I got this awesome email late Friday night – just made my weekend. I even read it on the The Real Estate Warrior Radio Show yesterday. I exchanged emails with Shane some time ago and I am so happy that he has decided to make a go for it. He is in Virginia but I have also 2 of my good friends – Neker in West Bloomfield who left his engineering job for GM and Mark White in Madison Heights who quit from Exxon two months ago to make a go at it. All I can say is – Welcome! And call me next time when you pass by Michigan. Lunch is on me.

Here is the email from Shane :

Mark, (and Nora :-)

I just wanted to thank you for sending this along. I got your Free Cd last week and just finished listening to it today and it was very good also.

I'm also writing to let you know that I'm about to start a new part of my journey. I've been living in Virginia for the last 10 years and working for large corporations in the computer field almost the whole time. I haven't felt satisfied with my work but on rare occasions and for the longest time have thought that I need to get out of it. But being prudent, I didn't want to run AWAY from my career. I wanted to run TOWARD my next career!

For the last 5 years I've studied and dabbled in real estate investment. I've read dozens of books and listened to dozens of audio courses by gurus. I've bought 2 houses for myself and 2 for selling. I've build half a dozen real estate related websites. I've registered vanity toll free numbers.

I've attended local investor group meetings. And I've been elected the VP of one local group. Overall I'm proud of myself for continuing to make progress in this field I've chosen as my next occupation. But I'm not satisfied with the speed of my progress.

You may remember that I found you through your blog. I started writing in my own personal journal about real estate about 5 years ago. I was 24 years old at that point. Back then I was working a job making over 75k. Times were good. I set a goal for myself to build a million dollars net worth by the time I was 30. I turned 30 last month. And I'm disappointed to say that other than the experiences I've gained, I'm no better off than I was when I set that goal.

I went on a trip to my home state of Wisconsin this last month for a family emergency. I was there a week and I had a lot of time to reflect. I made the decision to give up everything I have here in Virginia and move back to Wisconsin. But I'm not getting another job. I refuse to get another job.

I'm quitting my corporate life. I'm selling my personal home in Virginia. I've purchased a big Diesel truck and a new laptop and some new tools. And I'm going full time into real estate investment.

I've listened to many guru's talk about how it doesn't make sense to do the work yourself when a property isn't perfect. And from a strictly money standpoint, I agree. But in the last few years I was forced into having to do things for myself on properties when I ran out of money and competent workers. And strangely, I found it really fulfilling. I enjoy working on a project and seeing the daily progress. Certainly I don't enjoy doing all the work by myself. I'm rather comfortable hiring contractors and helpers.

And frankly I get a little bored with a paint brush in my hand for more than 30 minutes. So I delegate well. ;-) But I found that I enjoy being very close to the house while the work is being done.

I'm installing a mount in my truck for my laptop. I will have a GPS
receiver hooked to it. I also have wireless Internet access through Sprint. My office will be totally portable and always with me. I'm buying a large enclosed trailer to hold all my tools and common materials for my rehab projects. Less trips to the hardware store or back to the shop means less time wasted.

I have decided to continue working my computer job full time until I have a contract on my house. Selling it is funding my business startup and the move to Wisconsin. And every day I have to come to this job it hurts. It's not a bad job. In fact, it pays well and it's comfortable and easy now.

But it's a job. It's trading hours for dollars. It's a restriction on my time. It's holding me back from what I'm passionate about. After an 8 hour day of working on things that are simple and totally unrelated to my goals, I lack the energy and focus to begin serious work on real estate. The distractions have become too great.

In the next few months I expect to be living a new life. And I thank you for your part in it. You have been that "real person" who is doing all the things I know I am capable of and want. It's exciting to read your blog.

It's exciting to hear you talk about your successes. And more than
anything, it's exciting to know that what you are doing is totally
reproducible.

Thank you for the networking and education you are doing.

Shane