Save to Zero

Zach Richards, Mike Seidl
  • 2.0 (1)
  • Self-Improvement
  • Updated Weekly

Save to Zero is a podcast about earning more instead of just saving more. Hosted by Zach Richards and Mike Seidl, entrepreneurs and founders of REI Capital Guys, helping others achieve true passive income through private lending, you will learn how to invest in yourself, build real income streams, and stop wasting time chasing small savings. Hear from investors, entrepreneurs, and operators on how they created value, scaled their networks, and built real wealth.

  1. 5d ago

    Organic Marketing That Actually Creates Customers with Danielle Hollembaek Ep 27

    Episode 27: Organic Marketing That Actually Creates Customers with Danielle Hollembaek What if your biggest marketing numbers are the ones that matter least? A viral post may earn millions of views without creating a single customer, while a focused podcast, email list, or educational post can keep generating qualified leads for years. In this episode, Mike and Zach sit down with Danielle Hollembaek, co-founder of Provato, to talk about building an organic marketing engine around trust, consistency, and measurable results. Danielle shares how she worked her way from radio DJ and video editor to marketing leadership, learning every seat along the way and gaining the empathy needed to lead strong creative teams. We dig into why founders need a recognizable personal brand and how short-form content can introduce people to your work while podcasts, YouTube, and books build deeper trust. Danielle explains how a useful free resource can move an audience from rented social platforms to an email list you actually own. One of our biggest takeaways is that vanity metrics do not equal revenue. The right 5,000 followers can be more valuable than millions of disconnected views. Real marketing performance comes down to qualified leads, booked calls, sales, and knowing which content moved someone through the pipeline. You’ll also hear how Danielle kept an airport hospitality company profitable during COVID, recovered a disabled Facebook account, integrates business and family life, and plans to scale Provato through thoughtful hiring, clear culture, and a data-driven marketing audit. You’ll Learn in This Episode: Why consistency matters more than instant virality How podcasts and YouTube build long-term trust Why every brand needs a recognizable face How to move followers onto an email list you own Why vanity metrics can distract from real revenue How personal content strengthens a business brand How crisis marketing kept an airport business profitable What to do when a social media account is shut down How a fractional CMO audits and manages marketing Why culture and capacity should guide early hiring Quotes “Every brand has to have a face now.” “You need to own your list, which is all the emails and all of the numbers that you collect.” “It’s not like you have to have a big following to get leads through your social media presence.” “If you don’t want to work with me, we shouldn’t be working together.” About Danielle Hollembaek Danielle Hollembaek is the co-founder of Provato, a fractional CMO firm built for founders who have been burned by broken agency promises. With over a decade of marketing experience, she has climbed from video editor to Chief Marketing Officer in less than five years by obsessing over one thing: results that actually move revenue. She has kept travel businesses profitable during COVID, scaled seven-figure companies to eight figures, and grown startups into six-figure companies. Throughout her career, Danielle has generated thousands of qualified leads organically and trained teams to own their own marketing functions. Her experience across hands-on production, strategy, and leadership shapes an approach grounded in empathy for every role on a marketing team. Today, she partners with founders to build predictable pipelines and prove every marketing dollar with data, not vanity metrics. Find Danielle Hollembaek on Instagram and visit Provato Find REI Capital Guys For Investors & the Fund – Learn how the Fund works and book a call For Borrowers & Deals – Get funding and support for your next investment

