BUILT

Cody Journell & Kristi Bowman

5.0 (1)
Entrepreneurship

BUILT is about more than money. Hosted by Cody Journell & Kristi Bowman, we dive into real estate, business, health, wealth, family, faith, and the pursuit of building a meaningful life. From multifamily investing and entrepreneurship to mindset, fitness, and personal growth, these are real conversations for people trying to build something bigger than themselves.

4d ago

How to Turn Just $10,000 into Millions in Real Estate Using Private Money | BUILT Podcast Ep. 4

What if you could turn just $10,000 into Millions in Real Estate? In this episode, Cody and Christy sit down with Chris Lemons of Creative Financing Solutions, a lender with 24 years of experience spanning the FDIC banking world, conventional mortgages, and now private money lending, to break down how real estate investors use leverage to scale faster than they ever could with a traditional bank. Chris shares how CFS was born out of post-COVID burnout and a leap of faith with the owners of Alcova Mortgage, how they went from a couple million dollars in seed capital to backing thousands of loans through warehouse bank relationships, and why they built the company around relationships instead of foreclosures with only 13 deals going south out of thousands funded. From fix and flip loans structured at 12 months or less, to bridge financing that lets you grab multiple properties at once, to the new fix-to-rent product that rolls your flip straight into a DSCR loan, Chris explains exactly what lenders look for (cash, credit, and experience) and how the math works when they take your capital and multiply it by seven. Cody and Christy also share their own CFS success story: a boarded-up six-unit in Radford that no bank would touch, purchased for $300K with $350K in renovations now appraised at $1.25 million. Whether you're saving up for your first flip or building a rental portfolio, this episode shows you how the right lending partner can turn your five-year plan into a now plan. In this episode: •⁠ ⁠How Chris went from FDIC banking to founding a private lending company •⁠ ⁠The cash, credit, and experience formula CFS uses to approve borrowers •⁠ ⁠How $100K becomes $560K of lending exposure (the 7x leverage math) •⁠ ⁠Fix and flip loan structures: 12 months, 80-90% of purchase, 100% of reno •⁠ ⁠Bridge loans and how to acquire multiple properties in one move •⁠ ⁠The new fix-to-rent product that exits straight into a DSCR loan •⁠ ⁠What DSCR means and how the 1.2 coverage ratio works •⁠ ⁠Why CFS only lends where Alcova has boots on the ground •⁠ ⁠The $650K six-unit deal in Radford now worth $1.25M •⁠ ⁠Lessons from the 13 loans that went bad (and how to avoid being one) Follow BUILT Podcast Instagram & TikTok: @built_pod Connect with Chris Lemons Website: https://www.cfsgo.com Socials: @CFSgo Contact: clemons@cfsgo.com Follow the Hosts Cody Journell: Instagram / Facebook / YouTube: @codyjournell Kristi Bowman: Instagram: @kristi_bowman_realtor Join the BUILT Investor Network Real estate. Business. Health. Wealth. Connect with a community of investors, entrepreneurs, and builders who are focused on creating real freedom through action. https://www.skool.com/built-investor-network #BUILTPodcast #RealEstateInvesting #RentalProperties #MultifamilyInvesting #FinancialFreedom #PassiveIncome #RealEstateInvestor #Entrepreneurship #Business #WealthBuilding #Mindset #Investing #BUILT #ChrisLemons #RichDadPoorDad #RealEstatePodcast
Jun 23

She Built 43 Rental Units Starting With Just $8,000 - BUILT Episode 3

What does it actually take to build long-term wealth through real estate? In this episode, Cody and Kristi sit down with investor, lender, insurance agency owner, and longtime mentor Jamie Bailey to discuss how she built a 43-unit rental portfolio starting with just an $8,000 life insurance payout. Jamie shares the lessons she learned from nearly three decades in the mortgage industry, what inspired her to start investing after seeing too many people reach retirement without enough income, and how she and her husband slowly built wealth through rental properties, sweat equity, and consistency. From buying distressed properties and apartment complexes to navigating market cycles, managing tenants, and taking calculated risks, this episode is packed with practical wisdom for anyone looking to build financial freedom through real estate. Whether you're buying your first rental property or looking to scale your portfolio, Jamie's story is proof that you don't need to start with millions—you just need to start. In this episode: How Jamie bought her first rental property with $8,000 Building a 43-unit rental portfolio over time Using sweat equity when money is tight Lessons learned from 28 years in the mortgage industry The biggest mistakes people make when planning for retirement Why taking action matters more than endless education Apartment investing, tenant stories, and real-world lessons How poker, business, and investing all require the same mindset Why fear shouldn't stop you from getting started The importance of surrounding yourself with the right people Next Episode Preview: We're joined by Chris Lemons of Creative Financing Solutions to discuss creative finance strategies, seller financing, and how investors can structure deals in today's market. 🎙️ Follow BUILT Podcast Instagram & TikTok: @built_pod 👤 Connect with Jamie Bailey Mortgage: https://www.alcova.com/jbailey Insurance: https://www.baileyinsurancegroup.net 👤 Follow the Hosts Cody Journell: Instagram / Facebook / YouTube: @codyjournell Kristi Bowman: Instagram: @kristi_bowman_realtor 🏗️ Join the BUILT Investor Network Real estate. Business. Health. Wealth. Connect with a community of investors, entrepreneurs, and builders who are focused on creating real freedom through action. 👉 https://www.skool.com/built-investor-network #BUILTPodcast #RealEstateInvesting #RentalProperties #MultifamilyInvesting #FinancialFreedom #PassiveIncome #RealEstateInvestor #Entrepreneurship #Business #WealthBuilding #Mindset #Investing #BUILT #JamieBailey #RichDadPoorDad #RealEstatePodcast
Jun 5

