Business Articles, Mergers and Acquisitions

I Interviewed The Trillion Dollar Man Dan Peña

So a few month’s back I reached out to the QLA Founder who is known online as the one and only Mr. Dan Peña. When I submitted my Questions to him little did I know his answers would be just as entertainingly colorful as his Youtube videos.

Here is the thing. I knew nothing about Dan until one of my close Mentors who himself is a Bad Ass Senior Big 4 Partner sparked my curiosity one day while on a Zoom call in September. Sure I have seen suggested videos about Dan before. But I paid them no interest. But this day I made a note and went to watch what this guy was all about. What I found was? Dan’s videos are about helping normal average non high performers to try and reach or obtain a level of Business sophistication that makes them super wealthy through a methodology called QLA.

Dan’s coaching and teaching videos are also meant to help the Entrepreneurs who struggle with sales so they have a fighting chance. And to toughen up so to speak. Dan is a Military Veteran like myself, he served around the Vietnam era and honestly as a fellow Veteran? Dan is 100% hard as fucking nails.

And so I asked him a few Questions only a Military Veteran would be able to ask. And these are colorful his answers…

Mr. Dan Peña’s Backstory

Before becoming very wealthy by taking Great Western to an IPO on the London Stock Exchange Youtube Sensation and QLA Founder nicknamed the Trillion Dollar Man Him Self Mr. Dan Peña, was busy serving in the United States Army. (DANS WEBSITE)

Dan Peña began his career as a financial analyst on Wall Street. … He went on to become president of Great Western Resources, Inc., a Houston-based oil company eventually listing his Company on the London Stock Exchange. After a Board of Directors shake up, Dan Walked away after the dust settled with a very large multi million dollar pay day. (Dan Peña Youtube Channel) Click pic for Youtube Channel.

I asked Dan many questions. But to keep this article short for all intensive purposes? Here are the answers that have the most value for you. Thank’s DAN it’s a privilege to interview a fellow Veteran.

How Dan Peña Made His Millions?

Dan Pena with 100 million dollar check

Dan Peña began his career as a financial analyst on Wall Street. … He went on to become president of Great Western Resources, Inc., a Houston-based oil company eventually listing his Company on the London Stock Exchange. After a Board of Directors shake up, Dan Walked away after the dust settled with a 400 million dollar pay day.

-QLA can it work for any veteran?

ANY VET THAT HAS TRUE COMMITMENT & FOCUS, PLUS HE NEEDS 2 BE REALLY HUNGRY!

-What is the key to becoming Successful and established as a Investor?

SUCCESS IN ANYTHING IS ALL ABOUT FOCUS!

“WARNING” IF you find profanity offensive, and if you have trouble with realizing the truth about yourself? This is not for you. DAN Will not spare your feelings. Read on at your own peril.

-Do you feel being a Combat Trained Ranger Trained Infantry Officer helped you be successful in the tough and difficult world of Investment Finance?

IN THE 60’S, WHEN I WENT THRU INFANTRY OCS, FROM DEC 1966 TO JUN 1967, RANGER TRAINING CAME AS PART OF INFANTRY OCS – BUT WE GOT NO BADGE CERTIFICATION! Ranger TRAINING WAS NOT AS LONG AS RANGER SCHOOL – BUT EXTREMELY INTENSE!

BUT NO DOUBT, IT TUFFENED US UP LIKE NOTHING IN CIVILIAN LIFE! IN THOSE DAYS, THEY LITERALLY BEAT US – PUT BATTERY CABLES 2 UR BALLS – PUSHED U OUT OF TREES WID UR ARM/LEG TIED, 2 DISLOCATE UR JOINTS – PLUS IF CAUGHT IN TERRIST TACTICS, STAKED U OUT ON AN ANT HILL & POURED HONEY OVER U – LEAVING U A COUPLE DAYS! MY BEST MAN ALMOST DIED ON SUCH A HILL!

SUCCESS IN ANYTHING IS ALL ABOUT FOCUS!

-How do you scout for talent?

GREAT POTENTIAL, LEAVE GREAT FACT PATTERNS OF PAST ACTVITIES!

-How do you acquire Deal Flow?

THRU R DREAM TEAM BOARD & R OUTSIDE LAWYERS/ACCOUNTANTS, PLUS R UR BANKS!

-Where do you see your Private Equity Group in 10 years?

