#227: Stop Chasing Deals That Don't Align With Your Life — Michael Miller

He left corporate banking, bought $1 million in land that became undevelopable, and then invested $10 million in real estate his first year — without using a single dollar of his own money.

In this episode, Chris sits down with Michael Miller — a former Bank of America executive turned full-time real estate investor, construction company owner, and commercial plumbing company owner who went from selling car stereos at Car Toys to building a portfolio spanning hundreds of rental properties across Michigan, Ohio, Texas, California, and Washington State. Michael's journey is one of the most honest accounts of rapid scaling, costly mistakes, and intentional realignment you'll hear in real estate.

In this episode you'll learn:

How Michael went from corporate banking to $10 million in real estate investments in his first year without using his own money

Why buying $1 million in land during COVID was his most expensive lesson — and what it taught him

Why scattering across multiple geographies and strategies cost him more than it made him

How therapy and a leadership team meeting led him to discover his core mission: "building and restoring families"

Why he's pivoting toward sober living facilities and larger commercial projects including a 48-unit facility and 97-unit motel conversion

How he's implemented AI across email management, compliance, and property analysis

Why passion alignment matters more than profit potential when choosing your real estate strategy

The mentors who shaped different stages of his journey — Ryan Pineda, Pace Morby, and Brandon Turner

His advice for beginners: start with fix and flips before pursuing large multifamily