***Guest Appearance
Credits to:
https://www.youtube.com/@Kevin98270
“MDR Podcast #356 – Jay Conner”
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=VD6wnmVYLp4&t=4s
In the fast-paced world of entrepreneurship, we’re often told that success is a solo journey fueled by hustle, strategy, and a pinch of luck. But as we’re reminded in the recent episode of the Million Dollar Relationships podcast featuring Jay Conner and host Kevin Thompson, the true secret sauce lies in real, authentic connections and staying true to who you are.
Starting with Authenticity
Right from the outset, Jay Conner sets the tone by sharing his core values — not shying away from his faith or his deep belief in authenticity. He laughs at the old speaker’s school advice to “never talk politics or religion.” For Jay, the most valuable relationships are built on truth and transparency. “Be who you are,” he says, not just for audience approval, but to build bonds with people who share your values.
Jay’s journey was influenced early on by his father, Wallace Conner, who told him, “Don’t try to be your dad. You be your person.” That lesson only truly clicked for Jay when, in his twenties, trying to mimic others didn’t deliver results. Authenticity, he realized, is magnetic — it opens doors and forges lasting connections.
The Power of Asking ‘Who Do You Know?’
The heart of Jay’s entrepreneurial story is a pivotal crisis in 2009. After building a thriving real estate business by relying on traditional bank funding, his credit line was abruptly cut off during the global financial crisis. Instead of throwing in the towel or feeling victimized, Jay asked himself a powerful question: “Who do you know that can help fix your problem?”
That question led him to a friend, which led to learning about private money lending from Ron LeGrand — a move that fundamentally transformed both his business and his ability to serve others. In less than 90 days, Jay raised over $2 million in private money, more than double what he’d been able to borrow from the bank before. What began as a setback blossomed into a new opportunity, all because of his relationships and willingness to seek help.
Paying It Forward: Building Impact
Jay’s story doesn’t stop at personal gain. Inspired by his success and a bit of entrepreneurial boredom, he reached out to his mentor, Ron LeGrand, for advice on what to do next. Ron pushed Jay to start teaching others, which launched his own coaching and information business focused on helping real estate investors raise private capital. This new direction not only satisfied his creative drive but also led him to impact thousands of investors — and by extension, the families and communities they support.
As Jay and Kevin note, their mutual connections with industry giants like Ron LeGrand, Joe Polish, and Dan Kennedy show that every success story is interwoven with others. Sharing wisdom, offering opportunities, and supporting each other creates a multiplying effect of impact.
From Success to Significance
Both Jay and Kevin stress the importance of moving from “success” — personal achievement and financial gain — to “significance,” which is about making a meaningful difference in the lives of others. As entrepreneur Zig Ziglar famously said, “You can have everything in life you want, if you will just help enough other people get what they want.” It’s a philosophy Jay lives by daily, whether through one-on-one mentorship or his highly-rated “Raising Private Money” podcast.
Final Takeaways: Start What’s Stirring in Your Heart
Jay ends with a compelling challenge: “What is stirring in your heart to start?” Whether you’re facing a setback, feeling unfulfilled, or looking for your next move, the answer may lie not in another tactic, but in deepening your relationships and being willing to leap into something new for the first time.
If you want to dive deeper, Jay offers a free copy of his bestselling book “Where to Get the Money Now” and regular insights on his podcast “Raising Private Money.”
In a world of shortcuts and hacks, Jay and Kevin’s stories are a reminder: Authenticity and relationships aren’t just nice to have — they’re the foundation of real, lasting success.
10 Discussion Questions from this Episode:
- Jay Conner emphasizes the importance of authenticity and staying true to your core values. How do you think authenticity impacts business relationships and success?
- Jay’s father advised him to “be your own person.” How has this advice influenced Jay’s entrepreneurial journey, and have you ever received similar guidance in your life?
- Jay encountered a pivotal setback when his bank cut off his credit. How did his approach to problem-solving in that moment reflect a growth mindset, and how do you typically handle unexpected obstacles?
- The question, “Who do you know that can help fix your problem?” played a major role in Jay’s story. How do relationships and networking influence business breakthroughs in your experience?
- Jay talks about learning from mentors like Ron LeGrand and Jack Canfield. Can you share a time when a mentor had a transformative impact on your career or personal growth?
- Jay describes automating his real estate business to the point of boredom, which led him to pursue coaching and education. How do you recognize when it’s time for a new challenge, and what steps do you take to keep growing?
- The formula Jay references from Jack Canfield, E + R = O (Event + Response = Outcome), refutes the “victim mentality.” How can you apply this concept in your own life, particularly in the face of setbacks?
- Jay and Kevin both highlight the ripple effect of helping others, impacting not just direct clients but their families and communities. What are some ways your work has had a wider positive impact than you initially realized?
