October 4, 2024 • 33 mins
What if your unwavering loyalty and resilience could propel your business to national success? In this episode of the Paradyme Shift podcast, Ryan Garland sits down with his best friend and business partner, Eric Gedalje, to uncover the incredible journey of transforming Paradyme Storage from a local real estate venture into a national powerhouse. From selling 74 units to ranking in the top five in Arizona, they share the trials, triumphs, and personal sacrifices that built Paradyme’s success.
Join us for heartwarming stories of empowering relationships, including uplifting subcontractors like Nick Lennon from Bridge Electric and steel fabricator Rob, whose collaborations have created a ripple effect of opportunities and collective success. Ryan and Eric also dive into their commitment to quality, featuring innovative elements in storage solutions and real estate investments, while sharing investment strategies that focus on patience, long-term planning, and strategic reinvestment.
This episode is packed with insights on how genuine relationships, relentless drive, and a focus on excellence have laid the foundation for Paradyme’s exponential growth and enduring success.
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Transcript
Episode Transcript
Available transcripts are automatically generated. Complete accuracy is not guaranteed.
Ryan (00:00):
Hey everybody, ryan Garland here, founder and
chairman of Paradyme.
Thank you for joining us.
We are here today with EricD'Aglia.
He's my best friend in thewhole world and I got to tell
you this table was sponsored by10 Day Doors and so is this
podcast, which.
Welcome to Paradyme Shift.
Eric, you are the man.
I'm glad you're here.
Where do we start?
Eric (00:20):
I appreciate you saying that, but I think we need to
give just a little bit morelight to Mr Ryan Busnardo for
putting together probably one ofthe most epic podcast tables
that I've ever seen.
I've seen his operation inperson.
I love supporting localbusinesses and Ryan is the man
he really is the man.
Ryan (00:37):
This table is insane.
He is Dude.
It's 1,200 pounds.
Eric (00:45):
I saw you and Jordan trying to lift this thing and
then, like Val got involved with, like, moving some glass and
you guys literally were movingaround 1200 pounds.
Ryan (00:48):
There was no such thing as moving this table, this thing
man, but no thanks for having meon the shift man.
Eric (00:56):
I've been watching it.
It looks awesome and gratefulto be a part of it.
Ryan (00:59):
Well, you know what I think it's important that you
know our network in the worldhears from you and I both more
often, for the simple fact thateveryone wants to see what it is
we're doing with ParadigmStorage and how the heck we're
branding and building thereputation that we have.
And you know, I think one ofthe what I always do is give you
thanks all the time becauseyou've really guided me through
this, in essence, atmosphere ofHavasu.
(01:19):
But really, man, I just want tocontinue to highlight who you
are and what you do and givethanks to you publicly and just
let the world know that youexist, you know, and that I
really want people to work withyou and use you when they are
looking to buy homes, developprojects.
Like I was telling you before,I don't think there's much
higher than where you alreadyare.
You know you're developingprojects now.
Eric (01:39):
I remember that phone call , no-transcript, a second step
(02:15):
out of your body and realize youguys are doing things
nationally.
That you know is top tier.
I feel it.
It feels so genuine coming fromyou.
Ryan (02:26):
So you really, really really care about me and you
support me, and thatrelationship and that loyalty is
invaluable to me.
Well, thank you, man.
It's totally mutual and youknow, I think what I?
A lot of people continue to askme more about my past and my
background.
But being in the space for 20years and literally doing loans
for hard money and conventionalnationwide, I've really seen a
(02:47):
lot of agents and how theypractice and how they handle
hard times and handle adversity.
Going through 2008, I saw a lotof things go on between divorces
and financial hardship and youknow people losing their homes
and losing everything, and soyou know, I always tell
everybody you don't know whatyou get until you put people in
hot water like tea bags, right.
And I've seen you over and overagain handle yourself under
(03:10):
adversity like a pro, likeyou've.
This is what you've been doingyour whole life.
It's almost like as as if lifedoesn't get easier and you just
keep handling it.
So you know, I think a lot oftimes relationships get tested
and you know people get intobusiness and they think it's
going to be all hunky-dory andyou're going to make a ton of
money.
But I think where the value isnot only on how we support each
other, but it's also the valueyou bring to me individually in
(03:31):
your lane and then, as we gothrough hardship and we make it
work like it's.
There's nothing better, becauseyou and I've actually had some
testing times already, you know,and to get to where we are
today, I think, is really ablessing overall.
Eric (03:43):
Yeah, me too.
I mean, ultimately, I wastelling you I think a video got
posted on Facebook it was likeone of those seven year memory
things and I was I was pushing a$300,000 house, like it was a
$3 million house, and you weremy biggest fan back then and
you're my biggest fan now and Ijust I'm I'm so grateful to have
(04:03):
that, because you know, when Itell you about our successes,
like people, sometimes they getjealous or they get envious and
I'm like, hey, dude, we justfound out we're top five in the
state of Arizona and you're likeyou go get that, bro, and
that's support.
Ryan (04:16):
And you earned it yeah.
Eric (04:17):
Well, and you're just such a big part of that because
ultimately, what we were talkingabout 74 units that we've
already sold at Paradigm Storageand to everyone that's invested
in Paradigm Storage, I'mtelling you right now, if you're
listening, not only did youmake the right decision, but the
only decision that could bebetter would be to stay in this
investment longer, becausethat's exactly what I've done
(04:37):
with my investment.
But 74 units sold, on track tosell over 200 here at Paradigm.
We're on the brink of 150additional units at Barn Caves
Boathouse there in the nearfuture, and then the amazing
space over at Dover.
I mean you're probably, I meanyou're the player now in Havasu
and I'm curious, like, how doyou feel, you know, being in
(04:59):
Havasu for such a short periodof time but now being one of the
big guys, you know, to say theleast, really here in Havasu?
Ryan (05:06):
You know, I think I never feel that way.
You know, because I feel likeI'll kind of back into this.
I, my wife, the other day, youknow I don't spend.
I don't spend as much time withmy family as I wish I did.
And I woke up one morning and Ilook at myself in the mirror
and I can see these grays and Ican see I've aged, you know, and
and that's kind of the point toquadcast is really to kind of
bring light to what you know,the, the real environment is
(05:28):
like for paradigm overall andeverybody who's aligned at that
top level, at the executivelevel.
But I called my wife and I saidI can just see it in me now.
You know I've been weatheredand the thing that she mentioned
was is that you know she's likeyou're always filled with
humility and you never feel likeyou've done enough.
(05:52):
And I think that kind of goeswith me never really hanging on
my conversations or hanging onmy hat, that we're the biggest
player here.
It's good for conversations whenI'm talking to maybe investors
or family office or what haveyou.
Just you know, see it fromdollar amount to square footage
and obviously overall everythingwe have under.
You know, in the in the works.
But you know, not only does itfeel good I think we all shoot
for that, I think what happensis we fight for that and then,
(06:12):
once you get it, you realizethat's not really what's the
value, that where the valuereally lies, and I think what
the big point to me for foreverything, is that my
relationships are the ones thathave all the wealth.
It it's crazy, like I don'tcare how much I don't follow.
It's not about the money for meanymore, you know, it's about
my relationship with you.
It's about relationship witheverybody here on site it's
(06:33):
Dennis, everybody in my backoffice.
Like there's so much value inmy relationships that I have
with people that I.
That's the reason why we arewhere we are, as it's the whole
team.
A lot of people are bought inand the mission we just we're
out for the mission.
Eric (06:47):
I don't know if I tell you enough, but that's one of the
items that I respect the mostabout you is, once you have a
relationship with someone, notonly do you offer such an
immense amount of loyalty tothem, but I see that
relationship grow intofriendship.
You know familial gatheringI've been watching your podcast
with Aaron.
You know Hot Solutions.
(07:08):
You know Nick Lennon, bridgeElectric, takai.
Your superintendent, dennis,your general contractor, ryan,
your steel fabricator, rob yourarchitect.
I mean you literally bring theseguys in and you build them up
and we were talking about thisearlier that it's led to other
opportunities for your subs andyou don't.
You don't say, like what theheck are you doing there?
(07:29):
What you?
You, you empower them, like go,I want you to do the most that
you can and and if I'm a part ofthat, that's fulfilling for me.
Like you are fulfilled off ofgrowing other people and giving
them opportunities.
I just I think that's soamazing and people don't in this
world.
They don't want to see that.
They get jealous.
