I’m going Live on my Facebook page every Friday at 2 pm with the People and Places of Central Arkansas. There are so many fabulous people in this area, plus amazing places to visit, I should never run out of content. One day recently, I decided to interview someone really close to home, actually I live with him, my husband, Roger Best.
Here’s Roger!
Rum Punch from Lobster Alive in Barbados
Roger and I have been married for 40 years, so we’ve had lots of adventures together. We shared in this video about a couple adventures we had in Barbados, visiting a place called Lobster Alive, where we got a rum punch recipe. If you want that recipe, you can comment on my YouTube video or my Facebook video saying Rum Punch, and I’ll send you that recipe. We’re celebrating his birthday this week, so I just wanted to tell you more.
The Worm Farm
When he was a young boy, he discovered worms under the family’s burn pile. This led to his first business selling cans of worms to the local bait shop. He’s always had an eye for ways to make money. Biztek Connection is the technology company he started when we moved to Little Rock, and it’s still one of the best locally owned technology companies in the area.
Our Travel Agency
I haven’t always been as excited about his ideas as he was. I tended to see the danger in the risks rather than the benefits. Over the years, I’ve become more of a dreamer, as Roger encouraged me to start my own businesses as well. My first business was Best Cruise Planners, which evolved into Judy Best Vacations over time. This business was actually a step toward another business idea stirring in Roger’s mind then. He needed to know how travel agencies worked for another idea. His dream helped me become an entrepreneur as well.
FortuneBuilders
A few years ago now, he started thinking about expanding into real estate. He talked to me about it, and I encouraged him to investigate it more, and I’d come along if he decided to do it. Roger attended an evening seminar, then signed us up for a 3-day weekend workshop. He knew I’d want to hear about this, too. I wasn’t sure, but rolled into the weekend with an open mind, eager to learn something knew. By the end of the weekend, we were starting a new adventure, a new business.
Best REI
After playing around on the Internet, we found a business name that worked for us – Best Real Estate Investments LLC, which we shorten sometimes when we speak to Best REI. This website was available, so we were off an running. Actually, we were off studying, lots and lots of studying. The program we had joined offered an online curriculum with action steps along the way. Like everyone who ever starts something new, we were eager to DO the business, while learning as fast as we could. We ordered business cards, as well as several Google voice numbers.
Getting the Word Out
Part of the action steps was to get several marketing campaigns started right away, getting the word out that we were in business. We purchased bandit signs, those yellow signs that say We Buy Houses, Call us at 501-725-1160. We drove around the city hanging those every weekend. While we were doing that, we were also doing another action step, Driving for Dollars. That’s driving around your area, looking for vacant homes that may be ready for a new owner. Other marketing channels included this blog, Craigslist ads, direct mail, and more.
We toured over a hundred homes, mostly foreclosures and other distressed properties. The worse they looked and smelled, the better the chance that we could buy it. And, we bought our first house, flipped it, and sold it to a new family.
Our Next Step – Multi Family
Fast forward to today, we are real estate investors. Roger is planning our next adventure. He’s ready to buy some multi-family properties. If you have a duplex or an apartment complex that you’re ready to sell, call Roger at 501-725-1160. We’re loving this business, as we help home owners, neighborhoods and cities solve their real estate problems. Cheers!