In this episode, Vikram Brar discusses his journey from growing up in India, immigrating to the United States, and eventually founding Baja Capital, a real estate firm focused on the Arizona market. He talks about lessons they have learned such as reading Dave Lindell's book and the importance of hard work and focus for success in commercial real estate. Vikram shares his inspiring stories of resilience, hard work, and success in commercial real estate.
[00:01 - 13:38] From Life-Altering Event to Real Estate Investment
- Vikram grew up in India with military father, studied Industrial Engineering, and moved to US with his wife
- After pivoting from Deloitte to startups, Vikram invested in multi-family real estate in Tucson with a focus on high-quality, low-emission housing for tenants
- A life-altering event in 2013 led Vikram to realize the importance of housing as a basic necessity
[13:39 - 32:25] Overcoming Challenges in Real Estate
- Started researching real estate in 2013 and bought condos in Chicago area sight unseen
- Experienced hardship leaving friends and changing locations frequently, but learned to make new friends and stay in touch with old ones
- Learned about organization and how to maintain meaningful connections when moving to the US
- Biggest challenge in breaking into Arizona real estate market was finding sponsors and operators due to language, customs, and culture differences
[32:26 - 48:33] Lessons on Hard Work and Focus for Success in Real Estate
- To minimize risk, focus on a specific market like Tucson
- Success requires putting in hard work and making time for it, even if that means waking up early and sleeping less
- Building cash reserves for variability is crucial, as it helps to weather worst-case scenarios
- To be successful, one needs to be in the details, stay focused on what they're good at, and leverage the power of "why" to guide them from darkness to light
Quotes:
“There are two outcomes of situations where you have to move for a short term. You can either be very intentional and still engage at the core level, or you can be superficial, knowing that you're going to move and it doesn't matter to you.” - Vikram Brar
Connect with Vikram Brar:
Website: https://waahecapital.com/
Social Media: LinkedIn
Know more about John and Francisco by visiting www.Peak15Cap.com. Also follow them on Facebook, Instagram, and LinkedIn.