(07:50):
There's envy and, like I, wewere talking about Aaron the
other day and he got that otherproject and you're like dude,
he's like a top dog and just toknow that I was a part of that.
A little bit is everything thatI need.
Ryan (08:00):
Yeah, and so I just told him that the other day I said
you know what?
Yeah, and so I just told himthat the other day I said you
know what a killer, what akiller feeling it is to see
someone that I mean, I thinkpeople don't understand and
respect the hard work these boysput in.
They don't, I don't feel likethey get, they're not known
enough, you know, and I thinkthat they need to get recognized
.
And it's kind of wild because Ijust said this the other day is
I think it was Andy Fussellathat said it.
(08:20):
It said the U?
S has been built on tired men'sbacks.
And it's so true.
You know, it's this.
The whole country has beenbuilt up with tired men.
And when you look at these men,these subs and their and their
laborers, these are men.
These guys are out hereswinging hammers and doing stuff
at 120 degrees and they'remaking it.
They're putting foot on thetable for their family.
And I look at them and go I'mglad I'm not doing that.
(08:43):
There's some cases, I knowthey're not glad to be in my
shoes, but the reality is, if Iam able to give recognition
where it's due, I've realizedthat my connection with them
goes up.
But I'm just a normal person.
I want everybody.
That's why I think you and I,we came from nothing, dude, we
really didn't come from much.
Eric (09:01):
Yeah, zero.
Ryan (09:05):
You literally zero, and I think that's kind of where I
tell people like, if you reallywant it, you can get it.
But two, it's always in therelationships and I it took me a
long time to really identifythat, you know, because I I got
hurt, it's just naturally.
And then my walls go up formany years and then I realized,
you know, I have so much valueand stuff to give that as I kind
of reopened up, I was startingto get people that were similar
(09:26):
to me like mask off and then allof a sudden my tribe started
getting bigger and more andstronger and then all of a
sudden my company started doingbetter and I realized I'm like
it's all within therelationships.
And if that's what you can do,there's nothing better than that
.
It's like relationships matterReally.
Eric (09:41):
It's so.
It's just so cool to see Likeyou're actually creating jobs
for people you know, for peoplethat have graduated here, grew
up here, tried to start theirown business.
They're flourishing because ofthe opportunities that you're
giving them.
And then you're bringing themin, collaborating with them on
your social media, inviting themin to do podcasts Like for
(10:03):
these guys, this is like thepinnacle of their career and
you're single-handedly creatingjobs for them over the course of
the next three to five years.
Like if they're having a badday, they can always look
forward to Paradigm because ofthe opportunities that you've
given everyone and you're soloyal to them.
The same people that youstarted with you know you're
(10:25):
still with today.
So I just think that is soamazing, inspiring, amazing and
inspiring to see.
For me and I don't say itenough, but I want you to know
it's definitely noticed andyou're, you're becoming the
pinnacle of a lot of these guysyou know that are working for
you.
Ryan (10:41):
So I just think that's amazing.
That means a lot to me fromhearing from someone like you.
You know your caliber now and Ireally it matters a lot, and I
think one of the things that Ishare with my team is, you know,
I have so much loyalty withinmy team and it's because they've
seen how many bullets have beenfired.
And where I think it lays is ifyou continue to have hardship
(11:04):
and you continue to show up anddo the things that are hard, not
the easy way out, and you tryto do things with integrity and
you're honest, what will happenis you'll naturally start
recruiting those type of peoplein your life and if you're doing
that in your business, yourbusiness will automatically grow
and that's really what'shappened.
You've seen a huge growth, youknow spurt, if you will within
(11:26):
with paradigm in the last three,four years.
I mean big time.
Eric (11:28):
Oh yeah.
Ryan (11:29):
And and it's hard to find that type of multiple in a
startup, if you will, or anexpansion from you know mortgage
backed securities todevelopment.
That's two different worlds.
Eric (11:39):
Yeah.
Ryan (11:40):
And then, you know, they got to have some history of
having to take back propertiesthrough my fund and dealing with
construction, but I at leasthad enough knowledge to go ahead
and feel comfortable to stretchmyself and push myself.
And then I had a lot of peopleand investors that I've
performed for in the past thattook that chance on me and I
performed again.
Then they kept reinvesting andnow we are where we are and now
(12:00):
I continue to buildrelationships with new investors
, and that's the thing it's like.
My exposure to people every dayis different Meaning.
You know, I get phone callsfrom investors that have been
with me for five, six, sevenyears and their wives are
terminally ill.
You know, people who've gotcancer looking at this as a
retirement plan, how to hedgeagainst inflation.
(12:27):
They're worried about politics,they're worried about their
income.
They don't have the energy togo back to work.
So what they have they can'tafford to lose.
And so they're looking at me asthat person.
And what's crazy is, for thelongest time I was hard to wear
that, but then I realized I wokeup one day and I'm like but God
put me here for a reason, and Ithink anybody who's relying on
(12:49):
somebody at that level needs afighter, needs someone that
won't give up, someone thatwon't stop moving forward,
someone that will continue to behonest and tell people the
truth of what's going on.
Eric (12:58):
You know what I mean.
Ryan (12:58):
Like if there's a bad, hey guys, we're having a problem
delivering the building Causeyou know this sub, this,
whatever.
At least I tell them and andand that it's like it's
construction Things happen Fine.
But if I'm honest about it andtell people how this works from
the beginning, they're totallyokay with it, and I think that's
really what it comes down to.
Eric (13:16):
And I think, look, we need to talk about this because you
know we've talked about lastthree to four years how paradigm
has grown exponentiallyParadigm storage, your first
storage development.
If you haven't walked thegrounds of paradigm storage, I
think you need to, because it'sunlike any other storage
(13:55):
development that you've everseen in Havasu no elevations
that don't have these elaboratepop-ups and modern color scheme
and stoned exterior andinsulated storage units and air
conditioning.
What made you decide to go soagainst the grain and not figure
out how do I spend the leastamount to make the most possible
, but how more?
So you said I want to.
I want to deliver a product toHavasu that they've never seen
before.
(14:16):
You weren't worried about yourbottom line.
You weren't thinking how do Ijust stuff my pockets?
You, you just need to walk theproject for yourself to see it.
But why did you make thedecisions to just go so above
and beyond to deliver such anincredible product?
Ryan (14:30):
So most of the time when people say that, what's your key
to success?
And I basically tell everybodywell, there's a couple, several
different things, but one inparticular.
When you're starting, yourvetting of a project is if it's
good for everybody that'sinvolved, the likelihood of that
investment to go well goes up.
Eric (14:45):
Yeah.
Ryan (14:46):
So if it's good for the community, good for the
environment, good for yourinvestors, your developers, the
area, whatever as long as it'sgood for everybody that's going
to be involved, the likelihoodof it being a good investment is
is is high.
However, what I've also wantedto do is make sure I'm building
something that I want.
Eric (15:03):
Yeah.
Ryan (15:03):
I would want.
I'm, I'm putting my stuff inhere.
I'm putting, you know, I wantto take care of my stuff because
this isn't cheap and honestly,I worked really hard for these
things.
And then I'm looking at it froma tax strategy and
self-employed.
And what if I had the realestate and you sell it and you
can get some write-offs right,and you get brick and mortar,
and the whole list goes on.
And then I'm like, well, thisis pretty cool, this can morph.
(15:24):
And then I was looking at whatour competitors are or have and
I'm like we just need tocontinue to do just a little
better, you know.
So business hat now.
Do a little bit better than thelast person and you'll get the
niche.
Do it a little bit better thanthe last person, you'll get the
niche.
But then, as I continue to talkto people that you know I would
say have worked really hard fortheir stuff too and want to
take care of it, are asking for,you know, rv hookups and so
(15:45):
forth, and I'm like, but inessence, I'll pass the cost over
to the owner.
So I know what my bottom lineis, but I'm not going to charge
them more.
It's cheaper to put that in nowthan them to do it afterwards.
Might as well do that now forthem.
(16:08):
So I got to a point where I'mlike okay, I know what my
margins, I'm deliveringsomething that everybody needs
or wants and I'm already stillmaking my margin, so it's really
business hat.
And then I would say lastly,you know, I also I have this
vision and this dream that oneday my two boys will take over
my company.
Eric (16:24):
Love it.
Ryan (16:25):
And even if they don't, they bring their family out here
, which I'm expecting they will,cause both my kids honor my
last name.
I'm very blessed.
I expect that when they comeout here and they drive by here
with their, with the grandkidsor their family, they're going
to be like dad built that anddad built that too, and dad
built that.