WE R NOT PE! BUT QLA WILL BE AROUND 4 EVER! I HAVE BIN WORKING THE MODEL 4 MORE THAN 50YRS!

GOOD HUNTING!

Mr. Pena’s Controversial Teaching methods are honestly how you build winners. The Military Trained him for War, he trains young men at his Castle in Scotland to win.

Did you happen to catch my latest article News interview on the latest Acquisition? “HERE”

I was surprised that Dan truly does want what’s best for all people. And the straight facts are Dan doesn’t like to see weakness within his fellow Entrepreneurs. His twisted love albeit fucking twisted and dysfunctional is meant to be a Soldiers Affection in a way. You have to be a Soldier, Sailor, Airmen or Marine to understand where I am coming from. And this is why so many men who did not serve in uniform find him offensive. Business is fucking hard. And he want’s to transform you to be able to accept the ridiculous rejection you will face if your in any business. That’s why he behaves the way he does.

What is Dan Peña's Military Ranks?

Lt. Dan Peña US ARMY

Dan Peña was discharged from the United States Army at the Rank of Lieutenant

To all my fellow Veterans, Men or Women, Bad Ass Infantry or Sailors that man the Conning tower on submarines. Here is a Cheers to you. As I sign off? I hope you found this interview useful, I know I had a blast conducting it.
As we say in the Marine Corps. SEMPER FI

-DOC OUT!

JS

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Business Articles

Real Estate Fund Investment Strategies

Stay tuned for the next article I have on my mind. Investing strategies. If your a small home Investor that is trying house flipping for the first time? Im sorry this is likely not the Article or you. This is for Developers and Commercial Real Estate Syndication Entrepreneurs and Investors in this space. Believe it or not one of My Fraternity brothers is the Founder of Crescent Real Estate in Texas. John Goff made a fortune selling his Crescent Real Estate to Morgan Stanley for $6.5 billion in 2007, just before the financial crisis. Mr. Goff was also inducted into the Texas Business Hall of Fame. He is undoubtedly someone you should look at for Real Estate Property Investment strategy.

Stay tuned as I evaluate how he has been able to dominate his industry by, with, and through Investment Strategies. It doesn’t take much to develop a strategy inside investing. However using creative and basic Real Estate Investing Strategies others have used. Will allow you to dissect and reconstruct how they did it! John Goff and his Son Travis are honestly investors I highly recommend absolutely following and paying attention to. I will share why their basic Real Estate Investing Strategies are so profitable in a few…..

Thanks for stopping by for my latest article and post.

Let’s dive into several Real Estate Investment Strategies you need to know to grow your basic foundation.

Goff Capital 4.3 Billion assets under management.

Commercial Real Estate Development Projects

You and your Real Estate Investment Partners could raise a fund together and then buy a commercially zoned piece of land and redevelop this land into say… Multifamily housing Urban Apartments, or any Real Estate that could produce your fund and partners monthly cash flow. This is a investment into future cash flow opportunities. The endless possibilities are literally at your teams discretion.

Commercial Office Space

The current Commercial Real Estate office space has been massively affected after COVID mandates forced most companies to send Employees and company staff home. And viola the rise of Zoom meetings happen. Moving on. I have asked my personal friends the Abnos Family about the current market conditions related to the COVID Mandates and how their portfolio has faired. They haven’t seen much of a downturn. But other Market Analysts inside this space at CBRE see vacancies and the space moving towards full recovery by 2025. Regardless Commercial real estate when coupled with the right Tenants in Business equal fantastic cash flow margins. Add strategy to Commerical Real Estate Office Space Business acquisitions. You could easily repackage several properties after a Value add addition investment. Then accept larger Real Estate property business offers from larger funds. This is the unsee way of the Real Estate Investment Fund and REIT world.

Commercial Hotels

Hotels traditionally has been a fantastic investment strategy for Real Estate Portfolio managers. I have seen Businessmen or Real Estate Investors like Ben Mallah in South Florida use this option for his growing 300 million dollar empire. Check out Mr. Mallah’s Youtube Videos Here. The way we have seen Mr. Goff and Personalities like Mr. Mallah use Hotel strategy is to sprinkle a few in there growing portfolio’s. They seem to be extremely selective on properties and locations. Because after all they are competing against large Hotel chains like Hyatt and Hilton.

