Hi, I’m AJ Smith. I live in Eastern Iowa, and my journey to financial freedom started with a tough realization: I didn’t want to spend decades working 80-hour weeks, sacrificing holidays and weekends only to retire at 60.

I decided to take control of my future by investing in real estate. I started small—using my salary to buy 4-plexes and single-family homes—and gradually scaled my portfolio to 19 units. Along the way, I learned how to leverage strategies to stretch my resources further.

But my real breakthrough came when I found a mentor who taught me how to scale faster. That’s when I went from slow, incremental growth to acquiring 80+ units at a time. Today, I’m a general partner managing 105+ units across the Midwest, and I’m dedicated to helping others achieve the same financial freedom I now enjoy. This guide is your shortcut to success—a step-by-step roadmap to build your portfolio, avoid rookie mistakes, and create a sustainable income stream for life.