Dad built that, and dad wasn'thome, as much as you know.
We wanted him to and dadsacrificed a lot and you know so
(16:45):
I'm.
I want to build something that'sgoing to, that my family and
anybody who was involved isgoing to be very proud of, like
something that it's aconversation piece for years, to
have something that the city isgoing to.
You know, look at and go.
Everybody needs to develop,like you, cause then I build
relationships because we'rebuilding a better product.
So I think, at the end of theday, it was more of like truly
(17:07):
understanding who your end usersare, which are going to be guys
just like me, and what theywant and need to keep their
stuff nice, and that's what Idid.
I just wanted to build a better, healthier, cleaner product.
Eric (17:19):
I just think it's amazing, like if you're an entrepreneur
and you're looking to developstorage, you know, at some part
of the country.
There's no easier way to sell astorage unit than when you have
a buyer on the phone and theyask you is the storage unit
insulated?
Yes, does it have airconditioning?
Yes, am I going to have to getout of my vehicle and start
cranking the door open in ahundred degrees or 120 degrees
(17:42):
if you leave in Havasu?
No, you're going to hit abutton and the door is going to
open automatically.
Well, if I have an RV, can Imake?
How am I going to be able tocharge it?
The RV hookups are already inthere.
So what?
I think that?
The value to entrepreneurs outthere, investors, I think you're
the exact definition of aninvestor.
That it's not.
Hey, how do I spend the leastamount to make the most amount
(18:05):
of money possible?
It's.
How do I really deliver aproduct that has quality, that
has value, aestheticallypleasing?
We're talking about storageunits and you've made storage
sexy.
And if that's one of thereasons how we've been able to
sell 76 units literally it was74.
This morning we had twocontracts.
Today, 76 units and they almostsell themselves because of the
(18:30):
decisions that you've made as adeveloper, so I just have to
commend you on that.
Ryan (18:33):
Well, dude, it's funny that you said that, because,
kara, my wife's like, how muchmore sexy are you going to try
to make storage?
Cause we're always doing thesephoto shoots and videos and so
forth, and I'm like, baby, howabout you get in the photo?
We'll make it sexy, you know,but which we did?
But right, but, but what thethe the point is is like I, I'm,
I'm on site all the time, youknow, and I think what's nice is
that I always kind of get thepat on the back, that I'm a
hands-on operator and I'm alwayshere and we're here right now,
(18:56):
you know.
So I get the chance to you know,when you bring the buyers and
I'll meet all these buyers and Iliterally start building
relationships with them and Istart hearing their stories and
it's a bunch of all.
Have you know a story in lifeand why they decide to buy this?
And it's all usually kind ofthe same story, which is we see
value in these.
(19:17):
We know we were looking forwrite-offs.
We want to keep our stuff nice,like it's the same conversation
pretty much every time.
but it's a.
It's also an atmosphere, it's alifestyle.
When you drive through here andyou have a couple of people
with their doors open, it'salmost like old town feel.
You automatically wave down,going driving down the road in
an old town back East somewhereI do when I go to Tennessee.
I just waved to everybody CauseI know I'm not getting that in
(19:38):
California.
Eric (19:39):
For sure.
Ryan (19:40):
And.
But that's how you feel here.
It's like that's why I knoweverybody.
If there's a garage door open,I get out and I introduce myself
and say hello, but I think Igenuinely like that, genuinely
like that, and other people dothe same thing to me.
Eric (19:53):
Guys, you have to if you're listening to this.
I mean, there was.
We literally had one buyer whobought in our first phase.
He had a gorgeous 46 footPrevost RV, maybe a little bit
beginner on driving skill,Couldn't quite get his unit,
Couldn't quite access his unit.
I've worked with a lot ofdevelopers.
I've worked with a ton ofdevelopers and have been very
blessed to do so.
How you handled that situation?
(20:14):
You literally told him hey,we're building some more units
in the future phase.
As soon as those are ready, Iwant to move you over to that
unit so that the access is morecomfortable.
So you're not stressing.
That is not how developers arebuilt today.
It's just it's amazing to seehow you are with people, and
(20:35):
when I'm I'm listening to yourconversations, I just see how
much you actually truly care.
Like you're not faking that,you care, you really care and
you want everyone on your teamto be happy and you want your
buyers to be happy and I justthey don't build them like that
today well, so I appreciate thecool story.
Ryan (20:50):
So so Carlos and his drive-thru.
Eric (20:52):
I didn't know if you wanted me to bring that up.
Ryan (20:55):
I'll just tell you.
Eric (20:55):
the story today, how you handled that too, is insane.
Well, so.
Ryan (20:57):
But so I get a phone call from Dennis today and Dennis is
like, hey, so I got to get intohis unit.
Now, mind you, he owns the unitalready, he closed, he's got.
And Dennis is like, hey, I gotto get into the unit, I need to
pull all your stuff out and work.
So I got to get a lift in thereand the whole nine yards.
And he's like I don't know hegoes.
Well, what if Ryan moves allyour trailers?
And he's like, okay, no problem.
Eric (21:19):
Because it's not.
You know, he knows your skillis.
That's a whole otherconversation how skilled you are
towing a boat.
Ryan (21:35):
And so that was nice to see.
That.
You know, these guys know I'mhere and that and it's, it's.
I'm not just an operator Like Ican, I can do stuff with my
hands, I'm, you know, and so Ithink people really appreciate
that because I'm so hands-on.
I know every.
I know how many bolts are inthis.
I know how many pieces are cutin the storage.
I mean, I am, I'm, I just I'min love with what we do.
You know, I least 15,.
(21:55):
You know, every time I meetsomebody and they're like hey,
you're doing the barn caves,like I love what you've done
here.
I'll got to invest.
It's wild, you know, and sothat's but, but it's, I'm just
being me, I don't, I don't knowanother way to be, because I
want everyone to be happy.
Eric (22:05):
I just hope that you never lose sight of who you are as a
human being, because sometimes Ijust don't even know if you
know.
But how you handle yourselfwith buyers, with potential
clients, how you extend yourmarketing team to us to help us
with sales, to jump in in thetrenches, to help dentists with
subcontractors I don't know ifthe gratitude is reciprocated
(22:27):
enough, but I just want to saythank you and for people that
have talked about gettinginvolved in the project to maybe
invest at some capacity, I mean, when I did it, when I
personally invested, it wasliterally a no brainer for me
because of how you handleyourself as an investor, the
decisions that you've made herein the project and the fact that
we've sold 76 units in a littleover two years that's insane.
(22:52):
And your bullish behavior oncontinuing to advance the
project when we're not even youknow we've just started sales.
On another, you want to haveall kinds of different
opportunities or variety of unittypes for people to buy, or
(23:13):
variety of unit types for peopleto buy that you're just
constantly reinvesting back intothe project to make it more and
more valuable every single day.
So I've just I've had a lot ofconversations with people that
they always ask me cause.
I'm always posting on myInstagram.
I'm trying to inspire others toinvest, to have the opportunity
to get to where I got today.
The biggest thing that I see,though, is a misalignment in
expectations.
Well, I have $2,500.
(23:35):
I said that's great.
What do you expect to make onthat $2,500?
Because, relatively speaking,it's not the biggest investment.
But what if you made $500 onthat $2,500 in a year, just for
example?
I mean, that's a really goodreturn on $2,200.
They're like well, that's notthat much.
I'm like what do you mean?
It's not that much.
(23:55):
$2,500.
What if you did that threetimes and now you had $10,000 to
invest?
When I made my first investmentat the age of 19, I had saved
$20,000.
I didn't have a whole lot to myname, because all I did was
save so I can invest more.
So it's important for investorsto realize that when, if you
want to invest, I would say juststart with whatever you have
(24:34):
and have the expectation on thatamount.
Twenty five hundred dollars istotally an OK place to start, in
my opinion.
Ryan (24:42):
Well, ok, so let's just get into brass tacks.
So from your track record, it'dbe number five in the country,
by the way, congratulations.
Eric (24:50):
Because that's new, thank you, but I'm hoping real quick.
Ryan (24:53):
Just let me tee off on you for a second.
Eric (24:54):
Yeah.
Ryan (24:55):
How does it feel to be number five in the country?
Eric (24:58):
It feels amazing and I couldn't think of I just we
wouldn't be there without theamazing team that we have.
I mean truly to pump up.
Ryan (25:06):
Yeah, your team is.
I love your team.