    Organic Marketing That Actually Creates Customers with Danielle Hollembaek Ep 27

  2. Aug 11

    Building the Expedia of Racquet Sports with Daren Hornig Ep 26

    Episode 26: Building the Expedia of Racquet Sports with Daren Hornig What happens when a real estate investor stops choosing an asset class first and lets the opportunity reveal what it can become? For Daren Hornig, that mindset has led from commercial leasing and telecommunications to billion-dollar real estate development and an AI-powered racquet-sports platform. In this episode, Mike and Zach sit down with entrepreneur and investor Daren Hornig to unpack a career built around curiosity, resilience, and scale. Daren shares how he grew a fiber-optic infrastructure company to 500 employees, weathered the dot-com collapse, returned to real estate, and diversified across office, residential, retail, and industrial properties. We dig into the acquisition of the Port Washington Tennis Academy and how a real estate opportunity became a growing sports business. After partnering with Sportime and establishing Sportime Port Washington, home to the John McEnroe Tennis Academy, Daren expanded further into pickleball facilities across the Northeast. One of our biggest takeaways is Daren’s approach to vision: stay open enough to let the opportunity define the highest and best use. That same thinking led to CourtsApp, a marketplace designed to help players discover and book courts while helping facilities fill unused time and make smarter decisions. You’ll also hear how CourtsApp plans to use AI through its “Hey Courtney” agent, why customer data can unlock dynamic pricing and better service, how platform businesses scale without owning every underlying asset, and why Daren still chooses building and growth over retirement. You’ll Learn in This Episode: Why Daren lets opportunity drive the vision How he rebuilt after the dot-com collapse Why diversification can protect real estate investors How a tennis academy became a larger sports platform The vision behind CourtsApp and court aggregation How AI can simplify the racquet-sports experience Why customer data is the platform’s treasure trove How dynamic pricing can improve facility performance Why marketplace businesses are built for scale Why staying engaged matters more than retiring Quotes “I let opportunity drive my vision, and I don’t let my vision drive opportunity.” “I like building. I like being dynamic. I like going for it.” “The data is the treasure trove.” “Life’s too short. I don’t need to buy headaches. I don’t need to have bad partners.” About Daren Hornig Daren Hornig is the founder and Chief Executive Officer of CourtsApp, the first AI-powered booking platform built for racquet sports such as tennis, pickleball, padel, and squash. Daren is also Managing Partner of Hornig Capital Partners, bringing over 35 years of experience as a real estate broker, telecommunications entrepreneur, investor, and developer. Since founding HCP in 2013, he has acquired and developed over $1 billion in office, residential, retail, and industrial properties. In 2023, Daren acquired the famed Port Washington Tennis Academy and partnered with Sportime to establish Sportime Port Washington, home to the John McEnroe Tennis Academy. Following an $8 million renovation, the facility now features 13 tennis courts, 12 pickleball courts, and two golf simulators. He later partnered with Sportime to expand dedicated pickleball facilities throughout the Northeast. A 1989 graduate of the University of Maryland, College Park, with a bachelor’s degree in Business Marketing, Daren resides in New York and Florida. When he is not building companies, developing properties, or opening new pickleball facilities, you can find him on the courts or the slopes. Find Daren Hornig on LinkedIn, visit CourtsApp, or email info@courtsapp.com Find REI Capital Guys For Investors & the Fund – Learn how the Fund works and book a call For Borrowers & Deals – Get funding and support for your next investment

    Building the Expedia of Racquet Sports with Daren Hornig Ep 26

  3. Aug 4

    Why Paying More Can Make You More with Jon Nolen Ep 25

    Episode 25: Why Paying More Can Make You More with Jon Nolen What if the cheapest option is actually the most expensive mistake? From rental repairs to lead generation, masterminds, software, and even flights, it all keeps coming back to one idea: value matters more than price. In this episode, Mike and Zach sit down with real estate investor Jon Nolen to dig into the hidden cost of cutting corners in real estate, business, and life. We talk about what it’s really like to manage a rental portfolio, including the benefits of using both in-house management and outside property managers. There’s a lot to learn from seeing how other people run their systems, especially when it helps improve your own. We shift into why landlords need to take better care of their tenants. Slow repairs, cheap materials, and poor service don’t save money in the long run. They lead to vacancies, make-readies, and lost cash flow. One of our biggest takeaways from this conversation is around leads. Cheaper leads can create more work, more rejection, and more burnout. Better leads may cost more upfront, but they can convert faster, save time, and produce stronger returns.  You’ll also hear about flipping versus holding, the value of high-level masterminds, and how a real estate CRM can bring the whole property lifecycle together. You’ll Learn in This Episode: Working with different property managers Why tenant care protects cash flow Why flipping makes more sense than holding Why better leads can beat cheaper leads The value of high-level masterminds Fresh thinking versus shiny object syndrome How a property CRM improves operations  Why many founders have left real estate How to pivot without losing focus Why your time is worth more than you think Quotes “It’s not always best to get the lowest price. Sometimes it’s better to pay more.” “Pay more. Get better leads, get better software, get better everything.” “You don’t get into real estate to add more stress to your life.” “Value your time more, because you’re spending a lot of time to save nickels.”  About Jon Nolen Jon Nolen is a United States Marine Corps veteran, software entrepreneur, and high-volume real estate investor.  Since 2012, Jon has successfully navigated hundreds of transactions and built a substantial portfolio of over 120 rental properties. Unlike many founders who have moved away from the field, Jon remains actively engaged in the Oklahoma City market, where he continues to acquire new rentals and execute high-end property flips today.  Recognizing the technical gaps that slow down growing teams, Jon founded Pete REI, a custom-built CRM and automation platform. Drawing on his background in corporate IT and software development, he built Pete as a true investor-designed operating system that leverages "edge" AI to streamline lead management and operations.  Beyond his business ventures, Jon is an active pilot, a Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu practitioner, and a dedicated father of three. He is passionate about helping the modern investor move from "hustle" to "high-performance" by solving complex systems problems with authentic, scalable technology. Find Jon Nolen on Facebook and Instagram Find REI Capital Guys For Investors & the Fund – Learn how the Fund works and book a call For Borrowers & Deals – Get funding and support for your next investment

