The Get-Rich-Slow Business: 4 Decades of Real Estate Wins, Losses & Hard Lessons | John McNellis E414

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ohn McNellis didn't set out to become one of Northern California's most respected retail developers - he set out to avoid a courtroom. After a journalism degree at UC Berkeley and a detour through law school, John landed at a prestigious San Francisco law firm, hated litigation, and started flipping small duplexes on nights and weekends just to stay sane. Over half a dozen years, that side hustle quietly became a real business. 43 years later, John and his partners at McNellis Partners have developed more than 100 properties, mostly supermarket-anchored shopping centers, and he's distilled every hard-won lesson into the bestselling book Making It in Real Estate - now in its third edition and required reading at universities nationwide. In this episode, John gets brutally honest about the arc of a four-decade career: the deals that built his reputation, the mistakes that nearly ended it, and why he believes "passive investment" in commercial real estate is one of the industry's biggest lies. We talk about what actually separates investors who last from those who flame out, why sticking to your "weight class" on deals matters more than chasing the big score, and how surviving - and winning - a down market comes down to discipline most people don't have. If you've ever wondered whether real estate is something you can realistically start on the side while keeping your W-2, this conversation is proof it's possible - and a clear-eyed look at what it actually costs to build something that lasts In this episode: Why John walked away from law to bet on real estate part-time The "Ten Great Ways to Lose Money" he's learned firsthand What separates investors who last 40+ years from those who don't Why "passive investment" in CRE is a myth Surviving — and winning — in a down market The politics of City Hall and why real estate is never just about the deal Download our new AI Rental Property Calculator Book your mentorship discovery call with Cory RESOURCESGet business funding - revenued.com/juice 🏢 LLCs, Business Credit & Ta