Residential Multi-Family Housing

It’s very interesting I bring up Residential Multi-Family Housing as a Strategy for Commercial Real Estate investing. I have seen what it takes and the process of how Developers build properties to generate opportunities. Usually this is called Value Add Real Estate Investing. It’s interesting to know. I have seen first hand how these Multifamily Complex’s develop into real life asset’s. My Girlfriend is an Architect here in Kansas City. And If I am being honest she is incredibly impatient and doesn’t seem to see my Entrepreneur journey as a tenable option for me. LOL However she has never seen the inner workings of my business dealings. I can’t make her a believer. However maybe one day I can when she meets a few of my fantastic mentors and partners. She will change her mind. LOL I have always found it’s better to show or demonstrate then talk. I can share with you that I have seen the Multi Family Housing Business Boom over the last several years. And it’s continuing to grow. Which should be a que for your Real Estate Investment Partners to look at these possibilities. It’s a very attractive option or real estate investment strategy.

That’s all for today’s article on Real Estate Investment strategies. This subject is deep as it is long. However this information should get any developer or new Real Estate Investment Fund manager moving in the right direction with this information. This information will pull back the curtain just slightly for any entrepreneur or Investment Fund Manager to consider the possibilities on the horizon. And give you a foundation of information that will help you along your way.

Thank you for reading. And as I always say at the end of my nightly thoughts Good Night and Good Luck!

JS

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Business Articles

Lesson’s We Can Take From Lord Sugar From UK’s The Apprentice

Want to know what I think about Lord Alan Sugar on the UK’s Apprentice? Stay Tuned and keep on reading.

Your Destiny is in your hands

I feel just about every one reading this can relate to this bit of advice. “Don’t wait around for action or someone to save you and provide you with work. Just get on with it.” Action is tolerable. Inactions is not. Just go for it!

Recognize Failures

If it seems like it failed or a project is failing? Just keep it moving. If I may offer a little personal advice from my experiences? Even though the world is filled with jerks and judge-mental people who wont value you at the end of the day. Never accept an individuals unfair judgements. Especially those who are not an Entrepreneur. Here are some ways people will treat you poorly as an entrepreneur or just in life in general? They will unfairly judge you. Make snobbish comments. People won’t return you calls, they will purposely ignore your emails. Don’t spend any emotional energy on this. Just keep moving forward. Your bound to land on a success as you move forward.

Seize Opportunities

The truth is personal discernment is key to seizing opportunities. Your gut can communicate when something seems its right and its the right time. If you must pass an opportunity up? Make sure you can revisit it later. However if you have been waiting a long time and something comes your way that seems just right? I would run with it. In the end you could always start over if the opportunity turns out to be a complete waste of your time and resources. I have to give credit where credit is due real fast. I recently was listening to my Chairman/Business Mentor on Anthony’s Sarandrea’s Podcast. I would highly recommend you have a listen. Anthony is 100% legit. And just a solid person to take business and entrepreneurship advice from LISTEN HERE!! And while I was listening to my Mentor and Anthony I stole this short phrase. I love this….”Fail Fast.” Don’t beat yourself up. Keep assaulting forward. Keep running towards your mission objective. I bet you can tell I am old military veteran. Right? Ha!

Have a good work ethic

Let’s be honest with each other, it takes someone willing to live on a couch in their office to be a “ALL IN” start up founder. When your “ALL IN” you sleep on your couch in your office at your business or University. At least thats the way I was raised and how I was taught personal work ethic. This is a little extreme. But it’s how I was taught. I grew up literally on the couch in a spare office in a Medical Surgical College in Kansas City Missouri. I also would spend 6 month’s at a time or longer sailing and living on a small Bahamian island called Bimini. I wanted to be the best barefoot adventurer and absorb as much life experiences as I was able. Work ethic to me means going Balls to the walls 24-7 till you crash from exhaustion. It also means living a lifestyle where a 9 to 5pm office or Corporate job doesn’t exist. But that’s my opinion on what it takes. And thats just how I roll. Ha! Most people want a family life. That’s fine. I get it. But if you ask me? My work ethic is a little extreme. And I feel that’s ok as well. Lord Sugar is literally similar to me that way. Truth is I am ok just living on the job and making my Business, Business Partners and employees, customers or clients my family. Thats kind of basic and crude at best. But working is life. And I may be called dysfunctional for my way of life or work lifestyle. But that’s what it means to me. Work and just keep going. I am not married so I guess I can make this commitment where many can not. But I feel this also does explain my personal passions. Because being a legit entrepreneur involves passion 100%. And personal emotional investments.