    Why Paying More Can Make You More with Jon Nolen Ep 25

  4. Jul 28

    How to Turn Your Business Into a Transferable Asset with Paul Cronin_Ep 24

    Episode 24: How to Turn Your Business Into a Transferable Asset with Paul Cronin Most business owners think they’re building an asset, but might actually just be building a job for themselves. What’s the difference between a business that survives and one that thrives? It comes down to common patterns that hold businesses back and simple principles that create lasting value. In this episode, Zach and Mike sit down with Paul Cronin, a coach who works with companies ranging from a few million to hundreds of millions of dollars in revenue. We explore why corporate success doesn’t always translate into entrepreneurial success, how great leaders learn to coach people at every level, and why being “coachable” may be the single most important trait a business owner can have. We also dig into an often overlooked topic: transferability. If your company depends entirely on you, do you really own a business, or does the business own you? You’ll learn how buyers evaluate risk, why some companies bring higher valuations than others, and how understanding the four capitals can dramatically improve both business performance and long-term wealth creation. We also chat about the biggest mistakes founders make when preparing for a future exit, the importance of building systems that work without the owner, and why waiting until you’re ready to sell is often far too late. You’ll Learn in This Episode: Why some corporate professionals struggle when they become business owners Lessons learned from working with companies of vastly different sizes The importance of being a coachable leader How great coaches adapt to different personalities and businesses Why every business owner should understand transferability What makes a company attractive to buyers The four capitals that drive long-term business value How risk impacts business valuation and sale price Why owner dependence destroys value Why it’s important to have an exit strategy long before you need one The number one cause of business failure Three practical areas every owner should evaluate today Quotes “Don’t tell me what you’re saying yes to, tell me what you’ve said no to that probably was a better idea.” “Your job as the owner is to create a highly transferable asset.” “The number one reason companies struggle is not having the right people in the right seats.” “If nobody wants what you have, it has no value.” About Paul Cronin Paul Cronin helps owners of $7M-$150M companies escape the Founder's Trap, unlocking 3 to 8 times their enterprise value. Stop chasing EBITDA at the expense of engineered transferability, optionality, and your freedom.  Find Paul Cronin on LinkedIn Email Paul Cronin: paul.cronin@cornerstone3inc.com Find REI Capital Guys For Investors & the Fund – Learn how the Fund works and book a call For Borrowers & Deals – Get funding and support for your next investment

