Growing the Money with Rich Lennon

What if you could earn 30–50% returns in real estate, without flipping houses, managing tenants, or spending money on marketing? Most investors are taught the same path: buy rentals, build a portfolio, and keep stacking doors. But what happens when you’ve already done that, and the returns stop growing?
In this episode, Rich Lennon shares the shift that completely changed how he thinks about building wealth. After years of owning a large rental portfolio, Rich realized something surprising: the equity in his properties looked impressive on paper, but the actual returns were shrinking. So he made a bold move. He started selling rentals and moving that capital into private lending, a model that now generates significantly higher returns while requiring far less time and effort.
Rich breaks down how this strategy works, why he keeps his lending local, and how he built a deal flow pipeline without running ads or chasing borrowers. If you’ve ever wondered what comes after building a rental portfolio, this episode will open your eyes.
You’ll Learn How To:
Understand why large rental portfolios can quietly produce low returns
Turn equity from properties into higher-yield opportunities
Use private lending to generate strong returns without owning more real estate
Structured deals that can reach 30–50% returns through fractionalized lending
Build deal flow through relationships instead of marketing
Who This Episode Is For:
Real estate investors with growing equity but modest cash returns
Landlords are tired of managing tenants and maintenance
Investors curious about private lending or note investing
Anyone who wants their money to work harder with less effort
Why You Should Listen:
Many investors spend years building portfolios, only to realize their wealth is locked inside assets that don’t produce strong returns anymore.
Rich explains how he recognized that moment, and why shifting from owning properties to owning the paper completely changed his financial strategy. His approach is simple, relationship-driven, and built around a principle most investors overlook: your money should work harder as your wealth grows, not slower.
What You’ll Learn in This Episode:
[00:00] Why Rich began shutting down his rehab business
[05:30] The surprising truth about rental portfolio returns
[10:00] Why expanding into new markets caused major losses
[14:00] The shift from owning properties to owning the note
[18:30] How private lending can generate much higher returns
[21:45] The difference between private money and hard money
[24:00] How Rich gets deals without running marketing
[26:30] Why financial education is missing for most investors
Follow Rich Lennon here:
Website: https://richlennon.com/
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/rich.lennon.121
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/richlennon92/
Follow Preston Zeller here:
Website: http://theartofgrievingfilm.com/
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/prestonzeller/?hl=en
YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@ZellerhausArt

What if one of the most profitable real estate strategies didn’t require owning dozens of rentals, flipping houses, or spending thousands every month on marketing?
In this episode, Rich Lennon sits down with Preston Zeller to break down a lending model that many investors never hear about, but the ones who discover it often wonder why they didn’t start sooner. Instead of chasing deals, managing tenants, or constantly hunting for the next property, this strategy focuses on something far simpler: becoming the lender.
Rich Lennon joins the show to share how he transitioned from building a traditional real estate portfolio into a private lending model that has produced consistent returns, strong relationships, and zero foreclosures. He explains why lending can be one of the most overlooked opportunities in real estate and how it allows investors to grow wealth while avoiding many of the headaches that come with owning properties.
You’ll Learn How To:
Understand the difference between owning real estate and lending on it
Build strong returns without running a full real estate operation
Use private lending as a wealth-building strategy
Reduce risk while still participating in profitable deals
Build relationships with borrowers who consistently bring opportunities
Who This Episode Is For:
Real estate investors are tired of managing rentals and renovations
Investors who want strong returns without running a full business
People are curious about private lending as a wealth-building strategy
Anyone looking for alternative ways to grow capital through real estate
Why You Should Listen:
Most investors think the only way to win in real estate is to own more properties. But sometimes the smarter move is stepping into a different role entirely.
This episode introduces a lending model that allows investors to stay involved in real estate while avoiding many of the traditional headaches. If you’ve ever wondered how lenders generate strong returns without managing properties, this conversation will open your eyes to a strategy few people talk about.
What You’ll Learn in This Episode:
[00:00] Why many investors overlook lending as a real estate strategy
[04:00] Rich’s journey from traditional investing into private lending
[08:00] The problem with constantly chasing deals
[12:00] Why lenders often face fewer headaches than property owners
[17:00] The role relationships play in building a strong lending network
[22:00] How this model creates consistent opportunities without marketing
[27:00] Why some lenders achieve strong returns while avoiding foreclosures
Follow Rich Lennon here:
Website: https://richlennon.com/
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/rich.lennon.121
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/richlennon92/
Follow Preston Zeller here:
Website: http://theartofgrievingfilm.com/
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/prestonzeller/?hl=en
YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@ZellerhausArt