- Throughout the episode, there’s an emphasis on significance over applause. How do you measure the true impact of your work, beyond accolades or recognition?
- Jay ends with the question: “What is stirring in your heart to start?” What’s something new that you feel drawn to begin, and what would it take to take the first step?
Fun facts that were revealed in the episode:
- Jay Conner’s First Private Lender Came from Bible Study: Jay’s journey into private money lending began unusually—his very first private lender was someone he chatted with after a Wednesday night Bible study, proving that your everyday connections could open major financial doors!
- Retired School Teachers Invest Big: Among Jay’s private lenders are two retired school teachers who, together, have invested over $1.25 million in his real estate deals. Private lending isn’t just for high-powered financiers—everyday people from all walks of life can get involved.
- A Sudden Bank Shutdown Boosted His Success: Jay’s path dramatically changed when his bank suddenly shut down his line of credit in the middle of his real estate career. Instead of giving up, he learned about creative financing through private money, and within a few months, raised over $2 million from new private lenders without ever having to beg, chase, or even ask directly for funds.
Timestamps:
00:01 Raising Private Money Without Asking For It
03:26 Authenticity Over Convention
08:38 Credit Line Shutdown: Financial Crisis Impact
11:22 Discovering Private Money for Real Estate
15:14 Choosing Response Determines Outcome
17:27 Transformative Networking Experience
21:55 Starting a Coaching Business Journey
24:10 Ron LeGrand’s Impact on Success
26:45 Zig Ziglar on Significance
32:44 Appreciation for Jay’s Impact
34:06 Raising Private Money Guide
36:39 Gratitude and Excitement Expressed
Connect With Jay Conner:
Private Money Academy Conference:
Free Report:
https://www.jayconner.com/MoneyReport
Join the Private Money Academy:
https://www.JayConner.com/trial/
Have you read Jay’s new book, Where to Get the Money Now?
It is available FREE (all you pay is the shipping and handling) at https://www.JayConner.com/Book
What is Private Money? Real Estate Investing with Jay Conner
http://www.JayConner.com/MoneyPodcast
Jay Conner is a proven real estate investment leader. Without using his own money or credit, Jay maximizes creative methods to buy and sell properties with profits averaging $67,000 per deal.
#RealEstate #RealEstateInvesting #RealEstateInvestingForBeginners #Foreclosures #FlippingHouses #PrivateMoney #RaisingPrivateMoney #JayConner
YouTube Channel
https://www.youtube.com/c/RealEstateInvestingWithJayConner
Apple Podcast:
Facebook:
https://www.facebook.com/jay.conner.marketing
Twitter:
https://twitter.com/JayConner01
Pinterest:
https://www.pinterest.com/JConner_PrivateMoneyAuthority
Impact Over Applause: Jay Conner’s Approach to Coaching and Investor Success
Kevin Thompson [00:00:02]:
All right, Kevin, back with you for another episode of the Million Dollar Relationships podcast. And today I’m here with Jay Connor. Jay, welcome. So awesome to have you on the show today.
Jay Conner [00:00:16]:
Kevin, thank you so much for inviting me along to talk about Million Dollar relationships, for goodness’ sake. I’m so excited about that, because after all, what asset do we have more valuable than our relationships?
Kevin Thompson [00:00:31]:
Amen. Amen. And, you know, I want to start oy. You know, it’s really interesting because normally when I have podcast guests, most of them have been personally introduced by somebody else who already knew me or somebody who was a guest on the podcast or something like that. And this situation is a little bit different in that you’ve got somebody on your team, Bev, who ended up reaching out to me. She sent an email. And she was like, Kevin, I see you host the Million Dollar Relationships podcast, and I think Jay Connor would be a great guest for your podcast. Here’s some info on him.
Kevin Thompson [00:01:06]:
And she sent a couple of links, and I. And I started checking you out, and I’m like, man, I like this guy. And. And so I. I got back to Bev, and you and I made time to connect. We hopped on a Zoom call, got to know each other, and. And I was like, yep, Bev was right. Jay, I would love to do a podcast interview with you.
Kevin Thompson [00:01:23]:
And so here we are. And, Bev, if you happen to listen to this, thank you so much for sending me that email. I appreciate it. And so, Jay, I just want to start. I want to start by turning it over to you. I want you to be able to. I want to set a little bit of context here for our listeners and kind of really give them a good idea about who you are and what you’re all about. And.
Kevin Thompson [00:01:47]:
And so, you know, give us some story, let us know what you do, who you serve, what inspires you most about the work that you get to do, and also, I want to hear some of the backstory of how you got into this, because every entrepreneur has an amazing story, and, Jay, you are no exception. I know that for a fact already.
