Just wrapped up a great chat with Mike Stansbury on the Real Estate Pros Podcast. And listen, this one had it all. Tech issues. A dog trying to take over the mic. The kind of honest conversation that makes you remember why these things matter.

If you don’t know Mike, he’s the real deal. The podcast is part of the Investor Fuel ecosystem. That’s a high-level mastermind for real estate investors and service providers who are serious about growing their businesses the right way. Real Estate Pros brings on industry voices to talk about strategy, scale, and the real stuff behind the highlight reels. I was honored to be invited.

We covered a lot:

The Winding Road to Here
Mike opened by asking about my origin story. I told him straight. I didn’t come from real estate, and I sure didn’t major in marketing. I was a tech guy. A problem solver. Started building websites in the 90s. Worked in IT and banking. Got punched by the 2008 recession. Eventually ended up running marketing for a car dealer. That’s when it clicked. I didn’t want to build someone else’s business. I wanted to build mine.

How Real Estate Found Me
The agency started off working across industries. But I picked up a few investor clients. Then I joined a real estate mastermind in the Philly area. Then I started learning the game myself. That snowballed. Now we’re a strategic marketing partner to real estate investors all over the country. We help them niche down, stand out, connect better, and scale faster.

Quick-Turn Campaigns, Powered by Strategy and AI
We got into one client win that still fires me up. A Philly-based investor had boots on the ground in Florida and wanted to move fast after a hurricane. We spun up a full brand, funnel, CRM pipeline, and retargeting campaign in under 48 hours. They closed four deals in six weeks. That kind of speed used to take months. With the right systems, it’s days.

Outbound vs. Inbound
Mike and I both agreed. Outbound works. Inbound works. But you’ve got to pick a lane. I don’t cold call or mass text. I build trust. I attract the right people. I let the marketing engine work. It’s not about right or wrong. It’s about knowing your style and committing to it.

Fractional CMO, Real Results
I talked a bit about my current work as a fractional CMO. I come in. I look at what’s working and what’s broken. Then I help investors scale using a combo of strategy, branding, and performance marketing. Most businesses already have the tools. They just need them to actually work together.

Off the Clock
Yes, the dogs barked during the recording. Welcome to my life. I play hockey five nights a week. My wife plays too. We hang with our rescue zoo and hit up Fan Expos whenever we can. That’s the point of all of this. Work that supports the life you actually want to live.

Where to Listen
The episode is up now on the Real Estate Pros Podcast. If you’re in Investor Fuel or just someone building something in the REI world, check it out. We kept it real and packed it with practical takeaways.

If anything I said hit home, reach out. I’m around.