In this episode of Hustle Inspires Hustle, Alex Quin sits down with Brandon Travin, Director of Sales and Partnerships at Resident.com, a legacy luxury lifestyle publication founded by his father in 1988. Brandon shares how he helped transform the brand from a print-focused magazine into a modern, digitally dominant media company with a domain authority of 70. They discuss the power of SEO, personalized brand partnerships, email marketing, luxury events, and leveraging AI in content. Brandon emphasizes the value of storytelling, long-term relationships, and meeting clients where they are. The episode also highlights the importance of combining tradition with innovation while staying true to brand values in the fast-evolving luxury media space.

Episode Outline:

[00:00:00] Intro and welcome

[00:01:30] Brandon's background and Resident.com origin story

[00:05:45] From local paper to global luxury publication

[00:09:10] Family legacy and media industry roots

[00:12:00] Brandon’s digital transformation strategy

[00:16:50] Growing Resident.com’s domain authority to 70

[00:19:20] Balancing print and digital

[00:22:00] Focus on travel, real estate, fashion, dining

[00:25:45] Brand activations, events, and client strategies

[00:29:30] High-profile covers, celebrity features

[00:32:10] The power of storytelling in luxury branding

[00:36:15] Leveraging AI and multilingual content

[00:41:30] Sales wins and in-person dealmaking

[00:43:45] Brandon’s values and how he wants to be remembered

Wisdom Nuggets:

Legacy Can Fuel Innovation: Brandon Travin didn’t just inherit a company—he brought it into the digital age, using Resident.com’s trusted legacy as a launchpad for tech-driven growth.

SEO is a Long Game: Achieving a domain authority of 70 in under three years came from consistency, content upgrades, and leveraging the strength of the Resident.com domain.

Print Still Has Power, But Digital Scales: Print remains a high-touch brand tool, while Resident.com drives scalable traffic and conversion—showing how modern media needs both.

Sell With Purpose, Not Pressure: Brandon highlights that listening deeply to client goals and customizing media plans around their KPIs builds trust and long-term wins.

Meet Clients Where They Are: From targeted email campaigns to luxury events and global SEO visibility, Resident.com’s success lies in reaching audiences across every relevant channel.

Power Quotes

“It doesn’t always have to be money—you don’t always need to make something out of the relationship.” - Alex Quin

“Luxury is personal. You gotta meet clients in person.” - Brandon Travin

“I want Resident.com to be the go-to for luxury in every major city.”

Connect with Brandon:

Instagram: (https://www.instagram.com/brandon.travin)

Linkedin: (linkedin.com/in/brandontravin)

Resident Magazine Website (https://resident.com/)

Connect With the Podcast Host Alex Quin:

Instagram: (https://www.instagram.com/alexquin)

Twitter: (https://twitter.com/mralexquin)

LinkedIn: (https://www.linkedin.com/in/mralexquin)

Website: (https://alexquin.com)

TikTok: (https://www.tiktok.com/@mralexquin)

Our Community

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Twitter: (https://twitter.com/HustleInspires)

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*This page may contain affiliate links or sponsored content. When you click on these links or engage with the sponsored content and make a purchase or take some other action, we may receive a commission or compensation at no additional cost to you. We only promote products or services that we genuinely believe will add value to our readers & listeners.*

See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

In this episode, Alex Quin sits down with Christian Pombo of Creative Real Estate Deals to unpack how he moved over $20 million in off-market real estate deals in the past year using creative finance strategies. From his start in pre-med to becoming a wholesale dealmaker, Christian shares actionable insights on wholesaling, sub-to deals, seller finance, and how he built a community of over 500 investors in a thriving paid WhatsApp group.

Episode Outline:

[00:00] Intro & High School Roots

[03:00] How Christian Pivoted from Pre-Med to Real Estate

[05:50] Early Real Estate Influences in His Family

[08:15] Real Estate Seemed "Played Out" at First

[10:30] Why Wholesaling and Creative Finance Clicked

[13:15] Sub-to vs Seller Financing Explained

[18:50] Recent $400K Deal Example in Homestead

[23:00] Objections Sellers Have About Sub-To

[27:20] Off-Market vs On-Market Property Deals

[33:30] Why Most Realtors Don’t Know About Creative Finance

[38:00] The Importance of Problem Solving in Real Estate

[43:45] Cherry-Picking the Best Deals

[47:50] Importance of Buy Box and Market Familiarity

[51:30] Creative Financing Example from Hialeah Purchase

[55:10] Foreclosures Are Up: Here’s Why

[59:00] Building the WhatsApp Group & Helping New Investors

Wisdom Nuggets:

Creative Financing Is a Problem Solver: Creative finance isn't just about strategy—it’s about finding ethical ways to solve real problems. When banks say no, these methods can create win-win scenarios for both investors and distressed property owners.