Jay Conner [00:02:07]:
So, thank you. Kevin, I enjoyed getting to know you. When we talked last, that was prior to us getting here on the show. And of course, you know, one thing that you and I determined and figured out quickly is that you and I have the same core values. And we. You and I just ended up with a lot of things in common that I remember identifying. So, you know, one of my favorite questions that I ask people when they come on my podcast and my show is, I’ll say, you know, you can answer this as quickly as you like, or you can make it as long as you like. And then I’ll say, if you were a guest on my podcast, I’d say, Kevin, tell me in my audience, who is Kevin Thompson? And so I’m going to pretend you just asked me, Who is Jay Connor?
Kevin Thompson [00:02:56]:
I love that. I love.
Jay Conner [00:02:58]:
Try not to make it too long. So, Jay Connor, I am a person who, first of all, my top core value is my spiritual relationship with God and Jesus Christ. And I’m not ashamed at all to say that. And you know, Kevin, you know, you go to speaker school. I mean, I’ve. I’ve got my podcast, had over 800 shows. I’ve been a guest on over 800 other podcasts. And people, you know, you go to.
Jay Conner [00:03:26]:
And I speak on the platform, and trainers will say, Don’t talk politics, don’t talk religion. Well, you know what? I believe that when you’re talking with someone and you’re establishing a new relationship, such as I am here with you and your audience, which I appreciate so much, I believe authenticity is the key. Be who you are. Be who you are. You know, I don’t know who in the world Kevin came up with the phrase or the mantra, opposites attract. That’s the most stupid thing vI’veever heard in my life. I want to be around people who are like me, you know? Yeah. And so, when my dad, Wallace Connor, was an inspiration to me.
Jay Conner [00:04:08]:
My dad, Wallace Connor, he’s 91 and a half years old right now, and he’s always sure to make sure, you know, the half doesn’t lie out. Don’t leave out the 911 1/2 years old. But he is right in the middle of a brand new subdivision that he’s building out 375 houses. And he’s in the middle of building that out. And when I grow up, I want to be like Wallace Connor, my dad. But the reason he comes to mind is when I was growing up, Kevin, my dad, said to me something that I did not understand. I understand it very well now. Okay.
Jay Conner [00:04:46]:
But he’d say, Jay, don’t try to be me. Don’t try to be your dad. You be you. Be your person. You be your own man. You blaze your trail. And it didn’t make sense when he was telling me that, but. But it did make sense when I got into my 20s, and I would try to mimic and act like other people.
Jay Conner [00:05:11]:
And you know what,,t it didn’t work. Yeah, it didn’t work. You know, there’s only one Kevin Thompson like you on the planet. There’s only one Jay Connor like I am on the planet. And for all of you that are tuning into this show when you were created, there’s only one of you. Be authentically you. So, who is Jay Connor? An Authentically Spiritual foundation is very, very important. As a result of that, I met my wife Carol Joy in Wichita Falls, Texas.
Jay Conner [00:05:41]:
I’m from North Carolina. I’m here in eastern North Carolina with Carol, now my wife. But I moved out to Wichita Falls, Texas, way back when I was 24 years old. And my very first Sunday in town, I met Carol Joy at church. We’ve been dating ever since. We’ve been dating for 41 years. We’ve been married 39 years of those 41. And so what else are we all about? We love to write music.
Jay Conner [00:06:06]:
So we write and compose music, church hymns, et cetera. I love to write piano music. Some of my piano music is actually in Universal Studios movies. So that’s pretty cool. But then there’s this thing called real estate investing. So I started Carol Joy, my wife and I. We started investing in single-family houses here in eastern North Carolina all the way back in 2003. 2003. Been full-time in it ever since.
Jay Conner [00:06:36]:
We’re in a small market, only 50,000 people, and we do about three deals a month, about 30. 30 deals or so, actually a year. We flip most of them. Our average profits now are $86,000 per transaction. I do not share that from ego. I don’t share that to brag. I share that to make a point. And that is there’s an argument to be made to be a big pot, a big fish in a small pond, so only 50,000 people.
Jay Conner [00:07:06]:
You know, be consistent with your marketing. You can pretty much dominate a small market if you are. And, you know, don’t go where all the other competitors and other real estate investors are, like the big cities. But nonetheless, we started investing in 2003. Now, from 2003, Kevin, until January of 2009, all I knew to do to get my houses and my deals funded was to go to the local bank, get on my hands and knees, put my hands underneath my chin, and say, Please fund my deal. And the banker, of course, would make me pull up my skirt and show my assets and get my credit score pulled and financial statements. That’s all I knew to do. I mean, the local bank, institutional money, they made the rules.
Jay Conner [00:07:54]:
They set the interest rate. They were the underwriters. That’s all I knew. That worked. Okay, Kevin. The first six years until January 2009. Ooh, boys. I remember it like it was yesterday.
Jay Conner [00:08:13]:
I was sitting right here at my desk. Believe it or not, we still actually have handsets and cords.
Kevin Thompson [00:08:18]:
Oh, I got one of those, too.
