What if short term rentals could be operated like institutional grade hospitality assets instead of simple vacation homes? In this episode of Raise the Bar, Seth Bradley sits down with George Salas, Founder and CEO of Empress Capital, to discuss how experiential hospitality, strategic market selection, and disciplined operations are transforming the short term rental space into a scalable investment strategy. George Salas shares the journey of building a vertically integrated hospitality company, launching a $15M investment fund, raising capital, and creating properties designed to deliver both exceptional guest experiences and strong investor returns while navigating the realities of scaling a real estate investment business.

Bullet Points and Highlights: • George Salas Built Empress Capital Around Experiential Hospitality • Short Term Rentals Can Be Operated As A Professional Investment Asset Class • Strategic Market Selection Drives Long Term Performance • Guest Experience And Design Increase Occupancy And Revenue • Raising Capital Requires Trust, Transparency, And Consistency • Building A Vertically Integrated Company Creates Operational Control • Launching A $15M Fund Allowed Empress Capital To Scale Investments • Partnerships Play A Major Role In Growing Real Estate Businesses • Long Term Wealth Comes From Strong Systems And Disciplined Execution

Links to watch and subscribe: Seth Bradley’s Links: https://x.com/sethbradleyesq https://www.youtube.com/@sethbradleyesq www.facebook.com/sethbradleyesq https://www.threads.com/@sethbradleyesq https://www.instagram.com/sethbradleyesq/ https://www.linkedin.com/in/sethbradleyesq/ https://passiveincomeattorney.com/seth-bradley/ https://www.biggerpockets.com/users/sethbradleyesq https://medium.com/@sethbradleyesq https://www.tiktok.com/@sethbradleyesq?lang=en

George Salas’s Link: https://www.linkedin.com/in/georgesalas360 https://www.instagram.com/georgesalas360/ https://www.facebook.com/georgesalas360/ https://www.youtube.com/c/GeorgeSalas https://www.georgesalas.com/

In this conversation, Ben Fraser and Seth Bradley discuss the evolving landscape of alternative investments, focusing on the fund-to-fund model and the opportunities it presents for aspiring fund managers. They explore the transition from traditional co-GP models to more compliant structures, the demand for access to private markets, and the importance of building trust and relationships in capital raising. Seth shares insights on how technology and platforms like TribeVest simplify the process of launching a capital raising business, making it accessible to individuals with existing networks. The discussion also highlights the revenue models for fund managers and the significance of due diligence in mitigating risks.

Takeaways

* The fund-to-fund model offers a compliant way to raise capital.

* Tribevest simplifies the process of launching a capital raising business.

* Building trust with investors is crucial for success.

* Many successful fund managers are not full-time capital raisers.

* Due diligence is essential to mitigate risks in investments.

* The demand for private market access is growing among investors.

* Investing your own money builds credibility with investors.

* Technology has made capital raising more accessible than ever.

* Quick returns can build investor confidence and momentum.

* Networking and relationships are key to successful capital raising.

Links from the Show and Guest Info and Links:

Seth Bradley’s Links:

https://x.com/sethbradleyesq

https://www.youtube.com/@sethbradleyesq

www.facebook.com/sethbradleyesq

https://www.threads.com/@sethbradleyesq

https://www.instagram.com/sethbradleyesq/

https://www.linkedin.com/in/sethbradleyesq/

https://passiveincomeattorney.com/seth-bradley/

https://www.biggerpockets.com/users/sethbradleyesq

https://medium.com/@sethbradleyesq

https://www.tiktok.com/@sethbradleyesq?lang=en

Ben Fraser / Aspen Funds Links:

https://aspenfunds.us/

https://youtube.com/@investlikeabillionairepodcast?si=oF0HYJhX-m7aE-0F

In this Million Dollar Monday clip, Jeremy Harbour breaks down how he built wealth at a young age through an organically grown telecom business, reaching millionaire status before 20 without a single defining “moment.”

He shares why wealth creation isn’t always one big event, but the result of consistent execution over time. He also dives into what his deals look like today, closing multiple multi-million dollar transactions each month through acquisitions, roll-ups, and taking companies public, and how he’s thinking about his next wave of growth.