Eric (25:08):
We're pumping out over $250 million in sales in Mojave
County, like Havasu specificallynot even 60,000 people, but
it's also because of theopportunities that we have, like
Paradigm Storage.
It does help when you look likethe mafia, though no but it's
also any development that I'm apart of, I've invested in.
(25:30):
That's how we've gotten thelistings on those projects, so I
want to inspire others, butthat's a high-level land play.
Ryan (25:36):
By the way, a lot of agents don't know how to play
those cards, yeah, and I don'tknow if you want to expose your
secrets, but what I'm saying isthat you understand the
commercial land plays as anagent, yeah, and that's why
you're able to kind of workthose deals, but that's guys
that are at that caliber thatare buying and developing.
That's what I own.
For the most part is owned incash.
Eric (26:12):
And that's because I've reinvested 95% of my income
since I was 19 years old.
So for anyone that's looking toinvest, I would say, just start
with a couple thousand bucks andgrow your eggs so that you
could have a bigger chunk ofcapital to invest to make a
larger return.
But you have to start somewhere.
And I was talking to one of myagents a couple of weeks ago.
(26:34):
She's like I really want toinvest.
I said, well, what do you have?
She's like I have $10,000.
I said that's amazing, butstart with $2,500.
Start with $5,000 and buildthat trust within yourself.
Build that confidence withinyourself so that you'll maybe
next time you invest that full10.
I mean, when I was 19, I wentall in and I was hooked.
(26:54):
But you have to start somewhereso you can get hooked.
But make decisions and investwith people that you feel
confident in.
And I couldn't think of abetter avenue than paradigm
storage.
Ryan (27:05):
I thank you.
I thank you for that and youknow and I was a lot of people
don't know that you can investthrough like an IRA.
You know a lot of people,especially when you jump from
jobs or you're going intoretirement.
What have you?
You have an IRA from your past.
You know employer or a 401kthat you roll over to an IRA.
That's actually one of thebiggest investment vehicles that
we have, separate to savings.
And what have you?
A lot of people pulling moneyout of Vanguard Fidelity Schwab.
(27:26):
I mean all kinds of stockaccounts and money market
accounts and coming into realestate, which is very, I would
say, is probably the right movein this political atmosphere and
market and what possiblypossibilities are going to be
down the road as far as anegative outcome and how that
impacts and we can talk aboutthat later.
But you know, a lot of people,I think, believe that real
(27:48):
estate is a short-term game andit is not.
This is a long-term game and Itell everybody look, as for
conversation purposes, if youcan take a hundred thousand and
you can get to 10,000 or amillion dollars in 10 years, 11
years that's kind of the rule ofthumb If you can get there,
that's good money.
But it takes you 10 years andyou got to keep investing it.
You got to keep beingaggressive.
(28:09):
And then when you are makingpayouts, you got to keep
investing it.
You got to keep beingaggressive.
And then when, when you aremaking, payouts.
Eric (28:14):
You got to diversify, you got to get.
You know, not put all your eggsin one basket.
You have to be aggressive onthat 10 year plan.
If you take a couple of years,off you've lost track and you're
not going to.
You're going to have ashortfall.
Ryan (28:24):
Yeah, so, even though 10 years is still a stretch for
that million, but that's want amillion bucks in two years.
Well, where are you going tofind that?
And even if you go to crypto,you're running the risk of
waking up in the morning andit's gone.
Eric (28:33):
Yeah.
Ryan (28:33):
So at the end of the day, I think the smartest move is for
people to come in, especiallywhen you're getting into
commercial real estate.
Nothing happens fast incommercial real estate.
That's why patient money is thebest money being patient, making
an investment that you can seethere's a long-term play and
that can withstand any marketadjustments.
Because guys like me or otherguys even way more sophisticated
than me they're making andlooking at data at like a
(28:55):
five-year, six-year, seven-yearplay, even from an exit side,
like multifamily.
How you're building it, whatkind of?
How do you put an Andersonwindows in there?
You're getting it cheaperbecause, okay, well, you're
going to sell this thing, thiswhole multifamily, for 50
million when it's done.
Your buyer's pool is that big.
So now they're going to look ateverything that you're doing.
They're going to look atmaintenance, because multifamily
is all about maintenance.
(29:16):
What kind of materials did youbuild it with?
They want to know all that.
So if you're a developer that'scutting corners in certain
asset classes, you're not goingto make the money.
And the point is that all ofthose plays, though from a
developer's hat, you have tolook at long-term who your exit
players are going to be, whoyour end buyers are going to be.
If you have an idea on whothose people are, well, you need
(29:36):
to know.
I have an idea, you need toknow.
Eric (29:38):
Yeah.
Ryan (29:39):
But when you know who those people are, then you can
build something, knowing thatyou're going to exit, and that's
the smartest thing you can do.
Eric (29:45):
Yeah.
Ryan (29:45):
So when you are aligning as an investor, if you're
vetting operators to invest intolook at that long-term play how
did they sustain 08?
Let's get them, because mosteverybody lost everything.
But how did they sustain 08?
How did they come recover fromthat?
And what are they doing now?
That's different.
Have they been divorced?
How are they handling certainadversity?
(30:05):
Have they been in lawsuits?
All of that stuff?
There's nothing wrong withasking.
And if they handled themselveswith with integrity and took
care of their, their, theirresponsibilities, then it's
probably a developer, anoperator that can sustain, you
know, and we'll keep going andknows how to fight.
Because at the end of the daythat I tell everybody, raising
money for a project is is, it'sa fraction of it, it's once the
(30:29):
development starts, is when thewar starts.
Yeah, it really is a wholedifferent game man For sure.
So when, yeah, raising money,okay, you got the capital all in
line, but getting it built is acompletely different game.
So the point is is that if youhave an operator that has all
their ducks lined up and theyhave their subs and materials
and they know what they're doing, the likelihood of the
(30:56):
investment, that goes up is orit turns out well, it goes up,
and ultimately you want somebodywho has a track record,
definitely Right.
So that's what I love about you,because you taught me so much
about you know about storage,man, yeah, I, you know, I had
all these ideas and you're like,okay, well, that's too much.
Oh yeah, this is a lot, this isbetter.
Oh no, you need to do this.
So, really, man, I appreciateyou giving me kudos, but I
couldn't have done it withoutyou.
Eric (31:13):
I appreciate it, I really do, Cause I just think that it's
so easy to invest not only in aproject but in a person that
you feel so confident on, and Ijust I have to go back to this
because I get so many peoplethat ask me how do I start
investing?
Like, what do I do?
How do I do it?
I couldn't think just paradigmstorage.
(31:34):
If you want to do 5,000, 10,000, like, while the opportunity
lasts, I don't even know whereyou add on the raise.
But my paradigm, I think ispretty much at capacity, but I'm
sure there's otheropportunities.
What a great company to be ableto invest in.
Your CEO, Mike Reveley, Brianna, the whole crew, I think, is
just fantastic and very classy.
Ryan (31:54):
Yeah, we're blessed.
Eric (31:55):
Yeah, dude, thanks for having me on, of course.
And cheers to Paradigm Storageand three new contracts in one
day, that was pretty cool.
Yeah, dude, that was awesome.
Ryan (32:04):
It's right before the election too.
Eric (32:06):
I know, I know.
Ryan (32:07):
People need it.
People need to move money.
A lot of people are bullish.
They don't care what's going tohappen and they need to make
their moves.
Eric (32:14):
Report to 85% sold out building C, crossing 40%
building D and underway onbuilding E.
Ryan (32:21):
And you already got.
I think you have a handful ofpeople on the list for some of
the larger units in E right.
Eric (32:32):
Yeah, people love the doubles that 28 feet of width,
55, 65 foot options areabsolutely incredible.
Ryan (32:35):
You know, building G, I have a sticky feeling that's
going to go fast because peoplewant the larger units.
It's crazy.
You always think, well, it'smore smaller units, but for
whatever reason here that's notthe case.
People want large units.
Eric (32:45):
Yeah, 28 by 77, plus a balcony with some river views.
Yes, please.
Ryan (32:50):
Millionaire's Row.
Love it, love it.
Eric (32:51):
I really should have closed this in PS.
Those barn caves.
Renderings are sick.
Did you see those things?
Insane, insane.
Ryan (32:57):
It's like morphing into being better and better every
day.
Yeah, it's the coolest feeling.
Eric (33:01):
Yeah, we're very blessed.
The gym, pickleball court,3,000 Square foot options, huge
tuck under RV garages.
