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.

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

In this episode, Sam Hijazin breaks down how he:

• Left behind a stable engineering career to become a loan officer — and hated every sales call

• Took a 3-hour application call with a Hawaii client… just to keep him on the phone

• Leveraged his engineering mindset to write the cleanest files in the industry — and got promoted fast

• Lost everything when the lender he worked for collapsed — PTO, options, and six years of grind

• Took the biggest risk of his life: betting on himself instead of chasing “safe” offers

• Built his real estate portfolio from nothing, paid off his parents’ house, and put his brother through med school

• Redefined wealth as security — not status — and treats gratitude as a daily discipline

• Uses money as a tool to build culture, give back, and create meaning for others

• Now mentors his team with one goal: build something that lasts — and do it with people who matter

If you’ve ever questioned the traditional path, wrestled with financial insecurity, or wanted to build a business rooted in purpose — this one will hit home.

Guest: Sam Hijazin — Mortgage broker and co-founder, E Mortgage Capital

Location: Newport Beach, CA

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

In this episode, Emma (27) breaks down how she:

• Left Indiana during COVID, moved to California in six weeks, and rebuilt her entire clientele from scratch

• Worked 7 days a week, did Instacart and Amazon Flex to survive, and filled her books in 18 months

• Used free hair as a marketing play — what worked, and what she’d never do again

• Fought burnout (three kinds), set boundaries, and learned to listen to her body

• Redefined wealth as freedom — “How long can I go without working and still maintain my lifestyle?”

• Is pivoting to ownership — real estate license, salon suites, and building a brand that runs without her

• Learned to stop caring what people think, and only take advice from people who’ve actually done it

If you’re building something from scratch, wrestling with burnout, or trying to turn a service hustle into a real business — you’ll feel this one.

Guest: Emma — Salon owner & color/extension specialist

📍 Rancho Santa Margarita, CA

IG: @emmalewishair

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.

From party promoter to mortgage mogul — Joe Shalaby proves it’s not about where you start, but how relentless you are.

In this episode, Joe breaks down how he:

• Started promoting hookah lounges with belly dancers and DJs at 14

• Built a personal brand before it was a buzzword — all through nightlife and word-of-mouth

• Left acting and graduated early, then jumped into mortgages with zero safety net

• Got burned by shady employers who withheld commissions — and bounced back

• Launched his own brokerage at 24 with flyers, hustle, and a “boots on the ground” mentality

• Scaled fast by partnering with a systems-minded operator (Sam)

• Built a content-driven brand in an old-school industry using social media and AI

• Embraced discomfort, challenged norms, and stayed authentic — even online

• Balances family, business, and legacy projects (books, AI products, and more)

If you're starting over, building a brand, or trying to find your voice in a traditional industry — this episode is a blueprint.

Guest: Joseph Shalaby — Founder, E Mortgage Capital

📍 Orange County, CA

IG: @josephshalaby

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.