Bullet Points and Highlights:

• Jeremy’s early start in entrepreneurship at age 15 and lessons learned

• The concept of asymmetric risk in business acquisitions

• How to find and reach out to potential business sellers

• Structuring deals that benefit both buyer and seller

• The importance of scale for valuation and growth

• Jeremy’s experience taking over 100 companies public,

• The mindset that sets Jeremy apart in deal making

Links to watch and subscribe:

Seth Bradley’s Links:

https://x.com/sethbradleyesq

https://www.youtube.com/@sethbradleyesq

www.facebook.com/sethbradleyesq

https://www.threads.com/@sethbradleyesq

https://www.instagram.com/sethbradleyesq/

https://www.linkedin.com/in/sethbradleyesq/

https://passiveincomeattorney.com/seth-bradley/

https://www.biggerpockets.com/users/sethbradleyesq

https://medium.com/@sethbradleyesq

https://www.tiktok.com/@sethbradleyesq?lang=en

Jeremy Harbour's Links:

https://www.linkedin.com/in/jeremyharbour

https://www.instagram.com/harbour.jeremy

https://www.jeremyharbour.com

https://www.harbourclubevents.com

What separates the top 1% from everyone else? For Jeremy, it comes down to one thing: a relentless commitment to learning. After leaving school at a young age, he never relied on traditional education, instead, he became a perpetual student of business, constantly reading, asking questions, and learning directly from real-world experience.

Over time, that curiosity compounded. By being involved in hundreds of companies across different industries, he built a deep, practical understanding of how businesses actually operate, far beyond theory. That continuous learning, combined with a willingness to make mistakes and adapt quickly, is what allowed him to operate at a high level in M&A and consistently close major deals.

Bullet Points and Highlights:

• Jeremy’s early start in entrepreneurship at age 15 and lessons learned

• The concept of asymmetric risk in business acquisitions

• How to find and reach out to potential business sellers

• Structuring deals that benefit both buyer and seller

• The importance of scale for valuation and growth

• Jeremy’s experience taking over 100 companies public,

• The mindset that sets Jeremy apart in deal making

Links to watch and subscribe:

Seth Bradley’s Links:

https://x.com/sethbradleyesq

https://www.youtube.com/@sethbradleyesq

www.facebook.com/sethbradleyesq

https://www.threads.com/@sethbradleyesq

https://www.instagram.com/sethbradleyesq/

https://www.linkedin.com/in/sethbradleyesq/

https://passiveincomeattorney.com/seth-bradley/

https://www.biggerpockets.com/users/sethbradleyesq

https://medium.com/@sethbradleyesq

https://www.tiktok.com/@sethbradleyesq?lang=en

Jeremy Harbour's Links:

https://www.linkedin.com/in/jeremyharbour

https://www.instagram.com/harbour.jeremy

https://www.jeremyharbour.com

https://www.harbourclubevents.com

In this episode, Jeremy breaks down the art of buying versus starting from scratch, teaching you how to identify the right businesses to acquire, mitigate risks, and exponentially increase your valuation through strategic scale and financial engineering. Whether you’re raising capital, scaling a portfolio, or contemplating an exit, you’ll learn innovative tactics that challenge conventional wisdom and unlock hidden opportunities.

Bullet Points and Highlights:

• Jeremy’s early start in entrepreneurship at age 15 and lessons learned

• The concept of asymmetric risk in business acquisitions

• How to find and reach out to potential business sellers

• Structuring deals that benefit both buyer and seller

• The importance of scale for valuation and growth

• Jeremy’s experience taking over 100 companies public,

• The mindset that sets Jeremy apart in deal making

Links to watch and subscribe:

Seth Bradley’s Links:

https://x.com/sethbradleyesq

https://www.youtube.com/@sethbradleyesq

www.facebook.com/sethbradleyesq

https://www.threads.com/@sethbradleyesq

https://www.instagram.com/sethbradleyesq/

https://www.linkedin.com/in/sethbradleyesq/

https://passiveincomeattorney.com/seth-bradley/

https://www.biggerpockets.com/users/sethbradleyesq

https://medium.com/@sethbradleyesq

https://www.tiktok.com/@sethbradleyesq?lang=en

Jeremy Harbour's Links:

https://www.linkedin.com/in/jeremyharbour

https://www.instagram.com/harbour.jeremy

https://www.jeremyharbour.com

https://www.harbourclubevents.com

How do you make your first million… and keep going? For John, it all started with a small 2-unit apartment deal that replaced his salary in just one year. That’s when everything clicked. In this clip, John breaks down how real estate opened the door to his first million, how John made his most recent one by selling property, and why he’s now building his next million through a restoration business. This is a real look at how wealth is built step by step, deal by deal, and business by business. If you’re thinking about real estate or scaling beyond it, this one’s for you.