Amazing stuff what you're doingman.
Ryan (33:10):
Four bedroom, four bath too.
Yeah, love it, dude barn tomedium, three stories single
family, one unit Drive-thrugarages.
Eric (33:19):
Yeah.
Ryan (33:19):
Man caves.
Eric (33:20):
Yeah.
Ryan (33:21):
Or woman caves, doesn't matter, it's a cave.
Eric (33:23):
That works, Ryan.
Thanks for being my friend, bro.
Ryan (33:30):
I appreciate you man, love you dude.
Hey everybody, ryan Garland here, founder and
chairman of Paradyme.
Thank you for joining us.
We are here today with EricD'Aglia.
He's my best friend in thewhole world and I got to tell
you this table was sponsored by10 Day Doors and so is this
podcast, which.
Welcome to Paradyme Shift.
Eric, you are the man.
I'm glad you're here.
Where do we start?
Eric (00:20):
I appreciate you saying that, but I think we need to
give just a little bit morelight to Mr Ryan Busnardo for
putting together probably one ofthe most epic podcast tables
that I've ever seen.
I've seen his operation inperson.
I love supporting localbusinesses and Ryan is the man
he really is the man.
Ryan (00:37):
This table is insane.
He is Dude.
It's 1,200 pounds.
Eric (00:45):
I saw you and Jordan trying to lift this thing and
then, like Val got involved with, like, moving some glass and
you guys literally were movingaround 1200 pounds.
Ryan (00:48):
There was no such thing as moving this table, this thing
man, but no thanks for having meon the shift man.
Eric (00:56):
I've been watching it.
It looks awesome and gratefulto be a part of it.
Ryan (00:59):
Well, you know what I think it's important that you
know our network in the worldhears from you and I both more
often, for the simple fact thateveryone wants to see what it is
we're doing with ParadigmStorage and how the heck we're
branding and building thereputation that we have.
And you know, I think one ofthe what I always do is give you
thanks all the time becauseyou've really guided me through
this, in essence, atmosphere ofHavasu.
(01:19):
But really, man, I just want tocontinue to highlight who you
are and what you do and givethanks to you publicly and just
let the world know that youexist, you know, and that I
really want people to work withyou and use you when they are
looking to buy homes, developprojects.
Like I was telling you before,I don't think there's much
higher than where you alreadyare.
You know you're developingprojects now.
Eric (01:39):
I remember that phone call , no-transcript, a second step
(02:15):
out of your body and realize youguys are doing things
nationally.
That you know is top tier.
I feel it.
It feels so genuine coming fromyou.
Ryan (02:26):
So you really, really really care about me and you
support me, and thatrelationship and that loyalty is
invaluable to me.
Well, thank you, man.
It's totally mutual and youknow, I think what I?
A lot of people continue to askme more about my past and my
background.
But being in the space for 20years and literally doing loans
for hard money and conventionalnationwide, I've really seen a
(02:47):
lot of agents and how theypractice and how they handle
hard times and handle adversity.
Going through 2008, I saw a lotof things go on between divorces
and financial hardship and youknow people losing their homes
and losing everything, and soyou know, I always tell
everybody you don't know whatyou get until you put people in
hot water like tea bags, right.
And I've seen you over and overagain handle yourself under
(03:10):
adversity like a pro, likeyou've.
This is what you've been doingyour whole life.
It's almost like as as if lifedoesn't get easier and you just
keep handling it.
So you know, I think a lot oftimes relationships get tested
and you know people get intobusiness and they think it's
going to be all hunky-dory andyou're going to make a ton of
money.
But I think where the value isnot only on how we support each
other, but it's also the valueyou bring to me individually in
(03:31):
your lane and then, as we gothrough hardship and we make it
work like it's.
There's nothing better, becauseyou and I've actually had some
testing times already, you know,and to get to where we are
today, I think, is really ablessing overall.
Eric (03:43):
Yeah, me too.
I mean, ultimately, I wastelling you I think a video got
posted on Facebook it was likeone of those seven year memory
things and I was I was pushing a$300,000 house, like it was a
$3 million house, and you weremy biggest fan back then and
you're my biggest fan now and Ijust I'm I'm so grateful to have
(04:03):
that, because you know, when Itell you about our successes,
like people, sometimes they getjealous or they get envious and
I'm like, hey, dude, we justfound out we're top five in the
state of Arizona and you're likeyou go get that, bro, and
that's support.
Ryan (04:16):
And you earned it yeah.
Eric (04:17):
Well, and you're just such a big part of that because
ultimately, what we were talkingabout 74 units that we've
already sold at Paradigm Storageand to everyone that's invested
in Paradigm Storage, I'mtelling you right now, if you're
listening, not only did youmake the right decision, but the
only decision that could bebetter would be to stay in this
investment longer, becausethat's exactly what I've done
(04:37):
with my investment.
But 74 units sold, on track tosell over 200 here at Paradigm.
We're on the brink of 150additional units at Barn Caves
Boathouse there in the nearfuture, and then the amazing
space over at Dover.
I mean you're probably, I meanyou're the player now in Havasu
and I'm curious, like, how doyou feel, you know, being in
(04:59):
Havasu for such a short periodof time but now being one of the
big guys, you know, to say theleast, really here in Havasu?
Ryan (05:06):
You know, I think I never feel that way.
You know, because I feel likeI'll kind of back into this.
I, my wife, the other day, youknow I don't spend.
I don't spend as much time withmy family as I wish I did.
And I woke up one morning and Ilook at myself in the mirror
and I can see these grays and Ican see I've aged, you know, and
and that's kind of the point toquadcast is really to kind of
bring light to what you know,the, the real environment is
(05:28):
like for paradigm overall andeverybody who's aligned at that
top level, at the executivelevel.
But I called my wife and I saidI can just see it in me now.
You know I've been weatheredand the thing that she mentioned
was is that you know she's likeyou're always filled with
humility and you never feel likeyou've done enough.
(05:52):
And I think that kind of goeswith me never really hanging on
my conversations or hanging onmy hat, that we're the biggest
player here.
It's good for conversations whenI'm talking to maybe investors
or family office or what haveyou.
Just you know, see it fromdollar amount to square footage
and obviously overall everythingwe have under.
You know, in the in the works.
But you know, not only does itfeel good I think we all shoot
for that, I think what happensis we fight for that and then,
(06:12):
once you get it, you realizethat's not really what's the
value, that where the valuereally lies, and I think what
the big point to me for foreverything, is that my
relationships are the ones thathave all the wealth.
It it's crazy, like I don'tcare how much I don't follow.
It's not about the money for meanymore, you know, it's about
my relationship with you.
It's about relationship witheverybody here on site it's
(06:33):
Dennis, everybody in my backoffice.
Like there's so much value inmy relationships that I have
with people that I.
That's the reason why we arewhere we are, as it's the whole
team.
A lot of people are bought inand the mission we just we're
out for the mission.
Eric (06:47):
I don't know if I tell you enough, but that's one of the
items that I respect the mostabout you is, once you have a
relationship with someone, notonly do you offer such an
immense amount of loyalty tothem, but I see that
relationship grow intofriendship.
You know familial gatheringI've been watching your podcast
with Aaron.
You know Hot Solutions.
(07:08):
You know Nick Lennon, bridgeElectric, takai.
Your superintendent, dennis,your general contractor, ryan,
your steel fabricator, rob yourarchitect.
I mean you literally bring theseguys in and you build them up
and we were talking about thisearlier that it's led to other
opportunities for your subs andyou don't.
You don't say, like what theheck are you doing there?
(07:29):
What you?
You, you empower them, like go,I want you to do the most that
you can and and if I'm a part ofthat, that's fulfilling for me.
Like you are fulfilled off ofgrowing other people and giving
them opportunities.
I just I think that's soamazing and people don't in this
world.
They don't want to see that.
They get jealous.
(07:50):
There's envy and, like I, wewere talking about Aaron the
other day and he got that otherproject and you're like dude,
he's like a top dog and just toknow that I was a part of that.
A little bit is everything thatI need.
Ryan (08:00):
Yeah, and so I just told him that the other day I said
you know what?
Yeah, and so I just told himthat the other day I said you
know what a killer, what akiller feeling it is to see
someone that I mean, I thinkpeople don't understand and
respect the hard work these boysput in.
They don't, I don't feel likethey get, they're not known
enough, you know, and I thinkthat they need to get recognized
.