What if the biggest thing holding you back financially isn’t your income, your investments, or even your spending, but your taxes? Most people focus on making more money. Very few focus on keeping more of what they earn. And over time, that quiet leak adds up to hundreds of thousands, even millions, of dollars lost.
In this episode, Rich Lennon joins the show to break down why income taxes are the single biggest obstacle to building real wealth, and what you can legally do about it. From the power of tracking your net worth to the strategy behind buy-and-hold real estate, Rich shares the mindset and moves that helped him shift from operator to lender, and dramatically accelerate his wealth.
You’ll Learn How To:
Track your wealth so you can actually grow it
Understand why income taxes slow your progress more than you think
Use buy-and-hold real estate to create powerful tax advantages
Apply the BRRRR strategy the right way
Minimize risk while still earning higher returns
Who This Episode Is For:
Real estate investors are trying to keep more of what they earn
Entrepreneurs frustrated by large tax bills
Anyone building wealth who feels stuck or behind
Investors are ready to think long-term instead of year-to-year
Why You Should Listen:
Most people never question how much taxes cost them over a lifetime. This episode opens your eyes to the compounding effect of taxation and the strategies available to offset it legally. If you want to grow your net worth faster and more securely, this conversation gives you practical tools you can actually use.
What You’ll Learn in This Episode:
[00:00] Rich’s background and why tracking wealth matters
[03:00] The compounding example that changes how you see taxes
[06:00] Why income taxes are the biggest wealth killer
[08:30] How the government uses the tax code to incentivize investors
[10:30] The basics of buy, rehab, rent, refinance, repeat (BRRRR)
[13:00] Using private money and refinancing to recycle capital
[15:00] Understanding risk, returns, and playing the long game
Follow Rich Lennon here:
Website: https://richlennon.com/
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/rich.lennon.121
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/richlennon92/

What happens when 30 real estate deals fall apart at the same time, and the private lenders lose everything? It’s happening right now. Rich actually likes subject-to deals. They can be powerful tools when used correctly. But when you ignore basic rules, equity, underwriting, legal structure, and skin in the game, things can go bad fast. And when they do, the private lender is usually the one left holding the bag.
In this episode, Rich breaks down what went wrong in a major Florida subject matter situation and why so many private money lenders are suddenly stuck with no exit and no protection. This isn’t about fear. It’s about facts.
You’ll Learn How To:
Spot red flags before wiring your money
Protect yourself in subject-to deals
Avoid greed-driven decisions
Structure private lending the right way
Make sure you’re truly secured before funding
Who This Episode Is For:
Private money lenders
Passive investors chasing high returns
Anyone involved in subject-to deals
Investors in masterminds or paid groups
Real estate professionals who want to protect their capital
Why You Should Listen:
Many lenders were promised 30%, 40%, or even 50% returns. That should’ve been the first warning sign. Rich walks through the six biggest mistakes private lenders are making right now, from lending outside their local market to skipping attorneys, ignoring equity, and trusting operators with zero skin in the game.
What You’ll Learn in This Episode:
[00:00] What’s happening with subject-to deals around the country
[02:00] Why lending outside your local market adds massive risk
[04:00] The greed gland problem and unrealistic returns
[05:30] Why operators need real skin in the game
[07:00] The danger of skipping legal representation
[08:30] Why equity is non-negotiable in lending
[10:30] The problem with mastermind groupthink
[12:00] How to protect yourself before the deal goes bad
Follow Rich Lennon here:
Website: https://richlennon.com/
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/rich.lennon.121
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/richlennon92/

What if the biggest difference in real estate isn’t how much money you make, but whether you have to keep showing up to make it? There’s a massive mindset gap between being a business owner and being an investor. One has to go back to work after the meeting. The other doesn’t.
In this episode, Rich shares two stories that hit him hard. Both involved walking into rooms full of high-level builders and commercial real estate professionals, and realizing he was completely underdressed. This episode isn’t about clothes. It’s about confidence. It’s about understanding the difference between owning a job in real estate and owning assets that pay you whether you show up or not.
You’ll Learn How To:
Understand the real difference between a real estate business and real estate investing
Build confidence in your investor identity
Stop chasing activity and start building passive income
Think long-term instead of living deal by deal
Separate the image from the actual wealth
Who This Episode Is For:
Wholesalers, flippers, and builders who feel stuck in the grind
Landlords who want to transition into true passive income
Entrepreneurs are questioning whether they built a business or just another job
Anyone who wants financial freedom, not just financial success
Why You Should Listen:
It’s easy to confuse being busy with being wealthy. This episode challenges you to ask a better question: when the meeting ends, do you go home or go back to work? Rich shares a simple but powerful mindset shift that changed how he saw himself and his business. Real wealth isn’t about looking successful in the room. It’s about owning assets that work whether you’re there or not.
What You’ll Learn in This Episode:
[00:00] The mindset difference between investors and business owners
[02:00] The builders' association meeting that sparked the shift
[04:00] How perception and appearance can mislead you
[06:00] The commercial real estate conference wake-up moment
[08:00] The confidence shift halfway down the aisle
[10:00] Why passive income changes how you see yourself
[11:00] The real question to ask about your real estate career
Follow Rich Lennon here:
Website: https://richlennon.com/
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/rich.lennon.121
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/richlennon92/