Hey hey, Hard Knocks Community!💰

We're back with a brand new School of Hard Knocks Newsletter. This week, we're highlighting real estate visionary and business transformation leader James Maddalone. As the CEO of Maddalone Development, James has spent over a decade reshaping communities through innovative mixed-use spaces, commercial plazas, and retreat centers. James’s expertise in building thriving communities, including a $6 million windstorm-certified tent structure, is unmatched.

Today’s Schedule

• Bringing a Grand Vision to Life: How James Maddalone made his entrepreneurial dreams a reality

• From the Hard Knocks Library: Traction: Get a Grip on Your Business

• In Case You Missed It: We met up with one of the greatest athletes (and entrepreneurs) of all time: Shaquille O'Neal!

Let’s dive in!🔥

Bringing a Grand Vision to Life

James Maddalone is the founder of PureTree, one of the biggest construction companies in South Texas. He’s also the CEO of Maddalone Development, has an incredible real estate portfolio, and is a master of the art of vertical integration.

James is a third generation entrepreneur and comes from a family who provides services and solutions for people. Growing up in upstate New York, his father owned a construction business and his mother owned a healthcare business as a registered nurse.

When he was 15, James started his own entrepreneurial journey seal coating driveways. James also had to borrow his brother's car and went door to door for leads. Once he made his first $100, he was hooked and never stopped hustling. At 19, James and his wife decided to purchase and flip their very first home.

From there, James expanded his services into a handyman business. At 22, he learned the ropes of remodeling and did everything from installing toilets to fixing walls. He took on the bare bones, dirty jobs to really get the full understanding of the services he was providing.

The next step in James' career was to grow the handyman and remodeling business into a new construction company. From there, it expanded into buying land and commercial development with a focus on shopping centers. Today, James and his family own over 10 commercial properties in South Texas.

As a vertical integration expert, James also owns PureTree’s sister company, PT Building Supply. The company provides all of the products his companies need and also services other local builders and contractors. This allows him to get his own piece of the pie on other projects.

James grew his remodeling company to become one of the top 500 in the nation. This past August, James sold the business to focus even more on commercial development. He's also purchased, grown, and sold other service businesses, including BenTex Seamless Gutters.

Last year, James' companies did an impressive $5 million in revenue.

A year ago, James launched the Kingdom Heirs podcast where he discusses all things faith, family, and business. Keeping God included in his business helped James experience massive wealth and success. Through the podcast, he's able to pass along that wisdom to other entrepreneurs.

On a recent live call and Q&A inside the School of Mentors community, James shared a ton of practical wisdom for today's entrepreneurs. Let's take a look at some of the top takeaways:

Think Big, Start Small

If you're passionate about real estate and eager to get started, James warns against being in a hurry. Don't be afraid to be a beginner and get your hands dirty. The first home James purchased was a modest house in the south end of Albany, one street away from the hood.

James and his wife moved into that home, fixed it up, and sold it two years later for almost $40K in profit. He fumbled through the process and leaned on friends and family to help him out. He remodeled his kitchen with second hand cabinets and vanities he found on Craigslist and installed them himself.

When you're just starting out, there's no shame in starting small. Sure, it's great to have those big goals in mind, but it's those smaller, more achievable goals that build your momentum.

You also want to be the kind of person who's willing to put in the work. Eventually, you can outsource those smaller tasks as you grow and scale. When you learn the fundamentals, you gain an intimate understanding of your business that no one can take from you.

Keeping It Balanced

When trying to break into entrepreneurship, you'll come across people who have more money and experience than you. While this can inspire you, it can also frustrate you. James says it's really important to choose the people you spend your time with carefully.

Having a balance of mentors and connections is key. James runs in what he calls "average Joe" circles as well as multi-millionaire circles, but he's the same person in both groups. This allows him to gain a well-rounded perspective and learn something new with every interaction.

Whether you're at a live networking event or in an online community like the School of Mentors, seek out those at your same level as well as those who have decades of success. Keeping this kind of balance fuels your motivation, allows you to stay grounded, and exposes you to a wide range of valuable learning experiences.

Student of the Game

If you have dreams of being an entrepreneur and have a creative spirit, James says the sky's the limit. The important question to ask yourself is "what do I want to create?" From there, figure out what makes you unique and become a student of the game of what you want to bring to market.

James advises to go into it without expecting to make a ton of money, at least not at first. Initially, it will be a hobby and you'll put money into it. Staying committed to being a student allows you to get to that point where you start earning a real income.

Being a student of the game also means taking real action towards your goals. It's not glamorous and you'll have to hustle, but this is what helps you move the needle. Take the lessons you learn in those workshops and masterclasses and put them to use in the real world.

You won't get it right every time, but you'll learn something that gets you closer to where you want to be.

The Silver Lining

As an entrepreneur, no matter what industry you're in, you'll experience failures. For James, his faith guided him through some of his toughest times. Bad things happen to good people but no matter what, God is right there by your side.

James says that one of the hardest things as a Christian is to be willing to walk through hard things. Sometimes that means losing a ton of money. However, it's important to always look for the silver lining because there's always a way out. You might be tempted to quit, but hard times can be our greatest teachers.

Regardless of your religious background or faith, looking for a silver lining in failure is one of the fundamental skills to master as an entrepreneur. Failures always contain valuable lessons and with the right perspective and mindset, you can use them to push forward.

Connect with James here:

Kingdom Heirs Podcast: https://www.youtube.com/@kingdomheirsco

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Words of Wisdom

From the Hard Knocks Library

In Case You Missed It

We met up with the one and only Shaquille O'Neal, a renowned serial entrepreneur and one of the greatest athletes of all time. In this episode of our Questions With A Millionaire series, Shaq shares his journey, how athletes can keep their wealth after retirement, the challenges of building and scaling businesses, and actionable advice for aspiring entrepreneurs. Whether you're looking to start your own venture or take your business to the next level, this interview is packed with tips & tricks you won’t want to miss!

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