And it's kind of wild because Ijust said this the other day is
I think it was Andy Fussellathat said it.
(08:20):
It said the U?
S has been built on tired men'sbacks.
And it's so true.
You know, it's this.
The whole country has beenbuilt up with tired men.
And when you look at these men,these subs and their and their
laborers, these are men.
These guys are out hereswinging hammers and doing stuff
at 120 degrees and they'remaking it.
They're putting foot on thetable for their family.
And I look at them and go I'mglad I'm not doing that.
(08:43):
There's some cases, I knowthey're not glad to be in my
shoes, but the reality is, if Iam able to give recognition
where it's due, I've realizedthat my connection with them
goes up.
But I'm just a normal person.
I want everybody.
That's why I think you and I,we came from nothing, dude, we
really didn't come from much.
Eric (09:01):
Yeah, zero.
Ryan (09:05):
You literally zero, and I think that's kind of where I
tell people like, if you reallywant it, you can get it.
But two, it's always in therelationships and I it took me a
long time to really identifythat, you know, because I I got
hurt, it's just naturally.
And then my walls go up formany years and then I realized,
you know, I have so much valueand stuff to give that as I kind
of reopened up, I was startingto get people that were similar
(09:26):
to me like mask off and then allof a sudden my tribe started
getting bigger and more andstronger and then all of a
sudden my company started doingbetter and I realized I'm like
it's all within therelationships.
And if that's what you can do,there's nothing better than that
.
It's like relationships matterReally.
Eric (09:41):
It's so.
It's just so cool to see Likeyou're actually creating jobs
for people you know, for peoplethat have graduated here, grew
up here, tried to start theirown business.
They're flourishing because ofthe opportunities that you're
giving them.
And then you're bringing themin, collaborating with them on
your social media, inviting themin to do podcasts Like for
(10:03):
these guys, this is like thepinnacle of their career and
you're single-handedly creatingjobs for them over the course of
the next three to five years.
Like if they're having a badday, they can always look
forward to Paradigm because ofthe opportunities that you've
given everyone and you're soloyal to them.
The same people that youstarted with you know you're
(10:25):
still with today.
So I just think that is soamazing, inspiring, amazing and
inspiring to see.
For me and I don't say itenough, but I want you to know
it's definitely noticed andyou're, you're becoming the
pinnacle of a lot of these guysyou know that are working for
you.
Ryan (10:41):
So I just think that's amazing.
That means a lot to me fromhearing from someone like you.
You know your caliber now and Ireally it matters a lot, and I
think one of the things that Ishare with my team is, you know,
I have so much loyalty withinmy team and it's because they've
seen how many bullets have beenfired.
And where I think it lays is ifyou continue to have hardship
(11:04):
and you continue to show up anddo the things that are hard, not
the easy way out, and you tryto do things with integrity and
you're honest, what will happenis you'll naturally start
recruiting those type of peoplein your life and if you're doing
that in your business, yourbusiness will automatically grow
and that's really what'shappened.
You've seen a huge growth, youknow spurt, if you will within
(11:26):
with paradigm in the last three,four years.
I mean big time.
Eric (11:28):
Oh yeah.
Ryan (11:29):
And and it's hard to find that type of multiple in a
startup, if you will, or anexpansion from you know mortgage
backed securities todevelopment.
That's two different worlds.
Eric (11:39):
Yeah.
Ryan (11:40):
And then, you know, they got to have some history of
having to take back propertiesthrough my fund and dealing with
construction, but I at leasthad enough knowledge to go ahead
and feel comfortable to stretchmyself and push myself.
And then I had a lot of peopleand investors that I've
performed for in the past thattook that chance on me and I
performed again.
Then they kept reinvesting andnow we are where we are and now
(12:00):
I continue to buildrelationships with new investors
, and that's the thing it's like.
My exposure to people every dayis different Meaning.
You know, I get phone callsfrom investors that have been
with me for five, six, sevenyears and their wives are
terminally ill.
You know, people who've gotcancer looking at this as a
retirement plan, how to hedgeagainst inflation.
(12:27):
They're worried about politics,they're worried about their
income.
They don't have the energy togo back to work.
So what they have they can'tafford to lose.
And so they're looking at me asthat person.
And what's crazy is, for thelongest time I was hard to wear
that, but then I realized I wokeup one day and I'm like but God
put me here for a reason, and Ithink anybody who's relying on
(12:49):
somebody at that level needs afighter, needs someone that
won't give up, someone thatwon't stop moving forward,
someone that will continue to behonest and tell people the
truth of what's going on.
Eric (12:58):
You know what I mean.
Ryan (12:58):
Like if there's a bad, hey guys, we're having a problem
delivering the building Causeyou know this sub, this,
whatever.
At least I tell them and andand that it's like it's
construction Things happen Fine.
But if I'm honest about it andtell people how this works from
the beginning, they're totallyokay with it, and I think that's
really what it comes down to.
Eric (13:16):
And I think, look, we need to talk about this because you
know we've talked about lastthree to four years how paradigm
has grown exponentiallyParadigm storage, your first
storage development.
If you haven't walked thegrounds of paradigm storage, I
think you need to, because it'sunlike any other storage
(13:55):
development that you've everseen in Havasu no elevations
that don't have these elaboratepop-ups and modern color scheme
and stoned exterior andinsulated storage units and air
conditioning.
What made you decide to go soagainst the grain and not figure
out how do I spend the leastamount to make the most possible
, but how more?
So you said I want to.
I want to deliver a product toHavasu that they've never seen
before.
(14:16):
You weren't worried about yourbottom line.
You weren't thinking how do Ijust stuff my pockets?
You, you just need to walk theproject for yourself to see it.
But why did you make thedecisions to just go so above
and beyond to deliver such anincredible product?
Ryan (14:30):
So most of the time when people say that, what's your key
to success?
And I basically tell everybodywell, there's a couple, several
different things, but one inparticular.
When you're starting, yourvetting of a project is if it's
good for everybody that'sinvolved, the likelihood of that
investment to go well goes up.
Eric (14:45):
Yeah.
Ryan (14:46):
So if it's good for the community, good for the
environment, good for yourinvestors, your developers, the
area, whatever as long as it'sgood for everybody that's going
to be involved, the likelihoodof it being a good investment is
is is high.
However, what I've also wantedto do is make sure I'm building
something that I want.
Eric (15:03):
Yeah.
Ryan (15:03):
I would want.
I'm, I'm putting my stuff inhere.
I'm putting, you know, I wantto take care of my stuff because
this isn't cheap and honestly,I worked really hard for these
things.
And then I'm looking at it froma tax strategy and
self-employed.
And what if I had the realestate and you sell it and you
can get some write-offs right,and you get brick and mortar,
and the whole list goes on.
And then I'm like, well, thisis pretty cool, this can morph.
(15:24):
And then I was looking at whatour competitors are or have and
I'm like we just need tocontinue to do just a little
better, you know.
So business hat now.
Do a little bit better than thelast person and you'll get the
niche.
Do it a little bit better thanthe last person, you'll get the
niche.
But then, as I continue to talkto people that you know I would
say have worked really hard fortheir stuff too and want to
take care of it, are asking for,you know, rv hookups and so
(15:45):
forth, and I'm like, but inessence, I'll pass the cost over
to the owner.
So I know what my bottom lineis, but I'm not going to charge
them more.
It's cheaper to put that in nowthan them to do it afterwards.
Might as well do that now forthem.
(16:08):
So I got to a point where I'mlike okay, I know what my
margins, I'm deliveringsomething that everybody needs
or wants and I'm already stillmaking my margin, so it's really
business hat.
And then I would say lastly,you know, I also I have this
vision and this dream that oneday my two boys will take over
my company.
Eric (16:24):
Love it.
Ryan (16:25):
And even if they don't, they bring their family out here
, which I'm expecting they will,cause both my kids honor my
last name.
I'm very blessed.
I expect that when they comeout here and they drive by here
with their, with the grandkidsor their family, they're going
to be like dad built that anddad built that too, and dad
built that.
Dad built that, and dad wasn'thome, as much as you know.
We wanted him to and dadsacrificed a lot and you know so
(16:45):
I'm.
I want to build something that'sgoing to, that my family and
anybody who was involved isgoing to be very proud of, like
something that it's aconversation piece for years, to
have something that the city isgoing to.
You know, look at and go.
Everybody needs to develop,like you, cause then I build
relationships because we'rebuilding a better product.