Jay Conner [00:08:21]:
You know, the. The Z. The Z. Gen doesn’t know what that is. Anyway, so I picked up my telephone and I called my banker. His name was Steve. I had two houses under contract to purchase, and I had been using the bank where Steve worked for six years. We had done a ton of deals together.
Jay Conner [00:08:38]:
And I called him up about these two deals that I had under contract, and I told him the funding that was required for the deals. And I learned like that over the telephone that my line of credit had been shut down with no notice whatsoever. To me, after having a great relationship for six years, I said, Steve, what in the world are you doing? And telling me you’ve shut down my line of credit? Why? He said, Jay, don’t you know there’s a global financial crisis going on right now? I said, no, but you just gave me a global financial crisis. I don’t have a way to fund my two deals, with you shut me down with no notice. And I had an 800 credit score. Never been laid off from my payments with the bank for six years. He says, Well, Jay, we’re just not loaning money out to real estate investors. So I hung up the phone.
Jay Conner [00:09:26]:
Kevin. And you know, all of us in our entrepreneurial journey have these pivotal moments. If you’ve been around for any length of time, you have these pivotal moments where something happens that looks painful, and it feels painful. It’s a challenge. You don’t know how you’re going to get out of it. So I sat right here at my desk after having that conversation with Steve and Kevin. I want to share this question that I asked myself with you and your audience. It’s a very powerful question.
Jay Conner [00:10:03]:
The question will help fix any problem that anybody’s got going on. I don’t care if it’s health, relationships, financial, or career, it doesn’t matter. Very powerful question. By the way, these people running around saying, Oh, every problem is an opportunity. I want to throw up. I didn’t have an opportunity. I had a problem. Let’s face the facts here.
Kevin Thompson [00:10:22]:
Right?
Jay Conner [00:10:23]:
Here’s the question I asked myself. And the question I asked myself was, Jay, who do you know? Yeah, there it is. There it is. Who do you know that can help fix your problem? It’s amazing. Immediately after I asked myself that question, I thought of Jeff Blankenship, a dear friend of mine, and Carol Joyce. We knew each other from Christian gospel singing events that we would go to. He was living in Greensboro, North Carolin, at the time. This was 2009.
Jay Conner [00:11:00]:
So I called up Jeff and I told him what had just happened with me and my bank, ker, and my conversation with the banker, and getting shut down. I said, Jeff, I just got cut off from the bank. He says, Welcome to the club. I said, What club is that? He said the club had been shut down by the bank. He said, My bank shut me down last week.
Kevin Thompson [00:11:22]:
Wow.
Jay Conner [00:11:22]:
Kevin was, well, I’m talking to the wrong dude here, huh? I said, Well, Jeff, how are you going to fund your deals? He said, Well, Jay, have you ever heard of private money? I said, No, what’s that? He says, well, I’m not sure. He says, Have you ever heard of self-directed IRAs and how people can use their retirement funds to be a passive real estate investor and loan money out to those real estate investors, and the interest they earn from us is either tax deferred or tax free? Have you ever heard of that? I said, Jeff, I don’t have a clue in the world what you’re talking about. I said, Where do we find out about this? He said, Well, there’s this gentleman down in Jacksonville, Florida, by the name of Ron Legrand. Ron Legrand in Jacksonville, Florida, can teach us how to get private money for our real estate deals. I said, well, what’s private money? He said, Jay, I don’t know. But Ron says, we can get a lot of it. So it was because of me. So let’s unpack this for a second.
Jay Conner [00:12:42]:
Six years of funding, no problem. I’m cut off from the bank. I asked myself the question, Who can help me with my problem? I call up Jeff. Jeff tells me about Ron LeGrand. Jeff and I go to Ron Legrand’s Quick Start Real Estate Investing School. The very next month, in February of 2009, I learn about private money I’d never heard of. And I’m not talking hard money. This is not hard money from a hard money lender or broker.
Jay Conner [00:13:14]:
This is learning how to raise your capital yourself through your connections, your network, growing your network, et cetera. So I learned about that from Ron Legrand. In less than 90 days, thanks to Ron Legrand, I was able to raise $2,150,000 for my single-family real estate deals. That was more than I had at the bank. All I had at the bank at the time was a million-dollar line of credit, which ran out pretty quickly. I had to pass up on deals all the time because all I had was a million-dollar line. So now, thanks to the bank cutting me off in the global financial crisis, I got a raise.
Kevin Thompson [00:13:55]:
Yeah.
Jay Conner [00:13:55]:
So, you know, it was a huge blessing in disguise to be cut off from the bank. I had to find a better and quicker way to fund my deals. And it’s because of that experience, Kevin, that I learned a very powerful lesson. Oh, my lands. Whew. I’m so glad we’re talking about this. I learned a very powerful formula from Jack Canfield. Now, you know, Jack Canfield was the co-author with Mark Victor Hansen of the Chicken Soup for the Soul series.