Stick to what you know

Maybe I am able to shine a light on this in my own way. If your considering making a investment into a new startup inside the tech space? And the business doesn’t really make sense. Thats a sign and red flag that you should not invest. Understand your investments and how the business works. I do not like Bitcoins and other alternative currency. Forex and the like. It’s just too hazy for my understanding. Another example? Say your an investor and do not know much about how plastic moldings are produced. Do you invest into the new company that will revolutionize the industry? This is historically to risky. And you should always stick to the business you know.

Appreciate your team

Appreciating the team around you should be a priority. Wether it’s quarterly or annually? Make sure to take the time and create opportunities to bond with your team. Have a holiday dinner together, have parties when a employee moves on. This is apart of the positive loving culture you want to build in your company. Everyone on your team is special. Treat them accordingly and I promise you will benefit, grow, and profit immensely from valuing people around you. Your team.

Have Discipline

I have spoken to many business owners who have moderate discipline and hard core non compromising discipline. I myself do not interpret discipline like most. My definition of discipline means something completely different than my girlfriend. It means different things to different people. So here is the dictionary’s definition to clear up any definition miscommunications. Discipline:

  1. It means the practice of training people to obey rules or a code of behavior, using punishment to correct disobedience.
  • train oneself to do something in a controlled and habitual way.”every month discipline yourself to go through the file”

Track your progress

Ask yourself? How do you measure your success? Do you have milestones you can look to and achieve? What is the metric you will use to monitor your progress along your journey? All important questions for monitoring your goals and achieving long term plans that you implement for your team. We should be very disciplines when it comes to tracking our progress. Are we moving forward? There are so many metrics that need to be applied to our business strategies. Its the smart play that measures our success. It’s good to know or ask where you are? Where your going? And when will you get there? This advice and metrics or progress philosophy. Is honestly solid advice.

Analyze your Marketplace or space

The business landscape is constantly evolving. If your asleep at the wheel of your companies direction and the gas pedal is on cruise control. I would agree it’s very healthy to allow a confidant or number 2 to take over driving your company. As you step back and take a second look at the surroundings in your marketplace. The questions you should be asking are? Are prices going up or going down? Should we be preparing for a different approach or what do we see changing in the business marketplace around us? All fantastic questions to answer. Because in the end we are responsible for our businesses success. We need to look at ways to gain new business. And look at what our competitors are up too. So we can maintain competitive advantages. One last thought here. We shouldn’t be asleep at the wheel and on cruise control. A seismic event may happen that was predictable and we end up totaling our businesses momentum. Great example is Bankruptcy from loss of sales.

Let your product do the talking

This blog and my writing may not be the Wall Street Journal or New York times worthy. However the strategies and experience I provide from my entrepreneur experiences. Will be a superior product than all the other shopify or merch posts many people read. Most of these blogs on entrepreneurship are written by professional writers. Not entrepreneurs. Im a real entrepreneur. Not a polished journalist. The is not the best written blog either. But my product and experience is still a superior product. 100%. I think you will agree most entrepreneur articles are focusing on small business principles. Eagerly trying to convince you to quit your 9 to 5 job and motivate you to go out and start a Ecommerce business. And quite honestly that drum has been beat so many times. Its ridiculous to keep on the path. Selling that same lame regurgitated product. No Sir! No Ma’m!

My blog is all about the journey and offering strategies and information almost all small business websites fail to mention. Entrepreneurship through acquisition. Ross Perot gave me part of my Business education. I am passing a little of that education and experience here for newcomers to the world of Finance. Example of the info products here on my blog? Important questions like? How to secure funding when you don’t know any Bankers? What do you do when your needing partners with the right professional backgrounds? How do you use accountants, attorneys and opportunities to create value for your company and you in the market? You will find answers and information to these professional questions right here on my blog. The Business Individuals I will ask to contribute will be another product that brings massive value all on its own right here on this blog. Some of my friends and business partners will clearly see I am up to something. And probably become very curious. Because they know when “Doc” brings something to the table. It’s gonna be something that adds interesting value. Thank you for reading and I do hope you learned a little or at least found this interesting.

Be sure to check back periodically. Thank you to Lord Alan Sugar for all the informal advice and education he always provides Entrepreneurs.

Godspeed.

JS

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