So I think, at the end of theday, it was more of like truly
(17:07):
understanding who your end usersare, which are going to be guys
just like me, and what theywant and need to keep their
stuff nice, and that's what Idid.
I just wanted to build a better, healthier, cleaner product.
Eric (17:19):
I just think it's amazing, like if you're an entrepreneur
and you're looking to developstorage, you know, at some part
of the country.
There's no easier way to sell astorage unit than when you have
a buyer on the phone and theyask you is the storage unit
insulated?
Yes, does it have airconditioning?
Yes, am I going to have to getout of my vehicle and start
cranking the door open in ahundred degrees or 120 degrees
(17:42):
if you leave in Havasu?
No, you're going to hit abutton and the door is going to
open automatically.
Well, if I have an RV, can Imake?
How am I going to be able tocharge it?
The RV hookups are already inthere.
So what?
I think that?
The value to entrepreneurs outthere, investors, I think you're
the exact definition of aninvestor.
That it's not.
Hey, how do I spend the leastamount to make the most amount
(18:05):
of money possible?
It's.
How do I really deliver aproduct that has quality, that
has value, aestheticallypleasing?
We're talking about storageunits and you've made storage
sexy.
And if that's one of thereasons how we've been able to
sell 76 units literally it was74.
This morning we had twocontracts.
Today, 76 units and they almostsell themselves because of the
(18:30):
decisions that you've made as adeveloper, so I just have to
commend you on that.
Ryan (18:33):
Well, dude, it's funny that you said that, because,
kara, my wife's like, how muchmore sexy are you going to try
to make storage?
Cause we're always doing thesephoto shoots and videos and so
forth, and I'm like, baby, howabout you get in the photo?
We'll make it sexy, you know,but which we did?
But right, but, but what thethe the point is is like I, I'm,
I'm on site all the time, youknow, and I think what's nice is
that I always kind of get thepat on the back, that I'm a
hands-on operator and I'm alwayshere and we're here right now,
(18:56):
you know.
So I get the chance to you know,when you bring the buyers and
I'll meet all these buyers and Iliterally start building
relationships with them and Istart hearing their stories and
it's a bunch of all.
Have you know a story in lifeand why they decide to buy this?
And it's all usually kind ofthe same story, which is we see
value in these.
(19:17):
We know we were looking forwrite-offs.
We want to keep our stuff nice,like it's the same conversation
pretty much every time.
but it's a.
It's also an atmosphere, it's alifestyle.
When you drive through here andyou have a couple of people
with their doors open, it'salmost like old town feel.
You automatically wave down,going driving down the road in
an old town back East somewhereI do when I go to Tennessee.
I just waved to everybody CauseI know I'm not getting that in
(19:38):
California.
Eric (19:39):
For sure.
Ryan (19:40):
And.
But that's how you feel here.
It's like that's why I knoweverybody.
If there's a garage door open,I get out and I introduce myself
and say hello, but I think Igenuinely like that, genuinely
like that, and other people dothe same thing to me.
Eric (19:53):
Guys, you have to if you're listening to this.
I mean, there was.
We literally had one buyer whobought in our first phase.
He had a gorgeous 46 footPrevost RV, maybe a little bit
beginner on driving skill,Couldn't quite get his unit,
Couldn't quite access his unit.
I've worked with a lot ofdevelopers.
I've worked with a ton ofdevelopers and have been very
blessed to do so.
How you handled that situation?
(20:14):
You literally told him hey,we're building some more units
in the future phase.
As soon as those are ready, Iwant to move you over to that
unit so that the access is morecomfortable.
So you're not stressing.
That is not how developers arebuilt today.
It's just it's amazing to seehow you are with people, and
(20:35):
when I'm I'm listening to yourconversations, I just see how
much you actually truly care.
Like you're not faking that,you care, you really care and
you want everyone on your teamto be happy and you want your
buyers to be happy and I justthey don't build them like that
today well, so I appreciate thecool story.
Ryan (20:50):
So so Carlos and his drive-thru.
Eric (20:52):
I didn't know if you wanted me to bring that up.
Ryan (20:55):
I'll just tell you.
Eric (20:55):
the story today, how you handled that too, is insane.
Well, so.
Ryan (20:57):
But so I get a phone call from Dennis today and Dennis is
like, hey, so I got to get intohis unit.
Now, mind you, he owns the unitalready, he closed, he's got.
And Dennis is like, hey, I gotto get into the unit, I need to
pull all your stuff out and work.
So I got to get a lift in thereand the whole nine yards.
And he's like I don't know hegoes.
Well, what if Ryan moves allyour trailers?
And he's like, okay, no problem.
Eric (21:19):
Because it's not.
You know, he knows your skillis.
That's a whole otherconversation how skilled you are
towing a boat.
Ryan (21:35):
And so that was nice to see.
That.
You know, these guys know I'mhere and that and it's, it's.
I'm not just an operator Like Ican, I can do stuff with my
hands, I'm, you know, and so Ithink people really appreciate
that because I'm so hands-on.
I know every.
I know how many bolts are inthis.
I know how many pieces are cutin the storage.
I mean, I am, I'm, I just I'min love with what we do.
You know, I least 15,.
(21:55):
You know, every time I meetsomebody and they're like hey,
you're doing the barn caves,like I love what you've done
here.
I'll got to invest.
It's wild, you know, and sothat's but, but it's, I'm just
being me, I don't, I don't knowanother way to be, because I
want everyone to be happy.
Eric (22:05):
I just hope that you never lose sight of who you are as a
human being, because sometimes Ijust don't even know if you
know.
But how you handle yourselfwith buyers, with potential
clients, how you extend yourmarketing team to us to help us
with sales, to jump in in thetrenches, to help dentists with
subcontractors I don't know ifthe gratitude is reciprocated
(22:27):
enough, but I just want to saythank you and for people that
have talked about gettinginvolved in the project to maybe
invest at some capacity, I mean, when I did it, when I
personally invested, it wasliterally a no brainer for me
because of how you handleyourself as an investor, the
decisions that you've made herein the project and the fact that
we've sold 76 units in a littleover two years that's insane.
(22:52):
And your bullish behavior oncontinuing to advance the
project when we're not even youknow we've just started sales.
On another, you want to haveall kinds of different
opportunities or variety of unittypes for people to buy, or
(23:13):
variety of unit types for peopleto buy that you're just
constantly reinvesting back intothe project to make it more and
more valuable every single day.
So I've just I've had a lot ofconversations with people that
they always ask me cause.
I'm always posting on myInstagram.
I'm trying to inspire others toinvest, to have the opportunity
to get to where I got today.
The biggest thing that I see,though, is a misalignment in
expectations.
Well, I have $2,500.
(23:35):
I said that's great.
What do you expect to make onthat $2,500?
Because, relatively speaking,it's not the biggest investment.
But what if you made $500 onthat $2,500 in a year, just for
example?
I mean, that's a really goodreturn on $2,200.
They're like well, that's notthat much.
I'm like what do you mean?
It's not that much.
(23:55):
$2,500.
What if you did that threetimes and now you had $10,000 to
invest?
When I made my first investmentat the age of 19, I had saved
$20,000.
I didn't have a whole lot to myname, because all I did was
save so I can invest more.
So it's important for investorsto realize that when, if you
want to invest, I would say juststart with whatever you have
(24:34):
and have the expectation on thatamount.
Twenty five hundred dollars istotally an OK place to start, in
my opinion.
Ryan (24:42):
Well, ok, so let's just get into brass tacks.
So from your track record, it'dbe number five in the country,
by the way, congratulations.
Eric (24:50):
Because that's new, thank you, but I'm hoping real quick.
Ryan (24:53):
Just let me tee off on you for a second.
Eric (24:54):
Yeah.
Ryan (24:55):
How does it feel to be number five in the country?
Eric (24:58):
It feels amazing and I couldn't think of I just we
wouldn't be there without theamazing team that we have.
I mean truly to pump up.
Ryan (25:06):
Yeah, your team is.
I love your team.
Eric (25:08):
We're pumping out over $250 million in sales in Mojave
County, like Havasu specificallynot even 60,000 people, but
it's also because of theopportunities that we have, like
Paradigm Storage.
It does help when you look likethe mafia, though no but it's
also any development that I'm apart of, I've invested in.
(25:30):
That's how we've gotten thelistings on those projects, so I
want to inspire others, butthat's a high-level land play.
Ryan (25:36):
By the way, a lot of agents don't know how to play
those cards, yeah, and I don'tknow if you want to expose your
secrets, but what I'm saying isthat you understand the
commercial land plays as anagent, yeah, and that's why
you're able to kind of workthose deals, but that's guys
that are at that caliber thatare buying and developing.
