In this episode, Jim welcomes the extraordinary Chris Prefontaine, founder of Smart Real Estate Coach, for a deep dive into the mindset, structure, and discipline required to build financial freedom through creative real estate investing. Prefontaine shares lessons from the 2008 crash, explains why coaching matters, and offers practical pathways for people looking to break free from traditional financial systems and build sustainable wealth.

3 Key Takeaways:

• Creative real estate is a discipline, not a tactic. Chris outlines a three-step approach to real estate success.

• Coaching is about accountability, not just motivation. Real transformation comes from daily tracking, public accountability, and consistent feedback—not from a one-time seminar.

• Cash flow > Nest eggs. Chris and Jim challenge conventional retirement thinking, offering examples of individuals who liquidated 401(k)s and replaced stagnant savings with income-producing assets.

Let this episode serve as a prompt to evaluate your current trajectory—are you building wealth, or just accumulating hope?

Connect with Chris Prefontaine:

Instagram: www.instagram.com/smartrealestatecoach

Facebook: www.facebook.com/smartrealestatecoach

TikTok: www.tiktok.com/@wickedsmartinc

YouTube: www.youtube.com/@wickedsmartinc

Linkedin: www.linkedin.com/company/wickedsmartinc/

In a market flooded with pitch decks and pro forma promises, what actually drives durable returns in private real estate?

In this episode, Jim sits down with Jacob Vanderslice of VanWest Partners to dissect the operational backbone of self-storage, the risks behind the spreadsheets, and why real investors focus on downside protection more than projected upside.

Key Takeaways:

• Self-storage is an operating business. With granular rent streams, month-to-month leases, and retail-level management, it’s not just real estate—it’s operations.

• Cycles expose weak decisions. Jacob shares how forced timing, tax pressures, and poor planning can destroy returns—and how to avoid those traps.

• The right questions matter. A good pitch isn’t enough. Investors should ask about worst-case outcomes, not just IRR targets.

Self-storage may look simple from the outside, but as Jacob Vanderslice makes clear, consistent returns come from disciplined operations, not market timing. W

hether you're using Infinite Banking or other private capital strategies, the message is the same: know your operator, understand the risks, and focus on long-term execution—not short-term projections.

Connect with Jacob Vanderslice:

Website: www.vanwestpartners.com/

Linkedin: www.linkedin.com/in/jacob-vanderslice-02905b16b/

In this episode of Breakaway Wealth, Jim speaks with Tad Fallows, entrepreneur and founder of Long Angle, a private community for individuals with $2.2M+ in investable assets. They discuss how wealth creators think about investing, raising children without entitlement, and maintaining purpose after a business exit.

3 Key Takeaways:

• Portfolio strategy beyond Wall Street: High-net-worth individuals are moving away from traditional 60/40 portfolios, favoring private equity, real assets, and niche alternative investments for uncorrelated, equity-like returns.

• Post-exit risk mindset: Many entrepreneurs opt for higher-return, illiquid investments rather than de-risking, based on the belief that volatility is manageable when wealth exceeds basic needs.

• Raising children with financial independence: The most consistent concern among members of Fallows' community is how to instill grit and self-sufficiency in children growing up with financial abundance.

If you're serious about breaking away from conventional thinking and building lasting wealth, this conversation offers a clear window into how high-level entrepreneurs manage their capital, family, and future.

Connect with Tad Fallows:

Long Angle: https://www.longangle.com/

Tad's LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/fallows/