Bullet Point Highlight: • Made first million through apartment real estate investing • Started with a small 2-unit property • First deal generated his annual salary within a year • Realized early the power of real estate • Made his latest million by selling a property • Now building his next million through a restoration business • Expanding beyond real estate into home services • Serving an entire market, not just his own properties • Leveraging business to support real estate portfolio • Wealth built through stacking deals and businesses

Seth Bradley’s Links: https://x.com/sethbradleyesq https://www.youtube.com/@sethbradleyesq www.facebook.com/sethbradleyesq https://www.threads.com/@sethbradleyesq https://www.instagram.com/sethbradleyesq/ https://www.linkedin.com/in/sethbradleyesq/ https://passiveincomeattorney.com/seth-bradley/ https://www.biggerpockets.com/users/sethbradleyesq https://medium.com/@sethbradleyesq https://www.tiktok.com/@sethbradleyesq?lang=en

John Casmon’s Link: https://www.linkedin.com/in/multifamily-apartments-john-casmon https://www.instagram.com/jcasmon/ https://www.facebook.com/p/John-Casmon-100028409780377/ https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCXOupf9--oWUmmg3RiIzXZQ

What does it really take to stay in the top 1%? It’s not just talent, it’s humility, grit, and relentless consistency. In this powerful clip, John shares why success isn’t about hype or quick wins, but about showing up every single day, even when results are slow or nonexistent. From pushing through years of “crickets” to building discipline through workouts, routines, and systems, he breaks down the mindset that separates those who quit from those who break through. If you’re in a season where nothing seems to be working yet, this is for you.

Bullet Point Highlight: • Success comes from humility + grit, not ego or hype • Most people quit after 6 months, real winners keep going • “Crickets” and slow seasons are part of the journey • Consistency over years (8–9 years of showing up) creates breakthroughs • Builds mental toughness through daily workouts and routines • Uses emotion, purpose, and family as fuel to stay driven • Completed 250+ workouts in a year and weekly podcast for nearly a decade • Systems - motivation (you fall to your systems, not your goals) • Habits and structure make discipline automatic • Core identity: “I show up, no matter what”

Seth Bradley’s Links: https://x.com/sethbradleyesq https://www.youtube.com/@sethbradleyesq www.facebook.com/sethbradleyesq https://www.threads.com/@sethbradleyesq https://www.instagram.com/sethbradleyesq/ https://www.linkedin.com/in/sethbradleyesq/ https://passiveincomeattorney.com/seth-bradley/ https://www.biggerpockets.com/users/sethbradleyesq https://medium.com/@sethbradleyesq https://www.tiktok.com/@sethbradleyesq?lang=en

John Casmon’s Link: https://www.linkedin.com/in/multifamily-apartments-john-casmon https://www.instagram.com/jcasmon/ https://www.facebook.com/p/John-Casmon-100028409780377/ https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCXOupf9--oWUmmg3RiIzXZQ

What if building a $150M real estate portfolio started with a simple two unit property? In this episode of Raise the Bar, Seth Bradley sits down with John Casmon, Founder of Casmon Capital Group and Host of the Multifamily Mastery Podcast, to break down the realities of building wealth through multifamily real estate. John Casmon shares how the journey started after leaving Corporate America, the lessons learned while raising capital and scaling apartment investments, and why disciplined underwriting and long term thinking matter more than ever in today’s market. The conversation also explores how investor sentiment has shifted after rising interest rates, why many operators abandoned real estate fundamentals during the boom years, and why the current environment may present one of the best buying opportunities in the past decade, while John Casmon also explains the importance of relationships in capital raising and why grit and consistency remain the biggest advantages for long term operators in real estate.

Bullet Points and Highlights: • John Casmon Transitioned From Corporate Marketing To Real Estate Investing • John Casmon Built A $150M+ Multifamily Portfolio Through Disciplined Underwriting • John Casmon Explains Why Many Investors Misunderstand True Value Add Investing • The Multifamily Boom Created Unrealistic Expectations For Fast Profits • Investor Sentiment Has Shifted Due To Higher Interest Rates • Passive Investors Are Becoming More Cautious And Selective • Many Investors Are Exploring Alternative Assets Such As Oil And Gas And Debt Funds • Relationships And Trust Are Becoming More Important In Capital Raising • AI May Help With Information, But Investor Trust Still Comes From Relationships • Consistency And Grit Are Key Traits Among Successful Operators • Building Systems And Habits Helps Maintain Long Term Performance

Seth Bradley’s Links: https://x.com/sethbradleyesq https://www.youtube.com/@sethbradleyesq www.facebook.com/sethbradleyesq https://www.threads.com/@sethbradleyesq https://www.instagram.com/sethbradleyesq/ https://www.linkedin.com/in/sethbradleyesq/ https://passiveincomeattorney.com/seth-bradley/ https://www.biggerpockets.com/users/sethbradleyesq https://medium.com/@sethbradleyesq https://www.tiktok.com/@sethbradleyesq?lang=en

John Casmon’s Link: https://www.linkedin.com/in/multifamily-apartments-john-casmon https://www.instagram.com/jcasmon/ https://www.facebook.com/p/John-Casmon-100028409780377/ https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCXOupf9--oWUmmg3RiIzXZQ