    How to Turn Your Business Into a Transferable Asset with Paul Cronin_Ep 24

  5. Jul 21

    The Hidden Challenges of Sudden Wealth with Joseph D. Warren Ep 23

    Episode 23: The Hidden Challenges of Sudden Wealth with Joseph D. Warren Most people spend their lives trying to make more money, but what happens when a large amount arrives all at once? Whether it’s selling a business, receiving an inheritance, cashing out company stock, or another major financial windfall, a sudden wealth event can create opportunities and mistakes that impact the rest of your life. In this episode, Zach and Mike sit down with Joseph D. Warren, a financial planner specializing in helping people navigate these life-changing moments. He explains why the biggest threat isn’t usually the money itself, but the emotional decisions people make after they receive it. We discuss why creating rules before major financial events happen can help you avoid costly mistakes and why having a strategy in place before the money arrives is often more important than what you do afterward. You’ll also hear why successful investors build a team around them instead of trying to become experts in everything.  Our conversation also dives into business ownership, the importance of tracking how you spend your time, and why your business should support your life rather than consume it. You’ll also hear practical tips about naming savings accounts, preparing for future investment opportunities, maintaining proper asset allocation, and why diversification still matters.  You’ll Learn in This Episode: What qualifies as a sudden wealth event Why emotions drive so many money decisions Common mistakes people make after receiving a financial windfall The importance of creating financial rules ahead of time Why you need to have a tax strategy, not just preparation How to coordinate advisors so everyone works towards the same goals How to balance personal and business finances Why tracking your time is just as important as tracking your money The role of diversification and asset allocation How naming savings accounts can improve financial habits Building liquidity for future opportunities The value of delegation and trusted advisors Why radical transparency builds trust Creating a business based on reputation and results brokercheck.com Quotes “The biggest financial mistakes happen when emotions take over.” “You want the plan in place before the money arrives, not after.” “Your business should support your life, not become your life.” “Ethics are the number one thing that you have.” About Joseph D. Warren Joseph D. Warren is the co-founder of Financial Planning HQ, LLC, a boutique firm providing truly comprehensive financial strategies for a limited number of clients.  He serves fast-growing business owners with meaningful real estate holdings as their Financial CEO. Joseph coordinates tax, legal, lending, and cash flow so you can focus on your business and the things that matter more than money.  In his free time, when he's not helping clients, you can find Joseph at the gym lifting weights, reading Sci-Fi, or spending time with his wife and two kids (a toddler and newborn).  Find Joseph D. Warren on YouTube | LinkedIn | TikTok | Instagram Call Joseph D. Warren on 210-444-2128  Find REI Capital Guys For Investors & the Fund – Learn how the Fund works and book a call For Borrowers & Deals – Get funding and support for your next investment

    The Hidden Challenges of Sudden Wealth with Joseph D. Warren Ep 23

  6. Jul 14

    The Profit First System That Changes Everything with Ron Saharyan Ep 22

    Episode 22: The Profit First System That Changes Everything with Ron Saharyan Most business owners work harder than ever, grow older, add customers, and still wonder where all the money went. Sound familiar? What if you turned the tables and considered a different option: What if profit wasn’t an afterthought? In this episode, co-hosts Zach and Mike sit down with Ron Saharyan, co-founder of the Profit First movement. For decades, entrepreneurs have been taught that profit is whatever remains after expenses. The problem is that there is rarely anything left over. Our conversation explores a cash flow system that helps business owners pay themselves first, create clarity around their finances, and make better money decisions. Business finances don’t need to be complicated. Instead of drowning in reports, dashboards, and financial jargon, the focus is on creating a system that makes money visible and purposeful. The Profit First method works across industries and at any stage of your business development.  Ron is generously donating ten copies of his book, Profit First, to the first ten people who email us at EMAIL ADDRESS NEEDED. You’ll Learn in This Episode: Why the traditional profit formula fails business owners The simple shift behind the Profit First method How to create clarity around your cash flow Why paying yourself first changes everything How to gamify your finances and track progress Industries that can benefit from Profit First What happens when you implement the system from day one Preparing a business for growth, acquisition, and sale Lessons from real estate investing and private equity How to create a better company culture by being purposeful with your money Quotes “Profit isn’t what’s left over. Profit should come first.”  “By living everything that we’ve taught and do teach, I know it works.” “Get good at trying to get good.” “If you can’t run your own business well, why would you buy someone else’s?” About Ron Saharyan  Ron Saharyan is the co- founder of Profit First Professionals. Since starting Profit First Professionals in 2014 from the basement of Mike’s house, Ron has implemented, certified, and taught Profit First to hundreds of accounting, bookkeeping, and coaching firms around the globe.  Ron is an expert in sales processes/systems, hiring, scaling, and operations. Ron is also known as “Obie Ron” throughout Profit First Professionals for his business acumen.  Ron is an avid sports memorabilia collector and car enthusiast. He is married with a daughter living in New Jersey, USA. Ron is also an investor and real estate developer.  Find Ron Saharyan on Facebook Find REI Capital Guys For Investors & the Fund – Learn how the Fund works and book a call For Borrowers & Deals – Get funding and support for your next investment