Jay Conner [00:14:29]:
Millions and millions and millions of books. So, well, Jack Canfield, a few years ago, in fact, about 10 years ago, he wrote a book called the Success Principles. Powerful book. It’s got 65 success principles in the book. And the very first principle in the book, the success principles, is as follows. Take 100% responsibility for everything that happens in your life. And the formula that he teaches in that first chapter is a formula that is E plus R equals O. And the E stands for the event that happened in your life.
Jay Conner [00:15:14]:
The R stands for your response to that event that happened in your life, and that equals the outcome that you are now experiencing. Unfortunately, most people walking around live by a different formula. This is called the victim formula. And the victim formula is E equals O. Most people walking around, unfortunately, have an event happen in their life, and in their mind, that event is now determining their outcome. But what is so liberating, Kevin, and I’m going to bring this full circle. This is going to make sense in about 20 seconds. What’s so liberating about this formula is, is that when we realize that we are 100% responsible and we’ve got a 100% choice as to how we can respond to any event in our life any way we want to.
Jay Conner [00:16:10]:
Whether we. Whether we brought that on or we didn’t bring that on, we can respond to that in any way. And it’s our response to the event that determines the outcome. How does that tie in with anything? It ties into the story I just told you. The bank cuts me off. I didn’t have anything to do with the global financial crisis. So when the bank cut me off, I could have been a victim, or I could have known I’ve got a response. I could go, you know, put my tail between my legs and go crawl in the corner and eat Cheetos and cry.
Jay Conner [00:16:42]:
Or I could say, hmm. How could I respond to this event? Oh, I can ask. Who do I know that can help me with my problem? And then that leads to Jeff, that leads to Ron. And Ron Legrand has had more of an impact on my real estate investing career than anybody else on the planet. I could never pay Ron LeGrand back for what he’s taught me.
Kevin Thompson [00:17:11]:
Wow. And what a small world, because I started a carpet cleaning business in 1995. And through that, I. I got this mentor, this guy, Joe Polish.
Jay Conner [00:17:25]:
Joe Polish, of course.
Kevin Thompson [00:17:27]:
Yeah. I met Joe because of that business, and he helped me completely turn that business around. And into a profitable business instead of one that was just sucking the life and the income out of it, because I didn’t know. I didn’t know what I didn’t know. And. But through Joe, I met Dan Kennedy, and I went to a Dan Kennedy seminar in 1999 was the first Dan Kennedy seminar I ever went to. And I met Ron Legrand at that seminar. Ron was an attendee like me at that seminar and stuff, with Dan.
Jay Conner [00:18:01]:
By the way, I own every published book that Dan Kennedy wrote.
Kevin Thompson [00:18:06]:
Yeah, I got. I got all his books, too, and stuff.
Jay Conner [00:18:09]:
I got them all.
Kevin Thompson [00:18:10]:
Now, the ultimate sales letter was the very first one I ever read. Yeah.
Jay Conner [00:18:14]:
Yeah. Dan Kennedy’s amazing. You know, he’s got an amazing story, too. He was on his deathbed. He wrote. Yeah, he wrote his deathbed letter.
Kevin Thompson [00:18:24]:
Yes.
Jay Conner [00:18:25]:
In hospice. And the man is still going.
Kevin Thompson [00:18:29]:
Yes, he is. He’s still going. You bet. Yep. Yep. So, wow, what a phenomenal story that is. And, because your friend, you know, had found out about Ron, who is. The two of you go to Ron’s event and find out how to get access to private money.
Kevin Thompson [00:18:51]:
And so keep your goal on track. And, of course, now, I mean, so that was back in 2009. So that was 14 years ago.
Jay Conner [00:19:01]:
And.
Kevin Thompson [00:19:02]:
And now, as a result of that, you have helped a whole lot of other people by showing them how to get access to private money to fund their deals and stuff.
Jay Conner [00:19:13]:
Absolutely. So it’s like I’ve been paying it forward. But there’s another story that ties in there with Ron LeGrand.Okay, so in 2009, I met him, learned about private money, and I learned all those other creative methods, too. I’d never heard about buying a house subject to the existing note. Who in the world is going to agree to leave the mortgage in their name, and I’m going to agree to make their payments, for goodness’ sake. Learned all about that creative financing, selling all that stuff I never heard about. Thanks, Ronald Grant.
Jay Conner [00:19:47]:
So two years later, Kevin, in March. Excuse me, February. Excuse me, I’ll get it right in a minute. January 2011. January 2011. Two years after I’d met Ron LeGrand, I find myself bored. Making a lot of money now. Making a lot of money, that’s pretty nice.
Jay Conner [00:20:14]:
But boredom is no fun, particularly when you’ve got an entrepreneurial spirit.
Kevin Thompson [00:20:17]:
Yeah, yeah.