That's what I own.
For the most part is owned incash.
Eric (26:12):
And that's because I've reinvested 95% of my income
since I was 19 years old.
So for anyone that's looking toinvest, I would say, just start
with a couple thousand bucks andgrow your eggs so that you
could have a bigger chunk ofcapital to invest to make a
larger return.
But you have to start somewhere.
And I was talking to one of myagents a couple of weeks ago.
(26:34):
She's like I really want toinvest.
I said, well, what do you have?
She's like I have $10,000.
I said that's amazing, butstart with $2,500.
Start with $5,000 and buildthat trust within yourself.
Build that confidence withinyourself so that you'll maybe
next time you invest that full10.
I mean, when I was 19, I wentall in and I was hooked.
(26:54):
But you have to start somewhereso you can get hooked.
But make decisions and investwith people that you feel
confident in.
And I couldn't think of abetter avenue than paradigm
storage.
Ryan (27:05):
I thank you.
I thank you for that and youknow and I was a lot of people
don't know that you can investthrough like an IRA.
You know a lot of people,especially when you jump from
jobs or you're going intoretirement.
What have you?
You have an IRA from your past.
You know employer or a 401kthat you roll over to an IRA.
That's actually one of thebiggest investment vehicles that
we have, separate to savings.
And what have you?
A lot of people pulling moneyout of Vanguard Fidelity Schwab.
(27:26):
I mean all kinds of stockaccounts and money market
accounts and coming into realestate, which is very, I would
say, is probably the right movein this political atmosphere and
market and what possiblypossibilities are going to be
down the road as far as anegative outcome and how that
impacts and we can talk aboutthat later.
But you know, a lot of people,I think, believe that real
(27:48):
estate is a short-term game andit is not.
This is a long-term game and Itell everybody look, as for
conversation purposes, if youcan take a hundred thousand and
you can get to 10,000 or amillion dollars in 10 years, 11
years that's kind of the rule ofthumb If you can get there,
that's good money.
But it takes you 10 years andyou got to keep investing it.
You got to keep beingaggressive.
(28:09):
And then when you are makingpayouts, you got to keep
investing it.
You got to keep beingaggressive.
And then when, when you aremaking, payouts.
Eric (28:14):
You got to diversify, you got to get.
You know, not put all your eggsin one basket.
You have to be aggressive onthat 10 year plan.
If you take a couple of years,off you've lost track and you're
not going to.
You're going to have ashortfall.
Ryan (28:24):
Yeah, so, even though 10 years is still a stretch for
that million, but that's want amillion bucks in two years.
Well, where are you going tofind that?
And even if you go to crypto,you're running the risk of
waking up in the morning andit's gone.
Eric (28:33):
Yeah.
Ryan (28:33):
So at the end of the day, I think the smartest move is for
people to come in, especiallywhen you're getting into
commercial real estate.
Nothing happens fast incommercial real estate.
That's why patient money is thebest money being patient, making
an investment that you can seethere's a long-term play and
that can withstand any marketadjustments.
Because guys like me or otherguys even way more sophisticated
than me they're making andlooking at data at like a
(28:55):
five-year, six-year, seven-yearplay, even from an exit side,
like multifamily.
How you're building it, whatkind of?
How do you put an Andersonwindows in there?
You're getting it cheaperbecause, okay, well, you're
going to sell this thing, thiswhole multifamily, for 50
million when it's done.
Your buyer's pool is that big.
So now they're going to look ateverything that you're doing.
They're going to look atmaintenance, because multifamily
is all about maintenance.
(29:16):
What kind of materials did youbuild it with?
They want to know all that.
So if you're a developer that'scutting corners in certain
asset classes, you're not goingto make the money.
And the point is that all ofthose plays, though from a
developer's hat, you have tolook at long-term who your exit
players are going to be, whoyour end buyers are going to be.
If you have an idea on whothose people are, well, you need
(29:36):
to know.
I have an idea, you need toknow.
Eric (29:38):
Yeah.
Ryan (29:39):
But when you know who those people are, then you can
build something, knowing thatyou're going to exit, and that's
the smartest thing you can do.
Eric (29:45):
Yeah.
Ryan (29:45):
So when you are aligning as an investor, if you're
vetting operators to invest intolook at that long-term play how
did they sustain 08?
Let's get them, because mosteverybody lost everything.
But how did they sustain 08?
How did they come recover fromthat?
And what are they doing now?
That's different.
Have they been divorced?
How are they handling certainadversity?
(30:05):
Have they been in lawsuits?
All of that stuff?
There's nothing wrong withasking.
And if they handled themselveswith with integrity and took
care of their, their, theirresponsibilities, then it's
probably a developer, anoperator that can sustain, you
know, and we'll keep going andknows how to fight.
Because at the end of the daythat I tell everybody, raising
money for a project is is, it'sa fraction of it, it's once the
(30:29):
development starts, is when thewar starts.
Yeah, it really is a wholedifferent game man For sure.
So when, yeah, raising money,okay, you got the capital all in
line, but getting it built is acompletely different game.
So the point is is that if youhave an operator that has all
their ducks lined up and theyhave their subs and materials
and they know what they're doing, the likelihood of the
(30:56):
investment, that goes up is orit turns out well, it goes up,
and ultimately you want somebodywho has a track record,
definitely Right.
So that's what I love about you,because you taught me so much
about you know about storage,man, yeah, I, you know, I had
all these ideas and you're like,okay, well, that's too much.
Oh yeah, this is a lot, this isbetter.
Oh no, you need to do this.
So, really, man, I appreciateyou giving me kudos, but I
couldn't have done it withoutyou.
Eric (31:13):
I appreciate it, I really do, Cause I just think that it's
so easy to invest not only in aproject but in a person that
you feel so confident on, and Ijust I have to go back to this
because I get so many peoplethat ask me how do I start
investing?
Like, what do I do?
How do I do it?
I couldn't think just paradigmstorage.
(31:34):
If you want to do 5,000, 10,000, like, while the opportunity
lasts, I don't even know whereyou add on the raise.
But my paradigm, I think ispretty much at capacity, but I'm
sure there's otheropportunities.
What a great company to be ableto invest in.
Your CEO, Mike Reveley, Brianna, the whole crew, I think, is
just fantastic and very classy.
Ryan (31:54):
Yeah, we're blessed.
Eric (31:55):
Yeah, dude, thanks for having me on, of course.
And cheers to Paradigm Storageand three new contracts in one
day, that was pretty cool.
Yeah, dude, that was awesome.
Ryan (32:04):
It's right before the election too.
Eric (32:06):
I know, I know.
Ryan (32:07):
People need it.
People need to move money.
A lot of people are bullish.
They don't care what's going tohappen and they need to make
their moves.
Eric (32:14):
Report to 85% sold out building C, crossing 40%
building D and underway onbuilding E.
Ryan (32:21):
And you already got.
I think you have a handful ofpeople on the list for some of
the larger units in E right.
Eric (32:32):
Yeah, people love the doubles that 28 feet of width,
55, 65 foot options areabsolutely incredible.
Ryan (32:35):
You know, building G, I have a sticky feeling that's
going to go fast because peoplewant the larger units.
It's crazy.
You always think, well, it'smore smaller units, but for
whatever reason here that's notthe case.
People want large units.
Eric (32:45):
Yeah, 28 by 77, plus a balcony with some river views.
Yes, please.
Ryan (32:50):
Millionaire's Row.
Love it, love it.
Eric (32:51):
I really should have closed this in PS.
Those barn caves.
Renderings are sick.
Did you see those things?
Insane, insane.
Ryan (32:57):
It's like morphing into being better and better every
day.
Yeah, it's the coolest feeling.
Eric (33:01):
Yeah, we're very blessed.
The gym, pickleball court,3,000 Square foot options, huge
tuck under RV garages.
Amazing stuff what you're doingman.
Ryan (33:10):
Four bedroom, four bath too.
Yeah, love it, dude barn tomedium, three stories single
family, one unit Drive-thrugarages.
Eric (33:19):
Yeah.
Ryan (33:19):
Man caves.
Eric (33:20):
Yeah.
Ryan (33:21):
Or woman caves, doesn't matter, it's a cave.
Eric (33:23):
That works, Ryan.
Thanks for being my friend, bro.
Ryan (33:30):
I appreciate you man, love you dude.
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