    The Profit First System That Changes Everything with Ron Saharyan Ep 22

  7. Jul 7

    Building Businesses, Masterminds, and Meaningful Conversations with Jocelyn Greenky Ep 21

    Episode 21: Building Businesses, Masterminds, and Meaningful Conversations with Jocelyn Greenky Something shifted in this conversation almost immediately. What started as a business interview quickly turned into a masterclass on relationships, resilience, and how real success is built over decades, not months. Save to Zero co-hosts Mike and Zach sit down with entrepreneur, educator, and family business coach Joceyln Greenky to talk about everything from masterminds and AI disruption to communication styles, relationship capital, and knowing when to stay focused versus chasing the next shiny object.  Jocelyn shares how growing up around a Mennonite farm shaped her work ethic, why she went back to school in her 50s, and what she’s learned from more than four decades in business. This episode dives into entrepreneurship, family business dynamics, emotional intelligence, and why the strongest business advantage might actually be your ability to connect with people. From corporate leadership to teaching students, building businesses, and advising family-run companies, this conversation is packed with practical wisdom and honest insight. You’ll Learn in This Episode: What a “Family Business Whisperer” actually does The difference between macro and micro thinking Why relationship capital matters in business How AI may reshape family business The value of small group masterminds Why emotional intelligence matters at work What makes family businesses complicated How to tell a great idea from a distraction Why being “all-in” changes everything Quotes “Relationship capital is everything. You never know which conversation is going to change your life.”  “With AI and the displacement of so many crucial jobs, I think we’re going to see more family businesses emerge.”  “Interesting ideas come when your back is against the wall, and you’re faced with what to do.” “You’re not alone in business. The problems you’re facing? Someone else has already faced them, too.” About Joceyln Greenky Jocelyn Greenky, MBA, is a no-nonsense business fixer, keynote speaker, and author with 40+ years of experience transforming companies and business reputations. From Fortune 500 giants to family-run firms, she’s helped leaders cut through chaos, build credibility, and drive real results with an all-in mentality.  She’s the author of The Big Sister’s Guide to the World of Work (Simon & Schuster) and a trusted expert featured on CNBC, CNN, and in The New York Times and Forbes. Jocelyn has held C-suite roles across media, tech, and lifestyle brands—ELLE, Rolling Stone, Car and Driver, Men’s Journal, HBO, Material Bank—and served as an adjunct professor at Mercy University and Queen’s College.  Grounded, funny, and fearless, Jocelyn brings clarity to complexity—and a serious edge to leadership. She lives in Greenwich, CT, with her husband, three dogs, and a never-empty dinner table full of family.  Find Jocelyn Greenky on her Website Find Jocelyn Greenky on LinkedIn and Instagram info@siderroad.com Find REI Capital Guys For Investors & the Fund – Learn how the Fund works and book a call For Borrowers & Deals – Get funding and support for your next investment

    Building Businesses, Masterminds, and Meaningful Conversations with Jocelyn Greenky Ep 21

