse’s candid insights on the future of AI in real estate, the power of community, and the mindset needed to build and exit a company are must-hear lessons for any entrepreneur aiming to scale with purpose.
Timeline Summary
[0:00] - Introduction
[2:07] - Jesse introduces Batch Services and explains the recent acquisition of Batch Leads and Batch Dialer
[8:37] - Why Jesse walked away from active investing to go all-in on software
[11:32] - How Batch started with skip tracing and evolved into a tech suite
[17:19] - The Phoenix Mafia: How peer communities drove massive growth
[21:30] - Surviving market crashes and the texting regulation shift
[25:24] - When Jesse realized Batch was becoming a money-printing machine
[26:23] - The future of real estate tech: AI, machine learning, and smarter software
[35:14] - Building a second act: Why Jesse is doubling down on batch data
[38:35] - Real estate lessons from high-performing CEO peers
[45:04] - Jesse’s real superpower: vision casting and elite team-building
[52:18] - Advice for investors shifting into SaaS or coaching businesses
5 Key Takeaways
Solve Problems for Yourself First – Jesse’s products were born out of necessity, not just opportunity. Real use cases lead to scalable solutions.
You Can’t Scale Everything – If you want to build something massive, you must focus relentlessly on one thing. Multitasking limits growth.
Community Fuels Ambition – Surrounding yourself with driven peers—like the Phoenix Mafia or CG—can elevate your vision and execution.
Vision + Leadership = Leverage – Building the right executive team and getting buy-in is one of the most powerful moves an entrepreneur can make.
Plan Your Exit from the Start – Design your business for the buyer from day one. That clarity shapes decisions and maximizes valuation.
Links & Resources
Jesse’s podcast: The Real SaaS Podcast: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/the-real-saas/id1821473063
ExploreCG.com – Learn more about the Collective Genius community
https://thecgpodcast.com/ – Watch or listen to all episodes
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