Jay Conner [00:20:19]:
You know, I mean, we’ve got to be producing, we’ve got to be creating something, you know, too. To have fulfillment and have impact, you know, and so on. And the reason that was the case is that I had really worked very hard to automate my business. Now, what do I mean by that? For my business, by and large, to run without me, to where I got the team in place, I got the software in place, I’ve got the acquisitionist, I’ve got the real estate attorney, I’ve got the realtor, I’ve got the general contractors, all that to where? All I’m having to do is make decisions. What houses do I want to make an offer on how much I want to offer? And that’s pretty much it. I wasn’t even going to houses anymore. They’re being done.
Jay Conner [00:21:07]:
It’s a. It’s a greased machine, and I am bored to tears. So January 2011, I called up Ron LeGrand, and I said, Ron, the real estate investing business is going fantastic. I’m doing all these deals, I’ve got a fantastic team, and I am bored to death. And then I asked another question. I said, Ron, what is next? That was my question. What’s next? And Ron says, well, what are you good at? I said, well, I’m pretty good at raising private money. I’ve raised millions, and so I’m pretty good at raising private money without ever asking for money.
Jay Conner [00:21:55]:
He says, Well, why don’t you just start teaching people what you do? I said, well, I’m a pretty good teacher. I’m a pretty good communicator, but I don’t even know how to start. I mean, I mean, you’ve got this great big company, this education coaching company that coaches all these people on how to be a real estate investor. I don’t even know how to begin doing that from a business plan. He said, Well, why don’t you just fly down here to Jacksonville, Florida, and we’ll spend a day together, and you can hire me to consult you, and I’ll get you started on your information marketing business and your coaching business. I said, Sounds good to me. So I flew down to Ron’s office there in Jacksonville, Florida. We spent a day together, and he scared the pants right off of me.
Jay Conner [00:22:47]:
Before I left that day, we had already scheduled my first seminar workshop in Atlanta, Georgia. And through his connections and his promoters, they were going to fill the room. And I had to show up, and I had to teach a full day on how to raise private money for real estate deals. I said, Ron, I don’t have anything. I don’t have. I don’t have an outline. I don’t have. I mean, I know what I do, but I mean, I don’t have anything.
Jay Conner [00:23:19]:
He said, You’ve got 60 days. Get it together and get it done. You’re on the calendar. Scared me to death.
Kevin Thompson [00:23:28]:
Yep. Yep.
Jay Conner [00:23:29]:
Scared me to death. So it’s on. So I left Jacksonville, Florida, at the end of that day. Carol Joy was with me, thank goodness, because I was shaking when I left. And I came back home. I can remember sitting on the floor of my office. I had papers everywhere. I had notes everywhere.
Jay Conner [00:23:46]:
And so I went into putting together my very first seminar on how to raise private money. And so I put on my first seminar. March 2011, 60 days later. And then in June of 2011, I did my first webinar on private money to Ron Legrand’s audience.
Kevin Thompson [00:24:08]:
Wow. Okay.
Jay Conner [00:24:10]:
Okay. And I was scared to death on that. I mean, I was. I’d never done a webinar. I hardly even knew what a webinar was, so I did that. And so, thanks to Ron Legrand, my coaching, my education, my impact, my significance in the world of real estate investing was all launched because of Ron LeGrand teaching me about private money, and then. And then he showed me how to launch a coaching business. And thanks to him, I’ve been blessed to have an impact on thousands and thousands and thousands of real estate investors across the nation because of him.
Kevin Thompson [00:24:50]:
Yeah. Wow. Wow. What a story, Jay. What a story. And, you know, not only have you impacted those thousands and thousands of investors, but there’s a whole lot of other lives, you know, because of those. The spouses of those investors, the families of those investors, man, there are so many lives that have been impacted because you chose to do that. And coming from those.
Kevin Thompson [00:25:21]:
Those humble beginnings and being scared. But, you know what, you’re, like, gonna do this. I’m gonna do this because I’m not just gonna sit around and be bored forever, you know.
Jay Conner [00:25:34]:
I promise you, while I was in the midst, when you know, being bored ain’t so bad.
Kevin Thompson [00:25:39]:
Yeah. Yeah.
Jay Conner [00:25:42]:
But, you know, a Good friend of mine, I don’t know if you know the name Dave Fulk. F U L K. I’ve heard that.
Kevin Thompson [00:25:49]:
I have. I’ve met Dave.
Jay Conner [00:25:52]:
He was wonderful. I mean, talk about relationship collateral. Oh, my word, Dave. Dave knows how to build and serve, but I was reading one of his Facebook posts. We’re in a mastermind together. And in the Mastermind Facebook group, he posted yesterday.
Jay Conner [00:26:13]:
Oh, for the first time yesterday, he got published in Forbes magazine.
Kevin Thompson [00:26:19]:
Oh, wow.
Jay Conner [00:26:20]:
His article.