Sellers’ Situations Dictate the Terms: Forget falling in love with the kitchen layout—real estate investing success comes from understanding the seller’s situation. The better you grasp their challenges, the better your chances at structuring a mutually beneficial deal.

Build Your Buyer List Before the Deal: Don’t wait until you have the contract to look for a buyer. Build a community—like Christian’s WhatsApp group—so when the right deal lands, it moves quickly.

Long-Term Financing Buys Time and Options: In creative finance, the longer the financing terms, the better. It gives investors the breathing room to hold, refinance, or cash flow without pressure.

Relationships Drive Revenue: Speed and communication are important, but nothing replaces trust. Christian attributes much of his success to in-person networking and repeat business from buyers who trust his word and deal quality.

Power Quotes

“I sell good deals, but I buy great deals.” - Christian Pombo

"I'm raising gentlemen." - Christian Pombo

Connect with Christian:

Instagram: (https://www.instagram.com/pomborealestate)

Instagram: (https://www.instagram.com/creativerealestatedeals)

Connect With the Podcast Host Alex Quin:

Instagram: (https://www.instagram.com/alexquin)

Twitter: (https://twitter.com/mralexquin)

LinkedIn: (https://www.linkedin.com/in/mralexquin)

Website: (https://alexquin.com)

TikTok: (https://www.tiktok.com/@mralexquin)

Our Community

Instagram: (https://www.instagram.com/hustleinspireshustle)

Twitter: (https://twitter.com/HustleInspires)

LinkedIn: (https://www.linkedin.com/company/hustle-inspires-hustle)

Website: (https://hustleinspireshustle.com)

*This page may contain affiliate links or sponsored content. When you click on these links or engage with the sponsored content and make a purchase or take some other action, we may receive a commission or compensation at no additional cost to you. We only promote products or services that we genuinely believe will add value to our readers & listeners.*

See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

In this solo episode, Alex Quin fires up the Hustle Inspires Hustle community with a reality check about procrastination and goal-setting. He emphasizes why waiting for January to start pursuing your goals is a trap and explains how momentum built in the last stretch of the year leads to long-term success. Alex offers a personal pep talk to help listeners assess their progress, realign their vision, and set clear intentions for the rest of 2025 and beyond.

Episode Outline:

[00:00] – Intro: Why waiting for January is a mistake

[00:22] – The cost of waiting and procrastinating on goals

[00:48] – Check your 2025 goals: what’s working, what’s not

[01:18] – Do your audit: finances, health, business, mindset

[01:46] – Don’t waste Q4: fix the gaps, build momentum

[02:10] – What a strong finish gives you: peace, freedom, cash flow

[02:38] – Start planning for 2026 now

[03:03] – Align with your partner or team

[03:24] – Final word: stop surviving, start living with intention

Wisdom Nuggets:

Stop Worshipping the Calendar: Waiting for a date like January 1st to take action is an excuse disguised as a plan. Start now or risk staying stuck.

Audit, Don’t Assume: You can’t improve what you don’t measure. Look at your current goals and get honest about where you're winning and where you're behind.

Purpose Over Panic: Finishing the year strong isn’t about panic hustling—it’s about creating meaningful outcomes like peace, cash flow, and confidence.

Talk Like a Team: If you’re in a relationship, your success plan shouldn’t be a solo mission. Discuss your shared goals and stay aligned.

Survive or Thrive: If you’re constantly reacting and living bill-to-bill, you’re not really living. Set direction and move with intention.

Power Quotes

“I’ll start in January is pure loser talk.” – Alex Quin

“Twenty twenty five isn't over yet, so don't act like it is.” – Alex Quin

Connect With the Podcast Host Alex Quin:

Instagram: (https://www.instagram.com/alexquin)

Twitter: (https://twitter.com/mralexquin)

LinkedIn: (https://www.linkedin.com/in/mralexquin)

Website: (https://alexquin.com)

TikTok: (https://www.tiktok.com/@mralexquin)

Our Community

Instagram: (https://www.instagram.com/hustleinspireshustle)

Twitter: (https://twitter.com/HustleInspires)

LinkedIn: (https://www.linkedin.com/company/hustle-inspires-hustle)

Website: (https://hustleinspireshustle.com)

*This page may contain affiliate links or sponsored content. When you click on these links or engage with the sponsored content and make a purchase or take some other action, we may receive a commission or compensation at no additional cost to you. We only promote products or services that we genuinely believe will add value to our readers & listeners.*

See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.