From Fighting Fires To Finding Financial Freedom With Real Estate

From fighting fires to financial freedom!

Welcome back to ep95 of "Inspired To Invest". To watch rather than listen, click here.

Paul D’Abruzzo's transformation from Toronto firefighter to successful real estate investor reveals a powerful truth about financial freedom. While his decade in firefighting offered security, camaraderie, and a six-figure salary, Paul and his wife Laura yearned for something more—a life without golden handcuffs, where they could build wealth on their terms.

The journey began during the 2009 financial crisis when Paul, inspired by T. Harv Eker and a transformative conference in California, discovered the concept of passive income through real estate. Starting with rent-to-own properties and gradually shifting to multifamily investments across the GTA and Hamilton, he methodically built a portfolio designed to replace his firefighting income.

What makes Paul's story particularly compelling is his departure from the fire service just days before COVID-19 hit Canada. This timing forced him to immediately apply his investment philosophy during unprecedented market conditions. "Anyone can be a hero in real estate when the market is going up," Paul explains. "The true mark of an investor is the ability to make money in any market—up, down, or sideways."

When faced with rising interest rates and market volatility, Paul took an unemotional, asset-manager approach to his portfolio, selling underperforming properties, converting single-family homes to duplexes, and pivoting toward developing new multifamily buildings. This adaptability allowed his investments to not just survive but thrive during a period when many investors failed.

Perhaps most valuable is Paul's goal-centered approach to real estate. Rather than chasing arbitrary targets like "10 properties" or "$10,000 monthly cashflow," he encourages investors to identify their true financial needs and deeper motivations. As he shares through his Expert Investor Academy, connecting with your "why"—whether it's paying off parents' mortgages or creating intergenerational wealth—provides the resilience needed to overcome inevitable real estate challenges.

Ready to transform your own relationship with money and investing? Download Paul's "2025 Real Estate Investor Playbook" at expertinvestoracademy.com/playbook and discover strategies for building wealth that creates options no salary ever could.

Download Paul's "2025 Real Estate Investor Playbook" at expertinvestoracademy.com/playbook and discover strategies for building wealth that creates options no salary ever could.

To connect with Paul, go to @paulexpertinvestoracademy on social or https://expertinvestoracademy.com online. 

Thank you for KnightsbridgeFX for bringing us this month’s episodes. To learn more about how you can save money when you have currency to exchange, go to https://knightsbridgefx.com and on social @knightsbridge.fx. 

“Inspired to Invest” is proud to support the Beyond Success Program, a not-for-profit financial literacy program for students, launched by More To Give & MAK Investments. Find out more at @more2give.ca.

Thank you for tuning into "Inspired To Invest". Join us again for our next episode May. 28.

➕ Follow Serena Holmes for all things related to business, entrepreneurship, real estate, investing, wealth (and more!).  I'm on a mission to help others create wealth because "when you invest in yourself, the sky's the limit" 🚀 

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