Kevin Thompson [00:26:22]:
And.
Jay Conner [00:26:25]:
And anyway, I can’t remember the exact context of how he said it, but anyway, he said that he is all about impact and not applause.
Kevin Thompson [00:26:40]:
I love that. I love that.
Jay Conner [00:26:43]:
Not applause.
Kevin Thompson [00:26:44]:
Yeah.
Jay Conner [00:26:45]:
And I said, I mean, I wrote it down on my yellow pad in my phone. It resonated with me so much. But, yeah, Dave folk reading after him yesterday, he knows all about the relationships and stuff, but he came to mind because we’re talking about, you know, Zig Ziglar. Now I’m dating myself, Zig Ziglar, and I’ll date myself. When I was 24 years old, the sales company I was working for, I was required me to listen to every cassette tape that Zig Ziglar had out, and I had to answer homework questions and stuff. But Zig Ziglar, one of the last recordings or courses or what have you that he recorded. I can’t remember the exact title of it, but it was all about significance, significance making an impact. Because, I mean, you know, after a while, you’re an entrepreneur, you’re successful, you have the choice that you want to eat Cheetos on your sofa, or do you want to go out and make a difference? And, you know, we’ve just been blessed to be able to go out, serve, and make a difference.
Jay Conner [00:28:03]:
And like Zig says, you know, you help enough other people get what they want and need, you don’t have to worry about yourself.
Kevin Thompson [00:28:08]:
Yeah, yeah. Absolutely.
Jay Conner [00:28:13]:
Yeah.
Kevin Thompson [00:28:14]:
You know, it’s interesting, you and I both have ties to Ron LeGrand, because years ago, this would have been. It was 2003 when it was. Because Joe Polish, because I. I had it back in 2000 because I met Perry Marshall, and they were doing some stuff online. I met Perry at that Dan Kennedy seminar, and I also met Yannick Silver, and those two guys were doing some cool stuff online at the time. And it got me thinking, like, wow, wouldn’t it be cool if I could do something online, too, and have a nationwide or maybe even a worldwide reach? Wouldn’t that be so cool? Because at the time, I owned a local cleaning and restoration company, and I ended up starting this, probably one of the ugliest websites on the Internet, called getmoldsolutions.com, and it was an extension of my cleaning and restoration business. And over the next three years, we built that website up where it was producing about $15,000 a month for the business. And, and Joe Polish 2003, in early that year, invited me.
Kevin Thompson [00:29:25]:
He’s like, Kevin, why don’t you come down to the big annual event this year and show everybody what you’re doing with your website?, And I was like, okay. And, and he’s like, and, and when you do, he said, before you come, I want you to document everything that you do and how you do it and put it into a course because a certain percentage of the people, once they hear from you, they’re going to want your help. Just make sure you’re ready to give that to them.
Jay Conner [00:29:53]:
Well, it sounds like he did to you what Ron LeGrand did to me. Yes.
Kevin Thompson [00:29:58]:
And, and I had never done anything like that before, never spoke in public, and I’m like, Joe, I don’t even know what to do. Well, I found out that there was., I went to. I ended up at another Dan Kennedy seminar, and Ron LeGrand was there, and he was offering this thing called the Promoters and Speakers Boot Camp.
Jay Conner [00:30:20]:
I got it over there on the record, right there on my bookshelf.
Kevin Thompson [00:30:24]:
So I invest in it. I don’t remember what it was. I think it was like 2500, 2700, something like that. And, it was on VHS tapes, that’s what it was on.
Jay Conner [00:30:34]:
Yeah. And I even think that wasn’t fan Merl on it.
Kevin Thompson [00:30:38]:
Yep, fan was on there, and Dan Kennedy was on there. And, and I never. I never watched the promoter side of that. So half of it I didn’t never even used. I just used the speaker’s part because that’s what I needed help with.
Jay Conner [00:30:53]:
Right.
Kevin Thompson [00:30:53]:
And I crafted that presentation using those VHS tapes. I sat in my living room just watching those and taking notes, and creating my presentation. And that presentation went on to. I sold $16.1 million worth of that training that I had created. And, and, and, and so all because Ron and Dan and then and those guys taught me how to create an effective product presentation and stuff.
Jay Conner [00:31:25]:
Yes. You know, yes.
Kevin Thompson [00:31:27]:
And that was, you know, running that publishing company for 12 years was such. That was just a really rewarding time. And, of course, it set the stage and set the foundation for all the work that I get to do today and stuff.
Jay Conner [00:31:43]:
Sure.
Kevin Thompson [00:31:43]:
Yeah.
Jay Conner [00:31:43]:
I had no idea you and I had these people in common.
Kevin Thompson [00:31:46]:
. I didn’t either. So. I’m so glad you shared because. Yeah, there are some cool class commonalities, you know, for sure. And.