Hustle Culture & Work-Life Balance Are Lying To You - BUILT Episode 2

Is the answer really to work harder... or have we been sold the wrong idea of success? In this episode, Cody and Kristi dive into the reality behind hustle culture, the myth of perfect work-life balance, and what they've learned while building businesses, raising a family, investing in real estate, and trying to stay healthy through it all. This isn't another "grind 24/7" conversation. It's an honest discussion about seasons of life, intentional sacrifice, burnout, and why building a meaningful life sometimes looks different than what social media tells us. Whether you're an entrepreneur, investor, or someone simply trying to create a life you're proud of, this episode will challenge the way you think about success. In this episode: - Why hustle culture isn't the whole story - The problem with chasing "perfect balance" - Building businesses without losing yourself - Family, faith, and finding your priorities - Why success comes in seasons - The mindset shifts that helped us grow Next Episode Preview: We're joined by investor and entrepreneur Jamie Bailey, a personal mentor to Kristi, for a conversation you won't want to miss. 🎙️ Follow BUILT Podcast Youtube / Instagram / TikTok: @built_pod 👤 Follow the Hosts Cody Journell: Instagram / Facebook / YouTube: @codyjournell Kristi Bowman: Instagram / Facebook: @kristi_bowman_realtor 🏗️ Join the BUILT Investor Network https://www.skool.com/haven-investor-network-3620/about Connect with a community of investors, entrepreneurs, and builders who are focused on creating real freedom through action. #BUILTPodcast #RealEstate #Business #Health #Wealth #Entrepreneurship #WorkLifeBalance #HustleCulture #Mindset #Investing #Family #BUILT
May 27

Rich Dad Poor Dad Changed Everything | BUILT Podcast Episode 1

Welcome to Episode 1 of the BUILT Podcast. Hosted by Cody Journell & Kristi Bowman, BUILT is about more than just money. This show is focused on real conversations around real estate, business, investing, health, wealth, faith, and building a meaningful life. In this first episode, we break down our personal stories — from D1 football and healthcare careers to real estate investing, house hacking, multifamily deals, property management, BRRRRs, flipping houses, and building businesses from the ground up. We also dive into: • Rich Dad Poor Dad & financial literacy • How Kristi bought multifamily with little money out of pocket • Cody’s transition from residential sales into multifamily investing • Why multifamily real estate creates long-term wealth • Property management mistakes most owners make • The BRRRR strategy explained • Hard money lending & flipping houses • Building passive income and financial freedom • The launch of Haven Management Group’s 90-Day Multifamily Sprint If you’re interested in real estate investing, entrepreneurship, business growth, or becoming financially free — this podcast is for you. SUBSCRIBE for future episodes with local and national guests covering real estate, business, fitness, health, and wealth. ⸻ 🔗 Join the Haven Investor Network (Skool): https://www.skool.com/haven-investor-network-3620/about 📸 Follow BUILT: Youtube: @Built_Pod Instagram: @Built_Pod TikTok: @Built_Pod 📸 Follow Kristi: @kristi_bowman_realtor 📸 Follow Cody: Instagram: @codyjournell LinkedIn: @codyjournell Youtube: @codyjournell 🏢 Haven Management Group: www.havenpm.us 🎙 Podcast Sponsors: Creative Financing Solutions www.cfsgo.com Southern Trace Builders https://southerntracebuildersllc.com ⸻ Timestamps: 00:00 - Welcome to the BUILT Podcast 02:15 - Kristi’s real estate journey 07:40 - Healthcare to full-time real estate 14:20 - Seller financing explained 22:05 - First flips & hard money lending 31:18 - Cody’s D1 football background 38:50 - Moving into real estate full-time 48:10 - Building Haven Management Group 56:35 - Why multifamily investing wins 1:03:40 - Property management mistakes 1:12:20 - Rich Dad Poor Dad & financial literacy 1:20:45 - The 90-Day Multifamily Sprint 1:28:10 - Big Haven announcement #RealEstateInvesting #MultifamilyInvesting #HouseHacking #BRRRR #FinancialFreedom #BusinessPodcast #RealEstatePodcast #BUILTPodcast

4 Episodes

BUILT is about more than money. Hosted by Cody Journell & Kristi Bowman, we dive into real estate, business, health, wealth, family, faith, and the pursuit of building a meaningful life. From multifamily investing and entrepreneurship to mindset, fitness, and personal growth, these are real conversations for people trying to build something bigger than themselves.

Creator

Cody Journell & Kristi Bowman
Years Active

2026
Episodes

4
Rating

Clean
Copyright

© 2026 BUILT