You don’t need a perfect start — you just need to show up.

In this episode, Jon Ladas shares how he:

• Grew up in Boston and watched real estate from the sidelines before jumping in

• Dropped out of college, worked dead-end sales jobs, and hit rock bottom

• Lost his car, walked 45 minutes to work, and rebuilt from literally nothing

• Leaned on faith, structure, and consistency to find his footing

• Got licensed in real estate and went all-in, even when it didn’t make sense on paper

• Closed 27 deals in his first year — all from relationships, not cold calls or ads

• Built a brand around trust, storytelling, and showing up every day

• Learned to mentor others, pour into community, and keep perspective on wealth

• Stays grounded by balancing business drive with family, faith, and service

If you’re stuck, starting over, or just need proof that consistency compounds — this one’s for you.

Guest: Jon Ladas — Realtor, eXp Realty

📍 Massachusetts

IG: @list_with_ladas

Host: Austen Tucker

🎙️ The Breakout Bunch — real, unpolished conversations with founders who made it anyway.

00:00 Cold open — “I had no car, no money, and two shirts to my name”

02:01 Boston roots & early family influence

05:16 First jobs & bouncing between sales roles

09:46 Finding faith & mentors who shifted his path

13:31 Breaking into real estate with nothing

18:21 Closing 27 deals in his first year

23:11 Why relationships beat cold calls & ads

29:01 Building a brand through authenticity and trust

34:41 Mentoring new agents & giving back

40:21 Lessons from market swings & staying disciplined

46:01 Balancing hustle with life and family

51:11 Community, service, and faith as anchors

57:01 Final advice — “Show up. Give God the glory.”

Welcome to The Breakout Bunch — where real stories from real entrepreneurs come to life.

Hosted by Austen Tucker, this show cuts through the fluff and gets straight to the heart of what makes business owners tick. These are honest, unpolished conversations with self-made founders who are in it for more than just the money — they’re chasing purpose, impact, and something bigger than themselves.

Austen knows the grind firsthand. He’s a seasoned mortgage broker leading a division at one of the nation’s largest mortgage companies, helping hundreds of families get into homes across the country. But beyond that, he’s deeply curious — about business, people, and the choices that shape our lives.

New episodes weekly on Spotify, Apple, and YouTube.

From six figures at 19 to losing it all — Nick Pletke proves that real freedom is built, not bought.

In this episode, Nick breaks down how he:

• Made over $100K before most people pick a major — and lost it all

• Rebuilt from scratch by learning how to wholesale, market, and sell without shortcuts

• Avoided the pressure to niche down — and built multiple verticals instead

• Learned hard lessons about partnerships, boundaries, and trust

• Embraced detachment from money, social validation, and surface-level success

• Builds with the long game in mind — decades, not dopamine

• Practices presence, purpose, and balance — even while scaling

• Believes real wealth is about ownership, not income

• Lives by one rule: stay grounded and keep building

If you're reinventing yourself, exploring multiple paths, or refusing to settle into one box — this episode is a reminder that you don’t need permission to go your own way.

Guest: Nick Pletke — Entrepreneur & Founder

📍 Orange County, CA

IG: None listed

Timestamps:

COMING SOON

Welcome to The Breakout Bunch — where real stories from real entrepreneurs come to life.

Hosted by Austen Tucker, this show cuts through the fluff and gets straight to the heart of what makes business owners tick. These are honest, unpolished conversations with self-made founders who are in it for more than just the money — they’re chasing purpose, impact, and something bigger than themselves.

Austen knows the grind firsthand. He’s a seasoned mortgage broker leading a division at one of the nation’s largest mortgage companies, helping hundreds of families get into homes across the country. But beyond that, he’s deeply curious — about business, people, and the choices that shape our lives.

New episodes weekly on Spotify, Apple, and YouTube.

Everyone talks about success. Almost no one talks about the in-between.

Welcome to The Breakout Bunch — where real stories from real entrepreneurs come to life.

Hosted by Austen Tucker, this show cuts through the fluff and gets straight to the heart of what makes business owners tick. These are honest, unpolished conversations with self-made founders who are in it for more than just the money — they’re chasing purpose, impact, and something bigger than themselves.

Austen knows the grind firsthand. He’s a seasoned mortgage broker leading a division at one of the nation’s largest mortgage companies, helping hundreds of families get into homes across the country. But beyond that, he’s deeply curious — about business, people, and the choices that shape our lives.

New episodes weekly on Spotify, Apple, and YouTube.