Jay Conner [00:31:54]:
Yes. Well, that’s so cool. Well, hey, when this show airs, I’m for sure going to send a link to it to Ron Legrand.
Kevin Thompson [00:32:01]:
For sure. For sure. Yeah, we gotta, we gotta, we gotta, we gotta let him know how much he’s loved and appreciated, you know, I’ll.
Jay Conner [00:32:09]:
Tell you what, I tell you what. Ron Legrand’d be a fantastic guest on your show.
Kevin Thompson [00:32:15]:
Yeah, I’d love to have him on. I have not. My goodness, I haven’t seen Ron in years, you know, and so. Yeah, and you’re right. He would be a great person to have.
Jay Conner [00:32:25]:
I’ll tell you what. Ron is 78 years old right now.
Kevin Thompson [00:32:29]:
Yeah.
Jay Conner [00:32:30]:
He’s still teaching at every Quick Start Real Estate investing school. And for goodness’ sake, he runs circles around me.
Kevin Thompson [00:32:44]:
Well, Jay, I want to thank you so much for taking the time to have this conversation and just share from your heart today. I mean, I love who you are and how you show up. And, and for anybody that’s listening to this, going, yeah, Kev, I’m with you, man.. I love how Jay shows up too, you know, and, and maybe there’s even some people thinking like, man, maybe maybe I should find out more about what Jay does. Maybe he could help me so in any resources, any websites, any can be shared with folks. Jay.
Jay Conner [00:33:17]:
Absolutely. Well, Kevin a thank you to you and your audience for listening to our conversation. I would love to offer my book for free. It’s called Where to Get the Money Now. It’s a national bestseller. Where to get the Money Now. And the subtitle is how and where to get money for your real estate deals without relying on institutional money or hard money lenders. I’ll be glad to autograph the book.
Jay Conner [00:33:40]:
I’ll send it out through three-day express delivery, and it’s 20 bucks on Amazon. But don’t spend 20 bucks on Amazon. Let me send it to you. The book’s free. Just cover shipping, which is only six bucks.
Kevin Thompson [00:33:52]:
Okay.
Jay Conner [00:33:52]:
And we’ll rush it out to you. I will also include with the book two tickets to my three-thousand-dollar event with the book. So I’ll include the two tickets.
Kevin Thompson [00:34:02]:
Awesome.
Jay Conner [00:34:03]:
It’s called the private money conference.
Kevin Thompson [00:34:06]:
Okay.
Jay Conner [00:34:06]:
Live event that I do three times a year. So I’ll include tickets with the book for that. And if you’re a real estate investor or you want to get into real estate investing and you don’t want to use your own money and you don’t want to use the local bank’s money, this book will show you, step by step, very, very easy to read, exactly how I get all the money for my real estate deals without asking for it. You can pick up the book at www.JayConner.com/Book. So I’m an er, not an or. So www.JayConner.com/Book. And in addition to that, I’m now in my eighth year of my podcast. The name of the podcast is Raising Private Money.
Jay Conner [00:35:02]:
That simple. Raising private money. Just go to your platform, wherever you like to listen to podcasts, you know, Apple podcasts, Spotify, wherever, and just type in Raising Private Money I’ll, and it’ll pop up right there. And I’m always interviewing. I have two shows a week. We release some early Monday mornings and early Thursday mornings.
Kevin Thompson [00:35:21]:
Okay.
Jay Conner [00:35:22]:
I’m always interviewing other people who have raised private money, and the hundreds of thousands, millions of dollars, for their real estate deals. And I interview them as to how they go about doing it.
Kevin Thompson [00:35:34]:
Okay, very good. Very good. Well, once again, Jay, thank you so much for coming on today and just sharing from your heart any last thing you feel led to share before we call it a wrap?
Jay Conner [00:35:48]:
Yes. Ask yourself, when’s the last time you did something new for the first time? And I also share with you that there are five questions I ask myself each morning when I’m journaling. Only takes about 15 minutes or less. But I’ll just share one of those questions that I ask myself that I would encourage you to ask yourself as you go throughout your daily life. And that is what is stirring in my heart to start.
Kevin Thompson [00:36:27]:
I love that. I love that.
Jay Conner [00:36:31]:
What is stirring in your heart to start?
Kevin Thompson [00:36:34]:
Yeah.
Jay Conner [00:36:34]:
After all, life’s too short not to start what is stirring in your heart.
Kevin Thompson [00:36:39]:
Amen. Amen. Well, Jay, thank you. Thank you so much for coming on today. Thank you so much for just sharing. Thank you. Thank you for the generous offer. And, I’m excited to get this out there and share with a lot of other folks.
Kevin Thompson [00:36:58]:
So thank you again. Appreciate you, Jay.
Jay Conner [00:37:02]:
Kevin, thank you so much. The joy is all mine.
Kevin Thompson [00:37:06]:
Absolutely.