  8. Jun 30

    Real Estate, Resilience, and Learning What Enough Means with Nick Aalerud Ep 20

    Episode 20: Real Estate, Resilience, and Learning What Enough Means with Nick Aalerud When the goal is no longer to do more deals, buy more units, or chase the next big number, what does success actually mean? Zach and Mike dig into what it really looks like to step back, reset, and ask that bigger question with their guest, Nick Aalerud. Nick has spent years in real estate, from single-family flips to multifamily and boutique hotels, then coaching, and now so much more. But after building businesses, scaling teams, surviving bad deals, navigating public personal challenges, and facing serious health scares, Nick is taking a very different approach. Instead of chasing 100+ deals a year, he’s choosing fewer than 10 intentional ones that excite him and fit the life he actually wants to live. Our conversation covers the highs, lows, and hard resets of Nick’s journey. He shares how a late-night infomercial pulled him out of banking and into real estate, his first real win, and how he slowly built systems, checklists, and a more careful way of doing business. This episode goes deeper than real estate deals. Nick opens up about the impact of divorce, business strain, staff issues, betrayal inside his company, and the moment he realized he could no longer just outwork every problem. That shift pushed him into a season of reflection, healing, and redefining what fulfillment really means. You’ll Learn in This Episode: Why Nick is choosing fewer, more intentional clients How his first real estate investments went wrong Why breaking even became a huge win How real estate helped him leave the corporate world Why he shifted from flips to rentals, multifamily, and boutique hotels How divorce impacted Nick’s businesses What happens when your identity is tied to work Quotes “Money follows excitement.” “I didn’t know what enough was, so I kept going.” “I wasn’t getting any happier. I wasn’t feeling really fulfilled at all.” “I’m still here. So, if I’m still here, I’m still safe.” About Nick Aalerud A former banker turned real estate investor, Nick Aalerud has 20 years of experience in both UP and DOWN markets – across all strategies and asset classes.  Having run an 8-figure, multi-state wholesale, fix-and-flip, and rental operation in which the team did 100+ deals a year across seven states, Nick built a team and opened other company verticals in real estate brokerage (40+ agents), property management, short-sale negotiations, and an investment servicing division.  Nick helped begin and grow numerous networking groups regionally (Black Diamond REI Insiders & REI Unleashed) to over 1500 members, fostering a sense of community and teaching others the right way to help people and make money in the business.  His firms have syndicated, bought, and sold over $100M in real estate and currently manage $20M in assets across RV Parks, Multifamily Portfolios, Boutique Hotels, and Self Storage portfolios across the East Coast, with strategic partnerships.  Having been through his own short sales, a foreclosure, crawling back from $500K in bad debt, losing hundreds of thousands in rehab lessons, having built a large 8-figure organization with 40+ people across 7 states, undergoing a full burnout, burning everything to the ground… and two divorces, which left him homeless and even in the hospital… He’s learned what ultimately is the key to success – and it’s the pursuit of FREEDOM, in all its forms.  Now a best-selling author, speaker, and transformational guide, he helps people reach a higher standard in their own lives through multiple modalities, pushing them to see what's possible if they just let go of the b******t stories they’ve had since birth.  Along the same lines, Nick’s passionate about overlaying a LIFE element to all those entrepreneurs who have taken a ton of courses or guru strategies, and can’t seem to take action or can’t seem to get consistent on their own success, especially for those who don’t yet feel fulfilled in their own lives.  Nick’s a leader in the REI Collab Community which fosters a go-giver group of folks who are holding each other accountable using specific frameworks for reaching financial freedom in 5 years or less using real estate as the tool, and is the founder of Life Unlimited Community, which guides burnt out or stale entrepreneurs back to abundance and passion in their lives, while showing them how to HAVE IT ALL in their finances, in their relationships, and in their LIFE by challenging the very fabric of who they were, and who they can be.  Nick is the host of the Journey to Freedom podcast, where he shares stories of other business owners and community members who overcame their challenges and found their paths to freedom. His mission is to profoundly IMPACT as many people as he can through his business ventures, coaching communities, charity and service work, and his efforts to be the best Dad, husband, creator, leader, mindset rebuilder, and transformational guide he can be.  Find Nick Aalerud on Instagram | Facebook | YouTube | X Find REI Capital Guys For Investors & the Fund – Learn how the Fund works and book a call For Borrowers & Deals – Get funding and support for your next investment

    Real Estate, Resilience, and Learning What Enough Means with Nick Aalerud Ep 20
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About

Save to Zero is a podcast about earning more instead of just saving more. Hosted by Zach Richards and Mike Seidl, entrepreneurs and founders of REI Capital Guys, helping others achieve true passive income through private lending, you will learn how to invest in yourself, build real income streams, and stop wasting time chasing small savings. Hear from investors, entrepreneurs, and operators on how they created value, scaled their networks, and built real wealth.

Information

  • Creator
    Zach Richards, Mike Seidl
  • Years Active
    2026
  • Episodes
    27
  • Rating
    Explicit
  • Copyright
    © 2026 REI Capital Guys. All Rights Reserved.
  • Show Website
    Save to Zero